Executive Director & Interim Board President
Amancay Kugler
Amancay is the Executive Director of Yes Ma'am Circus and was one of the founding members. She graduated from Haverford College with a B.A. in Dance and Psychology and trained at Philadelphia's Headlong Performance Institute and Chicago's Aloft Circus Arts.
Amancay choreographs and performs belly dance, aerial hoop, sling, and partner acrobatics. In our premiere Paradise Lost show, she performed as the Archangel Uriel. She directed 12th Night, Alice in CircusLand, and the Circus Dungeon Crawl series, and produces the annual Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival.
Artistic Director & Board Member
Maggie Karlin
Maggie performed in our premiere Paradise Lost show as Azazel. They have also performed as Sebastian and Feste in 12th Night, the White Rabbit in Alice in CircusLand, and Marcus the Bard in Circus Dungeon Crawl. Maggie performs juggling, ball balance, Spanish Web, and Chinese Pole.
Board Treasurer & Cast Member
Scott Montgomery Priz
Scott Montgomery Priz, English Explorer Extraordinaire, Esquire, has been learning and performing on trapeze for nearly a decade, and is excited to be performing for the first time with Yes Ma'am Circus. He performs, when the notion strikes him, as the Amazing Prizzini, of the Amazing Prizzini Brothers. He played the role of Malvolio in 12th Night and the Mad Hatter in Alice in CircusLand.
In his spare time, Scott is an attorney at law. As always, he dedicates his work to his wife Lisa, his dog Scout, and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
IDEA Board Director & Cast Member
Luke Greeff
Lucas Greeff (ze/he/they) is a dancer, choreographer, and circus artist who specializes in trapeze, dance, contact staff, soft acro, and partnering. Former dancer for St. Petersburg Ballet Company, Level Dance Company, and Joel Hall Dancers; Luke is the co-founder of the movement collaboration Such Creatures, performs with Dance Avondale, Yes Ma’am Circus, & Lucid Banter Project, and teaches neuro-diverse & gender-expansive movement classes throughout Chicago. Luke first joined Yes Ma'am as the Jack of Hearts in Alice in CircusLand, and had previously shown work at Yes Ma'am's Hellidays Cabaret.
They currently serve on Yes Ma'am's Board as a director for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility.
Founding Member
Matthew Kugler
Matthew was one of the founding members of Yes Ma'am Circus and served as the Narrator for Paradise Lost. He performs partner acrobatics and juggling. He played Duke Orsino in 12th Night and the King of Hearts in Alice in CircusLand.
Matthew works by day as a Professor of Law for Northwestern, and serves on Yes Ma'am's board of directors.
Cast Member
Claira Bell
Claira Bell
Cast Member
Camille Swift
Camille Swift is a Chicago-based circus artist, specializing in static trapeze, dance trapeze, and aerial sling, with extensive training in traditional arts (ballet, piano, oil painting) and a few less conventional ones (breakdancing, Japanese swordsmanship). Her passion is creating acts that are highly skilled yet imaginative, expressive and visually striking. Camille is also a visual artist, focusing in figurative oil painting, book arts, and collage. She has performed in AirOtic with Les Farfadais, CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil at Club Med Opio-en-Provence, and at Seattle Moisture Festival and various shows and cabarets across the Midwest. When not performing or creating, she works as a professional aerial coach.
Camille joined Yes Ma'am as the Queen of Hearts for Alice in CircusLand
Cast Member
Erin Gautille
Erin Nicole Gautille is a circus artist and theatre creator who loves telling stories and inspiring wonder. Aerial Silks are her specialty but she enjoys lyra and juggling as well. She graduated from the Actor’s Gymnasium Professional Circus Training Program in 2022. In addition to working with Yes Ma’am, Erin can be seen performing with NewMoon Chicago. Her website and reel can be found at https://eringautille.wixsite.com/eringautille/
Company Member
Kaya
Kaya Sky, aka Pole Divinity
Company Member
Aleia Olson
Aleia Olson
Company Member
Eric Robinson
Eric Robinson
Cast Member
Aria Forte
Aria Forte is a Chicago based performance artist who specializes in pole: she's won 3 competition gold medals. She also is a burlesque dancer and drag king who dabbles in acrobatics. Aria completed the year long Professional Circus Training Program at the Actor's Gymnasium majoring in flying pole. Her captivating style and mesmerizing musicality leave audiences breathless. She’s known for her strong character work and compelling conceptual pieces.
Aria first joined Yes Ma'am for Circus Dungeon Crawl in 2022.
Cast Member
Kat Hoil
Kat is a circus and theatre artist based in Chicago, and a graduate of Iowa State University's performing arts program as well as the Actors Gymnasium's Professional Circus Training Program. Their variety work infuses storytelling, clown, dance, circus, and burlesque; and they have worked with The Lincoln Center, The House Theatre, Misfit Cabaret, The Drifter Chicago, Soho House, and The Actors Gymnasium, among others. They are also a company member with Imaginez Ensemblez, a circus theatre company that specializes in spectacle entertainment and physical theatre. Kathleen made their Yes Ma'am debut as Viola in 12th Night.
Founding Member and Graphic Designer
Myriam Bloom
Myriam is a founding member of Yes Ma’am Circus and their graphic designer. She is a graduate of the Actors Gymnasium Professional Circus Training Program and performs physical theater and circus in Chicago. Myriam is skilled in tumbling, trapeze, clowning, partner acrobatics, juggling, and more and uses those skills to bring stories and characters to life on stage. She debuted the role of the Archangel Michael in our premier Paradise Lost show. Myriam is now based in Philadelphia and works primarily with Alterra Productions.
When not performing Myriam can be found working as a designer, illustrator, and concept artist, gaming, traveling, and figuring out how to make things.
Founding Member and Writer
Athena Giles
Athena is one of the founding members of Yes Ma'am Circus. They are a graduate of the Actors Gymnasium Professional Circus Training Program, where they majored in hula hoops and minored in lyra. Their other circus skills include partner acrobatics, stilt walking, and clowning. When they are not doing circus, Athena hangs out with dogs and plays video games. Athena performed in our premiere Paradise Lost show as Lucifer and was Antonio in 12th Night. Athena is now based in Massachusetts.