The circus runs on clockwork inside Cirque du Soleil’s logistics

When Duncan Fisher, Chief Show Operations Officer of Cirque du Soleil, took the stage at the recent industry forum, he reframed how the world should think about logistics in live entertainment. Far from the outdated stereotype of chaos and disorder, Fisher argued that behind the spectacle of spinning acrobats and towering sets lies a finely tuned, mission-critical logistics engine built on trust, communication, and operational precision.

For Fisher, logistics isn’t simply about moving equipment; it’s about orchestrating a global ballet involving thousands of people, complex gear, and unforgiving timelines. “The circus is a place that runs like clockwork,” he told the audience, underscoring that Cirque’s touring productions depend on tightly coordinated teams from diverse backgrounds who quite literally trust each other with their lives.

This mindset stems from Fisher’s own journey from a young performer hauling seats into truck beds in travelling circuses to leading operations for one of the largest entertainment companies on earth. By the time he joined Cirque du Soleil eight years ago, he had already spent decades mastering the art of managing people and processes under pressure. His core insight: the success of a show depends as much on logistics as it does on artistic brilliance.

Under Fisher’s leadership, Cirque du Soleil manages a global portfolio of touring and resident shows that perform around 8,000 performances annually across six continents. That equates to an average of 22 shows every day, each requiring precise choreography not just on stage but backstage and in transit. The company employs roughly 4,000 people, of whom approximately 3,200 are on Fisher’s operational teams, technicians, riggers, production managers, and support staff who ensure that the company’s intricate visions come to life night after night.

For Cirque du Soleil, logistics begins long before the curtain rises. Fisher described a culture where planning, communication, and trust are foundational. Teams share a clear understanding of goals and intent, rather than waiting for top-down instructions. This shared consciousness empowers junior leaders to develop solutions and adapt them in real time, an ability that proved essential in overcoming unexpected setbacks, such as severe weather delaying a load-out in Sydney.

One striking example from Fisher’s keynote was the intricate coordination behind the water stage of O, one of Cirque du Soleil’s most technically demanding productions. With 65 artists, 80 technicians, and 12 divers working around a pool of water, every move is timed and communicated on live radio channels. Rigorous drills ensure that performers entering the water blind without goggles or breathing apparatus are safely guided. Behind each seamless transition seen by audiences lies dozens of precise radio calls, pre-show checks, and contingency plans rehearsed weekly, monthly, and even annually with local emergency services.

What sets Cirque’s logistics apart isn’t just meticulous planning; it’s the relational trust between departments. Fisher emphasised that a trapeze artist’s leap is inseparable from the confidence they place in technicians, riggers, stage managers, and safety personnel. This level of trust, he noted, grows not from paperwork but from practice, repeated drills, open communication, and shared responsibility.

This approach to logistics has broader resonance beyond the circus tent. In an era where customer experience is king, Fisher believes that operational excellence, especially rapid decision-making and adaptability, directly enhances audience satisfaction. Whether it’s shifting an entire show’s equipment across continents or executing complex stage transitions mid-performance, the logistics philosophy at Cirque du Soleil places people and processes at the heart of innovation.

That innovation extends into how the company is reimagining performance formats. Recently, in January 2026, Cirque du Soleil and immersive technology partner Cosm announced an expansion of their partnership to bring the production Mystère into “Shared Reality” experiences in Los Angeles and Dallas. This initiative blends physical performance with cutting-edge immersive technology to extend the show’s reach beyond traditional venues and audiences.

It also highlights the logistical foresight required to integrate large-scale LED environments and multisensory production elements in new markets. Successfully transporting the essence of a show like Mystère into a shared reality format depends on the same operational principles Fisher pushes for: clear goals, cross-functional collaboration, and a shared commitment to reliability and audience experience.

In a world that often equates creativity with chaos, Fisher’s message and Cirque du Soleil’s operational reality stand as a testament to how strategic logistics enables wonder on a global scale.