Kooza Comes to Orange County

The Ingredients:

• Two cups of equal parts crazy physical specimens, gymnasts, contortionists, and carnies and 1 creepy fat bald clown [see Fig. 1].
• 1/2 cup of ballet
• 1 can of world music
• 2 Tbsp of fairy pixy magical stardust 
• 3 Tsp. of fun 
• 2 tightropes 
• 1 spinny wheel of death [see Fig. 2] 
• 1 trapeze 
• A handful of Carnival food and drinks 
• 1 unicycle 
• and a little imagination

The Preparation:

1. Take 1-5 to the Irvine Great Park. Pass the balloon (you can ride that later, stay on course!)
2. Wait in line to park. (Chef's suggestion: bring good company to lessen annoyance of wait)
3. Walk towards the giant yellow and blue striped carnival tent shrouded in mystery.
4. Hand your ticket to Carny and cross threshold from real life into a world of magic and wonderment rivaling that of Tim Burton's Big Fish.
5. At Chef's discretion: Add popcorn, hot dog, pannini, wine, champagne, or cotton candy to flavor.
6. Find seat with help of ushers.
7. Preheat brain 15 minutes for show. (Fill this wait by watching the actors interact with the audience, stealing people's popcorn, chiding people for being late, and generally amusing all.)
8. Mix all ingredients together, stir well, and get ready for 2 1/2 hours of the most mind-blowing and whimsical things you've ever seen. (Chef's Note: Don't be surprised to see any of the following as they are all part of the KOOZA baking process: Magic wands, death defying antics, amazing live music, people catapulting other people on 10 foot tall pogo sticks into triple somersaults and landing them perfectly, contortionists that make your back cringe in pain [see Fig. 3], people unicycling with incredibly flexible women climbing and jumping all over them, amazing dancing Dia de los Muertos style skeletons, men doing acrobats in a wheel of death (best part of the whole show) necromantic kings making audience members disappear, getting a perma-grin that makes your cheeks hurt, feeling like you're ten again, getting lost in a world of magic.)

Kooza has come and gone from Orange County, but you can catch them in San Diego on February 25th! Find tickets here. Check out the trailer below for more!

- Amy

On my iPod: Sea Wolf's "Leaves In The River"