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Ballyhoo:
Here's some circus lingo and trivia to impress
your pals with.
A stand is a town where the circus
performed. If the show lasted one night, it was a "one-night-stand."
That's where the phrase came from--nothing to do with fleeting
amorous encounters.
Similarly, to climb aboard/get on/hop on
the bandwagon originally described circus performers literally
riding along with the band during the preshow parade.
Although a gaffer is the chief electrician
on a movie set, the name was originally used for the circus
manager or boss. The word probably came from a slangy combination
of godfather and grandfather, as an honorific for a guy of
importance (though there are other possible etymologies).
Finally, stay alert if you hear a circus
band play "The Stars and Stripes Forever." Back
before fire laws and safety inspetions, the patriotic march
was a code for fire or another emergency. When tune began,
the performers would know to get out of the tent and grab
buckets without panicing the crowd.
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December 2003: Amusement Parks
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Follow the scent of sawdust to circus tents, county fairs,
and theme parks. To the families who visit, it's a world of
cotton candy and brightly-painted carousels.
But behind the canvas tent flaps, it's a different story.
Managers struggle to make payroll while unscrupulous carnies
skim simoleons from suckers. Owners demand new attractions,
and performers try to steal each other's applause. And somebody
better be checking that the monkeys didn't play any pranks
like untying the trapeezes or unlocking the tiger cage...
This game night celebrates the manic antics of big-top brouhaha.
You must be as tall as the sign to ride, three tries for a
quarter!
Come one, come all! It's Game Night: Amusement Parks!
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Here's a preview of some of the games that'll
be out on the table at the next Game Night.
(for more info on a game, click
on the picture)
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Roller
Coaster Tycoon: Yep, they made a boardgame out of
the computer game. At first, the amusement park is an empty
lot. Slowly, players add attractions, as new rides become
available. Earn money whenever you move a guest to a ride,
and double money if you own the ride. Watch out for events
that close rides, or send guests to the restrooms!
2-4 players.
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Fulfil your lifelong dream of being an unscrupulous carnie
in Operation
Corndog. Hawk the slides, rides, and petting zoos
to earn the most bucks from the passing suckers. If the competition's
too high, you can always break the safety restraints on the
other guy's ride, or crank it up to "extra pukey."
In this game, the most valuable card may be "hide the
body."
2-6 players.
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Welcome to Scream
Machine!
Compete for the attention of national customers (who will
travel anywhere) and local customers (who stay close to home).
Will your theme park feature five-star rides, like Gravity
Ball 360 and the Tsunami? Or will you stick with the Rolling
Breeze and Dingo Dog Driving Time?
3-6 players.
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Big
Top is a three-ring take on the classic card game
Fan Tan. Empty your hand by adding performers, animals, and
sideshow attractions to the table. If your opponents are stuck,
sell them the card they need!
3-6 players.
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(Fire-Eater)
Draw crowds by having the best performers on your side of
the midway. Lure your opponent's audience away with cotton
candy, or set the lion free to chase the terrified public
away. Please take note if clowns freak you out: sometimes
five or six appear at once!
3-5 players.
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(Wire
Walker). In this Zen game of walking the tightrope,
always winning means losing. The goal is to earn zero points.
Playing the highest card earns you blue points, and playing
the lowest earns you red points. Each red point cancels
out a blue (and vice versa), so to end up with nothing you've
got to win as often as you lose. Can you achieve the perfect
balance, or will you falter and fall?
3-5 players.
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Back to previous game
nights
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Connection, LLC. All rights Reserved.
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