Cyrus Manoogian ’24 of Rabun Gap, GA as Brian Dunning in Cirque Fantôme performs on the German wheel. Pictured in background, from left, are Juliette Teutsch ’24 of Demorest, GA, Zoey Townsend ’23 of Cullowhee, NC, and Parker Stribling’24 of Sautee Nacoochee, GA.
Students at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School received rave reviews for their recent performance of Cirque Fantôme. The show, written and directed by Rabun Gap’s arts department director Sean Lakey, included aerial Cirque acts, dancing, and a spooky storyline.
Cirque Fantôme tells the story of the hosts and crew of the “Untold Mysteries” podcast as they investigate the haunted Meddlebrook Manor. Throughout the show, students performed on apps including the aerial silks, lyra, German wheel, Cyr wheel, Spanish web, aerial sling, and trapeze.
More than 75 Rabun Gap students were involved in this year’s production, from on-stage performers to the technical theater crew. There was also a student film crew that shot and edited footage for the show.
Rabun Gap is one of the only schools in the country with a Cirque program. Based on Cirque du Soleil, the program combines aerial acrobatics, circus arts, theatre, and dance to produce an original performance each year.
This year, Rabun Gap alumni Chelsey Willoughby, David Perrin, and Bailey Baker trained performers for the show.
Jennica Ullrich ’23 of Knoxville, TN, Brooksie Tate Martin ’23 of Clayton, GA, and Elizabeth Brenner ’24 of Franklin, NC perform on the triple trapeze in Cirque Fantôme at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. Amara Scott ’23 of Otto, NC performs in Cirque Fantôme at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. Sophia Moore ’24 of Highlands, NC, left, as Little Girl and Brooksie Tate Martin ’23 of Clayton, GA as Totes Chase perform in Cirque Fantôme at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. The lead characters in Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s Cirque Fantôme at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. Pictured from left, are Jennica Ullrich ’23 of Knoxville, TN as Caroline Hall, Ella Loveland ’23 of Rabun Gap, GA as paranormal expert Helen Hertz , Brooksie Tate Martin ’23 of Clayton, GA as Toni “Totes” Chase, Elizabeth Brenner ’24 of Franklin, NC as Annie Warren and Cyrus Mannoogian ’24 of Rabun Gap, GA as Brian Dunning. Makenna Bilbrey ’26 of Otto, NC performs on the aerial silks in Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s Cirque Fantôme. Allen Arbitter ’26 of Clayton, GA performs on the lyra in Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s Cirque Fantôme. Toni “Totes” Chase, played by Brooksie Tate Martin ’23 of Clayton, GA (far right) is spooked by ghosts in Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s Cirque Fantôme. Pictured from left are Ava Grace Bonomo ’25 of Waynesville, NC, Rebekah Wu ’23 of Frankin, NC, Zoey Townsend ’23 of Cullowhee, NC, Clara Pedall ’25 of Munich, Germany, and Juliette Teutsch ’24 of Demorest, GA. Elizabeth Brenner ’24 of Franklin, NC performs on the Spanish Web at Juliette Teutsch ’24 in Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s Cirque Fantôme.
