The Team

Ania Upstill (they/them) is a queer and trans performer, director, theatre maker, teaching artist and clown. A graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre (Professional Training Program), Ania’s recent work celebrates LGBTQIA+ artists with a focus on gender diversity. They have toured to Palestine with Clowns Without Borders USA, and have taught clown internationally. Ania has also performed clown and drag acts at venues in New York City including House of Yes, The Duplex and The Tank. As a teaching artist they teach for Lincoln Center Theatre, New York Theater Workshop, Theater of the Oppressed NYC and New Victory.

Luis Feliciano (he/him/any) is a Teaching Artist that focuses pedagogically on Math Education, Theatrical Clown, and Kristin Linklater Voice Work, and artistically focuses on acting, writing, and directing. He has studied Le Jeu and Clown at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, as well as Clown, Commedia, & Clown Teacher Training with Christopher Bayes and Bouffon with Giovanni Fusetti.

Michael Galligan (he/him) is a performer, producer, and teaching artist with the Irondale Center. Michael’s work has been developed and performed at Irondale Center, The Deep End, 59E59 Theater, the Upper Jay Art Center, FringePVD, and ZOO at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He regularly co-produces Clown Flex, Clown Gym’s variety showcase; and PUNCHCLOCK, a timed variety spectacular.

Huxley Rain Garrett (she/they) is queer theatre artist who loves all things Clown and Bouffon! Huxley earned her BFA in Drama with a minor in Applied Theatre from NYU Tisch. While in school, Huxley fell in love with Clown while training under Zack Fine and Lucas Caleb Rooney. After graduating, Huxley decided that they wanted to focus on clown exclusively and discovered the wonderful Clown Gym community. In recent years, Huxley has had the opportunity to train in Clown and Bouffon with incredible teachers including Julia Proctor, Chris Bayes, Eric Davis, Sophie Amieva, Kate Owens, and Aitor Basauri!

Madeleine Joyce (she/her) is a Performer-Writer-Producer-Maker of both Clown and Film, but not yet a clown film. From Denver, CO. Educated at Vassar College. Founding Bouffon in The BOOF. Artistic Director of The Sac Chich Project: a film repertory company. Writer/Actor of “Dodge Is Dead,” which just won Best Writing in the Hollywood North Film Festival. A past Artist in Residence at the Ucross Foundation and Tongue River Artist Residency; she hopes to add Jentel to her Northern Wyoming inspiration crawl. Movement Educator of straight up yoga as well as Clown Asana, a combination of clown philosophy with sequential stretchings and strengthenings.

Aya Tucker (she/her) holds an MFA in Lacoq-Based Actor Created Theatre. Her original clown act, Kiki and Ted, was nominated for The NY Downtown Clown Golden Nose Awards (Audience Choice Best Clown Act). She has performed in London and NY, including Hold Music (Sightline Arts; The NY Innovative Theatre Awards nominee for Outstanding Performance Art Production). Aya is a certified Lucid Body instructor, a healthcare clown for Laughter League, and one of the inaugural Clown Cohort members of the Clown Gym. Originally from Japan, her mission is to make acting/clown training accessible to all, including but not limited to the Japanese theatre community and non-native speakers – with self-care, compassion, and playfulness.

Rachel Resnik (she/her) is a producer and comedian who has toured with her solo comedy shows internationally. She holds a certification in physical theater from The School for Theater Creators, based in Padova Italy where she studied under the late great Paola Coletto. She has also trained with Phillipe Gaulier. Of her performance work, one reviewer in Australia wrote, ” “Ever been to a wedding where the bridesmaid is so drunk she makes the kind of cringeworthy speech that makes your blood curdle? That’s Rachel Resnik, only there’s wit and gender equality commentary under the clever vail of champagne.” In addition to Production Managing for Clown Gym, she is a former Board Member of The Pack Theater, and is currently the Vice President on the board of Hub City Opera.

As the Founding Director of Clown Gym, Julia (she/her) oversees all programming, performances, mentorship, and operations, as well as being a teacher and performer for the company. She devises and performs her own material, and loves collaborating with other artists on smart, funny, and innovative theatre. Julia earned her BA from Middlebury College, MFA from Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting, and has studied with some of the most prestigious clown teachers in the world including Dody DiSanto, Philippe Gaulier and Chris Bayes, with whom she completed a pedagogical apprenticeship. Julia is a proud member of Actor’s Equity, completed the PIT’s Improv Program, and was a founding member of the Funny School of Good Acting’s Commedia Company. Julia also teaches Games, Clown, and Shakespeare at NYU Tisch Drama, and was Beanie Feldstein’s personal Clown Coach for the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

Omari Soulfinger (him/they) is a comedic artist and facilitator dedicated to creative advocacy and healing justice. Omari identifies proudly as a “Fool” and uses physical comedy and theatre of the oppressed techniques to serve systemically denied communities in various capacities.

Francesca Piccioni (they/she) is a graduate of University of the Arts (Acting ’13) and has performed in both theatre and film. They fell in love with clown through the lens of Pochinko and connected with Clown Gym in 2019. In the last two years, they have taken a break from performing to pursue a career in personal training. They love stage managing and supporting the artists of Clown Gym.

Edu Díaz (he/him) is a Fulbright-awarded actor, theater producer, and writer from the Canary Islands. He is the creator and performer in ‘Fantastic Mr. S,’ a one-person show premiered in 2022 at the United Solo Festival. With over ten years of experience, he has produced several awarded plays and has performed in theater and films such as ‘Smoking Club (129 Rules)’ and ‘Third Week.’ In 2019 he won the Fulbright grant in Performing Arts, and in 2021, the Extraordinary Abilities visa from the US government.

Isaac Young (he/him) is an award winning writer, clown, and producer whose career has  brought him the pleasure of working in multiple entertainment fields from theatre to circuses to nightclubs. Onstage, he has performed with WaterTower Theatre, Theatre 3, Shakespeare Dallas, Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Lone Star Circus, among others. He currently leads Eccentric Bear Theater Company, producing immersive, unconventional ensemble works throughout the five boroughs. Isaac is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. www.eccentricbear.com