By KELLY BEVAN
The Advocate Weekly, Pittsfield, MA
February 20, 2011

English may be considered the universal language of the world, but Casey Carle has found another -- the language of bubbles.

"Everybody understands bubbles," said Carle, the creator of "BubbleMania," the one-of-a-kind stage show that combines spontaneous comedy, jazz music and an array of bubbling skills. "I've never met anyone who doesn't like bubbles."

Carle should know. Known as a bubble artist extraordinaire he has been performing alongside bubbles for more than 20 years throughout the country and around the world. On Feb. 20, Carle will bring his unique style of bubble entertainment to The Colonial in Pittsfield, MA.

“When you take something people are familiar with and do something extraordinary with it, you get the same reaction," Carle said. "It translates across every country."

From dancing bubbles to fog-filled bubbles to bubbles that encase whole humans, Carle's shows bring to light the astounding qualities of bubbles while merging his unique brand of comedy and big-band swing music into the mix.

According to Carle, only 50 percent of his show is about the bubbles, while the other 50 percent is about entertaining the crowd -- having fun and making the audience laugh.

"I have such a good time with the spontaneous word, and I like the audience to leave feeling the show was created just for them," he said.

The improvisational nature of Carle have kept his shows fresh and exciting after two decades of entertaining audiences with miraculous bubble feats.

"Bubbles have multiple personalities, and you can project the personality you want," Carle said. "If you want them to be artistic and beautiful, they can be artistic and beautiful. If you want them to be silly, they can be silly. They're like a canvas, and you decide how you want to present them."

Carle's bubble creations have been presented in many forms -- bubble sculptures, blobs of helium-filled foam, bubble ping-pong -- but audience favorites, according to Carle, usually come in the form of his "funky-foam" bubbles or fog-filled bubbles.

"The reaction to these is palpable. You can feel it," he said.

Carle's ability to amaze and entertain has earned him recognition as an internationally accomplished bubbler. He has won multiple awards and distinctions for his artistry, and he has served as a consultant to Cirque du Soleil’s "The Beatles LOVE."

But awards aside, it's Carle's ability to keep audiences members guessing that has kept him going all these years.

Parents, grandparents and those with no connection to children at all will surely be entertained when Carle makes his debut at The Colonial, but it is the kids at this show that Carle will especially enjoy entertaining and humoring-- in particular those audience members that fall into the 9- to 12-year-old age range.

"I love that age. They're funny, and they're thinking, and they get my humor," Carle said. "I can humor 5- and 6-year-olds because I can DO their humor, but that age, 9 to 12, they get MY humor."