Historic Pipe Organ Tour Following The Circus

Northrop is screening Charlie Chaplin's The Circus on Sunday, February 7, 2027, with a live, improvised organ score by Aaron David Miller. The screening starts at 3 PM on the Carlson Family Stage, and if you're one of the first 20 people to register, you get to stay for a tour of the organ itself afterward.

The Circus is a 1928 silent film that follows the Tramp, who accidentally finds circus stardom and ends up pursuing the circus proprietor's daughter. The production was a bit of a disaster: a storm tore apart the set, scenes were marred, Chaplin's wife divorced him, and the IRS suspended the studio's operations for eight months. He shelved the film after its 1928 release and didn't screen it again until 1970, even though critics liked it. Miller accompanies it with a live, improvised score in the tradition of early 20th-century theaters. He's played Northrop before, providing the music for Buster Keaton's The Cameraman and Manual Cinema's Ada/Ava, both to rave reviews.

After the film, there's a Q&A with Miller, and then the tour kicks in. It takes you up to the organ loft high above the Carlson Family Stage for a close-up look at the console and the nearly 7,000 pipes of the Aeolian-Skinner Opus 892, guided by members of the Northrop Organ Advisory Board. The tour begins around 4:30 PM and lasts about 45 minutes. It's limited to the first 20 registrants, so you'll want to sign up early if you're interested.

One practical thing to keep in mind: the tour involves steep stair-climbing, and low-heeled, closed-toe shoes are required. The screening is at 3 PM on Sunday, February 7, at Northrop, University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis.