Gold Coast star leads KOOZA homecoming
KOOZA extends its Brisbane season with Gold Coast performer Mitch Wynter starring as The Trickster.
What’s Happening?
Cirque du Soleil has extended its Brisbane season of KOOZA until Sunday, October 4, following strong interest from Queensland audiences.
The production opens on Saturday, August 1, under the Big Top at 465 Curtin Avenue in Eagle Farm. Tickets are now available for the added performances, with several seating and family options offered.
At the centre of the Brisbane season is Gold Coast and Brisbane performer Mitch Wynter. He will take on the lead character of The Trickster before family, friends and local audiences.
KOOZA combines classic circus traditions with theatrical storytelling, comedy, live music and high-risk acrobatics. The production balances moments of strength and fragility while exploring fear, identity, recognition and power.
Why It Matters
The extended season gives more Queensland residents the chance to see one of Cirque du Soleil’s major touring productions.
It also marks an important homecoming for Wynter, who first became interested in KOOZA while training as a young ballet student in Brisbane.
After performing The Trickster around the world, he will now present the character in the state where his performing career began.
For local audiences, the season connects an international production with a performer who developed his skills in South East Queensland.
Local Impact
The Brisbane season carries a strong Gold Coast connection through Wynter, who is closely linked with both the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
His Queensland return will allow local audiences to see him perform a role that has taken him across the world. It will also bring the production closer to the communities where he grew up and trained.
“It’s incredibly special to bring KOOZA to Queensland,” Wynter said. “This is where I grew up, where I trained, and where that dream started. To walk onto that stage at home as the Trickster is a full circle moment.”
The extended season also gives Gold Coast residents more opportunities to attend the production before it closes in early October.
By the Numbers
More than 10 million people have attended KOOZA since its 2007 premiere. The production has presented 5,500 shows across 71 cities and 23 countries.
KOOZA features an international cast of 53 artists, supported by six live musicians and two singers during every performance.
The Big Top seats 2,500 people and stands 56 feet high. It spans 164 feet across and covers a 17,000-square-metre site.
Zoom In
Wynter’s connection with KOOZA began when he was a 15-year-old ballet student in Brisbane.
After watching a video of the production, he became drawn to The Trickster. The character appears suddenly and guides audiences through KOOZA’s colourful and unpredictable world.
The role combines movement, humour, stage presence and close interaction with the wider cast. It became a goal that remained with Wynter as his performing career developed.
“I remember watching KOOZA and being completely drawn to the Trickster,” Wynter said. “There was something about the energy, the movement and the way he connected the entire show together. I never imagined that one day I would be the person bringing him to life.”
More than a decade later, Wynter has performed the character for audiences around the globe. His Brisbane performances will now bring that goal back to its Queensland beginnings.
Zoom Out
KOOZA premiered in Montréal in April 2007 and became Cirque du Soleil’s 20th original touring production since the company began.
The name comes from the Sanskrit word “koza”, which means “box” or “treasure”. It reflects the production’s central idea of presenting a complete circus within a box.
KOOZA’s soundtrack combines 1970s funk, orchestral arrangements and traditional Indian music. The music and vocals are performed live during every show.
Cirque du Soleil’s supplied information lists 53 artists from 25 nationalities in the current cast. An accompanying production fact sheet lists 19 nationalities.
The production includes more than 175 costumes, 160 hats and 1,200 handcrafted costume pieces. These pieces were created at Cirque du Soleil’s Montréal workshop. One army costume contains 400 individually sewn metallic flaps, which create the appearance of armour during the performance.
Behind the stage, more than 120 people travel with the production. The team includes two performance medicine specialists who support the artists.
A full travelling kitchen serves two meals daily to about 200 cast, crew and staff members.
Setting up the Big Top site takes seven days, while dismantling the venue takes three days. KOOZA is the 11th Big Top production to visit Australia during the past 26 years.
What To Look For Next?
KOOZA will open at Eagle Farm on Saturday, August 1, before continuing through Sunday, October 4.
Tickets for all performances are available through the official Cirque du Soleil website.