HUMANS By Circa From Australia Opens The 2018 BAM Next Wave Festival

The Australian circus troupe Circa made a stunning BAM debut in 2015 with Opus, a production that was called "amazing" and "fearless yet poignantly vulnerable" by The New York Times. The company returns this fall with the US premiere Humans, a "five-star favourite" [The Guardian] at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Humans is circus in its purest form-a bare stage, no sets, just 10 acrobats in black/muted-colored costumes displaying world class acrobatic sequences. They jump, somersault, stand on hand(s), toss and catch each other, balance on one another, and twist their bodies in every direction. In the process, they explore the physical limits of their own bodies and rely on the strengths of their teammates. Humans is a theatrical demonstration of our physical vulnerability as individuals and our strength when working together.

Known for its blend of athleticism, stripped down acrobatics, poetry, and humor, Circa has earned an international reputation for originality and innovative aesthetics. Founded in 1987 in Australia under the name Rock and Roll Circus, the company took a radical turn in 2006 with the arrival of Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz. Since then, the company, renamed Circa, has been at the frontier of new circus-creating powerful works of circus art that challenge, thrill, and delight. Featuring an ensemble of multi-skilled performers, Circa's award-winning works have been seen in 39 countries across six continents.

Yaron Lifschitz is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, and National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) where he was the youngest director ever accepted into its prestigious graduate director's course. Since graduating, Lifschitz has directed more than 60 productions including large-scale events, opera, theater, physical theater, and circus. He was founding artistic director of the Australian Museum's Theatre Unit, head tutor in directing at Australian Theatre for Young People, and has been a regular guest tutor in directing at NIDA since 1995. He is currently artistic director and CEO of Circa, creative director of Festival 2018-the arts and cultural program of the 21st Commonwealth Games. This year, Lifschitz directed four new Circa creations, and a new production of Idomeneo which opened in Lisbon at The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos.

For ticket information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100, or visit BAM.org