THE BALLOON MAN

Circus Oz general manager to step down
By Alex Hamer
18:18 AEST Tue Aug 28 2012
From braying crowds in Colombia to the bright lights of New York, Linda Mickleborough has juggled business acumen and a love of performance in a winning combination for Circus Oz.

The general manager of the Melbourne-based circus will resign at the end of the year after 25 years with the colourful troupe.

While she has been a power mostly behind the scenes, she did try the trapeze once.

"I threw myself into it in a rather gung-ho way. For the next week I couldn't even pick up a basket in a supermarket," she told AAP on Tuesday.

"I'm glad I've had a gig as a general manager."

Ms Mickleborough leaves Circus Oz in a strong position, about to begin construction on a new base in Collingwood following a decade of planning and with a month-long run of shows booked in New York in December.

"It felt like the right time. I really wanted to give (the new general manager) time in the role before the big move to Collingwood," she said.

Ms Mickleborough started as tour manager in 1987 and became general manager in 1993.

"It's been the most incredible journey. I've had such a range of fabulous people to work with, and I've been able to work all over the world," she said.

Circus Oz has flourished under Ms Mickleborough.

She pulled the company from a precarious financial position in the early 1990s to become an example of success lauded by the Stanford School of Business.

Circus Oz artistic director Mike Finch paid tribute to Ms Mickleborough's contribution.

"She has been central to how the company has developed and has been a custodian and advocate of our unique culture," he said in a statement.

The hairiest moment of her career was in Bogota, Colombia, when safety checks delayed the show until it started hours late before an aggressive audience.

"People were outside, and the local crew came in saying `they're climbing the walls!'... but by the end of the show (the audience) was calling `Australia, Australia!'," she said.