Call for submissions 2010 Toronto Festival of Clown

Call for submissions 2010 Toronto Festival of Clowns

From June 3rd to 6th, 2010, some of the World's best Clown and Physical performers will take over 6 Noble Street, the beautiful Pia Bauman School of Creative Movement.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL.

The Toronto Festival of Clowns aims to bring together clowns and physical theatre artists of all disciplines and backgrounds and provide a common space to showcase their work. 

Now entering its 5^th year, the festival continues to encourage the risk and exploration of the clown, hosting new and established works that inspire and delight. 

Past festivals have hosted some of North America’s top clowns, including David Craig (Roseneath Theatre, Napalm the Magnificent), Eric Davis (Red Bastard), Michelle Smith and Dean Gilmour (Theatre Smith-Gilmour), Sue Morrison (Institute of Canadian Clowning), John Turner (Mump & Smoot), and Leah Cherniak (Theatre Columbus).

Call for performers
They are looking for 4 full-length productions with a maximum show length of 60 minutes.  All forms and styles of clowning and physical theatre are encouraged to apply – Red nose, mask, bouffon, character pieces, acrobatics, et al.  Please note that the festival is not tailored towards children.
How to Apply
Your application should include the following:

1. Primary contact name, phone, snail and email addresses
2. The title of your piece, playwright, genre and running time
3. Performer/company names and bios
4. Short description of piece/Letter of intent (maximum 3 pages)
5. Photos are very important for us to have to get some visual sense of your show/what you’re working on.  Hard copies are great or digital files – send to festival@torontoclown.com
6. Video (optional)
7. Technical or other special requirements (we may be able to accommodate these with enough notice)
8. 2 cheques/money orders payable to Canada Clown:
1. a non-refundable $25 CDN administration fee
2. $150 production fee: This will ONLY be cashed if your show is accepted into the Festival – if your show is not accepted, the cheque will be destroyed

They must receive your application on or before Monday March 22^nd, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. On or before April 5^th you will be contacted regarding the status of your application.  Should your show be accepted, you will be notified at this time of performance dates and times.

NOTE:  If you withdraw from the festival after April 19^th, you will lose 50% ($75) of your production fee.  If you withdraw from the festival less than one month prior to your performance date, your $150 production fee will not be refunded. 
To apply send your submission to:  
Toronto Festival of Clowns
551 Concord Ave. #1
Toronto, ON, M6H 2R2
What you get:

• 2 performance dates and times over the duration of the festival.
• All performances in a newly renovated 115 seat theatre, with back stage access and a back cross
• Basic festival lighting and sound capability
• 2 lighting specials per company
• A green room
• Blanket festival publicity – the Festival has been featured in the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, CBC, Andy Barrie in the morning, NOW Magazine and the Festival has also served as a scouting ground for Cirque du Soleil.
• 75% percent of the ticket money sold for your show.  Single tickets will cost $10.   

NOTE:  You must PROVIDE YOUR OWN STAGE MANAGER for your production should you be accepted into the Festival.

If you have any questions please feel free to email:  festival@torontoclown.com

The Holey Trinity of Festival Producers:
Dave McKay, Adam Lazarus, Sarah Buski

Rhett and Link's T-Shirt War

Not saying these guys are actually clowns, but there are a lot of great clown ideas here, and really well executed use of stop motion.  The gag of pulling real stuff out of the shirt or vice versa is really well used.  Almost an object lesson in one-upsmanship and clowning, but in a film form that would be a little harder to pull off on stage.    And their marketing of the shirts afterward is great too.

A couple of these effects have me thinking...

You can find out more about these guys at their website: http://rhettandlink.com/

I'm definitely planning on taking a look at the rest of their pieces, based on this one.

Guy LaLiberte (Cirque du Soleil founder) is from outerspace!

Actually, he's just GOING to outer space-- as part of a tourist moon mission.

Read the article here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_sc/us_space_shuttle

And here's a little excerpt for you:

Circus performer's flight preview steals NASA show
By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer-- Thu Jul 23,2009 4:42 pm ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A former stiltwalker and fire-eater stole NASA's show Thursday, saying he'll be "like a kid in a candy store" experimenting with zero-gravity tricks on his upcoming tourist trip to the international space station.

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte is shelling out a reported $35 million for his round-trip ticket aboard a Russian spacecraft. He will rocket into orbit from Kazakhstan at the end of September with a professional astronaut and cosmonaut, and spend more than a week at the space station.

At a news conference in Houston, as 13 people circled overhead on the shuttle-station complex, Laliberte was bombarded with questions from journalists, most of them gathered in his home country of Canada.

"As you know, I'm not a scientist. I'm not a doctor. I'm not an engineer. I'm an artist. I'm a creator, and I'll try to do and accomplish this mission with my creativity and what life has given me as a tool," said the Quebec billionaire, who turns 50 in September.

Laliberte assured reporters that he will not play with any fire in space — for obvious reasons. But he hopes to try some acrobatics in weightlessness and may teach his crewmates a card trick or two.

"I don't know how we'll be using stilts up there," he said. "But I think there are a couple little things, hopefully, that I have learned in my career of street entertainer that I will try to apply up there."

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

Gilkey- Pitt- Donlon - 2 performances in San Francisco in July.

Any one of these guys would be a treat to see. All three is just the icing on the cake on the ice cream. If you are in the San Francisco area, don't miss it!

The FLYING ACTOR STUDIO is an international center that celebrates the imagination and invites a profound journey into the very heart of life.

In Spring 2008, James Donlon, after a 40 year international teaching and performance career, was inspired to create a physical theater school in San Francisco, building on the rich history of clowning, mime, and circus that had flourished in the city for decades. Donlon invited fellow master teacher Leonard Pitt to share this vision, and together in 2009 they founded the FLYING ACTOR STUDIO, one of the few centers in North America where one can study physical theater. In the '70's both Donlon and Pitt operated nationally known movement theater schools in San Francisco and Berkeley, as part of a vanguard of artists that included Robert Shields, Geoff Hoyle, Bill Irwin, and The Pickle Family Circus. Now Donlon and Pitt continue.

THE SHOW:

To celebrate, master performers John Gilkey, Leonard Pitt, and James Donlon will perform a gala kickoff piece called

‘The Zany and the Surreal’

Two performances only July 18, 5pm & July 19, 3 pm at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco.

The Show

Gilkey, Pitt and Donlon bring their individual "greatest hits” to the main stage of the EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy St., San Francisco for two performances only, July 18, 5pm, and July 19, 3 pm.

The Saturday (July 18th) show is followed by an 8pm to 11pm Gala at the new Flying Actor Studio, 40 First St. between Market and Mission, celebrating the launch of their new school dedicated to physical theatre and movement for actors.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

John Gilkey has played a lead role in three Cirque Du Soleil productions; Quidam, Dralion and Varekai - more than any other performer. For each of these shows he developed and performed totally original characters and routines. With Cirque Du Soleil alone John has performed live for more than three million people. He also directed and performed in the clown troupe in Franco Dragone’s spectacular water show, Le Reve, in Las Vegas. Additionally, John has performed internationally for more than twenty-nine years in circus, variety, comedy clubs, theater and television. John Gilkey's innovative routine with a coat rack is widely recognized as a landmark juggling act of the contemporary circus movement. WEBSITE: http://www.johngilkey.com/



James Donlon has been a celebrated international performer and master teacher of Physical Theatre for 40 years, presenting his original works throughout North America, Europe, and Latin America to critical acclaim. James is the only physical theater artist ever invited to perform with legendary San Francisco street mime Robert Shields of CBS' The Shields & Yarnell Show. He is the first American clown to perform in the famed Teatro Dimitri of Switzerland. James has created award-winning ensemble works for James Donlon & Company touring nationwide and in Mexico, and also directed productions in Ireland and the Czech Republic. He has been on the faculties of acting schools such as The American Conservatory Theater, The North Carolina School of the Arts, The National Theatre Conservatory-Denver Center, The Yale School of Drama, UCSB, and UCSD, and has presented residencies with special institutions like El Teatro Campesino, Mexico City 's Bellas Artes, Prague's national Academy of Performing Arts (AMU), Dublin's Gaiety School of Acting, and Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown College where he taught Tony Award-winner Bill Irwin. He has been a film movement coach for Oscar-winners Javier Bardem, Kathy Bates, and Frances McDormand, as well as Benjamin Bratt and David Strathairn. To find out more about James Donlon's work, visit http://flyingactorstudio.com/flyingactorstudio/James_History.html


Leonard Pitt has been performing and teaching for over forty years. In 1963 he traveled to Paris to study mime with Etienne Decroux, later becoming his assistant for two years. In 1970 he opened a school of physical theatre in Berkeley CA, attracting students from around the world. He has studied mask theater and carving in Bali and performed with the Balinese in their villages and temple festivals. He has presented his work internationally including England, Spain, Holland, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Australia. He was a founding member of George Coates Performance Works, has received Chicago's Actor of the Year Award for his solo work, and was movement consultant for Jurassic Park and motion-capture specialist for the films Dragonheart and Three Wishes. In 1986 Leonard co-founded Life On The Water, a contemporary performance space at Fort Mason, San Francisco. He has written several books, one of which, Walks Through Lost Paris, has become a bestseller in France. The Leonard Pitt Website: www.leonardpitt.com

To purchase tickets to the show, visit http://flyingactorstudio.com/flyingactorstudio/Show.html

To find out more about the school, visit the website http://www.flyingactorstudio.com.

Hey-Ya Brothers in NY at Urban Stages

Hey-Ya Brothers- now performing at Urban Stages!

The Hey-Ya Brothers is a two-man slapstick comedy variety show with clowns and physical comedians Joel Jeske and Christopher Lueck.

This 45min show is a mixture of classic comedy, slapstick, juggling, magic, and music. The Hey-Ya Brothers create a memorable show full of laughs. Now with special guest performer Mike Richter!

WHEN: SUNDAYS, March 15 – April 5, 2009 at at 2pm.
WHERE: Urban Stages, located at 259 West 30th Street (between 7th & 8th Avenues)NYC
TICKETS: $10 To purchase, email urbanstages@gmail.com or call 212-421-1380. Tickets are also available at the door.

Running Time is 45 minutes, ages 3 +

For More Info vsit www.heyyabrothers.com or www.urbanstages.org

Lorenzo Pisoni's story on stage (NY)

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced the world premiere of Humor Abuse, the new one-man-show created by performer Lorenzo Pisoni (Equus, Last Dance) and director Erica Schmidt (Debbie Does Dallas).

Humor Abuse will begin previews on Thursday, February 19 and open Tuesday, March 10 in a limited engagement at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

Humor Abuse is the unique story of Pisoni's upbringing as the youngest member of the Pickle Family Circus, the Bay Area's tiny big top that entertained thousands of people worldwide and launched the careers of several legendary performers. Filled with the clowning that Pisoni learned at his father's knee, and the wonder, heartache and complexity of stepping into (and out of) his father's shoes, Humor Abuse shows that running away with the circus isn't always all fun and games.

Lorenzo Pisoni's Broadway performing credits include Equus, Henry IV (LCT). Off-Broadway: Devil's Disciple (Irish Rep), Election Day (Second Stage, Lortel nomination), Last Dance (MTC), As You Like It (The Public), Much Ado About Nothing (NYSF), Troilus and Cressida (TFNA). Regional: The Injured Party (South Coast Rep), The Great Gatsby (Guthrie/Seattle Rep), Tuesdays With Morrie (Seattle Rep), The Tempest (McCarter), The Illusion (NJ Shakespeare Festival), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare & Co.), The Gamester (ACT, Bay Area Critics nomination), Arms and the Man (BSC). Film: Company Retreat, South of Pico. Other credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Lincoln Center/NY Phil), Pickle Family Circus, Cirque du Soleil. Education: Vassar College.

Erica Schmidt's directing credits include: Rent (Tokyo); Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer and Copland's The Tender Land (all at Bard Summer Scape); Carnival (The Paper Mill Playhouse); People Be Heard (Playwrights Horizons); Trust (The Play Company, Callaway Award nominee); As You Like It (The Public Theater/NYSF, chashama and New York International Fringe Festival 2000 Winner for Best Direction); Debbie Does Dallas (wrote the adaptation and directed Off-Broadway at the Jane Street); Spanish Girl (Second Stage Uptown); Romeo and Juliet (Outdoor Garage). College and University work includes: Buried Child and R&J (The Juilliard School); Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem Cards (The McCarter's Berlind Theater, Princeton University); Top Girls (Fordham University).

For more information on Manhattan Theatre Club, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

For more information about Lorenzo Pisoni, visit his website listed below:
http://www.lorenzopisoni.com

TICKETING INFORMATION

Single tickets for all Manhattan Theatre Club productions at New York City Center are available by calling CityTix® at (212) 581-1212, by visiting www.nycitycenter.org or by going to the New York City Center box office.

Tickets are $52.00. Group and student rates are also available. For group ticket information, call (212) 399-3000 x 4132. Student tickets are $25 and will be on sale for all performances based on availability on the day of the performance, up to one hour before showtime. Call (212) 581-1212 for further information. MTC at New York City Center is accessible to people with disabilities and is equipped with a hearing augmentation system.


PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
· THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22: Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 PM. Matinee on Sunday at 2:30 PM. Please note there will only be five performances during this partial week.
· MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 - SUNDAY, MARCH 15: Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM.
· MONDAY, MARCH 16 - SUNDAY, MARCH 29: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM.
· MONDAY, MARCH 30 - SUNDAY, APRIL 5: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM. Please note that only seven performances are on sale to the general public this week.
· TUESDAY, APRIL 7 - SUNDAY, APRIL 12: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM.

ClownLab show- Feb 13, 14 (NY)

Jef Johnson is a principal clown in the international touring company of Slava’s Snowshow. As Clown, he has also toured with Cirque du Soleil. Jef has more than 20 years of experience working in a wide range of physical styles. His approach is rooted in subjective expression, physical expression of condition through impulse and reflex. He has studied corporeal expression from disciples of Grotowski, Suzuki, Marceau, Decroux, Lecoq, Meyerhold, M. Chekhov, Vakhtangov.

He teaches a Clown Lab in NY on a fairly regular basis. The product, or clinical trial, as he prefers to call it, of one of those Clown Labs will be coming up on Feb 13 & 14.

I haven't studied with him, so can't really say what his teaching style is like. His website and (clown journal) was a bit too impenetrable for me to figure out exactly what he is all about.

With most things like this, the best way to figure out if you want to study with him is to go see some of his work. Here are the details to check it out for yourself.

Clownical Trials
In situ modulation using perception action coupling and combined object vectors.

THEATERLAB
137 West 14th Street
New York, NY
February 12-13 at 8 pm
$10.00 Reservations: 212-929-2545
Featuring: Golan, Kathie Horejsi, Julie Josephson, Michaela Lind, Andrew Valins

Jef Johnson's CLOWN LAB is dedicated to the exploration of the mechanisms underlying the nature of clown through behavior, experience and creative association. This is a clinical trial. Real humans will be used.

To find out more about Jef's work, visit his website listed below:

http://www.nyclown.com

Otsie Kerplotsie

Otsie Kerplotsie is Brooklyn clown and NY Downtown Clown Impresario Christopher Luecke.

Christopher was born in Milwaukee, WI. He is a graduate of The Dell’ Arte International School of Physical Theatre in Blue Lake, CA and has also earned a BFA in Acting from Brooklyn College (Cum Laude). Most recently he has studied clown with the New York GOOFS. Christopher is an actor and clown for stage and film. He has performed in many venues including the Brooklyn Public Library, dirty little theatres, and the Grand Ole Opry and has also appeared in many small films. When not performing Christopher teaches puppetry in the New York Public Schools with Puppetry in Practice. He is also a certified instructor of Japanese samurai sword fighting and enjoys beating people up in competitions.

In his role as Otsie, Christopher performs at birthday parties, social gatherings, and many other events. In fact, he even offers a discount-- call him and mention WEB, and you'll get $25 off your show.

To find out more about Otsie Kerplotsie, visit the website listed below, or just give him a call.

http://www.otsieclown.com/
347-585-9767

RIP, Larry Harmon

Thanks to Pat Cashin's Clownalley.net for the heads up.

Larry Harmon, the licensor of Bozo the Clown died Thursday due to congestive heart failure.

Say what you will about Bozo, but Larry Harmon was personally responsible for entertaining millions of children.he entertained MILLIONS of children over the years. And that makes him a giant in my book.

RIP, Bozo!





Larry Harmon, who turned the character Bozo the Clown into a show business staple that delighted children for more than a half-century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure. He was 83.

His publicist, Jerry Digney, told The Associated Press he died at his home.

Although not the original Bozo, Harmon portrayed the popular clown in countless appearances and, as an entrepreneur, he licensed the character to others, particularly dozens of television stations around the country. The stations in turn hired actors to be their local Bozos.

"You might say, in a way, I was cloning BTC (Bozo the Clown) before anybody else out there got around to cloning DNA," Harmon told the AP in a 1996 interview.

"Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us," Harmon said.

Pinto Colvig, who also provided the voice for Walt Disney's Goofy, originated Bozo the Clown when Capitol Records introduced a series of children's records in 1946. Harmon would later meet his alter ego while answering a casting call to make personal appearances as a clown to promote the records.

He got that job and eventually bought the rights to Bozo. Along the way, he embellished Bozo's distinctive look: the orange-tufted hair, the bulbous nose, the outlandish red, white and blue costume.


"I felt if I could plant my size 83AAA shoes on this planet, (people) would never be able to forget those footprints," he said.

Read the rest of the article on the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/arts/television/04bozo.html

Laugh Out Loud Festival (NY)-3 more days

Emerging Artists Theatre and Paul Adams, Artistic Director, has been presenting a festival entitled LAUGH OUT LOUD at the Roy Arias Theatre Center, Off-Off Broadway Theatre (300 West 43rd St, 5th floor, NYC). The festival is curated by EAT member. Jenny Lee Mitchell and co-curated by Honey Goodenough and Carol Lee Sirugo. Performances began Tuesday, May 27, 2008, and run through Sunday, June 1, 2008.



Here's what's going on for the next three days.

Friday May 30th, 8pm
Host: Deenie Nast - Lucky you-Deenie Nast, Oscar Winner, 2 time Tony winner and international performance artist will grace the LaughOutLoud Festival with her presence, performing a song-filled tribute to herself.
with:
All Kinds of Shifty Villains - directed by Rachel Klein - carnival noir, blending elements of circus with crime fiction
Mika - diabolo artist and juggler
Carol Lee Sirugo - Gwendolyn Rosa Lee is on a mission: to pay homage to her favorite musical, Gypsy. She wishes she could be Gypsy Rose Lee. She can't. But where talent fails, guts prevail!
The Marriage Of Reason - puppetry by Sean Keohane - "The Marriage of Reason": Originally written for children in 1860s Paris, Polichinelle's battle of the sexes with a content bachelorette isn't only Politically Incorrect, it's just wrong! Naughty, bawdy puppets, religious mysticism, and totally unnecessary slapstick violence.
Film Noir Clowns - Jeff Seal and Chris Manley . Two clowns attempt to recreate a classic film noir tale on stage.

Saturday May 31st, 8pm
Host: The Maestrosities - The Coolest Band Ever! Or so they think!!!
with:
Kendall Cornell as The Torch Singer - The Torch Singer laments love in a comically grand style.
Kendall Cornell's Soon-To-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe kick up their heels with an assortment of comic song and dance numbers."
Mika - diabolo artist and juggler
Carol Lee Sirugo as Gwendolyn Rosa Lee
Rob Lok

Sunday June 1st, 5pm
Host: Dierdre
with:
Logic Limited Ltd - clown troupe
A Wrinkle in Starch - puppetry by Leslie Strongwater and David Michael Friend
Phillip Guerette as Phildo The Clown
Emergency Use Only - puppetry by Erica Mclaughlin
Four droning strangers are stuck in a subway tunnel when inspiration strikes: they put their personal effects together an a puppet eager to dance emerges to breathe life into an otherwise hapless situation.
Miron Gusso - storytelling and clowning

LAUGH OUT LOUD plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, June 1, 2008:

Tuesday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday at 7:30 pm
Thursday at 7:30 pm
Friday at 8:00 pm
Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 5:00 pm

Tickets are $10. Advanced tickets are recommended (only 55 tickets available per show). For reservations, please visit www.eatheatre.org, or call 866-811-4111.

Tickets may also be purchased in person half-hour prior to the performance at Roy Arias Theatre Center (300 West 43rd St, 5th floor).

* Running Time: 60 minutes *

All performances include an open Talkback Session with the performer and staff after the show.

Emerging Artists Theatre's mission is to provide a dynamic home for emerging writers and artists, providing the unique opportunity for playwrights to collaborate with directors, actors, and designers throughout the development process--from idea through fully realized production. EAT's supportive environment continues to nurture a close-knit group of artists working toward the common goal of creating dynamic theatre, and its commitment to the development of new works is integral to the cultural enrichment of New York City.

To find out more about Emerging Artists, please visit their website listed below:

http://www.eatheatre.org/

Laura Herts

Laura Herts is a France based American performer, whose training began years ago at the The Baltimore School for the Arts where she studied Dance and Visual Arts. Upon graduating, she began a world tour, which has now been extended into a lifetime experience.

Through her travels she rediscovered a childhood passion; mime. From that moment on, she performed wherever possible, beginning with street performing and teaching mime in Israel in 1985. As her passion for the art of mime, improvisation, and comedy performance grew, she decided to continue her quest for experience and knowledge by travelling to and throughout Europe; participating in Theatre festivals and attending workshops and Schools based on the Physical Theater.

Laura, studied under Lassaad Saidi, Jacques Lecoq, Philippe Gaulier, Daniel Stein, Stanislav Borgeofski, and Zigmund Mollic, while continuing to earn a living performing. Slowly and surely, Laura developed her original style of theater creating a world of clown, comedy, and social satire. She has created a number of one woman shows, including "The Last Tangle In Paradise," "Electric Lazy Land," and "Won Woman Show," as well as various cabaret numbers. Performing interactively with her audiences, she has played in theatres, cabarets, circuses, and many festivals throughout Europe, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Israel, and Madagascar, as well as teaching workshops in mime and clowning.

To find out more about Laura's work, please visit her website listed below:
www.lauraherts.com

Clown Therapy Workshop SF (May 26-29)

Clown Therapy Workshop - Weekend Intensive with Paoli Lacy
May 24, 25, & 26
Saturday 2-6, Sunday 10-6, and Monday 10-1

Taught by Paoli Lacy, Godmother of Clown Therapy, this workshop will be an experiential, hands-on 2 1/2 day intensive. It will include practical kinesthetic learning of clown therapy techniques along with discussion of the theory and rationales for their use. A holistic approach to meeting psychological and physical challenges, Clown Therapy has been successful with health issues where mind, body, and a sense of humor need to converge. Clown Therapy is noted for serving special needs children at the crossroads of physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and creative arts, with Lucille Ball directing traffic.

All participants will receive a copy of the Clown Therapy Handbook for future reference.

Cost: $170.00
Discounts for AYCO members, Clown Conservatory and Dell ‘Arte graduates

Classes held at the Circus Center San Francisco
755 Frederick Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone: (415) 759-8123
Email: info@circuscenter.org

WEBSITE: http://www.circuscenter.org

Photo of Paoli Lacy from Rebecca Longworth's Flickr Page
Permission to use photograph from Creative Commons License.

Clown School of San Francisco

The Clown School of San Francisco is a character based school that combines small classes with intensive personal work to create clown characters and routines. The focus is on creating work that is personal to the actor. The work is primarily theatrical and exploratory in nature-- not particularly of the circus.

The instructor, Christina Lewis Clinton, has been teaching workshops in clown character development and improvisation for fifteen years. Christina started clowning in Nicaragua when she traveled there with a Women's Circus. She has studied and performed clowning in Europe, Mexico and the United States. She received her Master's in Drama Therapy in San Francisco.

Christina and I studied together with Czech master clown Ctibor Turba.

They are currently in the midst of a 20 week session that started January 20 and will finish in May with a public show. They will also have an intensive two day workshop in June.

To find out more about their work, visit their website listed below:
http://www.clownschoolsf.org/

Safety Last, with Ben Model Riverdale, NY 1/26

Safety Last with Ben Model

Yes, it's Harold Lloyd in his iconic climb up the side of the 12-story Bolton Building, accompanied live by Ben Model, a silent film historian and accompanist for the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1997 he founded "The Silent Clowns Film Series" with film historian Bruce Lawton. Ben composes all his own scores, and performs in a style that is both evocative of the silent era and also aware of a contemporary (and younger) audience's awareness of music and film scoring. Ben composes and improvises all his own scores, and performs in a style that is both evocative of the silent era and also aware of a contemporary (and younger) audience's awareness of music and film scoring. After each movie - come upstairs to our candle-lit cafe and enjoy complementary coffee, wine, and sweets before you go home for the evening.
Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Neuwirth Theatre
5625 Arlington Avenue
Bronx, NY 10471
Map & Directions
TICKETS ARE $12 and available online: http://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=121438

Bellobration at the United Center

I was in Chicago for the weekend for a family function, and thought I'd check out the Bello-bration. It's the Red Show-- and I hadn't seen it when it was on the East Coast, so I was glad I got the opportunity. I saw it today (last day of the stand in Chicago-- we went to the 1 pm performance.

The pre-show "All-Access Pre-Show" was hosted by clown Leo Acton. Leo is a graduate of Clown College from 1996. I was mostly astonished, because this is the first time that I've seen a Ringling Clown with his own facial hair. Granted the show had a 1970's feel, but I was pretty amazed. This would not have been allowed when I was at Clown College.

Looking around, a lot of the clowns had their own hair--less wigs than I remember. I wondered if maybe it's because a lot of the clowns are no longer Clown College grads. (But it turns out Leo Acton is-- I guess there's been a change of policy) A couple of the costumes wouldn't have passed muster back in the day.

In general the pre-show was pretty good-- the clowns did a variation on Dead and Alive with a lot of knockabout, there was a painting elephant, some hula-hooping, a great trampolining bit by a Russian clown named Alex, and a lot of clowns doing Meet and Greet. The Meet and Greet was a little lame-- standing in back of someone and making fun of them behind their back. I know that 13 shows a week gets a little hard to be original, but I thought it could have gone better. (I did get made fun of, but didn't introduce myself-- I played with the guy, and once he saw I was alive, he seemed to lose interest.)


The pre-show clown bit (with a nice little clown car used by Leo Acton again) was a Campfire Marshmallows advertisement basically-- and not very funny. Something else that didn't quite fly from a clown perspective was the group piece "Dancing with the Clowns." It started off okay, but didn't go anywhere relatively slowly. The ending blowoff (an acrobatic dancer who is much better than the bad dancers) wasn't particularly strong. Good bendover routine with one clown playing a couple as a bendover.

Once the show started, Bello is really the star. He falls in love with the aerialist, and spends the show going from act to act trying to get her to notice him. It's a good idea, and it's done well. The highlight was when Bello and the aerialist are up on twin sway poles, and he gets a kiss from her-- the whole spec turns into a Bello-bration, along with everybody including elephants, dogs, and the circus band, sporting Bello's blonde hair. It was Being John Malkovich for Bello, and very funny.

The second act was less strong, and the pretense of his love for the aerialist went away. Bello did a great act with the Wheel of Danger (it split into two side-by-side at one point-- I had never seen that!) And the show ended with the Human Cannonball-- very impressive, but oh so fleeting.

There were a bunch of good video gags in the beginning of the show-- Bello stuck in the humoungous television monitor and trying to get out. It was so clearly not live, and done a little too fast-- as if they were saying-- I know you are used to speeded up cartoons-- here you go! I enjoyed them, nevertheless

Overall it was a lot of entertainment, although once we added the "Convenience Charge" It was $30 a ticket.) It was a great night out though.

Find out more about the Ringling Red Show and the clowns mentioned by visiting their websites listed below.

RINGLING RED SHOW: http://ringling.com/

BELLO NOCK: http://www.bellonock.com

LEO ACTON: Leo Acton's Myspace Page

Adam Lazarus & Torontoclown.com

Adam Lazarus is a performer, director and instructor whose work in physical theatre, clown and bouffon has taken him to France, England and coast to coast across Canada. As a young man, Adam founded the Toronto based collective company Schmigeggy, where he produced, directed and performed in 10 of Schmigeggy's popular original works. After critical success and monetary failure, the company was put to rest after 6 years.

The next wave of creation came out of intense study and assistance with French Clown Master Philippe Gaulier. Inspired by the creation methods of Jeu, Character, Clown and Bouffon, Adam draws on the brilliance of what we are able to create under strict time restraints. He is a graduate of McMaster University's Theatre Program, Leeds University’s Theatre Program in England and L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, France.

Adam is a regular facilitator of workshops for professional and non-professional artists, including recent Bouffon workshops and consultations for Theatre Passe Muraille, the Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, DanceMakers, Volcano Theatre and Mike Kennard’s The Hollow.

As an actor, Adam performs in numerous cabarets around Toronto, and was recently part of The Gina Project’s silent circus comedy Big Show, Tapestry New Opera Works’ clown/opera workshop for Shelter, and Suit Suite: A Motivational-Seminar Musical at the Toronto Fringe Festival. His one-man bouffon show Fable was recently performed in Victoria, B.C, Halifax, N.S. and Toronto:


Adam also directs plays and clown shows-- he recently directed the following shows:Joe: The Perfect Man, a one woman take on MacBeth starring Rachelle Elie, Bubkus, a one man show featuring Jesse Buck (and recently featured at the NY Clown Theater Festival), and Melissa D’Agostino’s Guadalupe Project - a citywide installation. He also created the show Everyone's An Asshole and a new physical work directed by Pig Iron Theatre’s Sarah Sanford entitled Appetite.

Adam is also the Artistic Producer of the Toronto Festival of Clowns.

To find out more about Adam's work, visit the websites listed below:
http://www.quiptake.com
http://www.torontoclown.com

Parallel Exit Gala 10/29 featuring Barry Lubin

Parallel Exit will produce a Halloween Gala that will include entertainment from the company and special guest star Barry Lubin (Grandma the Clown). The benefit takes place at 7:30pm on Monday October 29 at the 45^th Street Theatre, 354 West 45^th Street. Tickets are $75 for VIPs and $30 for patrons, and can be reserved at 917-407-7537or parallelexit@hotmail.com.

Barry Lubin is the creator of Grandma , one of New York City’s best-loved cultural icons and the star of the Big Apple Circus. He appears this season in their 30^th Anniversary show Celebrate! at Lincoln Center (Oct. 19-Jan. 13). Mr. Lubin’s appearance at Parallel Exit’s benefit will allow audiences the chance to see his beloved Grandma in a rare solo performance. Last season, Mr. Lubin starred with Parallel Exit’s Joel Jeske in the Big Apple Circus show Step Right Up! and they both join Parallel Exit for an evening of Halloween fun, food, drink, raffle, and prizes.

Proceeds from the evening go towards producing Parallel Exit’s newest show CUT TO THE CHASE, the “biggest wee show in town” as part of the holiday season at 59 E59 Theaters from December 5-30, 2007. This family vaudeville revue is directed by Mark Lonergan and features Laura Dillman, Mike Dobson, Joel Jeske, , Ryan Kasprzak, Andrea Kehler, and Derek Roland. Parallel Exit will present excerpts from the show as part of the evening’s festivities with Joel Jeske warming up the crowd with a special Halloween-themed performance.

VIP tickets include priority seating, a reception with Mr. Lubin and the performers, and recognition in the evening’s program and company website.

Who:Parallel Exit with special guest Barry “Grandma the Clown” Lubin
What: Halloween Gala Benefit
When: Monday October 29, 7:30pm
Where: 45th Street Theatre, 354 West 45 Street
Tickets: $75 VIPs, $30 Patrons, at 917-407-7537 or parallelexit@hotmail.com

500 Clown

500 Clown is a physical theatre company based in Chicago. They have been creating work together since 2000. Their mission as a company is to create shows that use circus arts, improvisation, and action to create charged environments that allow the performers to take emotional and physical risks, and lets the audience become an active observer. Their signature piece is 500 Clown MacBeth. Since that show, they have gone on to create 500 Clown Frankenstein, 500 Clown Christmas, and the piece that they are currently working on is a 500 Clown version of A Man's A Man, by Bertolt Brecht.

Currently, 500 Clown is in residence at the Steppenwolf Theatre where they are performing Macbeth & Frankenstein in repertory through July 29.. They've gotten great reviews, and in December of 2007 will be in New York at PS122.

Despite their name, the group consists of the following members:

Adrian Danzig
Adrian Danzig is a clown and performer who has been in shows at the Goodman, Second City, Berkeley Rep, B.A.M., The Public Theater, and LookingGlass. He has studied with Ctibor Turba, Philippe Gaulier, Ronlin Formena, Dominique Jando, Avner the Eccentric, and David Shiner, to name a few. Adrian works with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Chicago, and teaches physical theater at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Leslie Bauxbaum Danzig
Leslie is the director of the 500 Clown shows. She has worked with Redmoon Theatre, Elevator Repair Service, choreographer Molly Shanahan, and at a number of other venues. Leslie studied at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq, and with Philippe Gaulier & Ronlin Foreman. She is currently completing a PhD at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.


Molly Brennan
Molly has worked with a number of groups in the Chicago area, including Barrel of Monkeys, The Chicago Children's Theatre, Second City, and the House Theatre of Chicago, where she is a company member. She won a Joseph Jefferson award for her work in Curse of the Crying Heart. Molly works as a clown and supervisor for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Chicago.


Paul Kalina
Paul has worked at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, the Court Theatre, and other theatres around Chicago. He co-founded the physical theatre duos Le Pamplemousse, and the Bumblinni Brothers, for which he has toured across Canada and the United States. He also has worked for Big Apple's Clown Care Unit. Paul is a graduate of the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre and the University of Idaho (MFA)


To find out more about 500 Clown, visit their website listed below:
http://www.500clown.com

UPDATE: Audio podcast interview with Molly and Paul of 500 Clown is available online.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST at http://www.theatreinchicago.com.

Lawrence Smythe

Lawrence Smythe is a Canadian clown that has performed and traveled all over the world. He is a rubber faced prankster with a number of different characters and entrees that he can perform. From mewling baby to over-strict Canadian Mounty to obtuse caveman, Lawrence approaches all of his characters with an earnestness that wins audiences over. Lawrence likes to think of his clown character as a mix between a poet and an orangutan.

Lawrence grew up in a large Irish/Catholic Canadian military family, and his love of comedy was evident from an early age. Lawrence began his career in the theatre in 1978, and has studied extensively with a wide range of eclectic artists. He has held a variety of jobs as well, including, bus driver, baker, door-maker, car washer, waiter, janitor, tree planter etc. Parallel with these jobs he began his world travels, from France to Greece, on through Afghanistan to India and back to Mexico and Hawaii, on and on from here to there. His comedy heroes are the silent film classics-- Keaton, Chaplin, and Laurel and Hardy.

From 1999-2006, Lawrence toured with Canadian circus artiste Jean Saucier in a show titled Circo Comedia. Saucier & Smythe were a great and classic circus team-- Saucier playing the elegant white faced clown and equilibrist and Smythe the Auguste orangutan. In 2006 Lawrence set off on his own to tour his solo show The Caretaker, which will feature an amalgamation of illusion, mask, puppetry, music, clowning, and audience participation.

To find out more about Lawrence's work, please visit his website listed below:
http://www.mrsmythecomedy.com/

Gale LaJoye

Gale LaJoye is a clown who grew up and is now based in Marquette, Michigan. He combines clowning, mime, circus tricks, and a poignant sense of self to create silent shows that are both funny and sad.

In the early 1970's Gale was a clown and performer with Ringling, and by 1977 he had become Boss Clown of his unit. In 1979 fate dealt Gale a crushing blow. He was involved in a very serious car accident, and was paralyzed. His doctors advised him he would never walk again. Unwilling to accept this, Gale began the slow process of rebuilding his body and keeping his spirits up using humor. Fortunately, he regained his balance and the ability to walk.

After his recovery, LaJoye produced a silent show called Too Foolish For Words, which toured internationally with great success. In 1990, he created another silent show Snowflake. This silent show features Gale as a childlike, innocent homeless guy who lives on a vacant lot strewn with rubbish. Snowflake entertains himself by recycling discarded objects into comic treasures, and turns sorrow into joy, He breathes life into toys, floats in mid-air, makes music out of a bedframe, and dances the Nutcracker on skis. Snowflake has toured throughout the world, and has been performed thousands of times. In Japan alone he toured Snowflake to 280 cities.

When not on tour with Snowflake, Gale is busy developing his next production, which will arrive in the next few years.

To find out more about Gale LaJoye's work, or to see videos, visit his website listed below:

http://www.lajoye.com