Publisher's Synopsis
Unlikely coordinates, the rich ambience of church ritual and the heady aromas of tented circuses propelled Nick Weber on a childhood vector seeking its own maturity right along with his age and education. Even graduate pursuits in dramatic art and theology fed each other until, ordained as a priest in the California Province of the Society of Jesus-the Jesuits-he and his superiors happened on a reinvention of the medieval morality play for marketplace audiences. As an official ministry of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, the priest's Royal Lichtenstein Circus crisscrossed the United States for twentytwo years. Those tours and the unusual personal journey leading to them comprise the adventure of this memoir. It spans a child's exploration of religious and theatrical wonder, educational discipline, religious inspiration and the muscular spirituality demanded by characteristic Jesuit discernment- even Nick's eventual return to the lay state. "Spiritual and gritty, passionate and practical, Nick Weber's heartfelt story of his life journey, capped by his founding of the Royal Lichtenstein Circus, is a profoundly moving odyssey that anybody who loves the circus-and life-will appreciate. And, for those who aren't enamored of the truly special world of circus, read this. You will be." - Jack Ryan, Circus Press Agent, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows, International Circus Hall of Fame Inductee "When I first saw Nick Weber's Royal Lichtenstein Circus perform, it changed my life forever. . . . It has reappeared-full of life-and plays on forever in Nick's beautiful new circus of a memoir." - Bill Cain, SJ, Steinberg Award Winning Playwright. Equivocation, Nine Circles "Nick's backstory . . . moves with the enchantment of a circus bandwagon and delivers more surprises than a year of punch lines." - Steve Aveson, News Anchor/Host, The Morning Show, NBC/Universal/NECN "Thank you, Nick Weber for following your dream and preparing all of us . . .for that totally unexpected and unlooked for circus act what we call Emmanuel Godwith- us." - Michael E. Moynahan, SJ, Pastor, St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, Sacramento, CA
