The Villages - August 2020 - 42

B A R RY S HU BE RT
CIRCUS MODEL BUILDER
Barry Shubert builds circuses - miniature worlds
where tiny men ride elaborate wagons, blowing
trumpets and trombones, playing music you can
almost hear - if only in your imagination. Shubert's
collection is a trip back in time, where elephants shuffle
through the streets and feathered horses trot to the
beat of a lively song, drawing cheers from the crowds.
"I grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut - home of
P.T. Barnum, Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey,"
Barry said. "They had their winter quarters there and
the circus came every year."
In the 1940s, traveling circuses were still a major
form of entertainment, attracting spectators in
every city.
"It was their heyday," Barry said. "There were
anywhere from six to 10 major circuses touring the
country."
Barry's wife Dot has similar memories,
noting the circus was every kid's "big summer
treat."
And while the show is no doubt spectacular, what happens prior to the event is far
more captivating, according to Barry.

SEEING THEM
SET UP - THAT
WAS THE REAL
EXCITEMENT...
I'D WATCH THE
TRAINS UNLOAD,
THE CANVAS
GO UP, THE
ELEPHANTS. I'VE
ALWAYS LOVED
THE ELEPHANTS.
- Barry Shubert

42	

AUGUST 2020

"Seeing them set up - that was the real
excitement," he said. "I was always interested in the
rigging and the cages. I would go around what they
called the backyard, where the acts lined up to go in,
and I'd watch the trains unload, the canvas go up, the
elephants. I've always loved the elephants."
As adults, Barry and Dot brought their own children
to the circus, and then their children's children.
"It was all so fascinating - you'd think, this all
came in on a train car?" Dot said.
Around 1970, Barry's friend Roger Bernier shared
his passion for building circus models.
"He got me into it," Barry said. "He's an excellent
builder and he has a whole basement full of models."
The two attended a national convention in
Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Barry's new hobby
was born. It was a way to relive the circus, from
a quiet workshop in his home. It starts with
vintage photographs and his own snapshots
as blueprints.
"I have photos of circuses, lot scenes,
performers, setting up," he said. "I also have
posters, programs, route cards dating back to the
early 1900s."
The Villages - August 2020

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