(Editor’s note: Robin Manganaro uses she/they pronouns. For clarity, this article uses “she” throughout.)
In A Night at the Circus, an 18-year-old trans man attends a family dinner for the first time since coming out—dressed like a clown.
It’s not a comedy of errors. It’s satire with bite, told through slapstick, sound effects, and surreal visuals, created by a team of student filmmakers unafraid to take risks and tell deeply personal stories.
“I wrote this film during my own transition,” said writer-director Robin Manganaro. “There’s a lot of discomfort with transitioning; you’re deciding how to change yourself to be who you want while choosing what parts to keep. At the same time some people around you are fighting against that and trying to force you to stay the same.”
The clown concept started as a throwaway idea—but stuck. “I got attached after writing in crazy sound effects and prop gimmicks like an unending string of handkerchiefs,” she said. “I grew up with a lot of slapstick comedy from Looney Tunes and The Three Stooges.”
The film also draws visual inspiration from the feature Shiva Baby and the “Fishes” episode of the popular television series The Bear, leaning on long takes and choreographed blocking to reflect the stress of being thrust into a chaotic family dynamic. It was only Manganaro’s second film, but her vision was clear and bold.
“That’s our Mitch”
Casting the character Mitch was a new challenge. Manganaro had previously cast friends in her projects, but A Night at the Circus needed something more. She turned to fellow student and casting director Vy Pham.
“Casting A Night at the Circus was a super collaborative process,” Pham said. “I worked really closely with [Manganaro] to lock in a clear vision for the character Mitch. Now Mitch—Mitch is a lot. He’s this arrogant, brash older guy who somehow makes every sentence sound like an insult. Not exactly the warm and fuzzy uncle type.”
Pham posted the role on Backstage and began watching self-tapes. She had a clear idea of the energy the character required, “someone who could nail that sharp, dismissive energy, but still feel like a real person who everyone can kind of find in their family circle.”
Then along came Larry Newman, whose role in the film turned out to be a joyful return to acting after a long hiatus.
“I saw Larry’s self-tape and was like—ohhh there he is,” she said. “He brought this perfect mix of arrogance and presence, but with just enough nuance that you could see the layers underneath. I sent it to Robin immediately and we were both like, ‘This is our Mitch.’”
Manganaro remembered, “Larry was actually the final audition we watched! He brought Mitch to life with the perfect satirical approach I was looking for.”
Though the role was over-the-top, it required subtlety. “This film was structured more like a play, focusing on blocking and long takes for each shot,” Manganaro. “Most of our actors primarily had experience with theater. Larry stood out since he utilized the same style of overacting for stage, which worked perfectly with the over-the-top satire I wrote.”
But turns out Larry and Mitch have little in common.
“Larry himself is one of the nicest actors I’ve ever worked with and was a total joy on set!” Manganaro said. “Larry created an incredibly expressive performance and I’m so glad he was able to join our team.”
Still from A Night Circus, courtesy of Robin Manganaro
Casting is collaboration
Pham’s interest in casting began in her first year at Columbia College Chicago.
“There was this advanced class called ‘The Casting Director,’ usually reserved for upperclassmen,” she said. “But I saw it, got curious, and basically campaigned my way in. Shout out to the professor for taking a chance on me!”
From there, she cast a senior thesis film—and realized she had a knack for seeing characters differently.
“I had a totally different idea than what the director originally imagined," she said. "I pitched my take on who the character could be. And to my surprise, the director loved it. They were like, ‘Wait… you’re right.’ That moment made me realize casting isn’t just about finding what’s written—it’s about discovering what’s possible.”
Pham said this project solidified something about “how important it is to communicate clearly with the director… Casting isn’t just about filling roles, it’s about serving the story and the director’s vision while also bringing in your own instincts.”
She also emphasized the value of Backstage as a tool.
“I’ve used Backstage so many times before, so by now it kinda feels like second nature. Everything’s kind of right there: posting the role, checking self-tapes, messaging actors. It’s all super easy and actually kinda fun,” she said.
“For this project, I didn’t even need to look anywhere else. Backstage had more than enough amazing talent to choose from, and it just made the whole process smooth.”
What’s next
Manganaro is already co-writing a new film about "a 20-year-old who gets so sick of their office job they decide to run off to the wilderness and become a cowboy."
This film will also be a comedy satire, but with a much larger cast and scale.
“I'm really excited to work on a more challenging production since I've only directed one-location films,” she said. “This film will also be mixed media, incorporating animated shots and sequences to tell a chaotic story that bends reality and dreams.”
Pham, now in her junior year, just directed her own BFA thesis film—the first from Columbia College Chicago shot in Vietnam.
“This summer, I’m teaming up again with the amazing Robin Manganaro to cast her next short film, which I’m super excited about,” she said. “I’m also really excited to keep building my casting experience both here in Chicago and back in Vietnam, where I’m originally from.”
The trailer for A Night at the Circus will be available soon on Manganaro’s Instagram and other social platforms. The final film will be available to view on YouTube after a short festival run.
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