International circus star set to wow the crowds at Henty event

It was a childhood dream of international circus star Marcela Scheuner to perform at the Henty Machinery Field Days, but something she never really thought would ever happen.

“I grew up going to the field days,” she said.

“I went to school in Victoria so the school holidays never aligned and I was always begging for a day off to go.

“Dad has been involved in the committee since I was born.

“I knew when I was young that one day I wanted to perform but I thought that maybe it wouldn’t ever happen because Henty is not really about circus, it’s obviously about the farming.”

Marcela didn’t let that deter her and when she was 16, with nine years of training with Albury’s Flying Fruit Fly Circus under her belt, she decided it was time to realise her childhood dream.

“I asked Dad to ask the committee and they were like, ‘Yeah, of course’ and I was like, ‘OK!’,” she said.

“When I got asked back after the first time, I thought it was great as it was what I always wanted to do.”

The 28-year-old is set to dazzle field day visitors once again with her performance using up to 35 hula hoops.

Marcela graduated from Albury’s Flying Fruit Fly Circus in year 12 and she now has 22 years of circus training behind her and an impressive resume from years of coaching, directing and creating.

She has performed at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre, Melbourne’s Exhibition Centre, Sydney’s Seymour Centre, Adelaide’s Tandanya Theatre, New Zealand’s Te Auaha Theatre, all over Queensland and Victoria in a Big Top.

She comes to the field days fresh from touring with Wonderland Entertainment and is on the road in Victoria with traditional group Eronis Circus.

“I feel as if Henty has watched me grow as an artist and a person over the years – it’s such an honour to be welcomed back,” Marcela said.

“It’s the event I look forward to the most each year, it’s lots of fun. I revolve my availability for work around these dates.”

Marcela has built her independent career through many corporate gigs around NSW and Victoria, and working with Kindred Circus to deliver performances and workshops to remote Indigenous areas throughout SA and NT.

Most recently, Marcela played Tinkerbell with Wonderland Entertainment’s production of Circus Wonderland, A Neverland Adventure, which won a weekly award for Best Kids and Family Show at the 2023 Adelaide Fringe festival.

Marcela was co-founder and creator of the show BOSS SQUAD, where Adelaide’s Point and Flex Circus and Albury-Wodonga Wildhouse Circus joined forces to create one epic, all-female, inspiring, powerful and high-intensity acrobatic production.

BOSS SQUAD won two Best Circus and Physical Theatre awards at the 2020 and 2021 Adelaide Fringe festivals.

With five successful seasons at the Adelaide Fringe festival, Melbourne’s Side Sault Festival, the Falls Festival, the Browerville Festival and the New Zealand Fringe Festival, it is just the beginning for these award-winning acrobats.

The Henty Machinery Field Days will run from 19-21 September and you can find out more here.