Help! Construction advice needed for an "illusion" cake

hi cake friends! I’m making a circus themed cake for a friend’s daughter. My idea is to make a circus ring with a strong man standing on top balancing a circus tent with his hands over his head.

I just need some reassurance on how I am planning to construct the support system. I’m planning on a Masonite board with a metal rod in the middle secured by a flange to support the whole structure. I’ll have a 12" round as my base cake. A gum paste strong man will be standing on top of the 12" round – I plan on modelling him around the metal rod so the rod will be inside the strong man. I’ll have a 6" masonite board secured by another flange “standing” on too of the strong man’s head which will hold the circus tent (which will be made out of a 6" cake). Hopefully this will give the illusion of the strong man carrying the tent.

If anyone has any ideas on how I can improve my construction, I’d certainly welcome and apapreciateany suggestions. Thanks in advance!