Circus Playhouse & Food Emporium (fictional)

Circus Playhouse & Food Emporium is a family entertainment center (FEC) chain that is part of Carwardine Parks' Family Entertainment Center Division. It is currently headquartered at Carwardine Dept. 3 in alongside Carwardine's other FEC chains.

History
When Circus Playhouse and Tex Critter's Pizza Jamboree were bought by Carwardine Parks of in 1984, AVG (the makers of the original sets of animatronics for both chains as well as the Bullfrog Bayou Revue shows featured at some Carwardine parks) complained that their creative control was jeopardized, as Carwardine had discovered how to program the characters (by reverse-engineering the programming data from AVG's showtapes for the Forest Owls Show at Carwardine Corners) and hired new voice actors to replicate the original voices, allowing them to make changes to the shows and make their own shows for Tex Critter's, Circus Playhouse and other AVG shows at Carwardine properties. Carwardine returned the recording and animatronic production rights to AVG in early 1987 following a legal settlement, but did not return the programming rights.

A system developed by fellow region-based company AHF Animation Productions named ElectroMotion was installed in all Circus Playhouse and Tex Critter's locations from 1988-89.

In 1992, the chain underwent a revamp, with the characters redesigned to look "friendlier". Notably, Ellie Elephant got a new voice actress, Cheryl Chase, and personality (with the intention of making her a role model for young girls, like Mitzi of the Rock-afire Explosion and the "Mitzified" versions of Helen Henny of Chuck E. Cheese's), and Lionel Lion became more of a wisecracking yet friendly MC character.

In 1994, Circus Playhouse began installing a new stage built by Creative Engineering, featuring their Danceatronic and Mijin animatronic systems, at new locations, complementing the AVG stages.

AVG chose to leave the animatronic construction and show recording rights deal for Tex Critter's and Circus Playhouse in 1996, citing the high costs of producing multiple shows a year, thus Carwardine returned to recording the showtapes for both chains in-house. Eliza Delamare, a Hampton Roads region native, was hired to cast the new voice actors while also voicing Lola Leopard of the Circus Playhouse Band. Garner Holt also took over production of animatronics for the chains, introducing more new stages.

In 2018, Circus Playhouse and Tex Critter's introduced the "PlayCard" cashless payment system, which utilizes Semnox card readers.

Current Cast

 * Tyrone Stoch - Lionel Lion (2010-present)
 * Duke Rowell - Tex S. Tiger (1996-2007, 2009-present)
 * Eliza Delamare - Lola Leopard (1996-present)
 * Thomas Hogenkamp - Barney Bear (1996-present)
 * Eduardo Barrera - Gerry the Giraffe (2013-present)
 * Clay Bergier - Charlie Chimp (2003-present)
 * Chloë Devens - Ellie Elephant (2016-present)
 * Eric Linney - Bat E. Bird (1996-present)

AVG Showtapes (Early 1980s-1985, 1987-1996)

 * Cheryl Chase - Ellie Elephant (1992-1996)

1980s Carwardine Showtapes (1985-1986)

 * Davide Ayris - Lionel Lion
 * Marv Simpleton - Tex S. Tiger
 * Babs Eliasberg - Lola Leopard, Ellie Elephant
 * Thomas Hogenkamp - Barney Bear
 * Mart Janků - Charlie Chimp
 * Alex Venema - Gerry the Giraffe, Bat E. Bird
 * Babs Eliasberg, Marv Simpleton, Zee Paluszkiewicz, Charlie Bluestein, Tamarah Ayris, Alice McDermid, Deb Comerford, Joanna Sparrow, Dan Vorster II - Additional Singers

Carwardine Showtapes (1996-present)

 * Scott Brunton - Lionel Lion (1996-2010), Charlie Chimp (1996-2003)
 * Dan DeForest - Tex S. Tiger (2007-2008)
 * Earl Merchant - Gerry the Giraffe (1996-2013)
 * Morgan Stoicheff - Ellie Elephant, Bat E. Bird (1996)
 * Caroline Mairesse - Ellie Elephant (1996-2016)