RUDY

In her life long career as a physical comedienne, Diane Wasnak  apprenticed with Master Mime, Tony Montanaro. Diane (aka “Pino”)  then joined the San Francisco Pickle Family Circus and partnered with  Joan Mankin to become “Pino & Queenie Moon”, the first female clown  duo to be featured in the history of American circus. Under the tutelage  of Master Trainer, LuYi, Diane put her acrobatic training to work in the  clown duo, “Pino & Razz” with Jeff Raz. After ten years with the  Pickles, Diane went on to be featured in Cirque du Soleil’s production of  “Mystere”.  On the theatrical stage Diane received major acclaim for her portrayal of  Dr. Ruth Westheimer in the Farmers Alley Theatre production of  “Becoming Dr. Ruth”.  An accomplished Animal Handler, Diane graduated from the San  Francisco SPCA’s Dog Trainers Academy and apprenticed with Cinema  Safari Zoo. In 2006, Diane and her dog, Bonzer, made their Broadway  debut in “Busker Alley” starring Glenn Close.  In 2015, Diane’s work with the Palo Alto Humane Society earned the  team a Telly Award for their video, “It’s A Dog’s Day”. Diane’s career  spans four decades with many more credits in Stage, Film and  Television.   Diane is thrilled to have her heart back in San Francisco and working  with the next generation of artists in the Peoples Circus.

DASHER

Yasmina is a PCT Company Member. She is an Alumni of the San Francisco Youth Circus, the pre-professional performance program at Circus Center. She currently attends SFSU, double majoring in Cinema and Race & Resistance, with an interest in combining Film with Circus Arts. (Check out her film “Traversing Tarot” on YouTube, an official selection of the 2023 Circus International Film Festival) Yasmina collaborated with previous People’s Circus Theater productions; she enjoys character work and especially ensemble work! When onstage, she brings her full presence and expressive energy. When backstage, she is very quiet; because it’s backstage; and she doesn’t want to disrupt the show; obviously. Most importantly, she puts her all into everything she does, and hopes her love of Circus rubs off on the audience!

DANCER

DeMarcello “Cello” Funes is a dynamic and versatile stage performer originally from West Oakland, California. Trained at the Prescott Circus Theatre, Cello has developed a wide range of performance skills, including juggling, clowning, hambone body percussion, African drumming, and West African stilt dancing. He continued to expand his artistry with Circus Bella, refining his stage presence and acrobatic talents. Cello’s background in stage acting, musical theatre, and improvisation was shaped through his drama studies at the Oakland School for the Arts, located in the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Oakland. In addition to performing, Cello is a passionate educator. He teaches circus arts, clowning, and physical comedy at Circus Center SF, where he also serves as Community Engagement Associate of Performance. He is currently a performing artist with Thrillride Mechanics at ZSpace, appearing in clown operas such as The Supers, Atomic Comic, and The Mechanics. Cello also serves as Co-Lead Teaching Artist for West African drumming and stilt dancing with the Beautiful Beginnings Arts Collective in San Francisco, where he shares his love for the performing arts with the next generation.

PRANCER

Ray Ostrow is an acrobat and hoop diver from San Francisco. After being introduced to the San Francisco Circus Center at age four, she has essentially grown up with the circus community. Her commitment and love for acrobatics truly began to flourish after joining the San Francisco Youth Circus in high school. She has been performing in productions and creating ever since.

VIXEN

Mikayla is a PCT Company Member. She began her training at the San Francisco Circus Center at ten years old. She continued her career at ÉSAC (École Supérieure des Arts Du Cirque) in Brussels, Belgium. Recent credits include: Immortals of Aveum (motion capture artist), The Secret Garden, a Circus Center production, Reindeer Games and The Nightingale with People's Circus Theater, and the off-broadway production of {IN}TANGIBLE. She is thrilled to be working once again with the incredible cast and crew of PCT to help bring Felicity Hesed's beautiful storytelling to life.