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.
WAS ALWAYS WILL BE
3 WORLD PREMIERES
419 LIVE PERFORMANCES
321 INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES
98 AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCES ( 24 IN QLD)
200,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS WORLDWIDE
57 ACROBATS (INCLUDING CHILDREN & GUESTS)
7 CREATIVE COLLABORATORS
200 TOURING WORKSHOPS
1,430 HOURS OF WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
TOURED 20 COUNTRIES INCLUDING AUSTRALIA
TOURED 131 CITIES GLOBALLY
280.5 HOURS OF FREE SPACE FOR ARTISTS
32K FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS
36K INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
16.7K VIMEO PLAYS
86K WEBSITE SESSIONS
62K WEBSITE USERS
215K WEBSITE PAGE VIEWS
We opened 2024 with the stirring chorale of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, a symphony that sings of our shared humanity. We finished it with the ravenous ferocity of Wolf at the Chamaleon Theatre in Berlin and a massive new version of Duck Pond at Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre.
In the space between, over 100 cities across the globe have welcomed Circa’s performances. With the inclusion of Circa Cairns, our First Nations-led ensemble in Cairns, Circa Academy and Circability, we have crafted over 200,000 unique encounters this year.
These range from the wide-eyed wonder of a two-year-old’s first circus experience to the majestic sweep of grand operas, works of scale, and the intimate embrace of chamber circus.
What unites these is a profound belief that circus possesses the power to move the world. We are relentless in this pursuit – whether it is in the daring acrobatic sequences of Wolf or the poignant exploration of Mahler’s songs with Franui Musicbanda in Urlicht Primal Light or the haunted intensity of Dido and Aeneas we remain ever curious, insatiable, and in perpetual search of where to next.
It is our pleasure to present a snapshot of the year that was. As another year begins, rich in possibility as well as challenge, to invite you to join us – as audience, participant or supporter – and be moved.
YARON LIFSCHITZ
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO
ANN SHERRY AO CHAIR
SHAUN COMERFORD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Wolf A gasp-inducing acrobatic thrill ride.
Clad in designer Libby McDonnell’s form-hugging costumes and set to DJ Ori Lichtik’s relentless primal rhythms, the cast of ten extraordinary Circa artists grasp, tear, climb, leap and balance with fierce abandon.
For Director Yaron Lifschitz, the wolf is a symbol of our untameable selves: liberating, anarchic and savage. In two contrasting acts, the wolves evolve from disruptive forces of chaos into a ferocious pack whose intense choreographies overflow with raw energy and astounding physicality.
Wolf is circus with fangs. Join the pack.
TOURED TO
20 August 2024 - 5 January 2025
Berlin, Germany
The Chamäleon Theatre
WORLD PREMIERE
Premiere
Date 20 August 2024
Performances 133
Audience 31,082
…group artistry in perfect choreography
Berlin Morgenpost >>View
Theatrical miracle
Online Merker >>View
You won’t see anything better on Berlin stages at the moment
Online Merker >>View
…like Berghain meets a gym
Berliner Zeitung >>View
A work of art that makes you hold your breath every second
Kulturvolk >>View
… with body sculptures, dizzying aerial acrobatics and alpine-adapted music by Gustav Mahler, the Circa Ensemble from Brisbane/Australia and the East Tyrolean Musicbanda Franui thrilled the audience…
Salzburger Nachrichten >>View
a mix of contemporary dance and acrobatics on a theater stage…. with built-in moments of shock that elicit the expected “Oh my God” from the audience…
Salzburger Nachrichten >>View
Urlicht Primal Light brings together Franui Musicbanda, a Tyrolean Chamber Ensemble, a company of Circa acrobats and young performers from Bad Goisern to create a new acrobat-music-theatre creation. Based on the companies shared love of Mahler’s songs, the musical spine is Franui’s Mahlerlieder album, which has been edited, augmented and adapted for this live musical performance. Accompanied by physical score developed by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa acrobats bringing the flavours and textures of Mahler, as interpreted by Franui, to life.
This is a concert of new perception with 20 artists as field researchers, stimulated through discovery and appreciation, navigating this exquisite world together before us, to utter delight.
TOURED TO 6- 7 April 2024
Salzkammergut, Austria
Salzkammergut
WORLD PREMIERE
Premiere Date 6 April 2024
Performances 2
Audience 1,450
co-production with
A new benchmark for opera production in Australia.
Sublime, erotic, dangerous: 80 minutes of baroque astonishment.
Each and every member of the company…brings a level of virtuosity to their work
Dido and Aeneas is a love story for the ages. Bringing together exhilarating acrobatics and extraordinary music, this production is an opera for today. Aeneas is a hero caught between his destiny and desire. Dido is the woman he must leave behind. For these starcrossed lovers, fate and romance are on a collision course, and when the smoke clears, Dido’s heart is found among the wreckage. Purcell’s early opera gave the world one of the most poignant scores ever written and laid the foundation for every opera that came after.
TOURED TO 11 - 27 July 2024
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The Playhouse, QPAC
Now, experience the power of Dido and Aeneas in staging from Circa Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz, which sets “a new benchmark for opera production in Australia” (Limelight). Expect jaw-dropping physical feats from Circa’s talented ensemble alongside stunning voices. Libby McDonnell’s glamorous costumes are chic creations of luxe materials and strong silhouettes, and Lifschitz has created a stark, slick set.
WORLD PREMIERE
Premiere Date 11 July 2024
Performances: 8
Audience: 4,957
Opera Queensland in association with Circa
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
…will mesmerise you from the very beginning.
– Broadway World, USA >>View
TOURED TO
12 March 2024
Viersen, Germany
Festhalle Viersen
13 March 2024
Lippstadt, Germany
Stadttheater Lippstadt
14 March 2024
Remscheid, Germany
Teo Otto Theater
15 March 2024
Iserlohn, Germany
Parktheater Iserlohn
17 March 2024
Lünen, Germany
Heinz-Hilpert-Theater
26 - 27 March 2024
Helsinki, Finland
Cirko
Performances 8
Audience 3,917
…consistently fascinating choreography…
– Marler Zeitung, Germany >>View
Ten world-class circus artists under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz present Beethoven’s music in its rebellious physical form.
Fearless and ferocious, human drama is writ large in Beethoven 9 – with emotionally charged choreography intricately woven to reflect the powerful score. Extreme skill and dramatic acrobatics play out in this moving anthem for 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
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 >>View
Lifschitz created an extremely sympathetic embodiment of the score, impressively executed by 10 performers w– The Age, AUS >>View
TOURED TO
31 December 2023 - 1 January 2024
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Grand Theater
Performances 2
Audience 1,900
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 >>View
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 Davis
Jaw-dropping, seat-clawing and armchair-exhausting
- ArtsHub >>View
… spellbinding physical drama, with just the right amount of play, death-defying tricks and whimsical imagery - The Conversation >>View
TOURED TO
4 - 7 January 2024
Madrid, Spain
Teatros del Canal
12 - 13 January 2024
Mallorca, Spain
Auditorium Palma de Mallorca
17 - 27 January 2024
Barcelona, Spain
Teatre Coliseum
30 January 2024
Ottawa, Canada
Shenkman Arts Centre
3t January 2024
Kingston, Canada
Kingston Grand Theatre
1 February 2024
Markham, Canada
Flato Markham Theatre
2 February 2024
St Catharines, Canada
First Ontario Performing Arts Centre
3 February 2024
Oakville, Canada
Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
4 February 2024
Brampton, Canada
The Rose Theatre
10 February 2024
27 February 2024
Bolzano, Italy
Teatro Stabile di Bolzano
2 - 3 March 2024
St Pölten, Austria
Festspielhaus
5 March 2024
Friedrichshafen, Germany
Graf Zeppelin House
6 March 2024
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Stadttheater, Schaffhausen
9 March 2024
Mamer, Luxembourg Kinneksbond
20 March 2024
Turnhout, Belgium
De Warande
1 April 2024
Riga, Latvia
Rīgas Cirks
6 - 8 April 2024
Stuttgart, Germany Theaterhaus
11 - 13 April 2024
Antwerp, Belgium
MAD Festival
17 April 2024
Brugge, Belgium
Cultuur Centrum Brugge
25 April 2024
Saint-Michel-sur-Orge, France
EMC
27 - 28 April 2024
Senart, France Theatre Senart
27 April 2024
Bendigo, Victoria Ulumbarra Theatre
1 - 2 May 2024
Rotterdam, Netherlands Circusstad Festival
2 - 4 May 2024
Canberra, ACT
Canberra Theatre Centre
8 May 2024
Cairns, Queensland Cairns Performing Arts Centre
11 May 2024
Margaret River, Western Australia
Arts Margaret River
14 May 2024
Albany, Western Australia Albany Entertainment Centre
17 May 2024
Bunbury, Western Australia BREC
6 - 8 September 2024
Aberdeen, Scotland
Aberdeen Performing Arts
14 - 15 September 2024
Budapest, Hungary Trafo
26 - 27 September 2024 Athens, Georgia, USA UGA Presents
6 October 2024 Fort Collins, Colorado, USA The Lincoln Center
10 October 2024 Richmond, Virginia, USA
Modlin Center for the Arts
13 October 2024
Gainesville, Florida, USA University of Florida Performing Arts
18 - 19 October 2024
Beverly Hills, California, USA
The Wallis
25 - 26 October 2024
Jackson, Wyoming, USA The Center
10 - 14 December 2024
Munich, Germany
Tollwood Winter Festival
Performances 111 Audience 59,571
[Humans 2.0] pushes the boundaries of what circus and acrobatics can be - Time Out >>View - Courier Mail >>View
Victoria, Canada
Royal Theatre
13 February 2024
…70 minutes of wonder … perfectly timed, perfectly executed, perfectly staged
There is circus –and then there is Circa
- Theatre Travels, Aus >>View
…impressive and sophisticated contemporary New Circus at its best
- Berlin Morning Post, Germany
Calgary, Canada
Jack Singer Concert Hall
15 - 17 February 2024
Seattle, USA
Meany Center for the Performing Arts
25 February 2024
Trento, Italy
Centro Servizi Culturali
18 April 2024
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston Arts Centre
19 April 2024
Sainte-Maxime, France
Le Carre Sainte Maxime
20 April 2024
Nunawading, Victoria
The Round
23 - 24 April 2024
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong Arts Centre
19 May 2024
Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
27 - 28 July 2024
Suffolk, England Latitude Festival
2 - 24 August 2024
Edinburgh, Scotland Underbelly
Experience a new level of circus mastery –as moving as it is thrilling.
What Will Have Been is the most challenging show in Circa’s repertoire for their performers.
Three acrobats and one violinist perform live on a bare stage, drawing audiences into an astoundingly rich world of pure muscularity and strength, and serenaded with the haunting melodies of Bach and Vivaldi mixed with a contemporary playlist. Where beauty meets ferocity, expect to leave this performance feeling breathless.
Created by Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa Ensemble
… circus at its purist and most thrilling ... utterly captivating.
– Daily Review, AUS >>View
… as breathtaking as ever… you could have heard a pin drop.
– Norwich Evening News, UK >>View
Circa is spare of costume, prop and space. Rather, it focuses on circus as an essential human art, exploring the physical and emotional possibilities of acrobatic physicality.
– The Edge, USA >>View
…an evocative narrative of physical and emotional resonance.
– Arts and Ideas, USA >>View
TOURED TO
10 January 2024
Saint Dizier, France
Les 3 Scenes
12 January 2024
Montaigu, France
Terres de Montaigu
16 January 2024
Merignac, France
Le Pin Galant
17 January 2024
Lons, France
Espace Chambaud
19 - 20 January 2024
Oloron Sainte Marie, France
Espace Jéliote
23 January 2024
Saint Martin D'Heres, France
Ville de Culture
24 January 2024
Lempdes, France
Ville Lempdes
25 January 2024
Andrezleux, France
Theatre Du Parc
26 January 2024
Vénissieux, France
Théâtre de Vénissieux
27 January 2024
Roanne, France
Theatre de Roanne
30 January 2024
Morges, Switzerland
Theatre de Beausobre
1 February 2024
Le Revest, France
Le Pole
2 February 2024
La Ciotat, France
La Chaudronnerie
3 February 2024
Miramas, France
Théâtre La Colonne Miramas
6 February 2024
Haguenau, France
Relais Culturel
7 February 2024
Saverne, France
Espace Rohan
8 February 2024
Selestat, France anzmatten
9 February 2024
Ostwald, France
Le Point D'eau
11 February 2024
Caluire, France
Radiant Bellevue
13 February 2024
Soissons, France
Ville Soissons
14 February 2024
Saint Quentin, France
La Splendid
16 February 2024
Vogelgrun, France Artrhena
13 - 17 March 2024
Brisbane, Australia QPAC
5 December 2024 Puteaux, France Ville de Puteaux
6 December 2024 Fontenay le Fleury, France Théâtre-Cinéma
8 December 2024
Saint Nazaire, France
Le Théâtre, Saint Nazaire
10 December 2024 A lencon, France Scene Nationale
11 December 2024
Falaise, France
Théâtre Le Forum
12 December 2024
La Ferté Bernard, France Ville de La Ferté-Bernard
14 December 2024
Maison Alfort, France
Les Théâtres de Maisons-Alfort
Performances 34
Audience 16,808
Feathers will fly in Circa’s exuberant take on Swan Lake.
The world’s most romantic ballet is re-imagined as a circus spectacular, full of Circa’s signature physicality and shot through with cheeky humour and a thoroughly contemporary energy.
Be swept away by this tale of swans and hapless princes sparkling with quirky touches like the sequinned flipperwearing duck army and a burlesque black swan. There are sumptuous aerials, jaw-dropping acrobatics and of course feathers!
Touching, funny and utterly entertaining, Duck Pond is a tale of identity and finding your true self.
Created by Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa Ensemble 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.
Daring and a desire to go beyond… is what keeps Circa on the cutting edge
10 - 12 May 2024
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.
These zebras juggle and flip. These kangaroos skip and somersault. The elephants have rhythm and the 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.
Bringing this classical music suite to life for a whole new generation of circus, music and animal lovers, Carnival of the Animals captivates with whimsical tales of creatures of the land and sea with Circa’s world-famous acrobats who tumble, fly, leap and spin their way through the many wondrous worlds of the animal kingdom.
– Limelight >>View TOURED TO
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates NYUAD
17 - 18 May 2024 Macau
Instituto Cultural Macao
4 - 6 July 2024
Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney Coliseum
9 - 13 July 2024
Montreal, Canada
Montreal Completement Cirque
19 - 24 July 2024
Galway, Ireland
Galway International Arts Festival
2 October 2024
Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
Walton Arts Centre
5 October 2024
Boulder, Colorado, USA
CU Presents
23 October 2024
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Utah Presents
19 - 30 December 2024
London, England
Southbank Centre
Performances 42 Audience 40,593
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
TOURED TO 12 - 14 July 2024
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei Performing Arts Center
20 - 21 July 2024
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Hsinchu County Cultural Affairs
27 - 28 July 2024
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Hsinchu County Cultural Affairs
Performances 9
Audience 7,107
TOURED TO 6 - 7 July 2024
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts- Weiwuying
1 - 5 October 2024
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Carriageworks
Performances 13
Audience 5,601
A production by Circa and QPAC's Out of the Box Festival Carnival of the Animals by Circa Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble Brisbane Kids, AUS >> View . . . 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 >> View
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.
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.
Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble. Eternity is co-commissioned by Brisbane Festival and City of Newcastle’s New Annual festival.
TOURED TO 28 - 31 August 2024
Hull, England Freedom Festival
Performances 5
Audience 1,295
Circa’s Brisbane Festival show contemplates the eternal to impressive effect.
– Arts Hub >> View
Heartbroken Orpheus has been granted the chance to bring his dead wife Eurydice back from the underworld with one condition; he must not look at her – even for a moment – on their long journey home. But how can he resist the temptation to look into the eyes of his true love?
Set to some of the most stirring music ever written; this is opera like you’ve never seen before – mixing thrilling acrobatics, exquisite singing and striking video design to take us to hell and back.
Opera Queensland in association with Circa presents Orpheus & Eurydice
TOURED TO 12 - 31 January 2024
Sydney, NSW, Australia Opera Australia
Sydney Opera House
24 October - 2 November 2024
Perth, Western Australia, Australia West Australian Opera
His Majesty's Theatre
Performances 13
Audience 16,288
Circa were astonishing, and their incredible athleticism genuinely has to be seen to be believed.
– Limelight Magazine, AUS >> View
…a glorious work
– The Australian, AUS >> View
In the landscape of Far North Queensland, we have unoriginally discovered the most essential truth of our practice: the act of sharing and empowering the next generation is sacred.
2024 marked the final movement in Circa Cairns' initial three-year pilot. A journey that has spiralled us back around to the grass roots of community.
In 2024, our work went further into the region as we toured communities devastated by Cyclone Jasper. We extended our reach to Normanton Island and returned to beloved communities across the cape.
We tested a touring model in Western Australia — The Wet in formal art centers, The Dry in the spaces of everyday life — opened pathways to art in car parks, basketball courts, and the dust-filled Malluwa rodeo ring.
Our collaboration with Na Djinang Circus carried stories from the Far North to Edinburgh Fringe, proving that authentic local expression holds international appeal.
We acknowledge that ourwork exists in Gimuy (Cairns) on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people. Their generosity inallowing us to create on Country is a reminder that our story is laced with the effort, nutrients and determinations of others compounding across generations and we will continue to reach further towards what is possible for First Nations people in circus.
Far North Queensland’s dry season brings an anticipation into the Country that pulsates through its people.
Circa Cairns returns to place with The Dry, the second work in a series of extraordinary encounters between the body and Country.
Inspired by this sun soaked landscape, The Dry is a raw cry of joy and mischief from the vibrant people who call this parched land home.
Blending elite skill, Cultural knowledge and a touch of sass, the Circa Cairns ensemble draws upon elements of the dry season to breathe life back into circus.
Created by Harley Mann and the Circa Cairns Ensemble
TOURED TO 12 - 13 April 2024
Cairns, Queensland Cairns Performing Arts Centre
7 September 2024
Mullewa, Western Australia Rodeo Ring
20 September 2024
Wickham, Western Australia Red Earth Arts Precinct
Premiere Date 12 April 2024
Performances 9 Audience 818
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.
Created by Harley Mann and the Circa Cairns Ensemble
TOURED TO 29 February 2024
Proserpine, Queensland
Proserpine Entertainment Centre
5 March 2024
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville Civic Theatre
8 March 2024
Taree, New South Wales Manning Entertainment Centre
15 March 2024
Orange, New South Wales Orange Civic Theatre
20 March 2024
Wyong, New South Wales The Art House
23 March 2024 Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Jetty Theatre
4 September 2024 Geraldton, Western Australia
Queens Park Theatre
Performances 11
Audience 1,521
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 travel 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.
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.
At Circa, we believe circus changes lives. In 2024, Circa Academy continued to grow as a vital part of our mission — fostering the next generation of circus artists and offering the joy, challenge, and transformative power of circus to as many people as possible.
Circa Academy delivered 17 term-based programs, spanning early childhood play through to preprofessional development. Our impact extended beyond the studio through school partnerships and international repertoire workshops, enriching communities and supporting the growth of emerging artists across Australia and around the world.
Circa Academy is a catalyst for personal, physical, and artistic growth. We create brave spaces where participants take creative risks, build confidence, and connect — embodying Circa’s belief in circus that moves the world.
Workshops and Classes
In 2024, Circa delivered 200 workshops to 2,535 students as part of our commitment to engaging young people and community members through contemporary circus. These workshops were presented alongside our national and international performance programs, allowing participants to experience Circa’s repertoire firsthand in a creative, physical, and inclusive environment.
Workshops were designed to suit a wide range of abilities and ages, from complete beginners to students with dance or movement experience.
Circa ensemble members and academy trainers connect participants to our repertoire. Alongside Carnival of the Animals touring, workshops included animal-themed acrobatics, and even a unique session on building character - specifically, embodying a kangaroo.
Each session encouraged physical confidence, creative expression, and collaboration - core values at the heart of Circa’s artistic practice.
$8.3M TURNOVER (GROSS INCOME)
$4.3M INCOME FROM PERFORMANCES
$4.7M INVESTMENT IN WAGES (FOR ARTISTS AND ARTS WORKERS)
18% CORE OPERATIONAL FUNDING (% OF TURNOVER)
$3.7M INCOME FROM INTERNATIONAL SOURCES (EXPORT INCOME)
11%
Thanks to the generosity of our partners and donors, powerful and lasting impact is made possiblefrom bold artistic works and meaningful engagement programs to the development of our people and sector. Their support keeps Circa Cairns deeply connected to community across Far North Queensland, empowers emerging talent through Circa Academy’s fast-track program, and most recently, helped new artists take the stage in costumes tailor-made for their bodies, through our end-of-year campaign.
The commitment of our most passionate supporters has made the launch of the Chair’s Circle in 2024 an exciting new chapter for Circa. Their support enables us to amplify our impact - creating more opportunities, strengthening our social impact, and bringing extraordinary art to more people in more places.
Circa thanks and acknowledges the following people and organisations for their support:
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.
Fiona Allan, Pema Bastin, Louise Bezzina, Georgie Black, Phil Brown, Miranda Brown, Hon Tony Burke, Patti Burnheim, Sharyn Byrnes, Shaun Clough, Cameron Costello, Antonin Coutouly, Charlie Cush, Jo Davies, Danielle Devery, Dominique Delorme, Andrew Donovan, Serge Dorny, Paul Dyer AO, Hon Leeanne Enoch MP, Richard Evans AM, Gina Fairfax AC, Tim Fairfax AC, Guislaine Foiret, Bella Ford, Stephen Foster, Carl Fourmile, Simon Frost, Brigitte Fürle, Andrew Glick, Tom Gutteridge, Paul Grabowsky, Bernie Haldane, Tania Hall, Ngaio Harding-Hill, Neal Harvey, Anne-Marie Heath, Kirsten Herring, Paul Henry, Simon Hinton, Wolfgang Hoffman, Hayley Johnson, John Kotzas AM, Hon John-Paul Langbroek, David Lieberman, Annette Madden, Bob Manning, Donna Massie, Gilles Mattana, Shay Minster, Allen Moon, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Michael Napthali, Alice Nash, Patrick Nolan, Roz Pappalardo, Jono Perry, Barbara Poliness, Dare Power, Destry Puia Bonnie Royal, Evelyn Richardson, Cat Robey, Michael Stevens, Julie Tanner, Eliza Tee, Ruth Thomas, Hannah Torrence, Damien Walker.
CIRCLE
Ann Sherry AO and Michael Hogan, Michael Lynch AO CBE and Susie Dobson, Danny and Kathleen Gilbert, Professor Sarah Kelly OAM
Neil Archer
Philip Bacon AO
MJ Bellotti
David & Anita Carter
Kerry Comerford
Ingrid Costello
Richard Evans AM
Renee Fletcher
Carrillo Gantner AC
Courtney Gibson-Chan
Danny & Kathleen Gilbert
Rhonda Keene
Cheryl Knox
Hien Le
Michael Lynch AO CBE & Susie Dobson
Miffi Maxmillion
Cath McMurchy
Lynette Parsons
Martina Schmid
Ann Sherry AO & Michael Hogan
Frederick Sim
Vera Smiljanic
Peter Willadsen
The Geoff Ross Endowment
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland
Rowan Allinson
(From June 2024)
Jon Bonaventura
Holly-Rose Boyer
Rhiannon Cave-Walker (Until December 2024)
Charlotte Cayer (June - August 2024)
Asha Colless
Maya Davies
Helga Ehrenbusch (From July 2024)
Marty Evans (Until July 2024)
Malte Gerhardt
Caroline Baillon
Lisa Goldsworthy
Bridie Hooper
David Biondi-Odo (Until September 2024)
Ally Humphris
PATRON Ann Sherry AO (Chair)
Ric Roach (Treasurer)
Mary-Jane Bellotti
Chris Brady
Kerry Comerford
Courtney Gibson-Chan
Alanna Herbst
Gene Moyle
Ela Bartilomo
Johnathon Brown
Isabelle Champagne- Chittick
Margaret Church-Kopp
Jordan Hensley-Twartz
Marty Evans (Secretary from November 2024) BOARD
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CEO
Yaron Lifschitz
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Shaun Comerford EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Danielle Kellie
Courtney Tuttle (Secretary until November 2024)
ENSEMBLE
Scott Grove
Chelsea Hall
Jordan Hart (From June 2024)
Asom Hayman-Jones (From September 2024)
Samuel Letch
Gerramy Marsden
Rosalani Mordaunt
Oscar Morris
Daniel O'Brien
Luke Pearce
Kimberley Rossi
Sophia Seccombe
GUEST ENSEMBLE
Hamish McCourty
Kathryn O'Keefe
Paul O'Keefe
CIRCA CAIRNS ENSEMBLE
Camden Pascoe (Until October 2024)
Edan Porter (Until July 2024)
CIRCA CAIRNS GUEST ENSEMBLE
Cassia Jamieson
Dhananjaya Johnson
Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis
Margot Mansfield
Jada Narkle
Tristan St John
Zachery Stephens
Shani Stephens (From June 2024)
Joshua Strachan (From June 2024)
Adam Strom
Lachlan Sukroo
Darby Sullivan
Luke Thomas
Georgia Webb
Billie Wilson-Coffey
Christina Zauner
Ewan Schell
Jarrod Takle
Violetta Van Geyzel
Skip Walker-Milne (August - September 2024)
Nina Robertson
Lachlan Sukroo
Violetta Van Geyzel
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Marty Evans (From July 2024)
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/ TOUR DIRECTOR
Benjamin Knapton
RESIDENT DIRECTOR
Eve Shepherdson-Beck (From July 2024)
HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT AND DESIGN
Libby McDonnell
TOUR DIRECTOR
Piri Goodman
TOUR DIRECTOR
Kristen Maloney (Until July 2024)
PRODUCER
Charmaine Childs
PRODUCER
Jeremy Jobes
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Jodie Roche-Jones
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER (PARENTAL LEAVE COVER)
Kayla Cahill (Until February 2024)
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Christy Wright (Until July 2024)
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER INTERN
Lola Charpentier (From September 2024)
HEAD OF PRODUCTION
Mark Middleton
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Bryce Holmes
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Laura Holmes
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Luke Laidler
WARDROBE COORDINATOR
Anna Handford
HEAD OF FINANCE
Renee Fletcher
SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER
Israt Jahan Tinni
HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
Courtney Tuttle (Until November 2024)
OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Elanor Nunn (From November 2024)
ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR (PARENTAL LEAVE COVER)
Elanor Nunn (Feb - November 2024)
ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR (PARENTAL LEAVE COVER)
Tallulah Bennetton (From November 2024)
ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR
Leyla Stanbridge
COMPANY ADMINISTRATOR
Laura Coutts
MARKETING MANAGER
Claire Holland
MARKETING INTERN
Caitlyn Greene (Feb - March 2024)
MARKETING INTERN
Ivy Webster (From February 2024)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Harley Mann
ACTING GENERAL MANAGER
Baeley Dear (Until February 2024)
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Sarah Neville (January - May 2024)
David Biondi Odo (Until September 2024) CIRCA
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Julie Rigault (From May 2024)
FIRST NATIONS ADVISOR
Cameron Costello
HEAD OF CIRCA ACADEMY
Alice Muntz
David Carberry
Mia Hughes
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Alexander Berlage
ACCORDIONIST (GUEST ARTIST)
Gareth Chin
DJ AND COMPOSER
Ori Lichtik
TOUR DIRECTOR
Bianca Hunt
TOUR DIRECTOR
Eva Mullaley
TOUR DIRECTOR
Alison Neville
SOUND DESIGN
Jason Renehan
HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT
Ally Humphris
TRAINING COORDINATOR
Riley McDonald
Phoebe Organ
LEAD TRAINER
Vanessa McGregor
Ludwig Schukin
Arabella Stone
DRAMATURG
Rani Luther
PRODUCTION/DESIGN STUDENT PLACEMENT
Shannen Moulton
VIOLINIST (GUEST ARTIST)
Juliette Leroux, Lachlan O’Donnell, Rebecca Seymour
SOUND DESIGNER AND COMPOSER
Guy Webster
SOUND DESIGNER AND COMPOSER
Jethro Woodward
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Morgan Moroney
RECOVERY PROGRAM WORKSHOP TRAINER
Marilyn Miller
RECOVERY PROGRAM WORKSHOP TRAINER
Lara Croydon
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Jaime Ng
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Charles Van Yzendoorn
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Spencer Herd
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