mission

The Actors Gymnasium is dedicated to bringing a

new physicality to the American Theatre. Encouraging
ground-breaking theatrical exploration, The Actors
Gymnasium:
At The Actors
Teaches circus arts, physical theatre and Gymnasium people
multi-disciplinary performance to children
and adults; Learn To Fly
Produces original, daring works of circus-
theatre;
phyically
Serves as a talent resource, providing
performance opportunities for our
students and innovative professional emotionally
event entertainment for a wider audience.

My kids have learned to take risks within a

safe environment, experiencing the joy of
creatively
accomplishing new and remarkable skills
amidst the encouragement and challenge
e p ast provided by gifted teachers. ~AG Parent
r th ve
Ove , we ha
ears ove
r
1 0 y
welc
om
0
e d
stud
ents history
0
13,5
this
q u irky,
mily
. The practice of circus arts has what are
into f a

crea
tive traditionally stayed only within
a performing family, passing from circus arts?
one generation to the next. Co-
Founder, Co-Artistic Director and Master Teacher Sylvia
The thing I love about Circus Arts is that it
Hernandez-DiStasi breaks from this tradition, however.
means different things to different people.
Growing up performing in her familys teeterboard act
It can be used to tell a story: it can be used
for shows such as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
to portray a metaphor: it can be used to
Bailey Circus, Sylvia decided that she wanted to share
show the limits of what the human body
her knowledge of circus arts. In so doing, she created
(and mind) is capable of. I believe there is
a new community and another kind of family.
validity in all forms of circus. Do it because
it makes an audience feel something. Do it
The Actors Gymnasium was founded in 1995 by Sylvia
to amaze your audience. Do it because it
Hernandez-DiStasi, Larry DiStasi, Tony Adler and
makes you feel something. Do it to prove
Carlyle Coash to work with theater professionals to
to yourself you can. I embrace any and all
develop the skills and tools needed to create more
reasons that people do circus.
exciting and unique theater. One hundred and thirty
~Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi
students enrolled in the first class session.

email@actorsgymnasium.org / actorsgymnasium.org / 847.328.2795 / 927 Noyes St / Evanston, IL 60201

 There have been
very few things that
the actors gym
Over 11 different
classes offered
I have found to
be life-changing
at a glance
each session experiences;
almost all of
ranging from
tumbling for
them have been 1 pioneering program
initiated by the in circus arts for people
toddlers to aerial Actors Gym.
arts for adults with special needs
~Akemi B.

14 productions
produced in
collaboration
with other
professional
theaters Over 30 faculty who
share their expertise in
[The Actors Gym] is theater with their students
a really supportive
environment that I have been growing in for 9 years.
Circus is an amazing activity, and it will always be a
big part of me. ~Fae R.

demographics 7 % identify as
belonging to
a Religious
We served over 1000 students Minority
5 7%
last session, about 1/ 3 of whom identify
are adults as White,
5% identify
as Hispanic &
3% identify 71% of our
3 8 % of our students come from as Black or students identify
households of 4 or more people African American as female

email@actorsgymnasium.org / actorsgymnasium.org / 847.328.2795 / 927 Noyes St / Evanston, IL 60201