Circa is based in Meanjin (Brisbane) on the lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people.
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many lands on which we create and perform.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
3 WORLD PREMIERES
278 LIVE PERFORMANCES
177 INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES
101 AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCES ( 55 IN QLD)
131,349 AUDIENCE MEMBERS WORLDWIDE
44 ACROBATS (INCLUDING CHILDREN & GUESTS) & 7 CREATIVE COLLABORATORS
10 TOURING WORKSHOPS
2160 HOURS OF WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
TOURED TO 21 COUNTRIES OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA
TOURED TO 45 COUNTRIES SINCE 2006
279 HOURS OF FREE SPACE FOR ARTISTS
31K FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS
27.3K INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
2,486 TWITTER FOLLOWERS
19K VIMEO PLAYS
56 DAYS, 15 HOURS, 3 MINUTES & 23 SECONDS OF FOOTAGE WATCHED ON CIRCA’S VIMEO CHANNEL
72,378 WEBSITE SESSIONS
51,636 WEBSITE USERS
WEBSITE PAGE VIEWS
54% AUSTRALIAN
46% INTERNATIONAL
2023 was a tough year – full of rising tempers, conflicts, costs and temperatures.
At Circa, we were lucky enough to create and present work we love for audiences around the world. Increasingly this is precarious, precious and privileged. And it shouldn’t be. The right to experience human creativity, to relish the possibilities of human body and to thrill at the deep connections between an ensemble of artists seems wise and necessary. Especially right now. Together we can move the world.
Our year began with the unalloyed intensity of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in Vancouver and our final performance was Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Anthem for Humanity) in the Grand Theatre of Luxembourg with the Luxembourg Philharmonic on New Year’s Eve.
Between these two events, we created Duck Pond – an exuberant circus homage to Swan Lake, Eternity – a show filled with spirituality and Peepshow (Club Remix) which brought our 2018 hit Peepshow into a dramatic new club world with live DJ. We toured to major centres including Montreal, Singapore and London, around Australia and deep in to regional areas. Circa Cairns created new works and engaged in deep community contact and Circa Academy grew into a full offering of classes and performances. Circability and our Circa engagement programs helped bring the wonder and joy of circus to the lives of many.
In 2023 our Chair, Michael Lynch, stepped down. Michael’s contribution was invaluable and Circa chose to recognising it by naming our rehearsal space The Michael Lynch Studio.
Commercially, the year was challenging with rising costs, increased market volitility, decreased margins and depressed fees. We posted an expected deficit and with stakeholders we are working to return the Company to long term growth.
Closing the year out with the radical, revolutionary fire of Beethoven’s setting of Schiller’s Ode to Joy is hopefully an omen for a fresh, hopeful year to come. As Beethoven ripped the classical symphonic form asunder when the human voice breaks into song over the orchestra; in our production, the stage is flooded with acrobats and choir members mingling in a sea of togetherness. This most magnificent of symphonies speaks directly - let’s change the tune. Let’s change course and create a better future. Its first words are:
O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, Und freudenvollere.
O friends, not these tones! But let’s strike up more agreeable ones,asun And more joyful.
Photo by Jade Ferguson
Peepshow is not just another club night out. It’s an experience. An art form. And above all, it’s unmissable
Thrilling, exceptionally crafted and an exhilarating show to watch that makes you want to dance all night long One4Review
Circa’s smash-hit Peepshow has astonished audiences in Berlin, London and Sydney. On this seductive circus thrill-ride, flashes of cheeky cabaret, grinding nightclub and raw humanity explode into view before disappearing into darkness.
Now the team from Circa has created Peepshow (Club Remix) Joined by a live DJ and featuring some of the best acrobatic talent on the planet under the direction of circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, this remix is outrageously skilled, delightfully funny and razor sharp.
Circa’s Peepshow (Club Remix) is one hot hour of big beats, playful acts and thrilling acrobatics. Welcome to life on the other side of the mirror.
TOURED
- 26th
- 26th August 2023
Scotland
Circus Hub on the Meadows
Daring and a desire to go beyond…is what keeps Circa on the cutting edge Limelight
Duck Pond may just be one of the most exhilarating and thought-provoking shows you will see this year Arts Hub
Feathers will fly in Circa’s exuberant take on Swan Lake.
The world’s most romantic ballet is reimagined as an acrobatic spectacular, full of Circa’s signature physicality and shot through with cheeky humour, enchanting duets and colourful surrealism.
You’ll meet a clumsy film crew, a sequinned flipper wearing duck army and a burlesque black swan. There’ll be sumptuous aerials, dynamic cyr wheel and of course feathers! Touching, funny and completely entertaining, Duck Pond is a tale of identity and finding your true self.
Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz (“the Caravaggio of contemporary circus”) with ten members of the globally renowned Circa ensemble, this will be one of Circa’s most ambitious works yet with haute couture costumes courtesy of Libby McDonnell, music by Jethro Woodward (with hints of Tchaikovsky) and lighting from Alexander Berlage.
The thrilling physicality of Humans 2.0 and the playful comedy of Carnival of the Animals combine to make Duck Pond a must-see circus epic.
TOURED TO 5th - 8th July 2023 Brisbane, Australia
The Playhouse, QPAC
WORLD PREMIERE Performances: 8 Audience: 3,947
Duck Pond is co-commissioned by QPAC and The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi; The Art House Wyong; Frankston Arts Centre; HOTA – Home of the Arts; Merrigong Theatre Company and Orange Civic Theatre.
Photo by Pia Johnson
Circa’s Brisbane Festival show contemplates the eternal to impressive effect.
Limelight Arts Hub
Eternity sits at the intersection of circus, dance and spiritual reflection. It is a testament to the maturity of the company and its director Yaron Lifschitz.
Step into a cathedral, surrounded by the magical music of Arvo Pärt, recorded by the extraordinary Australian Chamber Orchestra. This sets the stage for an hour-long circus performance like no other, created by the visionary Yaron Lifschitz and performed by members of the globally renowned Circa ensemble.
In Eternity these talented circus artists explore powerful emotions and delve into profound themes such as love, death, loss, hope and wonder. Through their breathtaking acrobatics and awe-inspiring feats, they express the human experience in a way that will touch your heart.
TOURED TO
13th - 16th September 2023
Brisbane, Australia
St John’s Cathedral
1st - 9th December 2023
Groningen, Netherlands
Grand Theatre Groningen
This show goes beyond the physical capabilities of the human body, pushing the boundaries of what we can see and understand. It poses the question: can circus grapple with the mysteries that lie outside the visible realm?
Eternity is a show that immerses you in a state of rapture, featuring two monumental works of contemporary spiritual music by Arvo Pärt: Tabula Rasa and Fratres. As these captivating melodies fill the air, you’ll be surrounded by stunning architecture, creating an atmosphere that transports you to another world.
WORLD PREMIERE
Performances: 14
Audience: 3,131
Eternity is co-commissioned by Brisbane Festival and City of Newcastle’s New Annual festival.
Photo by David Kelly
Poetic tenderness.
Raw emotion. Physical strength.
Ten acrobats from the Circa ensemble bring Stravinsky’s seminal The Rite of Spring to the circus stage. Pulsating with tension and infused with dark humour, this distinctive production from Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz confronts humanity’s inter-connectivity, our inherent sexual desire and relationship with divinity.
Featuring a piercing lighting design by Veronique Benett and a stirring new composition by Phillippe Bachman for the first half, Sacre penetrates the senses and stirs the soul.
Commissioned by Merrigong Theatre Company.
Co-produced by La Comete
TOURED TO 17-21 January 2023
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver Playhouse
2-5 February 2023
Quebec, CanadaLe Diamant
9-11 February 2023
Boston, USA
Shubert Theater
20-23 February 2023
Lake Placid, USA
Lake Placid Center for the Arts
18 March 2023
Alencon, France Scene
Nationale 61
4-5 April 2023
Edchirolles, France
La Rampe
7 April 2023
Arcachon, France
Arcachon Expansion Culture
Performances 16
Audience 7,813
Circa dares to create a physical score for the towering masterpiece of the symphonic repertoire –Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
In this first-time collaboration between the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Circa, ten world-class circus artists under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz will present Beethoven’s music in its physical form – with emotionally-charged choreography intricately woven to reflect the score. Extreme skill and dramatic acrobatics play out in this grand celebration of humanity, where the lines between movement, music, dance and theatrics are blurred and boundaries are pushed.
Beethoven 9 with Circa was commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday in 2020
TOURED TO 31st December 2023 - 1st January 2024
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Grand Theater
Performances 2
Audience 1,900
Circa’s interpretation of the 9th was visceral… shifting between shadow and light, contorting into living sculptures both grotesque and elegant, and all too human w– Limelight Magazine, AUS
Lifschitz created an extremely sympathetic embodiment of the score, impressively executed by 10 performers w– The Age, AUS
A rich and thrilling demonstration of the emotional and choreographic potential of contemporary circus, juxtaposing moments of almost balletic grace alongside jawdropping feats of strength and skill, set to one of the greatest pieces of orchestral music ever written – Arst Hub, AUS
Photo by Brennan Spark
A symphony of acrobatics, sound and light, this is next level circus by Circa.
Ten bodies appear in a flash of light. They move in harmony for a fleeting moment and then descend into a sinuous trance. Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, as physical limits are pushed to their extreme. Can we ever find a perfect balance or is adapting to constant change the only way forward?
This next chapter of Circa’s internationally acclaimed Humans is a tightly woven choreography of bodies, pulsing with music by composer Ori Lichtik and revealed in Paul Jackson’s dramatic lighting. Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, Humans 2.0 is intimate, primal and deeply engaged with the challenge of being human.
Commissioned by The Mondavi Center, UC DavisJaw-dropping, seat-clawing and armchair-exhausting
- ArtsHub
… spellbinding physical drama, with just the right amount of play, death-defying tricks and whimsical imagery
- The Conversation
[Humans 2.0] pushes the boundaries of what circus and acrobatics can be
- Time Out
…70 minutes of wonder … perfectly timed, perfectly executed, perfectly staged
- Courier Mail
There is circus –and then there is Circa
- Theatre Travels, Aus
…impressive and sophisticated contemporary New Circus at its best
- Berlin Morning Post, Germany
TOURED TO
28-29 January 2023
Miami, USA
South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
15-19 February 2023
Montreal, Canada TOHU
24 February 2023
Charleston, SC, USA
Gaillard Center
3 March 2023
Merignac, France
Le Pin Gallant
4 March 2023
Biarritz, France
Entracte Organisation - Gare du midi
7-8 March 2023
Niort, France
Le Moulin du Roc
10 March 2023
Clichy ss Bois, France
L'Espace 93
11 March 2023
Maison Alfort, France
Les Theatres de Maisons Alfort
14 March 2023
Saint Germain en Laye, France Theatre Alexandre
16 March 2023
Cebezat, France
Semaphore
22 March 2023
Saint Quentin, France
Le Splendid
25 March 2023
Otswald, France
Le Point d"Eau
28-30 March 2023
Nimes, France
Theatre de Nimes
1 April 2023
Montbeliard, France MA Scene Nationale
12-16 April 2023
London, UK Southbank Centre
25-27 April 2023
Prague, Czech Republic Jatka 78
29 April 2023
Morges, Switzerland Théâtre Beausobre
3-5 May 2023
Aix en Provence, France
Grande Theatre de Provence
12-14 May 2023
Karlsruhe, Germany
Kulturzentrum TOLLHAUS
19-21 May 2023
Recklinghausen, Germany
Großes Haus im Festspielhaus
27-29 May 2023
Bergen, Norway
Griegsalen, Grieghallen
2-4 June 2023
Singapore, Singapore
Esplanade
10-15 August 2023
Budapest, Hungary
Cirque du Sziget, Big Top Tent
18-20 August 2023
Stuttgart, Germany
Theaterhaus Stuttgart
23-26 August 2023
Zurich, Switzerland
Zürcher Theater Spektakel
26-30 September 2023
Samborondon, Ecuador
Teatro Sanchez Aguilar
5-8 October 2023
Columbia Teatro Mayor
USA
Theatre
Mexico
of Heroes, in front of the Palacio de Gobierno
After the smash-hits of Humans 2.0, Carnival of the Animals and Peepshow, Brisbane’s globally renowned Circa returns with their newest creation On by Circa.
A chance encounter. A touch. An improbable connection. On by Circa follows eight strangers whose lives cross in the courtyard of an apartment block. Over the course of a single night they will fight, love, laugh and find moments of beauty and transcendence.
Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, with a pulsating score from Melbourne composer Jethro Woodward and striking lighting design from Paul Jackson, On by Circa is an unmissable and powerful new work infused with fierce humanity and exceptional acrobatics.
On By Circa is circus at its contemporary best – as thrilling as it is moving.
A Monash University commission.
…a stylish, flawlessly executed physical essay on the human need for connection
…the ensemble’s extraordinary strength, flexibility, timing, co-ordination and trust in one another thrills and delights
TOURED TO 9th March 2023
Wagga Wagga, Australia
Civic Theatre
11th March 2023
Albury, Australia
Albury Entertainment Centre
15th March 2023
Gold Coast, Australia
HOTA
18th March 2023
Coffs Harbour, Australia
Jetty Theatre
20th March 2023
Shoalhaven, Australia
Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre
23rd March 2023
Griffith, Australia
Griffith Regional Theatre
25th March 2023
Goulburn, Australia
Goulburn Performing Arts Centre
29th March 2023
Gosford, Australia
Central Coast Council
31st March 2023
Orange, Australia
Orange Civic Theatre
1st April 2023
Bathurst, Australia
Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
4th April 2023
Port Macquarie, Australia
Glasshouse Port Macquarie
6th April 2023
Tamworth, Australia
Capital Theatre
12th April 2023
Ararat, Australia
Ararat Town Hall
14th April 2023
Warnambool, Australia
Lighthouse Theatre
15th April 2023
Portland, Australia
Portland Arts Centre
19th April 2023
Colac, Australia
COPACC
21st April 2023
Sale, Australia
The Wedge
22nd April 2023
Gippsland, Australia
Gippsland Performing Arts Centre
18th May 2023
Burdekin Shire, Australia
Burdekin Theatre
20th May 2023
Proserpine, Australia
Proserpine Entertainment Centre
23rd May 2023
Bundaberg, Australia
Moncrieff Entertainment Centre
27th May 2023
Redlands, Australia
Redlands Performing Arts Centre
31st May 2023
Mackay, Australia
Mackay Entertainment Convention Centre
19th - 22nd July 2023
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Ithra Theater
Photo by Pia Johnson
Three artists stretch the boundaries of contemporary circus in this intimate and deeply moving new production by Brisbane-based contemporary circus company Circa.
Hauntingly beautiful and truly virtuosic What Will Have Been is a sublime display of interlocking bodies, awe-inspiring movement and pure physical beauty. Circa’s intrepid artists will challenge your perceptions of what is possible within the human body and draw you deep into a world of physical daring.
Accompanied on stage by a live violinist and fusing together the music of Bach and spine-tingling electronica, this explosive new production is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and have you on the edge of your seat.
... circus at its purist and most thrilling . . . utterly captivating.
– Daily Review, AUS
TOURED TO 16th November 2023
Arlon, Belgium
Maison de la Culture Arlon
17th - 18th November 2023
Brussels, Belgium
Wolubilis
21st - 26th November 2023
Versailles, France
Theatre Montansier
29th - 30th November 2023
Creil, France
La Faïencerie
1st December 2023
Fontenay Les Roses, France
Theatre des Sources
2nd December 2023
Franconville, France
Ville de Franconville
9th December 2023
Coutances, France
Theatre Coutances
14th December 2023
Chateauroux, France
Nationale de Chateauroux
16th December 2023
Beaupreau, France
Scenes de Pays
17th December 2023
Les Chapelles Bourbon, France
Lenvolée
19th December 2023
Gonfreville, France
Ville de Gonfreville l’Orcher
21st December 2023
Levallois, France
Ville Levallois
Performances 22
Audience 9,540
Straight from the score and onto the stage, the man known as Mozart appears amid a storm of powder, tumbling and twirling, as musical mayhem and movement fuse in this family show with a circus twist.
To those who know him, he is Wolfgang, the dartplaying, pun-loving ratbag. To those who are watching and listening, he is the wigged genius Mozart. Come and discover his irrepressible spirit and vibrant compositions through physical comedy and mischievous antics.
Designed to amaze people from the age of three and upwards, Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus reinvents the composer’s magical music in a skilful and illuminating show featuring Circa’s dexterous daredevil artists and an accordionist. Watch as the notes are physically lifted off the page as performers bring the renowned compositions to life amidst a storm of powder, tumbles and crashes, all under the eccentric swirl of the conductor’s baton.
Commissioned by The Art House Wyong
Whether it’s through acrobatics, aerial work or hula hooping, you know you’ll see beauty and strength in equal measure ... A great introduction to contemporary circus, and Mozart, for younger audiences
– The List, UK
For circus thrills with a classy, classical touch, ‘Wolfgang’ hits the right notes
– Three Weeks Edinburgh, UK
TOURED TO
2nd May 2023
Jundah, Australia
Jundah Hall
4th May 2023
Longreach, Australia
Civic Centre
6th May 2023
Blackall, Australia
Blackall Cultural Centre
9th May 2023
Aramac, Australia
Aramac Town Hall
11th May 2023
Tambo, Australia
Tambo Shire Hall
13th May 2023
Quilpie, Australia
Quilpie Shire Hall
16th May 2023
Augathella, Australia
Augathella Town Hall
17th May 2023
Morven, Australia
Morven Town Hall
19th May 2023
Mitchell, Australia
Mitchell Shire Hall
23rd May 2023
Cunnamulla, Australia
Paroo Shire Hall
26th May 2023
Thargomindah, Australia
The Thargomindah Football Oval
10th - 12th July 2023
Sydney, Australia
Riverside Theatres
13th - 14th July 2023
Blue Mountains, Australia
Blue Mountains Theatre
24th - 26th November 2023
Brisbane, Australia
QPAC
Performances 24
Audience 6,005
Photo by Steady Jenny Photography Photo by Dylan Evans
Two worlds gleefully collide when the internationallyacclaimed Australian circus ensemble Circa and Academy Award®-winning studio Aardman, bring Shaun the Sheep to the stage.
Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show combines the extreme physicality and awe-inspiring feats of Circa and the playful charm of the multi-award-winning TV series Shaun the Sheep.
The entire family will be treated to a visual spectacle, packed full of Aardman’s signature wit and outright hilarity, as the Circa ensemble continues to blur the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus. Shaun and the flock will entertain the audience through incredible feats of daredevil acrobatics and vibrant circus skills.
Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is must-see family entertainment full of heart-warming comedy delights.
Produced by Shaun Comerford, Yaron Lifschitz with QPAC, Screen Queensland, Merrigong Theatre Company and Circa Contemporary Circus with Special Arrangement by Aardman.
TOURED TO 10th - 21st May 2023
Singapore
Marina Bay Sands
Performances 13
Audience 10,553
…Shaun the Sheep Circus Show is so entertaining, and so packed with physical marvels, that no child who sees it will ever forget it.
– Sydney Morning Herald, AUS
The Circa Carnival comes to town with whimsical tales of creatures of land and sea, who tumble, fly, leap and spin their way through the many wondrous worlds of the animal kingdom.
Our zebras juggle and flip. Our kangaroos skip and somersault. We’ve elephants with street-cred and rhythm. And even our dinosaur bones shake, clatter and roll to the music.
Carnival of the Animals whisks you away on a thrilling circus escapade inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns delightful salute to feathers, fur and fins. Circa’s acrobats bring this classical music suite to life for a whole new generation of circus, music and animal lovers.
TOURED TO 11th - 15th July 2023
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Ithra Theater
12th - 23rd September 2023
Melbourne, Australia
Arts Centre Melbourne
Performances 23
Audience 16,597
Brisbane Kids, AUS . . . a spellbinding and mesmerising performance… about wild imagination, explosions of magic and comical humour that speaks to everyone, especially children . . . a spectacle not to be missed.
Is there a more joyous sound than a roomful of children laughing and squealing with delight?
Indaily, AUS
Photograph by Justin Nicolas
Photograph by Justin Nicolas
In its infancy stage Circa Cairns exists in tension between the rich traditions of Culture and bold innovation of the new. We are fortunate to create work with voices that are often muted and strive to keep Culture alive by fearlessly living it every day.
This year saw Circa Cairns confront the art form on our journey to discover what is possible in circus, for us. It brought forth courageous stories, difficult challenges and new collaborators.
While touring FNQ during the wet season, the stories of the region leached into our acrobatics. This led us to the premier of THE WET, a show that emerged from deep listening and connection to Country.
The year concluded with SON. A vulnerable, deeply personal story and our most ambitious work yet. SON explored the themes of identity and modern masculinity by bringing together four Queer Blak men with all female Quartet Kardajala Kirridarra.
Circa Cairns is fuelled by the reaction of Culture and place. Our work mirrors who we are and where we are going to expose what it mean to be modern Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Circa Cairns is based in Gimuy (Cairns) on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people.
Photo by Christina Bevilacquia.
Son is a cultural circus work about the relationship between fathers and sons. Percolated through the classical tales of the Odyssey, Oedipus and Pinocchio; Son wrestles with the importance of the father in shaping the identity and masculinity of the son.
Inspired by Harley’s lived experience growing up in a single mother household and how it informed his masculinity, Son detaches itself from the Western model of family to celebrate Culture and Queerness.
Accompanied live by female First Nations quartet Kardajala Kirridarra, the work is sung into existence with striking acrobatics and tempered cultural dance. We see four masculine First Nations acrobats for who they are, their physical strength and guarded vulnerabilities.
From sunset to sunrise follow the son as he questions his masculinity and identity through his journey into manhood. Part odyssey, part coming of age story, Son is pioneering circus on the cusp of tradition and revelation from First Nations circus company Circa Cairns.
Co-directed by Harley Mann and Alex Berlage, don’t miss this world premiere event and revelatory circus experience.
TOURED TO
20th - 21st October 2023
Cairns, Australia
Cairns Performing Arts Centre
22nd - 25th November 2023
Brisbane, Australia
Queensland Performing Arts Centre
Premiere: 1
Performances 7
Audience 764
You don’t know Far North Queensland if you haven’t experienced THE WET.
From the moment the green ant’s journey to higher ground till the final breaking of the storm, THE WET connects you to place and immerses you in the hot damp.
Circa Cairns is a new First Nations led circus ensemble creating exciting circus shows from the heart of Cairns. THE WET has been created on country across Far North Queensland in response to the landscape and endless yarns with community.
Drawing on these ancient stories of the wet tropics, this dynamic acrobatic show thrills while connecting everyone to country.
Conceived by Harley Mann (Wakka Wakka) and embodied by the Circa Cairns ensemble, THE WET is powerfully enduring circus, dripping with culture.
TOURED TO 10th - 11th February 2023
Cairns, Australia
Cairns Performing Arts Centre
Premiere: 10 February 2023
Performances 3
Audience 463
“A beautifully paced story ebbing and flowing between moments of frenetic action and serene calm”
– Arts Hub
Circa is more than a company that captures the hearts and minds of audiences through super-human feats and extreme artistry. We believe that circus makes a difference. Every year, we engage with community through our outreach, schools and workshop programs. With Circa Cairns we travelling to remote Indigenous communities to deliver workshops and create new work. We also believe that circus and the arts should be accessible to everyone. Circability an initiative designed by and for those who identify as living with disability. An evaluation undertaken by Queensland University of Technology noted that participants in Circability experienced meaningful social and community engagement through the program. Circa Academy’s Performance program provided multiple performance opportunities and points of connection with the Ensemble including our Brisbane Festival season of Eternity. Our Arts Centre Melbourne season of Carnival of the Animals featured the expanded version with young performers - providing mainstage performance opportunities for young artists.
Circability is Circa’s social circus program that provides inclusive circus workshops for people of all ages and abilities. The program was launched in 2022 with the goal of promoting social inclusion and breaking down barriers through the art of circus. Circability offers a range of programs, all of which are designed to promote physical fitness,
social connection, and personal growth. Circability's philosophy centers on the idea that everyone should have access to the benefits of circus, regardless of their background or abilities. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, they empower participants to develop new skills, build confidence, and form meaningful connections with others.
We believe that Circus makes a difference. In 2023, Circa’s Training Centre transformed into Circa Academy. Its purpose is to foster the next generation of circus artists and to offer the discipline, thrill and delight of circus to as many people as possible.
Circa Academy offers 17 term-based programs from our studio in Fortitude Valley as well as specialist programs in schools and repertoire workshops around the world. Our programs span from early childhood play to pre-professional development including Circability, a program specially designed by and for those who identify as living with disability.
We are more than a company that captures the hearts and minds of audiences through live performance. Circa Academy makes a positive difference in the lives of its participants by creating meaningful social and community engagement. We create safe spaces for participants to take risks, learn and grow.
and Classes
A room full of smoke, light and strange sounds. The audience embarks on a darkly immersive night of circus, brimming with unbridled mayhem, strange deeds and incredible acts, performed by the Circa Academy Performance program.
Circa’s workshops aim to maximise student’s potential, developing physical skills whilst increasing capacity for creativity and collaborative learning. Led by Circa Trainers, students are encouraged to explore, create and challenge themselves in a fun, safe and supportive learning environment.
Circa’s workshops are fun and challenging and provide students with tools that help them to achieve both personal and curriculum goals.
INCOME FROM PERFORMANCES
$7.3M TURNOVER (GROSS INCOME)
$3.1M INCOME FROM PERFORMANCES
$4.3M INVESTMENT IN WAGES
20.1% CORE OPERATIONAL FUNDING (% OF TURNOVER)
$3.1M INCOME FROM INTERNATIONAL SOURCES (EXPORT INCOME)
FROM
Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through Creative Australia its arts funding and advisory body, and the assistance of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
CircAbility is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Circa thanks and acknowledges the following people and organisations for their support:
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland
Fiona Allan, Olivia Ansell, Philippe Bachman, Pema Bastin, Louise Bezzina Georgie Black, Phil Brown, Miranda Brown, Hon Tony Burke, Patti Burnheim, Sharyn Byrnes, Tom Calder, Shaun Clough, Adrian Collette AM, Cameron Costello, Antonin Coutouly ,Charlie Cush, Jo Davies, Dominique Delorme, Serge Dorny, Paul Dyer AO
Hon Leeanne Enoch MP, Gina Fairfax AC, Tim Fairfax AC, Guislaine Foiret, Stephen Foster, Carl Fourmile, Simon Frost, Brigitte Fürle, Tom Gutteridge, Paul Grabowsky
Bernie Haldane, Tania Hall, Ngaio Harding-Hill, Bill Harris, Neal Harvey, Kirsten Herring, Andrew Helmore, Paul Henry, Simon Hinton, Wolfgang Hoffman, Hayley Johnson, John Kotzas AM, Chris Ledger, David Lieberman, Annette Madden, Bob Manning, Donna Massie, Gilles Mattana, Shay Minster, Geraldine Mitchell
Allen Moon, Michelle Morgan, Michael Napthali, Alice Nash, Patrick Nolan
Roz Pappalardo, Jono Perry, Damian Power, Dare Power, Chantal Prudhomme, Destry Puia, Evelyn Richardson, Cat Robey, Julie Tanner, Eliza Tee, Ruth Thomas, Hannah Torrence, Damien Walker
Shaun the Sheep's Circus Show
Susan Godber
Carrillo Gantner AC
Vera Smiljanic
Charlie Cush
Kerry Comerford
Isaac Stevenson
Deidre Rennie
Philip Bacon
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland
Michael Lynch AO CBE (Chair)
Ric Roach (Treasurer)
Chris Brady
Kerry Comerford
Alanna Herbst
Ian Walker (until 8 June 2023)
MJ Bellotti
Professor Gene Moyle
Professor Anita Heiss AM
Courtney Tuttle (Secretary)
ENSEMBLE
Fran Alvarez
Jon Bonaventura
Holly-Rose Boyer
Rhiannon Cave-Walker
Asha Colless
Maya Davies
Marty Evans
Malte Gerhadt
Scott Grove
Nancy Luna Gutierrez
Chelsea Hall
Gareth Chin
Bridie Hooper
Nathan Knowles
Shaun Lee Chen
Keaton Hentoff-Killian
Samuel Letch
Gerramy Marsden
Hamish McCourty
Rosa Mordaunt
Oscar Morris
Daniel O’Brien
Kathryn O’Keeffe
Paul O’Keeffe
Kimberley Rossi
Sophie Seccombe
Juliette Leroux
Alicia Maccarone
Will Meager
Amy Nightingale-Olsen
STAFF
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO
Yaron Lifschitz
Tristan St John
Zachery Stephens
Adam Strom
Lachlan Sukroo
Darby Sullivan
Jarrod Takle
Luke Thomas
Georgia Webb
Billie Wilson-Coffey
Christina Zauner
Isaac Salter
Lewis West
Conor Wild
Ewan Schell
CIRCA CAIRNS STAFF CIRCA CAIRNS ENSEMBLE CIRCA CAIRNS GUEST ENSEMBLE
Artistic Director - Harley Mann
General Manager - Baeley Dear
Circa Cairns Creative ProducerRebecca Youdell (until June 2023)
Ally Humphris
David Biondi Odo
Edan Porter
Jillibalu Riley (until September 2023)
YOUNG ARTIST FAST TRACK
Anisa Monsour
Gusta Mara
Kameron Mckinnon
Bronson Morris
Leonard Donahue
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
Danielle Devery (Until Sept 2023)
FIRST NATIONS ADVISOR
Cameron Costello
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Benjamin Knapton
Kristen Maloney
HEAD OF DESIGN
Libby McDonnell
COSTUME COORDINATOR
Anna Handford
HEAD OF TOURING
Lisa McCready (Until Sept 2023)
PRODUCER
Charmaine Childs (From March 2023)/Acting Head of Touring From September 2023)
Jake Jobes
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Shaun Comerford
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Elise Stewart
Jodie Roche-Jones
Kayla Cahill
Christy Wright
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Jason Organ (Until May 2023)
HEAD OF PRODUCTION
Mark Middleton (From May 2023)
HEAD OF ACADEMY
Alice Muntz
LEAD TRAINER
Vanessa McGregor
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Bryce Holmes
Laura Patterson
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR
Luke Laidler
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Danielle Kellie
HEAD OF OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
Courtney Tuttle
ADMINISTRATOR
Laura Coutts
Cate Carter (Until March 2023)
Leyla Stanbridge (From June 2023)
MARKETING COORDINATOR/ MARKETING MANAGER
Claire Holland (From October 2023)
HEAD OF FINANCE
Renee Fletcher
SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER
Israt Jahan Tinni
GROUP EXECUTIVE - STRATEGY AND IMPACT
Criena Gehrke (Jan - Jun 2023)
Ellen Cox
Mia Huges
Zoe Joiner
Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis
Isabelle Lawton
CIRCA ACADEMY TRAINERS
Michael Maggs
Jacob Ramis
Eve Timmins
Lauren Watson
Ludwig Schukin
TOUR DIRECTOR
Todd Kilby
TOURING TECHNICIAN
Djeon Dacquin
HEAD ELECTRICIAN
Shanon Barclay
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
Isabelle Champagne-Chittik
VIDEO TECHNICIAN
Stephen Brodie
DRIVER
Andrew Dunn
STAGE MANAGER
Yanni Dubler
WARDROBE COORDINATOR
Jade Mulholland
DIRECTOR
Lisa Wilson
DRAMATURG
Rani Luther
DRAMATURG
Amy Ingram
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Alex Berlage
DJ AND COMPOSER
Ori Lichtik
CIRCA OBSCURA ACADEMY PERFORMANCE TROUPE
Araluen Rose Erykah Waters
Phoebe Organ
Charlie Stevens
Lorelai Fritz
Imogen Vickers
Mataya Richards
Todd Kilby
David Carberry
Riley McDonald
Cecilia Martin
Maddison Costello
HEAD MECHANIST
Richard Aishford
DEPUTY HEAD MECHANIST
Graham Ironside
HEAD LIGHTING/LX OPERATOR
Claire Browning
PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN
Peter Rhoades
COMPOSER
Jethro Woodward
MUSICIAN
Susan Collins
Olivia Matigian
Anisa Monsour
Skylah Le-Huy
Photo by David Kelly
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@CircaPresents/