Youmna is a multidisciplinary artist and arts educator originally from Beirut, Lebanon, now bringing her unique blend of creativity and expertise to the world of laughter, clowning and street performance. She recently moved to Montréal, Canada.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts (Cinema Option, 2016) and a Master’s in Theatre (Directing Option, 2018) with a Minor in Psychology from Saint Joseph University (IESAV), Beirut.

Youmna’s professional journey spans multiple roles in the arts, including writer, director, production manager, and teacher. She has taught Theatre, Storytelling, and Cinema at different institutions such as Collège Notre Dame de Nazareth, Collège Notre Dame de Jamhour, and Collège Louise Wegmann in Beirut, as well as in independent workshops.

Her interactions with individuals from diverse ages, backgrounds, and abilities ignited her fascination with the psychosocial aspects of theatre, inspiring her to explore the intersection of art, self-expression, emotional well-being, and group dynamics.

Between 2016 and 2021, Youmna deepened her practice by training in methodologies such as L’atelier du Je (Self-discovery through Play) with Patricia Nammour and Caline Bernoty and Intelligence Émotionnelle based on Isabelle Filliozat’s work. She also immersed herself in clowning through “We Must Clown” and the “International Institute for Very Very Serious Studies” (inspired by Jacques Lecoq), collaborating with Clown Me In during this transformative period.

Her recent projects include working with Clown Me In (on a UNDP funded project) on a street performance and forum theatre initiative promoting non-violent communication across over 80 communities in Lebanon, where she contributed as both an actor and facilitator. She also has been a facilitator on the CAPE (Creative Arts for Peace and Equality) project in several regions across Lebanon. 

Youmna’s love for laughter and connection extends to stand-up comedy, where she joined the development team of awk.word, a stand-up comedy company in Beirut dedicated to inclusive and thought-provoking humour.

She’s been performing and touring with the clowns as Madame duKhachab (Madame Dubois) since 2022. With a passion for playfulness, storytelling and audience engagement, Youmna gets excited to merge her intercultural experiences with her creative journey using clowning as a tool for release, fun, connection, and transformation.