Meet The Performers

Lala Araki was born and raised in Alaska, and grew up doing competitive figure skating and gymnastics. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2013, she quickly discovered circus arts, and naturally fell in love with the athleticism and beauty of it. Lala currently manages and heads the aerial department at TSNY, teaching aerial dance as well as flying trapeze. Lala has performed and taught internationally as an aerialist for Area15, Diavolo, Venardos Circus, KNOWHERE, and Fidget Feet. She strives to connect to her audiences in deeply authentic ways, and to never stop growing as an artist. 

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Lala plays the role of "The Lover" in Madmann's Playground's production of "Van Helsing's Dracula."

Rachele Donofrio began her formal training in 2006 when attending world-renowned Interlochen Arts Academy. Her studies lead her to the University of Michigan where she achieved honors upon graduation with a BFA in Performance Art. Donofrio moved briefly to Chicago where she performed professionally in a handful of shows and festivals.
Donofrio relocated to Los Angeles where she began performing in both worlds of concert dance and cabaret/burlesque. She has had the opportunity to perform with multiple modern companies such as C. Eule West, Project 21, Benita Bike DanceArt, and BrockusRed while performing in cabaret shows such as The Toledo Show, Luxe Obscura, Sweven, Lucent Dossier, Post Modern Juke Box, Funky Mama, Fetische, American Monster, Blue Velvet, Red Velvet, Alligator Wine, and Suicide Girl's Blackheart Burlesque. She has appeared in a number of documentaries and film work such as Jane’s Addiction World Tour, the Red Sand Project: Hidden Tears Unseen Dances and El Lay.

Jennifer Mealani, a native of Maryland, came out to LA 10 years ago to dance for Beyonce. That never actually happened but she did get to do commercials, movies, music videos, award shows like the Latin Grammy’s and scored a tour as a principle track with Dirty Dancing, an off-Broadway production. Prior to LA she danced for NBA’s 76ers, toured with Philadanco (a modern rep company), and performed in many Fringe shows with Gunnar Montana Productions. Jennifer is super grateful to be understudying the various roles of this production of Dracula. Special thanks to Sarah Mann for teaching her new skills like plate spinning. Extra special thanks to Jennifer’s husband, Michael, for dealing with the constant dropping of plates in the house until the lead up of this production. 

Taylor Marie is a performance artist based in Los Angeles. She specializes in the aerial arts, fire dancing, gogo, and ballet. She performs in music festivals with Insomniac and in special events and nightlife with Supernova Entertainment, Ph Day Club, SBE Performers, and more. She is excited to be joining the cast of Van Helsing's Dracula.

Katie is a poet, actor and performance artist who has been featured in many popular immersive shows across Los Angeles including The Toledo Show, where she dances and performs original poetic works,  Safehouse77 and Safehouse82 as the lead character for two seasons, and the online immersive experience Sherwood and Nottingham as a sultry burlesque performer and poet for two seasons. Madmann's Playground's production of "Van Helsing's Dracula" will be Katie's directorial debut. 

Katie plays the role of "Van Helsing" in Madmann's Playground's production of "Van Helsing's Dracula."

Alicia (Terra_Lontana_) is a passionate and disciplined athlete finding her beginnings in competitive rhythmic gymnastics while growing up in France.After relocating to Los Angeles since 2017, she quickly became captivated by the art of pole dance, and soon expanded her training to include flexibility, where she fell in love with contortion; the expressive beauty of movement. Alicia is now specializing in integrating contortion into pole dance, developing her own unique techniques, challenging the perceptions of what is possible on the pole. Utilizing her skills gained from coaches around the world, Alicia currently shares her talents through pole and contortion performances, and by teaching flexibility and contortion classes. She is  excited to continue evolving as a strong, fearless and motivated athlete.

Carolina Saverin is proud to debut her Los Angeles stage appearance with Madman's Playground. She is a handbalancer, hand to hand flyer, singer and actor with a BFA degree from Emerson College and currently studying at Beverly Hills Playhouse. She has previously worked and performed with The 7 Fingers, Moonrise NYC: A Nouveau Circus Immersive Performance, House of Yes in New York City. 

Frankie Tan has performed on stages worldwide, from the laser filled stadiums of global music festivals, to underground circus extravaganzas, to Los Angeles’ star studded award shows. Trained as a classical ballerina, notably on scholarship with Alonzo King Lines Ballet, they are known for their long lines & emotive performance style, and as a teaching artist, Frankie believes this knowledge is attainable & should be accessible to all. Frankie is a queer multidisciplinary artist and when not in the air, can be found facilitating leadership training, writing, reading, and wrangling performers. 

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Frankie plays the role of "Dracula" in Madmann's Playground's production of "Van Helsing's Dracula."