WHO WE ARE
In 1992, the actresses first met in the Circo Escola Picadeiro, which was a circus school and a landmark in teaching circus skills in São Paulo.
Paola founded the Cia. Nau de Icaros .This company was one of the first in Brazil to develop “new circus”, a technique that mixes circus and theater techniques. It has been a school and it has formed several important local theater groups.
In 1990, Vera began acting in Troupe Atmosfera Nômade. This company lasted ten years and was directed by Cristiane Paoli-Quito. She was the person who brought to Brazil clown language shows and she is considered the most significant clown master of the country. She has expanded her work to improvisation and now is both the director of Escola de Arte Dramática da USP (Drama School of the University of São Paulo), the most important drama school in Brazil, as well as director of an important dance group called Companhia Nova Dança.
In 1991, Vera joined “Doutores da Alegria” (Doctors of Joy) which is a group of clowns that twice a week visits hospitalized children. This project has its origin in the partnership of the New York City Clown Care Unit and the Big Apple Circus and consists of a group of clowns that visits children who are hospitalized.
“Doutores da Alegria” competed in the Prêmio Dubai (Dubai Prize) and ranked among the 40 best social initiatives of the world. This prize is given by the UN, Habitat Division and awarded to the best 100 worldwide initiatives in 1998 and 2000, site: www.doutoresdaalegria.org.br
Vera joined Nau de Icaros to work with an Indian rope, swing and ball.
In 1997, Vera invited Paola for a test in Doutores da Alegria.
Paola was approved and they have been working together ever since.
They started working in a group called Jogando no Quintal . Jogando no Quintal has been presenting a clown improvisation show for the last 5 years. There are more than 500 people per show making it a public and media success. It also produces an International Improvisation Festival, which had its second edition in 2007 and publishes a magazine every three months www.jogandonoquintal.com.br.
Jogando no Quintal has just been the winner of The Internacional Match Improvisation at the “ XI Festival Ibero Americano de Teatro” of Bogotá” in Colômbia
As partners, Paola e Vera perform the sketch PELO CANO:
Biographies of the cast
Paola Musatti:
Education Background:
In 1997, Paola graduated from USP, Escola de Arte Dramatica da Universidade de Sao Paulo (Drama School of the University of Sao Paulo).
She took courses with Andre Riot –Sarcey, director of Les Nouveaux-Nez- France , with Ricardo Pucceti (Lume Group), and workshops with Leo Bassi , Leris Colombaione and Sue Morrison .
Professional experience:
In 1992, she founded the theater company “Companhia Cenica Nau de Icaros”. In 1997, she joined the Doutores da Alegria, where she has been working ever since. In this project she develops a sketch with Vera Abbud (“Pelo Cano”), which has been presented in many festivals and cabarets.
In 2001 she began to participate in the show Jogando no Quintal, where she studied clown language and improvisation and has been part of the cast since then.
In 2003 she was assistant of direction in “O Pequeno (The Little One, by Suzanne Van Lohuizen)”, directed by Arno Kleinofen, Director of the Berlin Bühnes Theatre It was presented by “O Armazem do Teatro”, a group founded by her and two other companies (Eugenioslavia and Teatro 4 Garoupas) which had been dedicated to researching and developing popular and children’s theater.
In 2008 they present the play Pelo Cano at the Festival de Teatro de Curitiba – FRINGE (Curitiba Theater Festival).
Internacional experience
Clownin- International Women Festival Viena Austria 2015
XIII Festival Ibero Americano de Teatro de Bogotá – Colômbia - Pelo Cano 2012
Festim – Festival de Improvisação do ImproMadrid- Espanha- espetáculo O Mágico de Nós 2012
IV Festival de Improvisacion Teatral de Buenos Aires 2007
XI Festival Ibero Americano de Teatro de Bogotá – Colômbia - 2008
Vera Abbud
Education Background:
Courses and workshops with Cristiane Paoli – Quito, Andre Riot –Sarcey, director of Les Nouveaux-Nez, with Ricardo Pucceti (Lume Group), Phillipe Gaulier, Michel Delaire, Jos Huben and Leris Colombaione and a three day workshop with Leo Bassi and Chacovaqui.
International experiences:
A one month training program at the Clown Care Unit in New York City in 1996
A one year role in Le Rire Medicin in France, Paris 2005/2006.
XI Festival Ibero Americano de Teatro de Bogotá- Colômbia 2008
Clownin- International Women Festival Viena Austria 2015
XIII Festival Ibero Americano de Teatro de Bogotá – Colômbia - Pelo Cano 2012
Professional experiences:
Her first contact with the clown art was in 1989, when she met Cristiane Paoli-Quito. She remained with that group until 1994 and performed in a clown play such as “Rapsodias de Personagens Extravagantes” and “Rei de Copas”.
In 1991, Vera joined the project Doutores da Alegria as the first clown of this company and she has been part of it ever since.
She worked with the Clown Care Unit for a month in 1996 and worked for a year with Le Rire Medecin in Paris France in 2005/2006. Those projects are about hospitals clowns. Site: www.doutoresdaalegria.org.br
In 1995 she joined the group As Graças. As Graças has always been a company with four actresses, whose members have been working as a team for 13 years. Currently they are running the project “Circular Teatro”, in which they perform the company’s repertory in a bus-theatre which takes the company to perform plays in city streets .The City’s Culture Division has been supporting and sponsoring this project since 2002. site: www.asgracas.com.br
In 2001 she became part of Cia do Quintal and together with Paola has been acting in Jogando no Quintal to date. Site: www.jogandonoquintal.com.br
