Ian Thal is a playwright, mime, clown, puppeteer, actor, and theatre educator living in Somerville. With James Van Looy and William J. Barnum, he co-founded Cosmic Spelunker Theater, a mime, poetry, and mask troupe. He has also performed with the radical puppetry troupe, Bread and Puppet Theatre, and the commedia dell’arte troupe, i Sebastiani. He is currently the artistic director of the commedia troupe, Teatro delle Maschere which works in tandem with Somerville-based Behind the Mask Studio & Theatre.