Clowns in the NY Fringe

This is the time for Fringe Festivals, so thought I'd feature some shows that will be performing at the upcoming NY Fringe Festival. If you know anybody else that fits the bill, I urge you to add their particulars into the comments field below.


The New York International Fringe Festival opens August 10, and runs through August 26. There are supposedly over 200 shows in the fringe this year, but only two listed in the clown/mask camp. Not sure if they don't do well in the box office, or people are afraid to say that they are clowns, or what. I perused some more, and found 4 pieces that I know have a fair amount of clown/physical comedy in them. (Although Marvin's show doesn't seem like it has physical comedy in it, I've seen it, and it does. It's one of the most honest and vulnerable/funny shows I've seen in a long time. DISCLAIMER: Marvin is a good friend of mine! )

You can find out more about all of these shows at www.fringenyc.org.

JOAN OF ARPpO Gardi Hutter Writer: Gardi Hutter - Ferruccio Cainero Director: Ferruccio Cainero Sloppy laundry woman dreams of becoming a heroine like Jeanne d'Arc, but lacking worthy enemies, she transforms her washhouse into a grotesque battlefield. A tragicomic parable of the today world with a tousled, fury, nasty, touching and poetic female clown. 1h 10m Lugano Switzerland Clown/Mask Solo Show VENUE #2: The Cherry Lane Theatre www.gardihutter.com Sat 11 @ 9:30 Wed 15 @ 5 Thu 16 @ 9:30 Thu 23 @ 2:30 Sat 25 @ 12

Princess Sunshine's Bitter Pill of Truth Funhouse Little Miss Angry Girl Productions Writer: Juliet Jeske Director: Mark Lonergan Princess Sunshine, NYC's own burnt out performer for kids. The Princess and friends teach and sing about broken dreams, fairy tales that lie, and politics in a show for adults. Live music, puppetry, mixed-media. Darkly vaudevillian, campy and fun. 0h 55m Manhattan New York Comedy Clown/Mask VENUE #12: The Independent Theater www.princesssunshine.com Fri 10 @ 5 Sun 12 @ 2:30 Mon 13 @ 9 Sun 19 @ 7:30 Thu 23 @ 6:30 Fri 24 @ 10

Out Of My Mind Skull Session Productions Writer: Marvin Novogrodski & Doug Vogel Director: Marvin Novogrodski Like watching an autopsy except Marvin is alive. My hypnotherapist and I peel back the layers in this soul-bearing and optimistic psychological-memoir. Observe hypnosis in action. Scenes transposed directly from therapy. I'm the star of my own private Pinter play. 1h 0m Providence Rhode Island Comedy Drama VENUE #2: The Cherry Lane Theatre www.marvmarv.com Fri 10 @ 9:30 Tue 14 @ 9:45 Wed 15 @ 3:15 Wed 22 @ 4:45 Sat 25 @ 5:15

Notes to the Motherland Rajeckas Theater of One Writer: Paul Rajeckas & George L. Chieffet Director: George L. Chieffet Choreographer: Paul Rajeckas "Altogether Extraordinary" raves BACKSTAGE Magazine about Paul Rajeckas' passionate, gut wrenching and often hilarious journey to unearth his family's secret during WW.II. A one man tour-de-force of physical theater reminiscent of the best of Keaton and Chaplin. 1h 20m Stamford CT Drama Solo Show VENUE #1: The SoHo Playhouse www.paulrajeckas.com Fri 10 @ 8:45 Mon 13 @ 3 Sun 19 @ 3:30 Wed 22 @ 9:30 Sun 26 @ 12