2022 BIOGRAPHIES

​Ariane Cabana

It was in her early teen years that Ariane began cumulating animation experiences. She quickly developed an interest for clowning arts and took classes with Yves Dagenais. She has learned from a variety of directors she worked with such has Michel Dallaire, Christine Rossignol, Soizick Hébert and James Keylon.

Ariane has practiced figure skating and Tae Kwon Do. She gained a second degree black belt before the age of twelve and participated to many competitions which thought her not only physical abilities but great determination and confidence. She has had the opportunities to work with great circus companies (Cirque du Soleil, Éloïze, Akya, les productions Haut-Vol, les Parfaits Inconnus, le Cirque Monti, Noël en cirque, les Improduits) and also toured across Canada with the show “Ripopée” from l’Aubergine.

She keeps learning and loves sharing her passion for clowning, comedy and circus arts.

Mark Gindick

Mark Gindick is a professional actor, clown, physical comedian, director, teacher and writer/creator of his own theatrical shows. Wing-Man, his original theatrical piece without one spoken word, won BEST ONE-MAN SHOW in United Solo Theatre Festival, the largest solo festival of its kind in the world. Mark has appeared in major feature films, including the Nora Ephron comedy Julie & Julia with Meryl Streep; on television: The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and was featured in The PBS mini series CIRCUS; starred Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival in the New York Times acclaimed hit The Comedy Trio Happy Hour; clowned on circuses such as Cirque Du Soleil, Ringling Brothers and the Big Apple Circus as well as teaching clowning at SUNY Purchase College and other New York City venues.

Vanessa Kneale

Vanessa Kneale is a franco-ontarian clown, physical actress and dancer. She grew up in various countries following her parent’s diplomatic career, emancipating herself in cultural, linguistic, and artistic diversity. While completing a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Business at Concordia University, Vanessa discovers the art of clowning. Enthralled, she pursues a diploma at the Francine Côté Clown and Comedy School, as well as training with James Keylon, Joe de Paul, Michel Dallaire and Yves Dagenais, amongst others.

Her career takes off with the Fringe box-office record breaker Dance Animal. She proceeds to form the duo Les Bunheads which is invited to appear on America’s Got Talent as well as other televised galas with Just For Laughs and in Europe. Later on, Vanessa will join the cast of L’Aubergine’s Ripopée which will be performed more than a hundred times throughout the country including Nunavut. More recently, Vanessa has worked as a Master of Ceremonies on stage and online with Le Monastère, TOHU, Production Immersives and Randolph events. To this day, Vanessa collaborates with numerous street art and live event companies such as Les 7 doigts de la main, C2Montreal, Toxique Trottoir, Espace Forain, Richard LaCroix, Les Foutoukours etc.

Vanessa has also dedicated herself to social causes with La Caravane Philanthrope in El Salvador, Artcirq in Nunavut, Phare Ponleu Selpak in Cambodia and E.motion21 in Australia. She has offered numerous workshops in cultural mediation with TOHU, Cirque du Soleil, school boards and community centres.

Currently, Vanessa is working on a new youth production with the circus company Le Gros Orteil, for which she’s developing her skills in pole and roller dance. She’s also self-producing, in conjunction with Ariane Cabana, a new multidisciplinary show. As well, Vanessa plans on learning to teach the Francine Côté Method in order to offer comprehensive clown training for amateurs and professionals.

As a satirical clowne by definition, Vanessa Kneale is making her mark in the cultural scene with her pompous characters who caricature the ridicule of our world.

Mooky McGuinty

Mooky is one of the funniest ladies working in the international variety circuit today. As principal clown of Cirque du Soleil’s highly successful show Varekai, Mooky co-created the role, and performed it to some 4 million spectators worldwide. Mooky’s comedy has been featured at Just for Laughs, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Festival and the Cape Town Comedy Festival, to name a few. A trailblazer, she was recently honoured as the first solo female principal clown in Amsterdam’s prestigious Royal Carré Winter Circus.

Mooky is evolving her work from stage to screen. Her production company Mooky McGuinty Creative, based in Saskatchewan, Canada, is creating a physical comedy series about Mooky’s character Gloria, and her ridiculous adventures, in search of the spotlight.

Joe De Paul & Tim Tyler

Tim Tyler 6’4” from Australia and Joe De Paul 4’10” from Canada form an irresistible duo after 30 years of clowning as soloists internationally in circuses, theatres and cabarets; Palazzo Europe, Teatro Zinzanni Seattle/Chicago/San Francisco, Cirque Du Soleil to name a few. They contrast physically but have much in common, combining their talents and an absurd sense of humour. Just the sight of them makes you laugh. Imagine slapstick and circus skills with the good the looks of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Joe De Paul is a veteran of numerous Cirque du Soleil productions, beginning with his clown debut in “Dralion.” Joe’s unique physical comedy has brought him critical acclaim as both director and performer in circuses, cabarets and festivals worldwide.

Tim Tyler has performed around the planet. Audiences, whether in the chic Varieté theatres of Europe or even at several Royal Command Performances, have simply not been able to resist the immaculate and perfectly enchanting Tim Tyler.

Empire Pagaille

Empire Pagaille, founded in Montreal in 2022 by clown artist Évelyne Laniel, is focused on the creation and production of physical theater comedy shows for the stage, the street and the screen. Our original creations critique and celebrate the extraordinary in our perfectly imperfect ordinary lives. Tightrope walker of emotions, we practice the art of imbalance with creations that leave room for improvised moments with the public with whom we maintain a direct relationship. Évelyne Laniel, our general and artistic director, who has for long been involved in theatre, improvisation and street entertainment, found her true passion for the art of clowning following her training at the École de Clown et Comédie Francine Côté (2015).

Her solo creations mixing physical theatre and object theatre have been presented across Canada and in France. Concurrent to her involvement with Empire Pagaille, Évelyne acts as an outside eye on various projects and directs the show La Rébellion du Minuscule by the Théâtre du Renard. In addition to the stage, Évelyne has been a therapeutic clown for the Dr. Clown Foundation since 2017.

Pearle Harbour

Sweet-as-pie and sharp-as-nails, award-winning drag clown Pearle Harbour is the nation’s premiere tragicomedienne. “One of the most engaging and thoughtful performance artists around” (NOW Magazine), Pearle’s gonzo original works have been presented to rave critical and audience acclaim in sold-out houses cross-country, including some of the most prestigious stages in Canada, featured on CBC Gem, and published in Canadian Theatre Review.

Accolades include the Audience Choice Award (SummerWorks), Outstanding Solo Performance (My Entertainment World), Dora Mavor-Moore Award nominations for Outstanding Performance and Costume Design, and the Jon Kaplan Legacy Fund Award for a Canadian Theatre Performer.

Joined by director Rebecca Ballarin and musical director Tago Mago (Stella Conway), Pearle Harbour’s Agit-Pop! comes to Les Festival des Clowns by way of the Stratford Festival, before heading off to Queens University, Nova Scotia (King’s Theatre, Mermaid Theatre, Chester Playhouse) and New Brunswick (Capitol Theatre, Fredericton Playhouse, and Imperial Theatre).

Tupiq ACT

Tupiq ACT is a crew of Inuit circus performers from the Nunavik social circus program Cirqiniq. We integrate the traditionnal Inuit culture to our contemporary circus performances to preserve and celebrate this beautiful and rich culture so we can share it with the world!

Hilary Wear

Hilary Wear is a theatre artist and a Métis woman. Hilary is a semi-active person, primarily within the amazing Anishinaabeg and other Communities around Peterborough Ontario, Canada and also supporting assorted regional and national initiatives. In 2023 she will offer seasonal activities for working arts groups on the Michi Saagig Anishinaabeg territory properties for which she shares responsibility. Her kids are all grown, she is still with The Farmer, and she has never been to Montreal!

Hilary writes and performs site-specific Clown turns; text and/or movement-based pieces for stage; collaborates in co-creations and devising for performance; and works for others as an actor. During Covid years she fundraised and co-learned with youth around organic, regenerative agriculture re: mitigation-eradication of invasive plants species. She also creates workshops & has designed, and delivers, an experiential-learning university course around working, playing together, with stories. Hilary is an accredited Therapeutic Clown in Canada (duo practice) and is celebrating the co-creation of expressive comedic- arts & connection opportunities, both live and on-line, with institutionalized people: Adults & Elders in long term care & hospitals and children in rehabilitation residences.

Hilary is most happy when playing with others (in a good way!) initiating inter-generational groups that are focused on fun, and naturally welcome Anishinaabemowin, language. Giveaway and Qi Gong practices with self-selected audience-participants are her most engaging current theatre-Clown-research concerns at present. Hilary is also very interested in basketmaking from the roots of the plants, through design, to the vessels created: usefull x4 !

P.S Maybe you’ll join the intn’l #StopEcocide movement?!

Barry Bilinsky

Clarity and Compassion: how to do more good than harm

Barry Bilinsky (he/him) is an Indigenous Artist from Amiskwaciywaskahikan of Métis, Cree, and Ukrainian lineage. Primarily a professional theatre and film director, Barry pursues work focused on the support, proliferation, and creation of indigenous stories often linked to the cultural intersections he embodies. Working in technical as well as artistic roles, Barry believes that collaborative and holistic practices are the best way to ensure that diverse perspectives are represented.

 In 2012, Barry graduated with a BA in Drama and English from the University of Alberta – but his true education had yet to begin; It is through the web of beautiful friendships and connections that he owes the basis of his practice. Key credits include: Creative Director of Media for Fort Edmonton Park’s “Indigenous People’s Experience”; Associate Director of Akpik Theatre, Festival Director of Rubaboo Indigenous Arts Festival; Writer and Co-director of Shumka’s “Ancestors and Elders”; Founder and Artistic Director of Fool Spectrum Theatre; and Production/Stage manager of Making Treaty 7. This I believe: our stories exist in the spaces between. Collective narratives vary in harsh and loving ways; by living through one another we learn to care for our kin, our community, and our environment more wholly.

Sonia Norris

Send In The Clowns – But Keep Your Distance!

Sonia Norris is an LA-based physical theatre director specializing in the development of new work internationally with theatre, circus, clown, mask and puppetry companies. Recent projects include: Balancing on the Edge, Toronto (Anthropic Traces), Candice Roberts Theatre, Vancouver (Larry), Rogue Artists Ensemble, Los Angeles (Reckless Sea of the Brain), Handspring Puppet Company, South Africa (Olifantland, Renosterbos), Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Cymbeline), Luminato Festival (Taj), Red Sky Performance (Mistatim), Cirqiniq Arctic Circus, Kangiqsualujjuaq (The Three Girls), HIFA Festival, Zimbabwe (When You Stand Alone, I Have a Dream!…), LEGacy Circus (Cyborg E.R.I.N.), Banff Centre Indigenous Dance (Transformations), Common Boots Theatre (Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw), SoCirc Social Circus (Carnival of Life), and Workman Arts (Masks of Madness).

Sonia trained in physical theatre at Ecole Jacques Lecoq in France, Ecole Philippe Gaulier in England, and the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre in California. She is a graduate of the Playhouse Acting School in Canada, holds an MFA in Directing from York University and her doctoral research at the University of Toronto focuses on female clown practice. She has been invited to present at clown festivals in Helsinki, New York City and Montreal and her clown, bouffon, and puppetry research has been published internationally. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Acting in the Theatre Department at California State University Northridge and is writing The Clown in Quarantine Survival Journal about the gong-show of her life moving to America just as the world fell apart.

Directed by Krin Haglund
MCs Laurette & Arlette
Assistant Director Murdoch Schon
 Set Design Maryanna Chan

★ Lysanne Richard & Hugues Sarra-Bournet ★ Éliane Bonin ★ Emile Carey & Marie-Claude Chamberland ★ Catherine Cédilot ★ Hilary Chaplain ★ Elise Deguire ★ Johnny Filion ★ Juan Carlos Muñoz Navarro ★ Adalia Pemberton-Smith & Sari Hoke ★ Chloé St-Jean-Richard ★ Mr. Smythe ★ Tyler West

Krin Haglund, Director

Krin Haglund is a Montreal-based circus performer, actress, and director. In addition to her role as “Ms. Martel,” on the TV series Big Top Academy and Big Top Academy Schools Out Edition, Haglund has performed around the world with many of today’s most exciting circus companies, including the 7 Fingers, Cirque Éloize, and Cirque du Soleil.

Haglund is the founder and artistic director of the non-profit circus company, The Radiant. With The Radiant she produced three original circus shows, including her one-woman show The Rendez-Vous. Haglund is inspired to share clown and performance techniques through coaching and directing motivated students from across disciplines. Haglund’s work, known for its profound connection between performer and audience, explores the intersection of character, comedy, and acrobatics. She is a graduate of Smith College, attended the San Francisco Clown Conservatory and is also the first woman to perform the Cyr Wheel apparatus. In addition to her love of the circus, Haglund is an avid pollinator gardener.

Laurette et Arlette, MC’s

​Soizick Hébert and Marie-Hélène Côté joined forces in 2017 to create Laurette and Arlette, a duo of eccentric and clownish women. They pool their original music and creativity for circuses, cabarets and festivals. Since 2020, this hilarious duo of inventive women comedians have produced various creations: Le Périple de Laurette et Arlette has been presented more than a hundred times before a large audience and continues its journey, L’An Verre; visual and musical evolution of the two characters in several Montreal storefronts; and Bonsoir la visite, a large-scale digital project, surrounded by twenty or so collaborators, they produce six original and interactive programs that seduce an audience fond of new experiences.

Laurette and Arlette proudly wear their age, giving their presence an authentic and surprising character. From ticks to manners from another time, this spirited conductor and this colourful starlet take viewers on a journey into a world outside of reality.

Éliane Bonin

A multidisciplinary artist, Éliane Bonin expresses herself through circus and living arts. Involved in Carmagnole Productions since 2000, she organizes events for human emancipation and social transformation.

As a performer-creator in Les Érotisseries, she stages the permissions she grants herself. Her work is feminist, mammalian, liberated and psychomagical. Artistic director, creative programmer and passionate teacher, she is a self-taught professional impostor and perpetual student. She dreams of art and society freed from market capitalism.

Emile Carey & Marie-Claude Chamberland

​Emile Carey has won gold and silver medals in numerous international circus arts and juggling competitions. He has worked with companies such as the Big Apple Circus, Cirque du Soleil, Knie (Salto Natale), Cirque Eloize and Le plus Grand Cabaret du Monde in Paris, among others. A graduate of the Montreal National Circus School in 2001, he has been performing high-calibre juggling acts for more than 20 years.

Marie-Claude Chamberland studied theater at Cegep de Saint-Hyacinthe and classical singing with Winston Purdy of McGill University. She performed a variety of operatic lead roles and sang with symphony ensembles before taking up clowning in 2007 during a circus tour in Europe (Salto Natale, Knie).

In 2009, Emile and Marie-Claude started clown training in France with Michel Dallaire. At the same time they founded the company Bande artistique, where they serve as artistic directors, heading up the company’s creations. Since then, Emile and Marie-Claude have been touring all around the world with the show Sometimes in life, things change. They also participate in various productions and events with their clownish acts (Palazzo, Cirque du Soleil, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises, etc.). The secret to their success? A dash of fantasy and a generous helping of ridicule!

Catherine Cédilot

A practician and researcher of live arts, Catherine Cédilot studied performance at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York (home of the Sanford Meisner technique) in 2004-2005. She then became interested in physical theatre, clown, and Butoh, finally discovering performance art. Over the last 15 years, she has collaborated with many artists, working in different aspects of performing arts (theatre, circus, dance, in situ or gallery performance), as a director or counsellor in acting and movement, and actress and performer. Her Master’s thesis in theatre from UQAM dealt with the encounter between the self and the other using a combination of exercises drawn from the techniques of Meisner and Richard Pochinko.

In addition to giving customized workships for various theatre and clown projects, she has lectured at CEGEP and university. Mônique Richa’d, distant second cousin of Michèle Richard, is her alter ego, born in a 2018 Garden Party. A lover of words, she would like to believe that she is a classical (but funky) intellectual, able to adapt to any social context. Her dream is to host an Oscar Night, or be a replacement for Jojo Savard.

Hilary Chaplain

Since 2005, Hilary Chaplain has been touring internationally with her award winning solo show A LIFE IN HER DAY, directed by Avner Eisenberg, and in variety shows worldwide with her short comic numbers. In 2018 she created a show in collaboration with other artists called THE LAST RAT OF THERESIENSTADT which won the top four awards when it premiered at the Lalka Tez Cztowiek Puppet Festival in Warsaw, Poland. Drawing inspiration from clown theatre, movement, objects and puppetry, Hilary has been creating solo and ensemble work for the past 40 years. She was an original cast member in Bill Irwin’s LARGELY/NEW YORK and appeared on Broadway in the Public Theatre production of THE TEMPEST directed by George C. Wolfe. 

She played a featured role in Forrest Gump, and a lawyer on LAW AND ORDER CRIMINAL INTENT. Hilary entertained children in NYC hospitals as “Nurse Nice” of the renowned Big Apple Circus Hospital Clown Program® (since 1987) and is a founding member of the New York Goofs, a clown ensemble created in 1996. She has performed and taught worldwide in over 20 countries and 5 continents. She is currently in development with a new show called BITE ME! with CB Goodman and Aitor Basauri.

Elise Deguire

Clown, actress, and circus artist, Elise entered the world of performing arts following her travels through Europe in 2001. Initially attracted by physical work, she trained in circus, dance and mime. She was quickly charmed and touched by the art of clown, which became her primary focus.

She has participated in projects with Clowns sans Frontières (Haiti) and Art de Caille (Mexico). In 2007, she created The Cooking Show, a clownesque street performance she has taken to several festivals in Quebec, France, and the USA between 2007 and 2010. She has since performed in many burlesque and clown cabarets.

Since 2009, Elise has given clown workshops to actors, circus artists, adults who have never performed, disabled people, teenagers and children, in France, Quebec and Africa. In 2010 she joined the team of Dr. Clown.

Johnny Filion

​With over 25 years of performance experience worldwide, Johnny Filion has developed his own unique approach to physical comedy, combining music, magic and circus skills. He played among others with internationally acclaimed companies Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize, and Just for Laughs.

A virtuosic tour-de-force of comic timing and lunatic behavior. One minute he may be playing the upright bass, then crashing wildly on the drums and the next minute he entertains us by juggling, doing magic tricks or playing with whatever objects he finds at hand.

Every act is non verbal and spiced with Johnny’s delirious absurd sense of humour. Since the show is all visual and musical, it is suitable for all nationalities, adults and/or kids.

Mr. Smythe

Countless performances have allowed Mr. Smythe to create unique and highly original shows. He is a mime, clown, eccentric dancer, musician, marionettist and ventriloquist. He can put the audience in the palm of his hand, indisputable mark of a true world-class troublemaker. Public and personal comedy at its best…

Juan Carlos Muñoz Navarro

With more than 25 years of professional experience, Juan Carlos has performed as a clown on big stages around the world. He was part of the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM and shared the stage with Russian clowns from the Licedei theatre, among others. Throughout his career, he received several awards, such as Best Actor high category at the Comediada festival, organized by the director of Maski Show, a famous tv-show of the former Soviet Union.

He received a TOTO award at the famous circus festival Elephant d’Or in Figueras and he was the first clown who received a bronze at Kobzov’s Golden Trick festival in Ukraine.

Juan Carlos has an extensive experience in stage and artistic direction and a wide experience as a lead performer in different shows, assisted by more than 20,000 people per show and 1,500,000 spectators in a 2-month season during 2017.

He was the creative director of corporate events for FOX TV, Sonrisa Médica, Government of Catalunya, company ASPAPEL, among others, and was the director of various acts presented for Spain’s Got Talent. He is the creator of Volare Music Hall with the participation of the legendary musical band Gipsy Kings that had the premier at Sporting Club venue in Monaco, Monte Carlo. Throughout his career, he has directed numerous acts for stars of the traditional European circus.

Adalia Pemberton-Smith & Sari Hoke

​Mossy Society (Adalia Pemberton-Smith and Sari Hoke) is a Tio’tia:ke (Montreal) based artist/activist collective focused on the intersection of clowning, contemporary dance, theatre, technology, and socially engaged art practices.

We are interested in exploring themes including: secular spiritual practices, communing in technology-free spaces and technology as a means of connection, sacredness in minimalism, comedy to ease change, presence and awareness, food sovereignty and grassroots movements, peace activism, gender equality and fluidity, connection to nature, decolonizing theater, body sovereignty and dance as a birthright, social responsibility, sharing qualitative research artistically, contemporary parenthood and community parenting, alternative education, class disparity and creative lifestyles for all, and protection and prioritization of our lands and waters.

Lysanne Richard & Hugues Sarra-Bournet

​Lysanne Richard and Hugues Sarra-Bournet met each other at the École nationale de cirque de Montréal, where they discovered a common interest in comedy acrobatics. From there to becoming clowns was but a small step that they took quickly. Their flourishing careers, whether together or separate, have had the quality of their work recognized on several occasions. For example, as part of the duo tomlys, Lysanne was awarded second place at the Golden International Circus Festival in Rome in 2006. Her trio with Hugues and Tom Cholot won the Coup de coeur jury prize at the Mondial des Amuseurs publics in Trois-Rivières in 2007 with their show Le Clan Kètchoz.

Following a career with Cirque du Soleil, Lysanne left the circus for several years to focus on high diving; she has won the world championship several times and remains the most highly-decorated Canadian athlete in her sport. Ever more present in Quebec media, she was in the second season of Big Brother in 2022.

For Hugues’ part, with the Russian bar trio Moi et les autres, he won the Prix du public and a silver medal at the 37th Festival mondial du Cirque de demain in Paris, and the award for Outstanding Clown Show at the St-Ambroise Montreal FRINGE Festival for his solo Mario a un incroyable talent. Over the 23 years since their first meeting, the desire of Hugues and Lysanne to perform together and charm audiences with absurdity and irreverence remains undeniable.

Chloé St-Jean-Richard

​Born in 2020 in the midst of a pandemic, Booger is the result of research and creation sessions in a restricted place with very limited means by circus artist Chloé St-Jean-Richard. With no place to train, no apparatuses to work on and no plans for the future, everything had to be rebuilt. Her search brought her right back to her inner child, who only wanted to laugh and play when all was gray and uncertain. Chloé and Booger met very quickly, in a small living room and a very large sweater. It is a chaotic and benevolent being, who wishes to share its happiness through its frenzied dance steps and its technical prowess. With its very small size and flabby fingers, Booger will amaze young and old alike with its many talents. Who knows what surprises are hidden under this big sweater!

Tyler West

Tyler West is a self-taught clown and entertainer based in New York City. He has performed across the world in cabaret and variety shows like La Clique, Miss Behave’s Cheapshot, The Box, The Slipper Room, The House of Yes, Bindlestiff Family Circus, Circus Amok and more. Tyler also performs regularly as a Red Nose Doc with Healthy Humor in pediatric hospitals throughout NYC. This is his first time performing in Montreal, and he’s grateful for the opportunity.

Coaching Aitor Basauri
MC Mooky McGuinty

★ Rochelle Lopez ★ Zita Nyarady ★ Hugues Sarra-Bournet ★ Sophie-Thérèse Stone-Richards ★ Maggie Winston

On the last day of the Montreal Clown Festival, the participants of a workshop with Aitor Basauri (Artistic Director, Spy Monkey, UK) take the stage to present their “new recipes.” A project for 10 artists who challenged themselves to work on a new idea with the help and critique of director Aitor Basauri, to develop new creations and present them within the framework of the festival.

Rochelle Lopez

Roxina is not ready apparently. Wait a minute: for stage or for other life situations? Well, she will have to jump in (or out) anyways! Good thing she can count on her dear diabolo friend to navigate through this moment, when, once more in her life, humour seems to be the key to connecting with the world and face challenges!

Rochelle Lopes is a clown and a circus artist coming from Brazil, working on her act: “I’m not ready!” – An innocent, physical and skillful performance.

Zita Nyarady

Zita Nyarady is a storyteller and clown working at the intersection of dance, theatre and circus. As a freelance artist she has worked with Theatre Direct, Guild Festival Theatre, Shakespeare in Action, LookUp Theatre, Clay and Paper Theatre, Connection Dance Works, Hercinia Arts Collective, Pilobolus Dance Theatre and Odin Teatret. Her company- The Grand Salto Theatre- tours original physical theatre work nationally and internationally. She is thrilled to be back at the Montreal Clown Festival.

Hugues Sarra-Bournet

Hugues Sarra-Bournet a étudié à l’École de cirque de Québec avant de parfaire sa formation de généraliste à l’École nationale de cirque de Montréal. En tant qu’acrobate-acteur, il participe à de nombreuses créations dont KÀ et Le royaume de tôle (Cirque du Soleil), Devant moi, le ciel et Ceux qui n’existent pas (DynamO Théâtre), LignedeBus (Théâtre I.N.K), Crépuscule – Raviver les braises (Flip Fabrique).

Sophie-Thérèse Stone-Richards

Sophie-Thérèse Stone-Richards is a multicultural & bilingual performer. She is a graduate of the Theatre Performance program at Concordia University. Recent credits include Raidō Productions’ The Murder Next Door (2022) at the St-Ambroise Montréal Fringe, Boulouki Theatre’s the future is another country (2021) at the M.A.I. and Hooks & Crooks’ Tomorrow (2020) at Centaur’s Wildside Festival. This is her first time clowning since the pandemic began and she’s excited to get silly and laughing again – thank you Aitor and MTL Clown Fest!

Maggie Winston

Maggie Winston is a puppeteer, clown, educator and community engaged artist. She is the Artistic Director of Lost & Found Puppet co. producing original performances utilizing puppetry in many styles, physical theatre, clown, storytelling, music, and other multidisciplinary art practices. L&FPCo explores themes such as family, cultural history, human relationships to objects, nature, and spirituality. There are stories about beaver dreams, wolves drinking tea, the poetry of a Yiddish Montreal writer, and memories of Grandma in her recycled quilt. Maggie is a recent graduate of the DESS en théâtre de marionnettes contemporain at UQÀM.