Duck Pond by Circa

Circa brings Duck Pond to the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center on November 6 and 7, 2026. It's the Australian circus company's Houston debut, and it's part of Performing Arts Houston's 60th anniversary "diamond" season, which they're calling their biggest yet.

Duck Pond is a reimagining of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake played as a circus. The swans and the hapless prince stay, but the rest gets flipped on its head: a duck army in sequinned flippers, a burlesque black swan, aerials, acrobatics, and feathers everywhere. Underneath the mischief, it's the same story the ballet has always told—one about identity and finding your true self. The Times in London called it "Swan Lake as you've never seen it before," with "graceful aerial solos, jaw-dropping lifts and superhuman balances."

The show runs 75 minutes without intermission and is recommended for all ages, so it works as a date or something to bring the kids to. With two performances across the weekend, you've got a couple of chances to catch it. Tickets start at $39.