Bun B, Lynn Wyatt, Astros Closer Ryan Pressly and Other Houston Celebs Turn Out For Cirque du Soleil’s Acrobatic Wonders

A Magical World of Fuchsia With Its Own Wheel of Death

BY Caitlin Hsu and Jaelyn Williams // 03.01.23

photography Alex Montoya

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Alex Gallagher, Remington Bruce at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Samantha Huang, Justin Henderson at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Queenie Walls, Lynn Wyatt, Bun B at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Acrobats and performers mingled among guests at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Guests enhoiyed macarons by Tout Suite during intermission at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Queenie Walls, Lynn Wyatt at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Cristina Sclafani, Terrence White at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Chester Pitts, Katherine Ross at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Mayra Carmona at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Queen Angelina, Lunaro Moreno at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Carlie Dietert, Jeff Dietert, Maggie Dietert at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Lynn Wyatt, Bun B & Queenie Walls at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Nicole Graf, Catherine Whitsett, Carlie Dietert at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Isaac Castro, Jessica Cuervo, Ligia Bermudez at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Stilt Walkers at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Queenie Walls & Bun B at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Bun B, Lynn Wyatt, Ceron, Queenie Walls, Mark Sullivan at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Tarek Elbjeirmi, Ceron at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Sarah Pappas, Tamara Washington, Chita Craft at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Stylist Elly Brown and family at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

Alex Gallagher, Remington Bruce at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

The gravity-defying stunts of Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA returned to Houston for the first time in 11 years. The show’s six-week run, which ends this Sunday, March 5, kicked off with a stunning VIP premiere under the Big Top at the Sam Houston Race Park. In a fuchsia-colored playground of wonders, more than 2,000 guests enjoyed photo ops with Kooza performers, stilt walkers, live music from Texas jazz band The Texas Gypsies and photo booths prior to the show.

The highlight of the evening: Several Houston localebrities walked the red carpet at the VIP preview, including socialite and philanthropist Lynn Wyatt, Houston rapper Bun B with wife Queenie Walls and celebrity stylist Ceron. Also in attendance were several notable athletes including Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly with his wife and influencer Kat Pressley, former Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching and former Houston Texan Chester Pitts. They were joined on the red carpet by wondrous Cirque du Soleil performers including acrobats, Red Army characters, Wheel of Death performers and Diablo performers.

Angela Walls, Lynn Wyatt, Bun B (Photo by Alex Montoya) — Queenie Walls, Lynn Wyatt, Bun B at the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA premiere. (Photo by Alex Montoya)

KOOZA is told through the perspective of The Innocent, a naïve clown who is transported to a bizarre and magical world and taken on a journey of self discovery. In classic Cirque du Soleil fashion, this story is made larger-than-life through death defying acts, amazing costume design, high-flying acrobatics, mystical characters and a moving live score. These stunts combined with the amazing storytelling create a memorable viewing experience.

PC Seen: Mark Sullivan, Sam Governale, Vicki Luna, Lindsay Yates, Remington Bruce, Houston Ballet executive director Jim Nelson, Houston Ballet principal Connor Walsh, Chita Craft, Doreen Stoller, Cindi Rose, Dominique Sachse, Lexi Sakowitz Marek, Lonnie Schiller, actor Grant Goodman, Nick Espinosa and Carlos Meltzer and Derrick Shore.

Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA runs through Sunday, March 5 at Under the Big Top, Sam Houston Race Park (7575 North Sam Houston Parkway West). For more information, go here.