The Amazing Ted Show at Ars Nova (NY 10/7)

I saw a presentation of this show at the Clown Festival last year-- it was very good, and this is a re-presentation. It's probably gotten even better. It's produced by Glass Contraption. Go check it out if you have a chance. See Ted juggle fifty-six chainsaws, set himself on fire, hold his breath for twenty minutes and then turn himself inside out. Featuring renowned entertainers from The Glass Contraption, THE AMAZING TED SHOW! is full of singing, dancing, ukulele, loud noises, attempted feats of acrobatics, falling in love and falling down. Audiences of all ages will love clowning around inside the beautifully stupid and wildly funny world of Ted! Directed by Virginia Scott. To find out more, visit http://arsnovanyc.com/ or buy tickets online at smarttix.com

SHOW: Providence, RI: Credo Theatre Oct 4.

Part of the Firstworks festival, two Bulgarian clowns use puppetry and magic to create a fantastic show. It's supposed to be great (although I haven't seen it)  It's in Providence, RI on Saturday, October 4, 8pm RISD Auditorium Credo Theatre, Daddy's Always Right BULGARIA - U.S. PREMIERE TOUR Consummate theatrical clowns transform a bare stage into a winter fairyland complete with drifts of dazzling snow in a moving story for adults which remind us of the true value of simple things. With stunning puppet techniques and a little bit of magic, Nina Dimitrova and Vassil Vassilev-Zuek created this performance for the worldwide celebration of the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Anderson's birth. Credo performances have toured the globe, including the London stage of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Appropriate for adults and families – ages 10 and up. Waterfire traffic and parking advisory for Saturday, Oct. 4: Please allow extra time. Evening JumpStart pre-show performance, 7:15pm tickets $18    "One of the best art events of the festival" Edinburgh Festival

Naked Clown Calendar 2009

Seeking to raise money to cure Multiple Sclerosis, 16 graduates from the Clown Conservatory of 2008 have unveiled the 2009 naked clown calendar, which features them posing in nothing but their makeup and their birthday suits. The proceeds from the calendar benefit the Judy Finelli Fund, which supports research and advocacy for cures and treatment of MS. Judy Finelli was one of the finest female jugglers ever. Throughout her career in the 1960s-80s, she made appearances at Carnegie Hall, on Sesame Street, on the Mike Douglas Show, with the Pickle Family Circus. She was also the first and only female president of the International Jugglers' Association. She was also a co-founder of the San Francisco School for Circus Arts (now the Circus Center, where the Clown Conservatory is located) In 1989, Judy was diagnosed with MS. The illness progressed quickly, removing her ability to perform and disabling her to the point of quadriplegia by 2004. In spite of the effects of this devastating disease, Judy has remained an inspiration to the students of the Circus Center. The Judy Finelli Fund, created in honor of Judy's life of performing and teaching, supports research and advocacy for cures and treatment of MS. It promotes artistic expression through circus arts training and enables those affected by MS to pursue their passions. 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to the Judy Finelli Fund so that others throughout the world may aspire toward their dreams regardless of their limitations. To purchase a calendar or to find out more, visit their website listed below: http://www.nakedclowncalendar.com/

Happy Birthday Clown Alley's Pat Cashin!

Pat Cashin is 29 (again) today. If you want, you can attend his birthday party drunk, have your makeup sloppily made-up, root through his garbage, smoke cigars throughout his house, curse a lot, and offer to date his wife. I think he'd like that. On the other hand, you could just go visit his website and wish him a happy birthday in the comments! http://www.clownalley.net

Bindlestiff Cavalcade of Youth seeks performers

Got this in from Viveca Gardner, of Playful Productions, and the Youth Director of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. They are looking for Youth under age 21 to perform in the Cavalcade of Youth-- see below for more information. If you'd like to perform, email or call Viveca pronto. They've got spots available, and are always looking for the next generation of fantastic new performers. ======= Hello! It's that time again--we're looking for jugglers, clowns, magicians, musicians, dancers, acrobats, and other variety performers under age 21! We want to put you in the spotlight! The next Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Cavalcade of Youth performances will be September 26 and November 16 (both Sunday afternoons) at the beautiful Zipper Factory Theater in Midtown Manhattan. If you would like to participate, please reply soon! Also, please help spread the word about these great shows--both to potential audience members and to potential performers. All the information is below. Thanks and best wishes to all. I look forward to hearing from you! Viveca Gardiner Director of Youth Programs, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus President, Playful Productions 212-989-4718 EMAIL: Viveca@playfulproductions.com ***** The Zipper Factory Theater presents a Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc. and Playful Productions production Bindlestiff Family Cirkus's CAVALCADE OF YOUTH The Performers of Tomorrow Steal the Stage Today! _______________________________ What: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus's Cavalcade of Youth When: Sunday, September 28, 2008 Showtime: 2 pm Where: Zipper Factory Theater 336 West 37th Street, New York City Admission: Advance Purchase: $7 youth / $12 adults At the Door: $10 youth / $15 adults Info/reservations: 212-352-3101 http://www.thezipperfactory.com _______________________________ Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents a special showcase for young variety performers, ranging from amateurs to world-class professionals. Juvenile jugglers, diminutive dancers, adolescent acrobats and a host of other moppets and mummers present a full show of vernal vaudeville. Acts range from debuting amateurs to world-class champion performers—all under the age of 21. Now in its fifth year, Bindlestiff's Cavalcade continues to feature an amazing array of young talent. These are the future stars of Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and television. Where else can you see juvenile unicyclists, tap dancers, magicians, clowns, and contortionists sharing the stage with Broadway-bound singers and classically trained musicians? Since its inception in January 2004, Bindlestiff's Cavalcade of Youth (COY) program has grown markedly. In September 2006, a few of the COY participants were featured performers in the Speigeltent at the South Street Seaport. In the past year COY has had programs at Abrons Arts Center, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and COY instructors are offering circus skills in after school programs throughout the city. This past summer, COY participated in the American Circus Youth Festival in Illinois. The 2008 Cavalcade of Youth performance season is hosted by the Zipper Factory. * * * * * * * http://www.bindlestiff.org * http://www.thezipperfactory.com * http://www.playfulproductions.com -

Festival Preview: Kill Me Loudly: A Clown Noir

Fri 9/19 at 8:30pm Sun 9/21 at 5pm Fri 9/26 at 10:30pm CAUTION. May or may not contain clown nudity. Not for children. Sex! Murder! Clowns?! Ever wanted clowns to admit how miserable, desperate and obsessive they really are? Director Eric Davis (Red Bastard, Cirque du Soleil, Bouffon Glass Menajoree) pushes under the freaky-happy façade of clowns to reveal a cast of cutting-edge comedians ready to whip out their dark sides. In this dream-like murder mystery, a clown trio attempts to stage a film noir. But beware! No one returns unscathed from the depths of depravity! Meet the clowns who get caught up in the corruption, perversion and betrayal of their own twisted tale! Here is a clown show is full of drug-addled bums, brain-battered boxers, high society pedophiles, and of course, the barely-clad-yet-deadly femme fatale. Here is an ever-changing cityscape of lonely office buildings, dead-end alleys, glitzy clubs, and old-timey neighborhoods. Here is a show in black and white, in light and shadows, angles and corners. It's a "Caligari"-esque, expressionistic hallucination of the 40's crime genre that defined an American archetype. Done by clowns. Here is a show in which good-natured comedy-makin' turns into vicious back-stabbing, horrible revelations and plenty of nervous breakdowns. Here is a clown noir. Very good intentions. Very bad clowns. THE PLAYERS. Butt Kapinski, Jeff Seal and Chris "Buttons" Manley have performed around town at theaters like the Kraine, Theatre For The New City, the UCB, the PIT, the Magnet, Galapagos, the Brick, and on the streets of New York. Eric Davis, internationally-renown Red Bastard, has been a clown with Cirque du Soleil, directs Bouffon Glass Menagerie (NYIT award winner: Outstanding Production), teaches clown and bouffon, and is a Co-Director of the Brick Theater Clown Festival. Costume design by Molly Austin, set design by Antonio Zito, lighting design by Brian Aldous, Assistant Directed by Jason Leinwand and Andy Dickerson of Cirque This! Set construction by Chris Roberti. Music by Mitchell Yoshida. To find out more about the show, visit the website: http://www.clowninadirtytown.com/ To find out more about the festival, visit the website: http://www.bricktheater.com/clown/

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

Circus Amok Summer Schedule

Circus Amok, New York’s radical, community oriented, political free Summer in the Parks Circus is up and about again for summer 2008. This year's show is called "SUB-PRIME SUBLIME" and will feature the following: Acrobatic Economists, Fantastical Free-Falling Free Markets, Tenanacious Tenants, Querelous Quarks, Neurotic Neutrons, Vaulting Villains, Stupendous Stilters, Disco Dorothy, Lions and Tigers and Zebras Oh My! They will be performing throughout the five boroughs of New York, primarily in the parks from Sept 5-28. Here's the schedule: SAT, SEPT 6 – UPPER WEST SIDE – Riverside Park - 2pm & 5pm 79th Street & Riverside Drive SUN, SEPT 7– CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN – Coney Island - 2pm & 5pm West 10th Street & Surf Avenue MON, SEPT 8– EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN – MLK Park - 5pm Miller & Dumont Avenues WED, SEPT 10 – FT GREENE, BROOKLYN – Ft. Greene Park - 5:30pm Myrtle Avenue & St. Edward's Street FRI, SEPT 12 – SOUTH BRONX – St. Mary's Park - 5pm St. Ann’s Avenue & St. Mary’s Street SAT, SEPT 13 – LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS – Socrates Sculpture Park - 3pm Broadway & Vernon Boulevard SUN, SEPT 14 – PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN – Prospect Park - 2pm & 5pm Enter @ 9th Street & Prospect Park West Show is at the base of the grassy hill near the dog beach. WED, SEPT 17 – LOWER MANHATTAN – Columbus Park - 5:30pm Mulberry & Worth Streets FRI, SEPT 19 – SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN – Sunset Park - 5:30pm 6th Avenue & 41st Street SAT, SEPT 20 – GREENWICH VILLAGE – Washington Square - 2pm & 5pm University Place & Washington Square South SUN, SEPT 21 – HARLEM – Marcus Garvey - 2pm & 5pm Madison Avenue & 122nd Street WED, SEPT 24 – WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN – Bedford Playground - 5pm Bedford Avenue & South 9th Street FRI, SEPT 26 – LOWER MANHATTAN –Battery Park - 1pm & 5pm Castle Clinton Plaza SAT, SEPT 27 – LOWER EAST SIDE – Seward Park - 4pm Canal & Essex Streets SUN, SEPT 28 – EAST VILLAGE – Tompkins Square - 12pm & 3pm Avenue A & East 7th Street Visit WWW.CIRCUSAMOK.ORG for late-breaking news and weather updates They are also seeking volunteers for each and every show. You can run away and join the circus for the day. If you'd like to join them for the day, please send an email to circusamokinfo@gmail.com, or call 802-274-0502. SEE YOU AT THE SHOW!! ================================ CIRCUS AMOK is NYC's internationally-acclaimed one-ring FREE traveling circus. Since 1994 they've been bringing fabulous, political circus spectacle to more than 10,000 diverse audience members in the parks of NYC each season. From East New York to the East Village, Jamaica to Harlem, CIRCUS AMOK dazzles audiences with their mix of circus skills and variety arts, puppetry and music, glitter, grime and glamour as they tackle tough issues that touch New Yorkers: immigration, affordable housing, quality public education, police-community relations, healthcare for all. For more info, visit http://www.circusamok.org Here's a video from YouTube:

International Clown Week is this week

Somehow it escaped me that this week is International Clown Week. I don't really celebrate it per se. In fact, I mostly shun this kind of stuff. The problem is that the kind of clown stuff that I am interested in (and hopefully, if you are reading this, you are interested in too) is not the cutesy stuff, of which most things like International Clown Week seem to perpetuate. I am interested in the funny, not the cute. See the examples on the left as the emblems of what I think of as cute. And although it's not perfect (I don't love Stupid as a Synonym for clown, although I do love The Stooges as a synonym for clowns) See my take on an emblem above. You can find out more at the celebration at http://nationalclownweek.org/ Apparently, Richard Nixon (Mr. Clown himself) was the guy who signed the proclamation for National Clown Week in 1971. Clown week is promoted primarily by Clowns of America International (COAI) a group that has as its purpose to bring together serious-minded amateurs and professionals. They have a number of "Alleys" around the country (and world, even) and host competitions in paradability, ballooning, facepainting, gags, and other stuff. Most of the performers in the group are amateurs, people who clown as a hobby, and take very seriously the Clown Commandments I love a lot of the ideas behind COIA, and I suppose I follow a lot of the Clown commandments (I don't show up drunk at a gig-- not because it's a commandment by an organization that is invested in keeping up the good name of clowns, but because it's good business sense) but I got into being a clown as a theatre artist, to create shows and plays, and not to join organizations or for my love of the word Clown. And while my goal for clownlink is in some ways exactly the same as the goal behind COIA, I don't think we share the same aesthetic or vision of clowning (although a lot of the elements are the same, I'm sure.) I'm not big on the competitive aspect. But to each his own, and if this will bring more exposure for good clown-work--and good clowns-- who am I to judge? More power to you, COIA! If any of my readers are members of COIA, please comment below. I'd love to find out what you like about COIA, and why you are a member, and what you get out of it. Perhaps I'm missing the boat here.

Get Your Bouffon On!: Drop In Bouffon Classes in NY Mondays.

Through August 28, Audrey Crabtree (co-organizer of the NY Clown Theatre Festival at the Brick and who plays Laura in the Hilarious Bouffon Glass Menageree) , is hosting a drop in class in Bouffon. Mondays, 8-10 pm, Classes are $10 each, 521 West 26th Street, 2nd floor (between 10th and 11th) (More info below) For those not in the know, Bouffon is a clown style that is perhaps best described as what happens when birthday clowns are hit with a dose of gamma ray radiation, and turn evil, misanthropic, and MORE than a little sinister. And yet somehow, they still manage to be very funny. The form was re-captured from a French Renaissance tradition, and re-created by renowned clown teacher Philippe Gaulier in the 1970's-80's. Since then a lot of people have come to study and create bouffon characters and plays, and create theories about the Bouffon. Eric Davis (The Red Bastard, who directed above mentioned Bouffon Glass Menageree) writes in a description of one of his classes: While the clown is completely vulnerable, the bouffon shows no vulnerability. He exists to mock the society which has cast him out for being deformed. (this could be physically, spiritually, socially?) The Bouffon is the manipulator. Deformed, yet charming. Grotesque, yet beautiful. He is smart, entertaining and like the most brilliant idea, or deadly of viruses — utterly infectious. A bouffon's perfect day? While making a mockery of the mayor to a huge laughing crowd, the mayor wanders by to see what all the fuss is about. When the mayor sees that the crowd knows who he really is, the mayor has a heart attack and dies. Hip Hip Hooray! And Trav S.D., vaudeville historian and theatre critic, describes it this way in an article about aforementioned show: The novice is immediately misled by the similarity of the form’s name to “buffoon.” But that is a blind alley. “Bouffon” is to “buffoon” as a wet gremlin is to a dry one. To complicate matters, many bouffon practitioners are also clowns, and similarities exist between the two forms. The get-ups and behavior are grotesque; laughter is produced. But if these are clowns, they are cousins to Stephen King’s “Pennywise”, or the real-life John Wayne Gasey, that inveterate serial killer and sometime children’s birthday party entertainer. No one is jolly in bouffon. The carnation squirts acid; the joy buzzer releases a thousand volts. One laughs uproariously throughout, but one is constantly checking oneself: “Was that okay? No, that wasn’t okay. It goes against everything I’m supposed to think and feel as a civilized human being. If I laugh, it must be because I am possessed by devils”. Actually, one only starts to think those thoughts before being cut off by the next appalling remark or action onstage. All this by way of saying that if you are interested in bouffon, the drop in class that Audrey is running is definitely the place to be. Here's the class info. Enjoy. Or spread your infection (whichever is more appropriate to you!) Bouffon Workout Lab Drop-in “So I have studied bouffon…now WTF do I do with it?” Come to this weekly drop-in Lab! In this playful and supportive environment, we will begin with warm-ups, bouffon basics, and we will focus on the creation and showing of new material, development of character, and group work, led by Audrey Crabtree. Looking for people who have a bouffon base and want to expand on it. Get your Bouffon On! Monday nights July 28th-August 25th 8-10pm $10 Week202! Last week we had a lot of fun, and found out 2 hours is a very short time. Please bring a costume to play in. I will be there early to stretch outside-the closer everyone is to a little before 8pm the better. This week we will warm up, play together and spend the last 30 minutes showing some material that people would like feedback on. Here is the location: The FAR Space 521 West 26th Street, 2nd Floor Between 10th and 11th Avenues Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan Cell phone for more info: 917653-1547 Important do NOT the use elevator walk up to 2nd floor and ring buzzer.

NY Times Article on Kendall Cornell's Clowns Ex Machina

Kendall Cornell & Co scored a NY Times article about their work and upcoming show! THE WHEN, WHERE AND HOW: Thursday, July 31st at 7:30 pm Friday, August 1st at 7:30 pm Saturday, August 2nd at 7:30 pm updated venue! Manhattan Children’s Theatre, 52 White Street (between Broadway and Church) in Tribeca MAP Advance tickets: $15 at theatermania.com or 212-352-3101 (or weird.org) At the door: $18 general admission/$10 students and seniors (cash only) For more info about the festival and tickets: www.weird.org And here's the beginning of the article: Exploring the Bozo Mystique, and Defining Funny on Their Own Feminine Terms Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times Amanda Barron at rehearsal with Clowns Ex Machina. Members said their creativity had been stifled in mixed-gender troupes. By APRIL DEMBOSKY Published: July 29, 2008 Judi Lewis Ockler maneuvered into a black Victorian blouse, plucking the puffed velvet sleeves into place. She rummaged through her gym bag for a long green cloak and a pair of yellow socks with daisies. Then she pulled out a pink polka-dot baggie for the final touch: a red nose. She took her place among five other women gathered in a circle — one dressed in a pink tutu, others in various combinations of red-, black- and gray-striped tights, silver sequins and puffy bloomers — as they stretched and limbered up in a dance studio in Lower Manhattan. “All right, everybody put your noses on,” said the director, Kendall Cornell, clapping her hands. Ms. Cornell founded Clowns Ex Machina in 2005, when it was known as Kendall Cornell’s Soon-to-Be-World-Famous Women’s Clown Troupe. In her own 22-year performance career, Ms. Cornell said, she continued to hit the glass ceiling of clowning: She was always pushed to be the female sidekick, had few female role models and could not find a space to explore her particular brand of humor. “You had to be like a man to do this work, to open the door,” Ms. Cornell said. “I don’t find too many people interested in investigating what women have to offer that is different.” While some clown routines are scripted — wander on stage, slip on banana peel, fall down — most are developed through improvisation. Physical humor, involving one’s own or another’s body parts, is the hallmark of clowning. And that was the main roadblock Ms. Cornell kept facing, in one professional workshop after another. “It becomes sexual for the men,” Ms. Cornell said. “I remember coming to the center of the circle, I started to dance and some guy says, ‘Take it off!’ And I said, ‘How can I work like this?’ ” Ms. Cornell’s work depends on an all-female environment to transform the taboo into the funny, the sexual into the silly. “Oh, for a world where dropping your drawers meant comedy, not promiscuity!” she wrote on her Web site, www.notjustforshockvalue.com. The troupe draws a sophisticated audience, more the theatergoing type than the slapstick Barnum & Bailey fan. “It’s not the ‘be dump bump’ here’s the laugh,” Ms. Cornell said, referring to standard rimshot humor. When people come to the show, “they have to rediscover their relationship to what’s funny.” A lot of rediscovery happens around women’s bodies. The group has developed full vignettes that rely on breasts as punch lines. It turns out, for all the fanfare they get in car ads and movies, that breasts are pretty funny. READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

Clown Axioms & The Bitter End

Thursday, Friday and Saturday: July 31st, August 1st & 2nd All shows: 7:30pm Created and directed by Kendall Cornell Written and performed by Kevin Draine Nine women clowns spin tales of gothic romance and gory fairy tales with high comedy and unexpected twists. Clown Axioms is a brand new work-in-progress from Kendall Cornell and Clowns Ex Machina (formerly known as Kendall Cornell's Soon-To-Be-World Famous Women's Clown Troupe). more info: www.notjustforshockvalue.com The Bitter Poet unleashes all new guitardriven high energy poetic outbursts on his search for Love in all the wrong stripclubs and over-priced cafes! more info: www.thebitterpoet.com Location: Manhattan Children's Theater 52 White St. (btw. Church and Bdwy) Tickets: $15 advance via www.weird.org or theatermania.com or 212-352-3101 At the door: $18 general admission, $10 student & senior (cash only)

July Class in DC-- Body-Motion-Gesture

center for movement theatre actor preparation of the body the imagination and the art of collaboration www.thisisthecenter.com 202 462-5810 BODY · MOTION · GESTURE Taught by Dody DiSanto JULY 1 – 29 Tuesday nights 7 - 10pm 5 Weeks Tuition - $250 Class location: The Center 4321 Wisconsin Ave, NW METRO: redline Tenleytown This class will work from the roots of classical pantomime and progress to a fast-paced style of gestural language that develops both micro and macro image building. They will also investigate spatial dynamics through the use of a reduced playing area. Strong ensemble training. Dody DiSanto TRAINING: Diploma, teaching certificate, Laboratoire Etude de Movement from Ecole Jacques Lecoq, where she received a private pedagogic apprenticeship; Etienne Decroux: corporal mime; Ecole Nationale du Cirque: wire, juggling, acrobatics, tap under the direction of Annie Fratellini; George Washington University: Fine Arts, Dance; Corcoran College of Art and Design. Nationally Certified for Massage Therapy and Bodywork. TEACHING: Faculty at The Academy for Classical Acting for The Shakespeare Theatre at The George Washington University, The Yale School of Drama, The Catholic University of America and at The Center for Movement Theatre in Washington DC; Corcoran College of Art and Design: Dynamic Studies in Space, Gesture and Structure; Theatre of Creation Festival: assistant to Jacques Lecoq; Ringling Clown College and many years of residencies, workshops and coaching in various settings from academia to the curb of life. PERFORMANCE: Off-Broadway at LaMaMa E.T.C., Lincoln Center Serious Fun Festival, Theatre for the New City, the Avignon Festival and for television and film. Founder and artistic director of Membrane Theatre Ensemble, and a member of several ensembles, including Chantier Theatre, Present Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Barking Rooster Theatre. Dody also created, owned and managed internationally acclaimed music venue, Nightclub 9:30 in Washington DC from 1980-87. INFORMATION – REGISTRATION – WWW.ThisIsTheCenter.com

Authentic Dynamics Workshop: Momentum & Change (NY)

Authentic Dynamics: momentum and change for actors and clowns Join Under the Table's Matt Chapman on Saturday, July 5 in Brooklyn for a unique physical investigation of the dynamics of the performer This world works on certain undeniable dynamics. To perform with authenticity, the actor must have the ability to identify and navigate them. In this workshop, a few fundamentals of the stage will be explored, including johakyu ( beginning/middle/end, or how things grow, break, and resolve), minimum-to-maximum, evolution, and the rhythms of comedy. W This workshop is appropriate for actors, clowns, and directors of all levels. Learn to see human action and comedy onstage more clearly. Dress to move and bring water. When: Saturday, July 5, 2008. 1-6:30 pm Where: Triskelion Arts: 118 N. 11th St, 3rd Floor. (L to Bedford, Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Cost: $75 (Limited scholarships are available) To register, reply by email. Payment holds your slot. us@underthetabletheatre.org Note: Class size is limited. If it gets filled up, they'll add a repeat section on Sunday the 6th, so if you're interested in that, let Matt know quickly. __________________________________________________________ Matt Chapman is a performer, director, and teacher of physical theatre and clown. He is Artistic Director of Brooklyn's Under the Table, a physical theatre ensemble. He also tours as an actor with Dell'Arte International (California). In the US, Matt has taught Clown and Improvisation as adjunct faculty at Marymount Manhattan College and Manhattanville College in New York, and has taught workshops at New York University, Vassar College, Sarah Lawrence College, Towson University, Luther College, the University of Iowa, the University of North Dakota, the New York Fringe Festival, and the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival, as well as working in public schools and with the mentally ill in New York care facilities. He has served as an assistant to Ronlin Foreman, Clown master and Director of Pedagogy at Dell'Arte International. Matt teaches abroad as well; his workshops in the last year have included South Africa, Denmark, the Netherlands, and England. This past winter and spring, Matt directed "Circus Life," a contemporary circus work about HIV/AIDS in Durban, South Africa, toured the US teaching workshops for Dell'Arte International through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and taught Clown workshops in Denmark with the other members of Under the Table while on tour there. He attended the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas. To find out more about Matt's work, please visit the websites listed below: http://www.underthetabletheatre.org http://www.clownnosefactory.com

Bill Irwin/ Aaron Cromie podcast

Fascinating hour of conversation about clowning and clowns with Bill Irwin and Aaron Cromie regarding the Happiness Lectures. http://www.whyy.org/podcast/052208_110630.mp3 Definitely listen to it!

Circus Flora presents Sherwood Forest June 5-22

Circus Flora is a one ring tent circus founded in 1985 by Ivor David Balding, Sheila and Sam Jewell and Alexandre Sacha Pavlata with the dual mission of entertainment and education. In 1986, the first Circus Flora production premiered at the internationally acclaimed Spoleto Festival, an annual celebration of the performing and visual arts in Charleston, S.C. Circus Flora was established as a theater company, specializing in an ensemble, one-ring circus - performed in a big top tent - that would be accessible and affordable for all. This performing arts organization set out to acquaint audiences with the joy and power of the classic, European-style circus. It was named after Flora, the orphaned baby African elephant Balding had rescued two years earlier when ivory poachers in Africa killed her mother. Circus Flora made St. Louis its home in 1987 with the help of Vince Schoemehl, the mayor of St. Louis at that time, and Richard Gaddes, then president of Grand Center, St. Louis’ creative and cultural district. Since then, the Circus Arts Foundation of Missouri (CAFM) has been the parent non-profit organization under which Circus Flora operates. This year, Flora will present its 22nd anniversary production “Sherwood Forest," based on the legend of Robin Hood. Replete with jousts, mad adventures, and comedy, Robin Hood fights to bring justice to Sherwood Forest. The Circus Flora company becomes his merry band of outlaws, utilizing their skills to conduct daring raids against the tyrannies of the villain, the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham! They take from the rich and give to the poor, winning the hearts of the people, especially the lovely Maid Marian and her ladies-in-waiting.It is presented under the air-conditioned red and white big-top tent in St. Louis, where no audience member is further than 42 feet from the performance ring. To find out more about Circus Flora's activities, including their educational programs, please visit their website listed below: http://www.circusflora.org

Combustibles Sustainable Circus Benefit -- NY May 29

A Benefit and Birthday Party for The Combustibles Food, Drinks, Performances, Music, Dancing! What * All the beer and wine you can handle * Local snacks * Fabulous auction items - Check our website * Exceptionally strange performances * Live music! Set in a sparkling trash heap of a circus ring, jugglers toss water bottles in the air, trash bag balloons fly high, crooners sing songs made from "recycled" lyrics, and hobo clowns appear from the rubble to create treasure from yesterday's trash. The Combustibles is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Proceeds of the night will go to help The Combustibles produce more exciting work! If you cannot attend, please consider a tax-deductible donation to The Combustibles. Performers will include: Hilary Chaplain, Eli Bolin and more! When Thursday, May 29, 2008 6:30 - 8pm | Performances 8 - 9pm | Dancing Where Gallery MC 549 W. 52nd Street, 8th Floor (at 11th Avenue) Tickets are $15 Call: 1-800-838-3006 or visit: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheCombustibles/3e589c3bc2/0b836a53a4/f5e8cae385 to purchase tickets For More Info please visit http://www.TheCombustibles.com

Bill Irwin in Philadelphia

Thanks to Aaron Cromie for the tip! (He's in the show too!) THE HAPPINESS LECTURE WORLD PREMIERE By Bill Irwin May 16 - June 15, 2008 Bill Irwin – a two-time Tony Award-winner, film/television star, physical comedian, playwright, director and choreographer – leads a brilliant ensemble on an adventure in the pursuit of happiness. Irwin has created a unique and imaginative evening of delightful vignettes and physical comedy. This world premiere is a wild and entertaining ride that spoofs theatrical pretensions while exploring the sheer joy of laughter. Featuring some of Philadelphia's finest actors and dancers including: Nichole Canuso, Jennifer Childs, Melanie Cotton, Aaron Cromie, Lee Ann Etzold, and Makoto Hirano, along with New York-based Ephrat "Bounce" Asherie and Cori Olinghouse. http://www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org There are ticket deals and discounts if you contact the box office, especially for the previews.

Dan Kamin's new book on Charlie Chaplin!

Dan Kamin, a clown, mime, and expert performer (who taught Robert Downey Jr how to be Charlie Chaplin for the movie Chaplin, and taught Johnny Dep how to be Buster Keaton for the movie Bennie and Joon) is an expert on Chaplin. His previous book on Chaplin is now out of print, very hard to find, and quite good. So I'm happy to announce that Dan has a forthcoming book on Chaplin. Here are the details! FORTHCOMING The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin Artistry in Motion Dan Kamin List Price: $65.00 Discounted Price: $55.25 (15% off) ISBN: 0-8108-6142-9 ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-6142-8 Pub Date: Oct 28, 2008 320 pages Binding: Cloth Availability: Book Flyer DESCRIPTION From his early shorts in the 1910s thru his final film in 1967, Charlie Chaplin delighted audiences in the millions. Chaplin's genius embraced many arts-mime, dance, acting, music, writing, and directing. In The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin: Artistry in Motion, Dan Kamin examines Chaplin's fusion of these arts in his films, providing new understanding of how movement communicates, how comedy routines are structured, and how stage skills can be translated to the screen. An acclaimed comic performing artist himself, Kamin brings a unique insider's perspective to the subject. In the book's first section, he recounts Chaplin's theatrical background, examines how and why he moves the way he does on the screen, and considers how Chaplin adapted his stage technique to the film medium. The book also explains how Chaplin's physical virtuosity led him to create the timeless visual comedy that brought silent films to their peak. Analyzing the principles behind his gags, Kamin also discusses the evolution of Chaplin's character and his unparalleled achievement in conjuring comedy from the fundamental physical laws of movement. Chaplin's dilemma as a silent comedian in the sound era is also explored. Never repeating himself, each of his sound films represents a different experiment in which he integrated antithetical elements-sound and movement, and verbal and visual comedy. Considering these films individually reveals the sometimes surprising ways that Chaplin remained true to his silent roots, at the same time that he kept reinventing himself to keep his art viable. Delving into the intricacies of Chaplin's incredibly sophisticated visual comedy, Kamin offers new insights into how Chaplin achieved his legendary rapport with audiences, and demonstrates why comedy created nearly a century ago is still fresh today. Lavishly illustrated with fascinating historical artifacts and many never-before-published images of the comedian, The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin provides the only in-depth analysis of Chaplin as a movement artist and physical comedian. Revealing the inner workings of Chaplin's mesmerizing art, this book will appeal not just to Chaplin fans, but to anyone who loves comedy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dan Kamin performs comedy shows worldwide and is a frequent guest artist with symphony orchestras. He created the physical comedy sequences for the films Chaplin and Benny and Joon, and trained Robert Downey, Jr. and Johnny Depp for their acclaimed performances. Pre-order the book. Find out more about Dan Kamin at his website listed below: http://www.dankamin.com

The Combustibles Present Detritus

Celebrate Earth Day with the Combustibles and their new show Detritus. Here's an email I got from them: "Where does our trash go?" Research for DETRITUS began with the question, "where does our trash go?" But as we dug deeper, other questions bubbled to the surface, like "why do we have so much trash?" One thing we have learned is that nothing is simple when it comes to trash. Have a look at the Story of Stuff, a short video by Annie Leonard. It gets at the complexity of the big picture in a clear and fun way. The Story of Stuff Celebrate with us! How? Come see our work-in-progress performance this week then stick around afterwards, share your thoughts, and be a part of a conversation about sustainability. After the show we'll be at a nearby pub: The Parlour at 250 W 86th St. $4 well & drafts with your program Work-In-Progress Performances Artists of Tomorrow Festival Produced by Six Figures Theatre Company Saturday, April 26 @ 2:00 pm Sunday, April 27 @ 6:00 pm West End Theatre 263 W. 86th Street (Btwn Broadway & West End) Tickets: $15 - Buy Tickets Online Here More Info: www.detritustheplay.com Email Us: info@thecombustibles.com Reminder: The Sustainable Circus is coming! May 29th, 7-9:30pm DETRITUS / THE PLAY Conceived & Developed by the ensemble Performers: Lynn Berg, Audrey Crabtree, Jeff Seal, Anne Sorce & Liza Zapol Directed by: Larissa Lury Assistant Director: Jill Beckman Producer: Teresa Ryno Bouffon Consultant: Eric Davis Music: Dave Edson In association with Ten Directions DETRITUS is made possible in part with the public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

Kendall Cornell & Co-- April 11-13

a semi-sophisticated clown cabaret with