The Big Top remains the Greatest show on earth: the 136th edition from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey features the most profound changes in more than half a century as the circus has taken on a whole new look

AT OUR LOCAL elementary school, the first-graders receive a weekly visit from a "mystery reader," an unnamed parent--vague clues are given throughout the day as the kids try to guess whose mother or father is about to make an appearance--who selects a book to read to the class. Being an old hand at this event--after all, this year marked my third visit--I know there are two keys to mystery-reader success: Provide unusual clues as to your identity (favorite color: gray; favorite day of the year: Dec. 21, when winter begins) and, as the judges on "American Idol" implore: pick the right song (er, book).

Since the circus was in town (and what kid doesn't love the circus?), the perfect book seemed to be "Randy's Dandy Lions," a 1964 classic concerning a soft-hearted lion tamer who loses his job to a whip-snapping, pistol-wielding, chair-jabbing mustachioed meanie because his lions suffer from stage fright. The Kings of Beasts rebel against their new taskmaster, and kindly Randy wins his position back as the emboldened lions wow the crowd with their comical theatrics. The kids absolutely loved the story, and especially were enthralled to hear the teacher and I discuss the old-time circus of our youth, when courageous performers actually did put their heads inside a lion's mouth.

There are no lions nowadays, however, as the 136th edition of The Greatest Show on Earth--touring the country until December 2007--has been "re-imagined" by the creative team at Feld Entertainment, the same folks who each year re-create the innovative Disney on Ice extravaganza. Among the Feld team that have reshaped the Big Top's look are Emmy Award-winning director Shanda Sawyer, two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood, and Tony Award-nominated set designer Robert Brill. Ringling Bros. has discarded the iconic three-ring setup in order to maximize the arena area while creating a more intimate experience. This effort is enhanced by a 24-foot LED video screen with super-sharp images so crystal clear that one has to wonder why the Nassau Coliseum--home to the NHL's New York Islanders and the venue in which we enjoyed the new-look circus--doesn't have such a high-quality screen for replays during hockey games.

For the first time ever, the Ringling Bros. production introduces a storyline, taking "one lucky family"--and, of course, the audience--on a "Circus of Dreams." And while the silver-throated Jennifer Fuentes failed to fulfill her dream of winning "American Idol" (you might recall she was a season-two standout facing the likes of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken) she did make it to the Big Top in the combined roles of traditional ringmaster and circus songstress.

In this era of political correctness, ecological enhancement, and nutritional awareness, the circus definitely is on-board with its "All-Access De-Show." Patrons are encouraged to visit the animals up close and learn all about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Center for Elephant Conservation, a 200-acre site in central Florida designed for the reproduction, research, and retirement of the Asian pachyderm. In another pre-show treat, audiences can venture onto the arena floor to join the athletic Ringling Bros. performers in getting CircusFit (a recently launched national youth fitness program). Even if your kids choose not to join in on the routines, they at least get an entertaining view of the goings on before retreating to their seats for the main show, in which a "family" from the audience (wink, wink) gets to live out its circus dreams. Trouble is, the little boy, Dan, doesn't really have a circus fantasy: the rest of the family knows what it wants, though: Dad has an overwhelming desire to be a ringmaster: mom, a trapeze artist; and sister Jan, a dancer.

The show's two acts move quickly, with some performers appearing in both. I especially enjoyed the "Shenzhen Hat Juggling" in Act I, but the kids went crazy for the Shenzhen's Act II "Foot Juggling" that simulates a video game. There is the requisite "Clown Alley Food Fight" in the opening segment, and the crew with the painted faces, big noses, funny clothes, and floppy shoes are at it again later on in "SmashCar." Madame Shamsheeva, with her trained dogs, cats, and birds, offers a pleasant enough diversion during both halves, the second concentrating on canines in "Who Let the Dogs Out?" The Russian Cossacks, however, are the most effective at building on their pair of performances. Their "Drill" in the opening act is an enticing teaser to the full-throttle "Stunt Riding" that definitely is enhanced by not having three rings.

The no-ring setup also serves Herkules well, as he pulls an elephant on a flat bed, lets a jeep run over his chest, and catches a 70-pound cannonball fired at 75 mph. The elephant and her companions return for Act II's "Swing That Trunk," as the enonnous beasts do some fancy dancing, including a number of supposed hip-hop steps. Stepping precariously into the air are the Yunnan Flyers, who catapult to incredible heights as they perform acrobatic stunts in "Swing."