She has performed everywhere from Saskatoon’s Wash ‘n Slosh Pub to the Sydney Opera House. Her work has been profiled in art magazines American Theatre and Border Crossings and broadcast on CBC Radio and Canada’s Bravo! Network. CBC declared her “a national treasure.”

For the past eleven years, Calcutt has called the stage of Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil at New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas home. She has performed for millions of spectators and is the only female comedian to co-write and perform a solo act in Cirque du Soleil’s 30-year history. Calcutt is also one of Zumanity’s Comedic Directors, and in addition to designing 4 comic acts, she recently co-wrote the emcee script for the show.

Currently the Clown Coach for Cirque du Soleil's 7 Resident Shows, Shannan conducts Clown Workshops in Canada, Australia and the United States. She is sought after as a Comedic Director, Writer and Show Creator. Her intimate approach allows artists to push the boundaries of what’s acceptable and encourages them to work at their greatest potential. She has collaborated with artists in internationally acclaimed companies Circus Oz, Legs on the Wall, Circus Monoxide, Circus WOW, Crazy Horse Paris, Cirque Eloize and Spiegelworld.

Calcutt has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Dramatic Media (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance (University of Victoria) and is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. She studied the art form of Clown with master teachers Sue Morrison, Jan Henderson, Michael Kennard and Philippe Gaulier; Bouffon with Philippe Gaulier and Sue Morrison; and Improvisation with The Second City.