The Circus is coming! The Circus is coming! Well, sort of. This year’s Mystery @ The Library, “Three Ring Thriller,” will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29 in the Chief Anderson Room from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The play begins with a group of former circus performers from “Count Colorful’s Cavalcade,” a disbanded traveling circus carnival, gathered at the home of their old boss.

Count Colorful still lives the high life due to his shrewd business ways and cost-cutting measures that ultimately drove the carnival and performers out of business. Assembled for the evening are some of his old Center Ring celebrities with talents and names befitting the old “Colorful’s Cavalcade.” Most of these performers still can’t shake their circus talent idiosyncrasies and their current lives are suffering from it.

There’s Captain Crescendo Ketchup, the former ringmaster who can’t speak a word without making an extravagant announcement. Also on hand is Professor Pratfall Plaid, the beloved clown who now teaches tiny tricycling at a third rate clown college. Madam Mare-ietta Magenta , the former “Heartbreaker on Horseback” and her knife throwing daughter Rosie “Ripper” Red, show up to add some color to the festivities. Add to the landscape: Bishop “Blessme” Black, a retired animal handler, Barrister “Big Cat” Brown, lion tamer turned attorney, and Barroness “Bicep” Blue, once the darling of the high trapeze until an unfortunate slip of the wrist.

Also returning to this reunion of washed up circus has-beens is Princess Python Periwinkle, a charming snake handler of sorts, Gardener “Go Boom” Green, once known as the Human Cannonball before shoddy equipment cost him a few brain cells, and Widow “Woof Woof” White, the “Princess of Pooches” who tries to train anything and anybody. It’s a good thing that Nurse Nimble Neon a.k.a “Twinkletoes of the Tightrope” and Doctor “Dropsie” Dark, both ex-employees of the Cavalcade are on hand in case things turn deadly. … or is it?

Local community members performing as this year’s usual suspects are Dr. Fred Milley, Dave Dittlinger, Kim Rogers-Hatfield, and Mark Maynard. Anderson Public Library staff members Beth Meyer, Mary Simpson, Travis Dailey, Steve Merritt, Audrey Smith, Toni Barker, Steve Rodecap, Martha Green and Kathie Sewell round out the cast in this eighth-year performance of Mystery @ The Library.

Audience members are encouraged to come in costume and watch the mystery unfold while they guess who-dun-it. There will be a short intermission during which amateur sleuths can grill the suspects and enjoy the light circus-themed refreshments. Door prizes will be given away and the winning detective gets a Mounds Mall gift card. There will also be a prize for best costume.

Tickets are available for $10 at the Community Relations Office on the second floor of the library, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. You better hurry because we only have 100! All attendees must be 14 years of age or older. All proceeds from this event go to the Friends of the Library organization who sponsor programs like this and other special events through monthly book sales. For more information call Community Relations at (765) 641-2451.

Martha Green is the Circulation Clerk at Anderson Public Library.