Q&A Air Play
On their farewell tour, the acrobatic duo performs their final Strathmore shows this fall.
by Paige Cross, Strathmore 2023 Summer Intern
A one-of-a-kind spectacle, Air Play invites audiences to a mystical world that reimagines the very air we breathe. Written and performed by Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone, it fuses elements of juggling, acrobatics, puppetry, and silent comedy into a spectacular show for all ages.
Bloom and Gelsone, who met in 2003, began their careers as street and circus performers. Combining their comedy skills with Daniel Wurtzel’s kinetic air sculptures, Air Play was created in 2015 and made its first of several Strathmore appearances in 2016. After more than 400 worldwide shows later, the pair are ready to create a new world.
We interviewed Bloom and Gelsone, the self-described master clowns, about their gravity defying show, which will have its final Strathmore performance on the Music Center stage in November.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT PERFORMING AT STRATHMORE?
We’ve been all over the world, but we distinctly remember the blonde wood walls of the Music Center and how it feels like being inside a giant violin. Our breath instantly changes when we stand on the Strathmore stage. And when the music plays, you can feel it resonate in your bones, which is amazing. By now, Strathmore feels like a long friendship, and we can’t wait to see the staff and crew again.
WHAT CAN FAMILIES EXPECT FROM YOUR PERFORMANCE?
Incredible beauty and big-belly laughs. We have long fabrics gliding in the air, flying umbrellas, gigantic balloons we climb into, a massive snow globe, and more. Air Play was purposefully made for everyone, regardless of age. Kids will laugh at the comics in the giant balloons, teens will love figuring out how the umbrellas fly so high, and even the most stressed-out adult will relax and feel the wide-eyed awe of childhood again. We recently performed in Australia, where an overjoyed mother came up to us and exclaimed, “I enjoyed Air Play even more than my kids!”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE SHOW?
Our favorite part changes every time because each show is so different. For Christina, sometimes it is how beautifully the 30-foot silk sheet flies out of her suitcase or how giant fabrics soar over the audience. Seth loves being inside his six-foot balloon, unable to see what is happening, but can hear the audience laughing at Christina.
AIR PLAY
Sat, Nov 11, 2pm & 5pm
MUSIC CENTER
Recommended for ages 5 to adult