Australia’s Circus Oz celebrates diversity and equality

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For more than 30 years, Circus Oz of Melbourne, Australia, has balanced cheeky humor with live rock-and-roll for an unforgettable experience. But behind the scenes, the circus is dedicated to diversity, equality, teamwork and humanitarianism.

Longtime Circus Oz performer and musician Matt Wilson — also known as “Crashmatt” thanks to his acrobatic skills, human cannonball tricks and tendency for slapstick comedy — got serious when asked about the troupe’s philosophy.

“We like diversity, and we think it should be embraced,” he said. “It’s a great thing, and it should be part of our culture, not only in Australia, but all over the world. The world’s a diverse place, and we’ve got to celebrate that.”

In addition to sporting a racially, ethnically and gender-diverse cast and crew, Circus Oz devotes its time, talents and resources to making everyone feel welcome. Members of the company lead circus workshops in remote and indigenous communities and for those with disabilities; and they hold fundraisers for the Melbourne-based Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

“We like to embrace all kinds of people and have a strong ethos that circus is for everybody, and there’s a place in the circus for everybody,” he said. “It takes all kinds of people.”

The troupe will make its Penn State debut showcasing the members’ theatrical, musical and tumbling talents in “Straight Up” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium.