The Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai is Branson's resident Chinese circus — strength, contortion and aerial work in the Shanghai tradition, at the Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theatre on West 76 Country Boulevard. Acrobats do not narrate, so this page is honestly built: two interviews, then the acts themselves.

@PlayBranson hosts Shanghai Circus, Branson

Play Branson

Play Branson hosts two performers from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai at the Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theatre: Ziggy, the show's emcee and 'artist of oddities,' and Liv Morrow, a contortionist and aerialist newly arrived in Branson. They describe the production at 3455 West 76 Country Boulevard and what first-time audiences see — strength acts, contortion and aerial work in the Shanghai circus tradition.

Key takeaways
  • The show plays the Mickey Gilley Grand Shanghai Theatre on West 76
  • Ziggy emcees as the production's 'artist of oddities'
  • Liv Morrow performs contortion and aerial acts

PLAYBranson 7.23.20 Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai

Play Branson

A 2020 Play Branson conversation with performers from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai about the show's purpose — in their words, bringing happiness to families, kids and couples through a fast, joyful acrobatic production. The interview covers the cast's training and the family-friendly design of the show at the Grand Shanghai Theatre.

Key takeaways
  • The cast describes the show's goal as pure family happiness
  • Performers discuss their acrobatic training
  • The production is designed for kids, families and couples

Acrobatic opening act

Shanghai Circus

The acrobatic opening act of the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai, filmed from the show's own channel — the full cast's high-energy entrance number at the Grand Shanghai Theatre. Pure performance footage.

Meet the cast

Play Branson hosts Ziggy — the show's emcee and self-described 'artist of oddities' — and Liv Morrow, a contortionist and aerialist newly arrived in Branson, describing what first-time audiences see. A 2020 conversation with the performers states the production's purpose in their words: bringing happiness to families, kids and couples, fast and joyful.

The acts

Six films from the show's own channel present the repertoire on stage: the full-cast opening number; a chair-stack and hand-balance tower; synchronized hula hoops and cube spinning; group contortion; a trio hand-to-hand human tower; and the closer, Bian Lian — the Sichuan opera art of instant face-changing, masks swapped in a breath.

Sources: the 8 videos on this page — two interviews and six performance films.

Chair stack and hand balance

Shanghai Circus

Chair stack and hand balance — a signature strength act from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai, filmed on the Grand Shanghai Theatre stage. The performer builds a tower of chairs and balances at the top. Performance footage.

Group hula hoops and cube spinning

Shanghai Circus

Group hula hoops and cube spinning from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai — synchronized ensemble numbers filmed by the show's own channel at the Grand Shanghai Theatre.

Group Chinese girls contortion

Shanghai Circus

Group contortion from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai — the cast's flexibility act performed as an ensemble piece on the Grand Shanghai Theatre stage.

Watch: Amazing Acrobats Of Shanghai, guided

2 videos · summaries from the actual guides

Trio hand to hand human strenth

Shanghai Circus

Trio hand-to-hand balancing from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai — three performers building human towers in a filmed stage segment from the Grand Shanghai Theatre.

Face change

Shanghai Circus

Face change — the Bian Lian act from the Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai, the traditional Sichuan opera art of instant mask changes, performed on the Grand Shanghai Theatre stage.

More Branson essentials

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