Mike Finch is the wizard of Oz.

That's Circus Oz, which has nothing to do with Kansas, Toto.

Oz, in this case, is the Down Under nickname for Australia, the home base for the troupe heading this way for a six-show run starting Wednesday at the Hawai'i Theatre.

"There has been some confusion in America (about Oz). But not in Australia and not in England; we actually chose the name from a very famous (Australian) magazine called Oz," said Finch, 37, artistic director of Circus Oz, in a recent telephone interview from Melbourne.

Still, Finch and his mates have subliminally embraced the brains, heart and courage of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion of "Wizard of Oz" in how they get their show on the road.

Australia's resident circus has been in business for 30 years — it even predates Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil, the major new-age circus that's conquering the world (especially in Las Vegas).

"We've been touring much longer than Cirque and the differences are massive," said Finch. But he doesn't mind the comparisons "because most of it is very flattering."

The key similarity: Neither circus uses animals.

The key difference: While Cirque is intent on creating visual artistry with Broadwaycalibre spectacles, Oz is a lot more intimate. The 12 members — three of them musicians — each devise their own specialty numbers and are a key part of the creative process. That's where the Oz invention, emotion and daring prevail — along with irrepressible Aussie attitude often surfacing in comedic moments.

Finch joined Circus Oz in 1992 as part of a theater internship; his prime duty was to make coffee for the company.

"I can't say it was great coffee," he said.

By 1997, he was made resident artistic director, sharing directorship with Tim Coldwell, one of the circus' founders.

"I was into juggling and acrobatics in the early years," said Finch, who found he was better suited behind the scenes, though he occasionally enters the spotlight as a fill-in, in case someone is injured or is on leave.

"I think people crave a live experience," Finch said of the keen interest among audiences all over the world and how they embrace a circus. "I think folks like the drama and excitement, not knowing if a performer will survive or fall. And they love being in large spaces with large groups, cheering together in a precise moment of time, sharing an experience."

At its home base of Melbourne, Circus Oz performs under a huge Big Top tent that was designed in Italy to the tune of $1 million and completed in 2002. The tent can accommodate 1,356 people, and it provides the valuable creative space for its inhabitants.

"We wanted a tent that was eclectic, post-modern, that reflected what we do," he said. "So the design is like four tents chopped off, yet built together, with a curly top in different colors on each tent: one red, one yellow, one green, one blue."

Oz takes the tent on tours across Australia — the structure and be assembled and taken down — performing about a third of its shows on the road. The troupe hits the country's main cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

The final third of Oz shows are in proscenium theaters at home and abroad, which provides some artistic challenges because of the varying space and configurations.

The company boasts the usual circus staples: trapeze artists, jugglers, acrobats and daredevils. The production is laced with comedy, though there are no bona fide "clowns" in this circus.

All performers are Australian, and there's subtle patronage to Australian culture and attitudes.

"We're all about diversity," said Finch. "So we have an equal number of men and women, of different sizes and shapes, who come from different backgrounds. Some are gymnasts, some are musicians; the mix of people includes rock musicians, too, and because we have former buskers (street performers), there's some cultural identity.

"By definition, the style of our performance is irreverence; while we have some bells and whistles of theater, the show really is done Australian-style, meaning we make fun of authority, we make fun of ourselves, and this spirit tends to come out in the show. Because of the collective nature of how we do what we do, there's a consensus of feeling."

Finch adores the fact that from an audience perspective, the show's informality is very accessible to a wide range of folks.

"It doesn't require a huge level of disbelief to see and accept what we do," he said. "There's a tightrope; you either are on it, or you fall. There's a ball in the air being juggled; either it stays up there, or it hits the ground. That's the reality of it all."

But there's more to the Oz act, with layers of theater. "There are layers of theater. There's music, there's lighting, there's costuming, there's comedy," said Finch.

The show has made inroads on the Broadway scene, too; after Hawai'i, the company moves to New York, where it will be ensconced for much of December at the New Victory Theater on 42nd Street. It will be Circus Oz's fourth time there, part of a visit once every three years.

The performers compose music and there are singers in the act, too, along with dialogue.

"We translate into foreign languages when we tour," said Finch of earlier shows for audiences in Holland, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

"We're working on a few Hawaiian things," he said.

But don't expect to hear "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport," a classic Aussie tune.

"But," added Finsh, "there will be a kangaroo presence."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.