A crack of a whip rings out through the quaint buildings that surround the Traveler's Stage in the Scarborough Renaissance Festival.
The sound is followed by a laugh from Jack Lepiarz who is practicing his whip-cracking act.
Lepiarz, better known by his stage name Jacques Ze Whipper, travels to Renaissance fairs and festivals across the country to perform his talent.
"The skill that I most wanted to learn was whip cracking because my dad did whip cracking," Lepiarz said.
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Lepiarz combines his classic circus performance skills and comedy for a spectacular show that has gone viral on social media. The lifelong performer has gained 3.2 million followers for posting clips of his act and other circus performance content.
A Waco, Texas native, Lepiarz grew up performing circus skills that he learned from his dad. He took a special interest in whip cracking after seeing an Indiana Jones movie.
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Performing at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival is special for Lepiarz because it's where he had his first performance with his dad at 6 years old.
After a small detour of college and 13 years in radio broadcast, Lepiarz returned to the performing circuit because he missed it.
"A few years ago realized I missed the circus and ran away with the circus," Lepiarz said.
Today Lepiarz finds community in his performance, collaborating with other performers like Adam Winrich. The two whip crackers are working on a special joint performance for the Renaissance Festival.
Catch a Jacques Ze Whipper performance at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival on April 20-21. Check the schedule and buy tickets at srfestival.com.
