Circus Finelli is San Francisco’s all-women clown troupe. They perform at theatres and music venues, as well as private events. Circus Finelli is a multi-lingual troupe, joking in several languages. Their style draws from the traditions of European Circus, and American Vaudeville. They present irreverent circus comedy with danger and delight.
The story of Circus Finelli is as follows:
Four clowns from different parts of the nation… and the world, converged at the San Francisco Clown Conservatory in 2005 to form Circus Finelli. They named themselves after beloved teacher and new Circus Pioneer Judy Finelli, and set off across the Atlantic to debut at Czech clown Bolek Polivka’s theatre in Brno, CZ. Since then they have been performing, traveling, and aspiring to new heights of the stupid and sublime through music and mischief.
Verka Zaskodna
Verka is Circus Finelli’s multi-lingual mastermind. Whether as “Madame Vinaigrette”, the sultry European mistress of Ceremonies, or “Muffin” the hapless assistant, Verka can joke with the audience in several languages, all while juggling knives or balancing a broom on her chin.
Molly Shannon
Molly Shannon is the world’s leader in comedy samba. She parodies the glitzy and glamorous queens of the stage. She has combined her backgrounds in clowning and samba to create a unique style of delightfully sassy comedic performance.
Molly also dances with Aquarela, the Bay Area’s premiere Brazilian dance ensemble, specializing in the explosively extravagant Rio de Janeiro style samba.
Luz Gaxiola
Luz Gaxiola is the musical maesto of Circus Finelli. She fuzes music and comedy together in the tradition of Spike Jones, presenting musical feats of dexterity to delight and amaze. Her main instrument is accordion, but she also has a passion for trombone, tuba, theremin, and slide whistle. She was elected to play kazoo at her high-school graduation. Along with music, she also enjoys performing rolla bolla, hula hooping, and puppetry.
Luz Gaxiola is featured in the West Coast Accordion Babes Calendar and Album.
Mahsa Matin
Mahsa Matin is a living cartoon character. Her comedy is reminiscent of the golden age of silent films, with a touch of breakdancing thrown in. Mahsa is thoroughly musical, playing trombone, trumpet, and various percussion contraptions in performance. Her physicality is playful and vibrant. She can often be seen high in the sky performing on stilts, or playing trumpet atop her eight-foot unicycle.
Z Smith
Z Smith is a fearless physical comedian. Her high-energy performances are a display of stamina, artistry, and a powerful imagination. On stilts or playing ukulele, Z draws audiences into a Dr. Suess-like world where physical possibilites are stretched far beyond the everyday.
Z Smith is currently performing in the Baltimore, Maryland area with her “Pepito Show”.
For information and booking, please see www.PepitoTheClown.com.
