With an array of juggling, acrobats, clowns and high-wire stunts, Stephens Auditorium will serve as the venue for Le Grand Cirque.

The show includes nearly 50 performers hailing from a variety of countries and all with a different set of talents and skills. In its time, Le Grand Cirque has performed for millions of people and currently have five versions of the show worldwide.

The biggest feature is the distinguishing characteristics that separates the performance from the other well-known circus shows such as the famous Cirque du Soleil.

Simon Painter, creative director for Le Grand Cirque, said the show differs from the others because it usually plays in theaters instead of performing under tents. This allows the performers to take their show to certain locations others can’t.

This gave the show the chance to perform at the Sydney Opera House. Not only did it perform at a location known all over the world, it sold more than 50,000 seats resulting in the biggest selling show that venue has ever seen.

“It was amazing,” Painter said. “It’s such an iconic building, and as a producer, it was a dream come true. It was an amazing thing that we became the biggest selling show. It was absolutely fantastic.”

Another element that differentiates Le Grand Cirque from the rest is the style of the show, Painter said. It’s based on a family image that’s appropriate for individuals of all ages. It doesn’t have that dark element like other circus performances sometimes do.

Le Grand Cirque is currently on a world tour. Besides Ames, it is hitting many locations like Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Once done here in the United States, the show will head to other countries, including New Zealand and South Africa for the World Cup.

Painter said because the cast rehearses, travels and performs so much, the show is always continuous. If members aren’t performing, they’re rehearsing. Painter’s job mainly consists of putting the show together, creating all the designs and overseeing all the acts.

As crazy as his job gets sometimes, Painter said that being a part of this production is amazing.

He said that the cast is incredible, and the places he travels to is one of the most enjoyable aspects to his job.

Painter said that in a given year, he and the production will travel to about 20 to 30 countries.

For those going to see Le Grand Cirque here in Ames, Painter said to expect a great show. Some of the acts to be performed will include double backflips off tall poles, acrobats jumping into hoops seven feet high, gymnasts’ bungee and tumbling stunts, as well as the usual juggling, clowns and high-wire acts.

“It’s just very fast paced,” Painter said. “It’s also executed at a level that nobody has ever seen before. All the acts and acrobatics are just ridiculously good. As we say, it’s a show for people ages 2 to 92 years.”