Known for her keen sense of timing, razor sharp wit and not-so-innocent observations, Shannan Calcutt – perhaps more commonly recognized as her clown Izzy – has played everywhere from Saskatoon's Wash 'n Slosh Pub to the Sydney Opera House. So it came as no surprise when she added the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to her eclectic list of performance venues. Not only has Calcutt run away to join the circus, she's done it Izzy-style, starring in ZUMANITY – the provocative cabaret Cirque du Soleil^® sensation!

Now audiences can see Calcutt nightly on the Vegas Strip, attempting to sell sex toys and her homemade breast implants along side clown partner and Cirque veteran Nicky Dewhurst, and Brazil's acclaimed Botero Sisters. Since joining ZUMANITY, Calcutt has performed for over half-a-million spectators, including the likes of Sting, Rene Russo, Olivia Newton-John and Aerosmith, to name a few.

As one of Canada's foremost performing artists, Calcutt made a name for herself by co-writing and performing in the internationally-acclaimed solo Izzy trilogy: Burnt Tongue, It's Me – Only Better! and Out of My Skin, co-written and directed by Sue Morrison. Calcutt played to sold-out audiences and received standing ovations across Canada and the United States.

CBC Radio has declared the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre alum "a national treasure" and Calcutt's performances have repeatedly won 5-star reviews; her plays have been broadcast in full on CBC Radio and Canada’s Bravo! television station; and Calcutt herself featured on TLC-The Learning Channel. She has won top honours at numerous international fringe festivals as Best Female Performer and has been profiled in the international arts magazines American Theatre and Border Crossings. She is featured in Lisa Mulcahy's popular book Theatre Festivals – Best Worldwide Venues for New Works. Calcutt has also forayed into the world of film with CHUNK; a 23-minute short that hilariously details Izzy’s losing battle of the bulge.

A rising star among Canadian comics, Calcutt has also developed a reputation as a clown instructor and coach, working in Canada, Australia and the United States. Her work has been featured in the book Body and Language – Intercultural Learning Through Drama, and arts magazine Drama Content. Calcutt has also worked in a variety of main stage productions. A career highlight was being directed by Axis Theatre's Wayne Specht in the internationally renowned hits The Number 14 and Flying Blind.