Meet the cast and crew!
Shelli Frew
Director, writer, costumer, cat herder
Shelli Frew, circus performer and writer, has published one novel, Time Sailors, and two short stories, Animal Teeth and The Best Red Velvet Cake Around. She has written and produced five immersive theater plays. Her 2019 play The Gravermind Estate won No Proscenium’s Pick of the Week. She also has five writing credits for other immersive shows she’s helped develop.
Brittany W.
Rigger
Ling Ling Lee
Fairy Queen
Ling Ling Lee is a part time wizard, full time human burrito. They were born and raised in Ohlone ramyush lands now called San Francisco, tucked in the tulle grass with the coyote pups. They are passionate about bringing effortless stupidity with a side of fantastical storytelling.
Christina Kruszewska
Dance Choreographer, Baba Yaga
Christina is a proud Bay Area native and has had the honor to work in San Francisco theatre spaces since 2018. She's worked as a choreographer, actress, and producer for companies big and small. From Electric Box to Netflix, Christina has moved through the Bay Area arts scene with joy and grace. A massive thank you to Mystic Ventures Collective and the San Francisco International Arts festival for the wonderful collaboration this project has provided.
Edna Mira Raia
Death
Edna Mira Raia is an acclaimed comedic character performer who has toured internationally for years. She is a twenty-one year resident of San Francisco and a mime, clown and graduate of Second City Chicago. This year she was in "Wigged, the drag parody" at Eclectic Box and she recently co-directed "Cavalcade of Clowns" with Jeff Raz at Club Fugazi. Under her company, Potatoes Mashed Comedy, she writes, produces, directs, does drag and dramaturgy.
Axle
The General
Axle is a 4-year San Francisco resident who’s been improvising since high school, and getting lost in the worlds of myths and fairies since long before that. He has previously performed in Peaches Christ’s Terror Vault, and in his free time enjoys working out, getting an irresponsible amount of tattoos, and DMing for his friends’ DnD campaign.
Claire Young Ando
Lady of the Hunt
Claire Young Ando graduated with a BA in Musical Theatre in 2016 and has been doing theatre professionally in the Bay Area ever since. Her journey through Bay Area theatre includes performing in theme parks, immersive shows, murder mystery shows, and traditional stage theatre. Some of her favorite roles include Alice and Tweedle Dee in Wonderland (Epic Immersive), Bazzard in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Marin OnStage), Eleven in Stranger Things: The Experience (Mycotoo), and Mobley in Meerkats-The Musical (Palo Alto Children’s Theatre). She is constantly grateful that she gets to perform for a living.
Avery Burnap
The Keeper of Knowledge
Avery is excited to enter the world of the fae in Don’t Follow the Lights. He has recently performed in Arms and the Man (B8 Theatre) and Mary Zimmerman’s Arabian Nights (Inferno Theatre). He graduated from Drew University last May, where he performed as the Minotaur in The Minotaur and Mr. Burns in Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play.
Fenner
The Herald
Fenner is an actor, director, and teacher living on Ohlone land also called West Oakland. They received a BA in Theater from UC Berkeley, and completed a year of Physical theater devising at Dell’ Arte International. They train regularly in Butoh, Bouffon, Kyogen and Noh theater. A frequent clown workshop facilitator, catch them facilitating CLOWNCERCISE or CLOURCH or at their monthly drop in clown class and variety show at mass Frontier Tower.
Sydney Frazier
Princess Duchess Countess Chatelaine
Sydney Frazier Graduated from Santa Monica College with an Associates of the arts degree in Dance, and performed consistently with their contemporary dance company, Synapse. She has been training aerial since 2021, starting in Los Angeles at Cirque School. Sydney recently moved up to the Bay Area to continue her studies at the San Francisco Circus Center, with the hopes to enter the professional circus world. Since moving to SF she has performed at the World Circus Day festival with Club Fugazi. She is excited to continue to immerse herself in performance arts and aerial and hopes you enjoy the show!
Meg
Huginn Sixtower
Known for her strength and stage presence, Meg is happy to join Don’t Follow The Lights as the Raven Fae Hughin, a role originally written and performed by KC Hyland. Meg began static trapeze in 2015 and instantly fell in love with circus, continuing on to perform doubles trapeze around the Bay Area at venues like SomArts, Zaccho Dance Theater, Little Boxes Theater and Club Fugazi. She is grateful to all of the coaches who have been invaluable along the way.
Linda Huang
Muninn Sixtower
Linda Huang is thrilled to be returning to Don’t Follow the Lights, this time as Munnin, the raven fae. A veteran of the original cast where she portrayed the Fairy Queen, you may have seen Linda performing aerial circus acts at Berber and other venues around San Francisco. As a self-proclaimed middle-aged geriacrobat, she continues to defy both gravity and the advice of medical professionals. Linda loves to make the audience smile and loved ones quietly Google “is aerial acrobatics safe at her age?” (It is. Probably.) She would like to thank Shelli for this opportunity, and her family and friends for their continued support.
Daelin Malizia
Bona Dea
Daelin is excited to be returning to the mystical mysterious forest in Don't Follow the Lights. After portraying the Lady of the Hunt in the previous run, she is looking forward to inhabiting the role of Bona Dea, of the Hoof Tribe. You may have seen her in the previous run of Don't Follow the Lights, Stranger Things: The Experience, or as a nun in the Sound of Music at SBMT last fall. She would like to thank Shelli for the chance to be in this wonderful show again, and all of her family and friends for their support.
DeMarcello "Cello" Funes
Silenus
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 acted and plays hambone body percussion in the 2024 Midwinter Revels in Tacoma, Washington. He 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.
Annie Fraser
Bairn
Annie Fraser (she/they) is an acrobat, mover, and circus coach from San Francisco. They spent their teen years as a member of the San Francisco Youth Circus, specializing in hoop diving and acrobatics. Since graduating from university, they have returned to their roots as a performer, building skills in partner acrobatics, dance, and object manipulation. Recent credits include ensemble member in People’s Circus Theatre’s The Nightingale, Reindeer Games, and various showcases and events around San Francisco. In addition to performing, Annie is an instructor at the San Francisco Circus Center, where she teaches classes in tumbling, trampoline, and hand balancing to children and adults.
Chanty Aguirre
No Name
Chanty Aguirre (they/them) has been described as “eccentric” and “virtuosic at flailing.” A level 10 gymnast turned circus artist, they utilize acrobatics, hand-balancing and stacking chairs to explore the seemingly mundane from new perspectives.
Credits include Reindeer Games (People’s Circus Theatre), An Elves Story (WeFlip Entertainment), and Circus on Ice (Taconhy Entertainment). Most recently, Chanty worked as an acrobatic consultant for Curious George and the Golden Meatball (Wishing Star Productions).
They are so excited to join Mystic Ventures Collective’s, Don’t Follow The Lights!
Giamaica Zeidler
Jörmun
Giamaica has been dancing for about three decades and bouncing around Circus Center for about one. Her first circus performance was as an aerialist and flyer in Circus Addiction at Circus Center, and her latest as Dancer in People’s Circus Theatre’s Reindeer Games. Choreography credits include Fraudway Production’s “Shamilton” and TNHS “Heathers.” Giamaica is humbled and excited to be working with this incredible cast. When not circusing, she can be found frolicking with her three-year-old; doing crossword puzzles; or yelling "point your toes" at circus students, Terra Nova High School's dance students, or anyone within earshot.
Landyn Endo
Moin
Landyn (he/they) is a queer, transmasculine-of-center acrobat, aerialist, dancer, and choreographer. He has enjoyed dancing professionally in LA and on tour with Multiplex Dance Company, helping to found the West Hollywood Dance Festival. He also had the opportunity to perform in Europe with DTM2 Improvisational Ensemble, Off-Broadway in NYC, and in Japan in “Dreaming Forward,” an artistic collaboration with choreographer Motoko Hirayama. Check out his new show “Box M” in July at Crowded Fire Theater. Landyn is a proud member of Flying Rabbit Circus and People’s Circus Theatre, and teaches at Circus Center and VRV3. Find him on IG @smooth_landyn
