Clowns Without Borders - USA

Moshe, aka. Mr. YooWho, is the founder of Clowns Without Borders-USA as well as the ambassador for CWB-International. Since 1987, he has performed in crisis zones such as Kosovo, South Africa, Nepal, Guatemala, Haiti, Croatia and Chiapas (Mexico), Sudan and Baton Rouge, LA. Moshe performs and teaches internationally. Over the past 25 years, he has given over 2000 performances in thirty plus countries. He teaches workshops exploring the expression of personal humor through physical theater and contemporary clown.

Tim was roped into the work of Clowns Without Borders in 2003 when we was literally lassoed by an audience member during a performance with the clowns in Chiapas. Since, this graduate of the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre (’01) has volunteered with CWB throughout South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho. He has helped develop CWB’s work in Haiti and has performed there multiple times. Within the borders of the US, Cunningham has performed, lectured and facilitated workshops about CWB’s mission and work and universities and high schools. His work with CWB has inspired him to study nursing, global and public health and he looks forward to integrating laughter with global health in the years to come.

Sarah graduated from Brown University with honors in creative writing in 2001, and she studied physical theatre and clown at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, at the Celebration Barn Theatre, and with Giovanni Fusetti. Since then she has been creating, performing, and teaching clown, theatre and circus skills in Portland, around the United States, and internationally. She has created five original shows with the Nomadic Theatre Co in Portland. In 2005 Sarah went on her first Clowns Without Borders expedition to Haiti. She has been an active CWB volunteer ever since, and joined the Board of Directors in 2007. She enjoys jumping stilts, eating ice cream, and wrestling.

David Lichtenstein has been a professional performer specializing in street, clown and physical theater for over 20 years. He has performed various versions of his one-person Leapin’ Louie Comedy Shows at festivals, theaters, and other events in 21 different countries and 30 something states of the United States. 12 countries in 2008 alone! David has been was a company member of Do Jump Movement Theater for 3 years, and has collaborated with many performers over the years. He has written and performed two reading encouragement themed shows for young people that he has performed at over 100 different schools and libraries. He has a Masters Degree in Education from Portland State University and taught 4th and 5th grade for two years before being drawn back into performing. He has studied physical theater in workshops with Phillipe Gaulier in Paris, Sigfrido Aguilar in Mexico, Sue Morrison, the del’ Arte School of Physical Theater and others. David produced the first Portland area Clowns Without Borders Benefit Shows starting in 1999 and is co-producing the 11th annual Benefit this year. He has performed on five Clowns Without Borders expeditions, all in the Mayan lands of Chiapas and Guatemala, organizing the last three trips himself. David is based in Portland, Oregon and lives with his wife Lisa, a journalist, and their two teenage kids.

Jamie McLaren Lachman, aka Jabulani Nene Mshengu, is the founder and director of Clowns Without Borders South Africa. Born in South Africa, Lachman left at an early age only to return in 2004 with 3 other clowns - Tim Cunningham, Jonathan Gunning, and Liz Turkel - to begin an amazing journey that led to Clowns Without Borders South Africa. In 2007, he worked in Durban as the project manager of Circus Life South Africa, a cultural exchange partnership between the BAT Centre in South Africa and Cirkus Cirkor, a Swedish Cultural Exchange Program. It was here that he met many of the artists that are the foundation for CWBSA. As well as a clown, Jamie is a singer/songwriter, banjo player, poet, and dreamer. He is also graduate of Yale University and the Dell'Arte International School for Physical Theatre. Always looking for laughter in the life's simplicity, Jamie strives to live each day fully with compassion and amazement.

As a performing artist, Rudi has toured his unique style of physical theater to over 1 million smiling faces on four continents. He is Artistic Director of Teatro Pachuco an award winning international theater company (Grand Prix International Street Festival Gent 2005, Silver medal La Merce, Barcelona 2003). In addition he has collaborated with Los Payasos Mendigos, Dell Arte Players and the Flying Karamozov Brothers. He has been an active member of Clowns Without Borders USA since 1999; participating in many expeditions as both a leader and mentor. His grassroots fundraising technique has been imitated and inspirational in bringing in new core members to CWB.

Doron Kutnick joined the Board of Directors of Clowns Without Borders in 2009. He became part of the Philadelphia arts community in the 1990's when he co-founded the Quarry Street Cafe creating a venue for performing and fine artists. Ten years and two careers later, he met his wife (a clown without borders) in that same cafe. Excited by CWB's mission to bring laughter to children worldwide, but too shy to get up on stage, Doron joined CWB to merge his love for performing arts with his committment to make a better life for children around the world. He currently works as an immigration lawyer in Philadelphia.