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Our Founder

Fanny Kerwich headshot 2020_photo credit

Photo credit Steven Visneau

Fanny Kerwich

Fanny is an 8th generation performer of a well-known French circus family. She is the daughter of Albert Kerwich, a renowned aerialist and circus entrepreneur in Canada. A performer since the age of 6, Fanny attended Annie Fratellini's celebrated National Circus School in Paris and later studied in Moscow under the legendary circus act director, Valentin Gneushev.

Fanny has since performed throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, Russia, Canada, India, South America and the Caribbean. Among many other prestigious venues, she has been featured at the world-famous Lido and Moulin Rouge in Paris, Circus Roncalli in Germany, Feld Entertainment's Barnum's Kaleidoscape U.S. Tour, and at San Francisco's internationally renowned Teatro ZinZanni. A highly versatile circus performer, Fanny has performed as an acrobat, aerialist, contortionist, and clown. She has also thrilled audiences with her remarkable hula hoop act.

​Fanny has taught circus skills at Dallas International School since 2003 and at Southern Methodist University (S.M.U.). She has choreographed circus skills for Kitchen Dog Theatre's production of Barbette (2002) and Dallas Children’s Theater’s Treasure Island: Reimagined! (2018). In 2005, Fanny created and directed a show for Dallas Scottish Rite, Extravaganza – Le Cirque. In 2015, Fanny was featured with the Dallas Opera in the world premiere of Great Scott, directed by Tony Award-winner Jack O’Brien. In 2016, Fanny created and directed Le Petit Lone Star Circus for the Out of the Loop Fringe Festival, which was awarded “Best of Loop.”  Also in 2016, Fanny trained and directed Grammy Award-winner Erykah Badu in Bravo!, which marked the music icon’s circus performance debut as an aerialist. 

In 2006, Fanny founded Lone Star Circus Arts Center where she currently serves as Creative & Executive Artistic Director of Lone Star Circus® and Lone Star Circus School. For Lone Star Circus, Fanny created and directed shows at Dallas Children’s Theater: Celebration Le Cirque (2007), Celebration Le Cirque (2008), Cirque Banquista! (2009), Cirque Banquisté (2011 & 2012), Charivari (2013), Oh la la (2014), La Fete (2016), Cirque Joyeux (2017) and Forever (2018). Fanny created and directed dinner shows at Moody Gardens: Cirque Joyeux Noel (2016 & 2017), and Cirque Joyeux (2018 & 2019). Fanny created and directed Cirque Holidays (2019) at WaterTower Theatre. Fanny created and directed a tent show, Cirque Kerwich (2019), in downtown Dallas. Most recently, Fanny wrote, created, and directed two virtual circus experiences: a show, Big & Bright (2020) and a movie, Circus Aura (2020).

Lone Star Circus represents Fanny's desire to share her deep passion and love for the circus with children and adults in her adopted home state of Texas. Fanny and her husband, Mark Doyle, are the proud parents of their daughter, Gitana, and son, Garrett.

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