Lauren Irving brings the Greatest Show on Earth back home

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show guide Lauren Irving (above) inside State Farm Arena earlier this month. Irving is a native of Georgia and is a graduate of Shorter University in Rome, Georgia. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta VoiceRunning away with the circus seemed almost predestined for Lauren Irving. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show guide (the term “ringmaster” is no longer used to describe the master of ceremonies at the circus) has brought her years of experience as an actress, singer, and host back home to Atlanta. During the performances she is accompanied by 75-plus performers from 18 different nationalities, but no animals. The circus no longer includes performances by animals.As the current show guide for Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey, Irving stands as the second Black person to ever hold a lead position in the circus company’s 150-plus year history. Continuing the legacy of her predecessor, Jonathan Lee Iverson, Irving is appreciative of how much the world has progressed since 1871 when the circus company was originally founded.“It really means so much to belong to this thread of history,” Irving said. “It’s just tremendous.”Irving’s resume includes experiences with Disney Channel Rocks, American Idol, Universal...