Clown Funeral

Chris Rodriguez

Clown
Chris Rodriguez (he/him) has been an improviser for 8 years, starting his journey when he moved to the Twin Cities. He specializes in genre narrative shows and has performed at improv festivals nationwide and on renowned Twin Cities stages, including HUGE Theater, Strike Theater, and Bryant Lake Bowl. For the past 6 years, Chris has also been an improv teacher, sharing his love for the art form. Currently, he is a member of ComedySportz and The Theater of Public Policy.

Jen Scott

Clown
Jen Scott (she/her) is a Twin Cities based theater maker and teaching artist. She's worked as an actor, improviser, performer, playwright, director, storyteller, talk show host, producer, and musician. She's taught theater and art making for a long time, and has a special love for the Twin Cities improvised theater scene. She’s a COMPAS teaching artist, has been an artist-in-residence at Pillsbury House + Theater, and also has taught for HUGE Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre, the Brave New Workshop, and others. Recent on-stage credits include work with HUGE Theater, Uprising Theatre Company, Hennepin Theater Trust, Red Eye Theater, Four Humors Theater, and others. You can also catch Jen and her millions of 2 minute songs at @pennyandthebandits. Jen also produces Bring Your Kids, a comedy variety show for kids and their grown ups.

Levi Weinhagen

Clown
Levi Weinhagen (he/him) is a writer, producer, performer, podcaster, coach & therapist. He co-founded the all-ages theater company Comedy Suitcase and has created multiple original shows that were in the top 10 of ticket sales at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, including The Gentlemen’s Pratfall Club and Intermediate Physical Comedy For Advanced Beginners. In 2012 Levi was named an Artist of the Year by City Pages. He was the first ever Artist in Residence for the Walker Art Center’s Education and Family programs department. He is a teaching artist with COMPAS. Levi produced and hosted a podcast called ‘Not About You’ that is a serious yet entertaining look at social justice issues in America. He is a graduate of HOPE Community’s Sustainable Progress Through Engaging Active Citizens (SPEAC) organizer training program. Levi is a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory. He completed the 2017 Center for Performance and Civic Practice Summer Institute. Levi also runs Routine Maintenance, a race and gender justice focused consulting firm.

Mandi Johnson

Special Florist and Special Arrangements

Mark Benzel

Clown
Mark Benzel (he/him) is a theatre maker and teacher who seeks out collaborating on new works across disciplines. His curiosity and playfulness through improv, movement, and writing has been seen locally in The Seven Shot Symphony (Ivey Award Winner) and The Sparrow (Live Action Set). Houdini, Little Pilot, Unspeakable Things, etc (Sandbox Theatre), The Big Show (Jon Ferguson Theatre), will you still love me tomorrow and Dreamless Land (Red Eye Theater), and Transatlantic Love Affair's 5x5 at last year's MN Fringe and Red and the Mother Wild. Since last year, he's been also performing improv w/o words with the Improv Movement Project. As a collaborative director and creator Mark has worked on The Rule of Three (Four Humors) and frequently with Cincinnati-based duo The Coldharts on Eddie Poe, Unrepentant Necrophile, Edgar Perry, and Edgar Allan, which has appeared in Fringe Festivals across the U.S. and Canada. www.simple-machines.org

Matt Kessen