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/

Edith Tankus

Edith Tankus is an actor, theatre artist and clown living in Canada. An alumnus of L'Ecole Jacques Lecoq and L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier. She is an award-winning actress and clown who has toured North America garnering rave reviews with her one woman show "Not Yet, At All", a lyrical and humorous piece of storytelling and aerial work. Edith also has a solo clown show for young audiences, "Hurricane Gerty". She is currently touring across Canada playing in schools and Theatre Festivals and charming audiences with her superbly comic performances. A brilliant blend of physical comedy, clown and audience engagement "Hurricane Gerty" is achingly funny and filled with wit and soul. Edith has worked as Artist in Residence in theatres across Canada where she has performed and led workshops in clown and physical theatre. She is co-founder and co-artistic director of Magpye Theatre and, as part of the Artist in Education Program of the Ontario Arts Council, has taught in numerous elementary and high schools. She has collaborated with internationally acclaimed touring company Kneehigh Theatre of Cornwall, England and award–winning vaudevillian Tomas Kubinek . Their last collaboration resulted in the Gemini-nominated feature film "Tucked into Bedlam" based on his stage play "Bed", which premiered on CBC's Opening Night. Currently she is on board with an International Arts Organization, Circus Remedy, whose mandate is to bring acclaimed theatre and circus artists to perform their shows in hospitals and poverty stricken communities all over the world. She also tours with theatres, and has recently appeared in London with the KneeHigh Theatre's "Rapunzel" . To find out more about Edith's work, please visit her website listed below: www.edithtankus.com

Umo Ensemble

Over the past 20 years, the UMO Ensemble has become known as one of the most innovative, compelling and critically acclaimed performance companies based in the Pacific Northwest. The Ensemble has performed in theaters, at festivals and in schools throughout the Northwest, the United States, Canada and Europe. The mission of the UMO Ensemble is to stir the human spirit and incite the imagination by providing awe, challenge and inspiration through original and compelling physical theatre. Based in Vachon Island, in the Seattle Washington area, the ensemble has created over 20 new works since they started collaborating together in 1987.  The company is committed to an Ensemble of performers who create and compose their own production.  The work is rooted in physical theatre, although each ensemble member has their own interests.  For each production, an ensemble member serves as artistic director, holding the larger picture in mind.  Improvisations in movement, character, vocalizing, and writing are the basis for the creation and development of their new works. Since their arrival on Vashon Island in 1989, UMO Ensemble has created over twenty original works for the theatre. The Ensemble's material reflects their diverse range of styles and skills: the copper sculpture "dance animation" of Instinction (1987); the fifteen foot tall puppetry of Who Nose (1990), the mask and Red Nose clown work of Midnight Comix (1990) and Naughty Bits (1991), the lovably irreverent Buffoons of El Dorado (1992) and Insatiable Cabaret (1993); the acrobatic Djool of Caravan of Dreams (1994); the haunting, stripped-down beauty of Digging (1996) and Body Inheritance (1997); the archetypal fables of Expressions of the Spirit (1999); the breathtaking aerial virtuosity of Millennium Circus (1999), the musical and architectural richness of Cities (2001), the poignant and darkly comedic Fatal Peril (2003) and the playful and revealing Rapunzel (2005). The current ensemble has seven members: Esther Edelman, Martha Enson, David Godsey, Elizabeth Klob, Janet McAlpin, Amy Rider & Lyam White.   Each of them has a different background in theatre, dance, and the arts, making their productions rich and varied in technique and style. Umo Ensemble also has an extensive workshop and residency program, and works extensively in the Washington State school system. To find out more about their work and upcoming productions, visit their website listed below: http://www.umo.org

Clowns Talk about Clowning- YouTube Videos

Jim Moore, the variety arts photographer who has probably photographed more clowns than anybody in the history of photography, has been doing something new-- he's been videotaping clowns. If you check out his YouTube videos (URL below), he's putting up interviews with performers as they talk about their work, how they create their work, and even why they create their work. Jim's got tons of archival stuff, so who knows what else he's got in his archives. Recently he posted an interview with Keith Nelson of the Bindlestiff's, and he's also got David Engel and Hilary Chaplain talking about creating a new act for David's character El Magnifico. HILARY CHAPLAIN & DAVID ENGEL VIDEO I suggest subscribing to his YouTube feed on the page, or checking in there pretty often to see what rare and interesting material he surfaces. He'll also be interviewing somebody from the NY Downtown Clown Revue every month, where he remains the official staff photographer) (And speaking of subscribing, thanks to the ever more efficient Pat Cashin of Clownalley.net for the link to Keith's interview. I knew Jim was putting these videos together, but didn't think to mention them until I saw Pat's post. He beats me to the punch a lot in posting stuff.) If you are not RSS'ing Clownalley.net, you should be! Jim's Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=jm5star&p=r Pat Cashin's Clown Alley: www.clownalley.net

School of Physical Theatre, London England

The School of Physical Theatre is a full-time professional school based in London, UK, devoted to the training of physical theatre artists - writers, directors, and actors. The School offers a focused program - a voyage from the complex everyday world to its created reflection in the theatrical space. The School was founded in 1978 in Toronto, Canada under the guidance of director and principal instructor, Ron East. It was originally constituted as a summer program, associated with Mr. East’s theatre production company. The curriculum engendered such an enthusiastic response that in 1979 the first full-time programme was instituted. By 1984 the School was sufficiently established to become a separate organisation, and has run successfully ever since. In 1999 the school was moved to London England. The founder and principal instructor Ron East has over 20 years of experience as an actor, director, producer, and performer. He has written 18 original plays, and worked as a television series director, taught at many colleges, universities, and conservatories, and performed at the Stratford Festival, where he was awarded the Tyrone Guthrie award for his work. He is also the author of Moving Images (currently out of stock at Amazon) During its history the school graduated over 600 actors, dancers, writers, choreographers, directors, puppeteers and producers. Over 80% of their graduates make their living in whole or in part in the performing arts. Students have come from all over the world to study. The school offers an intensive one year program, a summer intensive, a post-graduate program for graduates (including a pedagogical internship), and 3 weekend classes open to the public. Studies are based on the work of Lecoq (of whom Mr. East was a student) and include movement analysis, acrobatics, vocal technique, juggling, stage combat, improvisation, maskwork, commedia'dell'arte, clown, and bouffon. Students are expected to create and perform weekly in-house, and there are 3 public presentations of the work during the year. To find out more about the school, visit their website listed below: http://www.physicaltheatre.com

Elemental Theatre Collective's King Stag in RI

I've been hearing about these guys for a while, but didn't realize that they were Trinity Rep Conservatory grads. (I am also a Conservatory grad as well, admittedly a lot earlier than these guys (like 14 years!)) They are performing Carlo Gozzi's commedia masterpiece, King Stag through the month of August at venues around the state of Rhode Island. Admission is free. (although I'm sure that donations are accepted!) If you are undecided about going, you can read this great review of their show in the Providence Phoenix. KING STAG SCHEDULE Sat 8/4, 6 pm - Clark Memorial Library - Carolina, RI- link Sun, 8/5, 6 pm - Goddard Park - Warwick, RI - link Sun 8/12, 6 pm - Foster Town Hall - Foster, RI - link Wed 8/15, 6 pm - Louttit Library - West Greenwich, RI - link Sat 8/18, 6 pm - WaterFire - Waterplace Park, Providence, RI - link ~ ABOUT ELEMENTAL THEATRE COLLECTIVE ~ Elemental is a theatre collective primarily made up of the Trinity Rep Conservatory Class of 2002. During three years of intensive learning and collaboration, they became determined to continue their growth as theatre artists together after graduation. In the fall of 2005, they mounted their first full-length show in Providence, a critically acclaimed production of Tony Kushner’s incendiary A Bright Room Called Day. It was nominated for Best Production, Best Director and Best Actress by Motif Magazine that year. They also produce an annual summer festival of short plays in Tiverton called Outbursts! This outdoor summer tour of King Stag, is the next step for them. To find out more about Elemental Theatre Ensemble, visit them online at the websites listed below. http://myspace.com/elementaltheatre http://elementaltheatre.org

Étienne McGinley

Steven Anthony Étienne McGinley was born in a small house in a small town in the small state of Maryland to a big family. His mother wanted him to be a priest and his father wanted to join the army, but he discovered juggling instead. Steven began appearing in school plays at the age of ten learned to love the sound of laughter and applause. Steven moved back and forth between the USA and France to earn an associates degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York city, a diplôme de sociologie from the Sorbonne in Paris and a masters degree in theater from the École Inter-nationale du Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. He also trained at the Ringling Bros. Clown College and toured with Cirque Fratellini - Europe's oldest circus. Steven has since been performing comedy all over the world and believes that laughter can cross all borders. The most symbolic moment of his career was playing French love songs on a tuba for a Chinese audience in Italy. Steven enjoys discovering beauty in unexpected places and plans to never retire. Étienne's show is interactive and spontaneous -- mixing circus tricks and sleight-of-hand with a dash of slapstick. With a bunch of interesting props, a little improvisation and a full cast of audience volunteers, Étienne delivers fresh and imaginative comedy that can be performed in English or French. To find out more about Etienne's work, please visit his website, listed below: WEBSITE: http://www.veryfunny.com