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The Story of Duo Finelli
Duo Finelli is a pair of funny ladies performing slapstick, music, and dance in a bright, cartoony style. They draw their inspiration from the traditions of American Vaudeville and European Circus. Molly Shannon and Luz Gaxiola met as students at the San Francisco Clown Conservatory in 2005. They combined forces with two other women to found Circus Finelli, a clown ensemble based in San Francisco. They named themselves after beloved teacher and new circus pioneer Judy Finelli, and set off across the Atlantic to debut at a theatre festival in the Czech Republic. Since then Circus Finelli has created and performed in Europe, the United States and Mexico, presenting their irreverent and upbeat comedy in multiple languages. In 2012, Molly and Luz began working as a duo. They formed the comedy team Duo Finelli, and set off south of the border to debut at an international circus festival in Mexico. They are currently based on the West Coast of the Americas.
Duo Finelli is a pair of funny ladies performing slapstick, music, and dance in a bright, cartoony style. They draw their inspiration from the traditions of American Vaudeville and European Circus. Molly Shannon and Luz Gaxiola met as students at the San Francisco Clown Conservatory in 2005. They combined forces with two other women to found Circus Finelli, a clown ensemble based in San Francisco. They named themselves after beloved teacher and new circus pioneer Judy Finelli, and set off across the Atlantic to debut at a theatre festival in the Czech Republic. Since then Circus Finelli has created and performed in Europe, the United States and Mexico, presenting their irreverent and upbeat comedy in multiple languages. In 2012, Molly and Luz began working as a duo. They formed the comedy team Duo Finelli, and set off south of the border to debut at an international circus festival in Mexico. They are currently based on the West Coast of the Americas.
Molly Shannon is a dynamic physical comedienne who began her performance career in her native city of San Francisco. She majored in theatre at the San Francisco School of the Arts and went on to study clowning at Circus Center's Clown Conservatory under the guidance of Jeff Raz, Dominique Jando, Joan Mankin, Ronlin Foreman and Judy Finelli. While at the Circus Center she trained in Chinese acrobatics with Master Lu Yi, Xia Ke Min and Xiao Hong Weng. She continued her studies in clowning, physical theatre, mask and mime at the Flying Actors Conservatory under the guidance of James Donlon and Leonard Pitt. As a founding member of Circus Finelli, the San Francisco based clown troupe, she has performed for audiences in Europe, as well as throughout the US and Mexico. As a member of Aquarela, the Bay Area’s premier Brazilian dance group, she specializes in the explosively extravagant Rio de Janeiro style of samba. Combining her love of comedy with her love of samba, she has fused her backgrounds in clowning and dance to create a unique style of delightfully sassy comedic performance.
Luz Gaxiola graduated from the San Francisco Clown Conservatory's advanced program, The Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre, and studied comedy writing at Prescott College. She studied with James Donlon and Leanard Pitt for two years at the Flying Actor's Conservatory in San Francisco. Luz is a multi-instrumentalist, playing accordion, tuba, trombone, ukulele, and theremin. She mixes music with circus comedy to create inventive performances.
A Partial List of Past Performances
New Old Time Chautauqua, Vashon, WA, 2013
Feria Internacional del Libro, Guadalajara, MX, 2012
Festival Internacional Rodara Circlown, Atlixco, Puebla, MX, 2012
Festival Internacional de Teatro Puebla, Puebla, MX, 2012
Big Time and Little Something's Big Adventure, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2012
Cabaret Lunatique, Teatro Zinzanni, San Francisco, CA, 2007 and 2012
Sinner Saint Burlesque, Seattle, WA, 2012
Cotati Accordion Festival, Cotati, CA, 2012
Jewels on the Square Festival, Union Square, San Francisco, CA, 2009-2012
San Diego Buskers Festival, San Diego, CA, 2012
Dead Herring Variety Show, Dead Herring Collective, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Festival Strongylus International Clown Festival, Chihuahua, MX, 2011
Festival Internacional de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Juarez, El Parral, MX, 2011
Festival Arte en el Parque, Juarez, MX, 2011
Circus Finelli Revue, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2010-11
Clowndemonium Revue, The Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD, 2010
Clowndemonium Revue, The Fridge, Washington, DC, 2010
Frau Bachfeifengesicht's Spectacle of Perfection, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2009
San Diego Indie Music Festival, San Diego, CA, 2008
Slapstick Slavic Cabaret, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2008
Women on the Way Festival, San Francisco, CA, 2007
Escapades, Myrna Loy Theatre, Helena, MT, 2007
Setkani Theatre Festival, Brno, Czech Republic, 2006
Increible!, Divadlo Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic, 2006
Increible!, Spiral Q Puppet Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 2006
Increible!, The Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD, 2006
San Francisco Theatre Festival, San Francisco, CA, 2006
Circus Finelli’s Holiday Extravaganza, Julia Morgan Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 2005
Feria Internacional del Libro, Guadalajara, MX, 2012
Festival Internacional Rodara Circlown, Atlixco, Puebla, MX, 2012
Festival Internacional de Teatro Puebla, Puebla, MX, 2012
Big Time and Little Something's Big Adventure, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2012
Cabaret Lunatique, Teatro Zinzanni, San Francisco, CA, 2007 and 2012
Sinner Saint Burlesque, Seattle, WA, 2012
Cotati Accordion Festival, Cotati, CA, 2012
Jewels on the Square Festival, Union Square, San Francisco, CA, 2009-2012
San Diego Buskers Festival, San Diego, CA, 2012
Dead Herring Variety Show, Dead Herring Collective, Brooklyn, NY, 2011
Festival Strongylus International Clown Festival, Chihuahua, MX, 2011
Festival Internacional de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Juarez, El Parral, MX, 2011
Festival Arte en el Parque, Juarez, MX, 2011
Circus Finelli Revue, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2010-11
Clowndemonium Revue, The Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD, 2010
Clowndemonium Revue, The Fridge, Washington, DC, 2010
Frau Bachfeifengesicht's Spectacle of Perfection, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2009
San Diego Indie Music Festival, San Diego, CA, 2008
Slapstick Slavic Cabaret, Stagewerx Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2008
Women on the Way Festival, San Francisco, CA, 2007
Escapades, Myrna Loy Theatre, Helena, MT, 2007
Setkani Theatre Festival, Brno, Czech Republic, 2006
Increible!, Divadlo Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic, 2006
Increible!, Spiral Q Puppet Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 2006
Increible!, The Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD, 2006
San Francisco Theatre Festival, San Francisco, CA, 2006
Circus Finelli’s Holiday Extravaganza, Julia Morgan Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 2005
