Diane Wasnak
Diane Wasnak, Senior Clown Coach, All Sessions
In her life long career as a physical comedienne, Diane Wasnak apprenticed with Master Mime, Tony Montanaro at the Celebration Barn. She was then hired by Judy Finelli to work with Joan Mankin (“Queenie Moon”) in the Pickle Family Circus. Diane (“Pino”) and Queenie were the first female clown duo to be featured in the history of American circus.
Diane received her acrobatic training from Master Trainer LuYi, who credited Diane with being the first woman in the Western Hemisphere to perform traditional male tricks on the Chinese Pole. Diane later partnered with Jeff Raz to become the acrobatic clown duo of “Pino & Razz”.
And after performing ten years with the Pickles, Diane was featured in Cirque du Soleil’s production of “Mystere”. In 2009 and 2015 Diane taught physical comedy and mime for the clowning showcases at the Wuqiao International Circus Festival in China.
On screen, Diane was MoCap stunt double for Jada Pinkett Smith in the “Matrix” games. And on the theatrical stage Diane received major acclaim for her portrayal of “Puck” in Marin Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Diane was the only woman ever to be cast in Actor’s Theatre of Louisville’s production of “A Tuna Christmas” in which she portrayed eleven characters. And in 2006, Diane and her dog, Bonzer, made their Broadway debut in “Busker Alley” starring Glenn Close.
Diane is an accomplished Animal Handler graduating from the prestigious San Francisco SPCA’s Dog Trainers Academy and apprenticed with Cinema Safari Zoo. In 2015, Diane’s work with the Palo Alto Humane Society and her dog Bizzo, 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.