WRITER'S DIGEST - HONORABLE MENTION
“With its pictures and rich anecdotes, this is a treasure of a book.”
- Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
ERIC HOFFER AWARD - HONORABLE MENTION
“A remarkable contribution to circus history as much as memoir with star-studded daring acts, juggling, balancing, falls, and injuries. For the Canestrelli family, the show must go on, and it continues in this fascinating read.”
THE BOOKLIFE PRIZE BY PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY
“The story of Ottavio Canestrelli is unique, and this book, rich with history and filled with humor, is fresh and memorable.” - “readers will definitely be interested in his remarkable story.”
CIRCUS REPORT
“The story of his travels, his acts, and those of his talented family will enthrall any reader, and this is a most well-written and structured book.”
WHITE TOPS
“At 238 pages, with over 170 historical photographs, the book is a delight to read. I highly recommend it.”
CIRCOPEDIA
“The Grand Gypsy is indeed fascinating and highly enjoyable reading, not only for anyone interested in circus history, but also for any curious or adventurous mind.”
SPECTACLE MAGAZINE
“The roster of names dropped along the way, along with an expansive collection of photographs from every period covered in the book, should provide a good deal of pleasure.”
READERS FAVORITE
“5 Stars - The narratives are masterfully and harmoniously blended to create a fascinating chronicle of circus history. While Canestrelli relives the exciting heyday of the Big Top, Gesmundo adds meticulous details to anchor his grandfather's account securely within its era. It is this contribution that elevates this book from memoir to valuable historical record. It reaches beyond circus life to add insightful snapshots into the first half of the 20th century.”
STUNT/DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY & DIRECTION REVIEWS:
THE BOSTON GLOBE
“STUNTS PROPEL THIS `SPIDER-MAN’ "The production itself, with its special effects and acrobatic fight scenes, is pretty cool." "But the best effects are the slickly choreographed stunts - mostly fight scenes. Ottavio Gesmundo guides three superbly trained Spider-Men and various other henchmen in a dizzying catalog of somersaults, flips, twists, leaps, and falls. The fights combine moves from the martial arts with WWF antics, and they look persuasive when combined with a soundtrack of thumps and thwacks.”
-Ellen Pfeifer NOVEMBER 7, 2002
VARIETY
“a high-flying action-heavy production based on the Marvel comic book superhero." "Primarily a combo of gymnastics, aerial acrobatics, martial arts, and carefully choreographed wrestling and street fighting, plus a lot of explosions and crashes”
-Markland Taylor NOVEMBER 19, 2002
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“PACKED WITH THRILLS" "you'll get lots of gymnastic stunts and well-orchestrated hand-to-hand combat all choreographed by Ottavio Gesmundo.”
-Monica Eng JANUARY 16, 2003
THE NEW YORK TIMES
“A HERO WITH LEGS” “This show doesn’t have any Hollywood heavyweights, but it does have lighter than air special effects: Spider-Man climbs walls, flies through space, and during the final moments swings over the heads of the audience, leaving fans like my son, Mathew, crying, Awesome!”
-Laurel Graeber FEBRUARY 8, 2003
THE STAR TRIBUNE
“Spider-Man Live!" is a thrashing, throbbing, twisting, bouncing, fist-flinging, high-flying testament to testosterone. It is the arranged marriage of Broadway and World Wrestling Entertainment.” The show's priority: to kick evil's rear end and consequently summon pure primal, cathartic ecstasy. My 4-year-old boy, refined for his age in wisdom and gentility, spent half the play standing in his seat, flailing his arms and yelling, "Get that Booger Face, Spider-Man! Pow!" "Review: A dizzying display of stage combat, gyrating gymnastic stunts, stage-flight gizmos and pure masculine muscularity.”
-Jaime Meyer MARCH 6, 2003
SYRACUSE POST-STANDARD
“SPIDER-MAN' DELIGHTS” The movement direction is first rate, as are the stage combat sequences, which are employed a great deal in this compact production.”
-Tony Curulla MARCH 26, 2003
THE BUFFALO NEWS
“The best parts were the terrific stunts - for example, gymnastic routines done on ropes reminiscent of gymnastics rings. Spider-Man hung in front of the Jumbotron screen, silhouetted in a gorgeous suspended ballet.”
-Kathleen Rizzo Young MAY 2, 2003
CTNOW.COM
“At its best, this ‘Pippin' is all about effects… to Ottavio Gesmundo's dazzling stunt work.”
-Malcolm Johnson AUGUST 4, 2006
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
“A raft of circus-style stunts and illusions that would do Cirque du Soleil proud.”
-Eric Marchese JANUARY 5, 2007
THE LAS VEGAS SUN
“The scene in which crossbow artist Ottavio Gesmundo of Viper Vixens fired arrows through inflated balloons covering performing partner Naomi Brenkman was worth the admission price on its own.
-John Katsilometes MAY 25, 2010
LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL
“It's fun to watch Gesmundo and spouse Naomi engage in the foreplay of shooting balloons attached to one another's body parts.”
-Michael Weatherford JUNE 10, 2010
VEGAS SEVEN MAGAZINE
“Audiences will be dazzled by a blend of sexiness and danger.” “The entire show is relentlessly, vividly choreographed. It’s raucously sexy in one number, then silkily erotic the next. There’s no visual whiplash, though; it just works, seamlessly, elegantly.”
-May 12, 2011
LEIPZIGER-VOLKSZEITUNG
One of the best variety shows in years.” “From the very beginning, it goes full throttle: The Trammps' “Disco Inferno,” combined with a lively group dance interlude, turns the fun dial right up to the max.”
- August 16, 2025
