Cirque Ingeniuex, which like Cirque de Soleil is an unusual melding of theatre and the European circus tradition, is in the middle of a cross country tour of the United States -- with its next stop at the Aronoff Theatre in Cincinnnati, Feb. 27-Mar. 1.

The work, which was created by Neil Goldberg, is scored by New Age composer Kitaro (whose music, a blend of both East and West traditions, eschews digital technique in favor of warmth and emotion) and directed by Joe Leonardo.

"[Composer Kitaro] sets a mood and tone for each scene ... and creates a story-line, an arc, for each character through his work with musical themes and motifs," said producer Kenneth Gentry in a recent interview about Cirque Ingenieux.

The creative team includes Broadway vets Howell Binkley (lighting design), Jerome Sirlin (set design and projections), Jonathan Bixby (costume design) and Norman Allen (story writer). Choreography is by Catherine Archambault and Eric Hoit.

The schedule for the remainder of the tour is as follows: Lyric Theatre, Baltimore (Mar. 3-8), Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT (Mar. 13-15); Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady, NY (Mar. 17-18), Eisenhower Hall, University Park, PA (Mar. 19); Palace Theatre, Columbus, OH (Mar. 20-22); and Memorial Auditorium, Dayton, OH (Mar. 23-25); Playhouse Theatre, Wilmington, DE (Mar. 27-April 5); Shea Theatre, Buffalo, NY (April 7-8); De Vos Hall, Grand Rapids, MI (April 10-12); Venue TBA, Los Angeles (April 14-19); Ford Center, Toronto (May 19-June 7); Majestic Theatre, Boston (June 9-14); Fox Theatre, St. Louis (June 16-21); and Theatre of the Stars, Atlanta (June 23-28). -- By Rebecca Paller