Kenny & Brenda Ahern

Kenny Ahern is a clown and performer based in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. A graduate of Ringling Clown College, Kenny has also studied with Bill Irwin, Chris Bayes, and Pavel Groditsky of the Soviet School for Circus and Variety Arts. Kenny has been performing for nearly 25 years. He does a number of shows aimed at the corporate, educational, and family markets. He has two shows aimed at school age audiences "Through the Eyes of a Fool" and "School Matters." His theatre show "A Slippery Universe" is designed for proscenium stages. Kenny also has his own Variety stage that he brings to fairs and festivals. His corporate work features original shows created specifically for a company, as well as a show titled "A Day In The Life" which features parodies of the life of an office worker. Kenny has also taught clowning at a number of places, including schools, clown camps, and Ringling Clown College. Kenny's wife Brenda is also a graduate of Ringling Clown College. Currently an elementary school teacher, she also presents shows to libraries and schools throughout the Wisconsin area. To find out more about Kenny and Brenda's work, please visit his website listed below: http://kennyahern.com/ They were also featured in a recent article in the Watertown Daily Times. Read the article (Please note, this article may go away after a few days of this post.)

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

RIP, Mr. Snot

Joe Kudla, half of the team of Puke and Snot, passed away on Monday. He was 58 years old, and had been performing Ren Faire stages for over 30 years, including letting young upstarts Penn and Teller open for them. Read more below (obit from the Pioneer Press) or visit the Puke and Snot website, listed below for more details. At the website listed below, Joe's partner Mark Sieve shares stories and fan email about Joe. PUKE AND SNOT WEBSITE: http://www.magaga.com Actor Joe Kudla of 'Puke and Snot' team dies at 58 By Dominic P. Papatola dpapatola@pioneerpress.com Article Last Updated: 08/11/2008 06:30:56 PM CDT Minneapolis actor Joe Kudla - half of the "Puke and Snot" comedy team that entertained crowds at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival for more than three decades - died Monday at the age of 58. Kudla died at his home in Northeast Minneapolis, according to his performing partner, Mark Sieve. A cause of death was not immediately available. "I'm wondering if Bud Abbott felt this way when Lou Costello died," said Mark Sieve, who played Puke in the popular comic duo that mixed swordplay and groaner jokes. Sieve said he and Kudla were supposed to go over some new material Monday, but that Kudla wasn't returning phone calls. "I was complaining to my wife about my irresponsible partner not answering his phone," Sieve said, honoring his late partner with a bit of gallows humor. "Turns out he had a good excuse." Kudla was already a fixture on the local performing scene when he and Sieve conjured the idea of a pair of medieval types who would crack wise and cross swords. The first iteration of the duo, dubbed Mouldy and Wart, premiered at the 1973 festival. Puke and Snot appeared the next year. At the height of their fame, the opening act for their routine was a young pair of comic-magicians named Penn and Teller. Kudla and Sieve trained others their shtick, and have been a fixture at Renaissance festivals across the country ever since. In 2007, Kudla took a break from playing Thomas Snot, earning rave reviews in the History Theatre production of "The Baron," a paean to old-school professional wrestling in which he played, among other famous grapplers, Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon. Sieve intends for the show to go on when the Minnesota Renaissance Festival opens later this month. "It would be a great tribute to Joe to keep it going," he said, "but I don't know. I might break down in the middle of the routine."

Deborah Kaufmann- Veni Vidi Vici (NY)

Deborah Kaufmann spent her childhood in dance and acting classes. She earned a degree in Visual Art from Bennington College. After brief careers as a production potter, a sign language interpreter, a props mistress, a typesetter and an aluminum can inspector, Deborah stumbled into her life as a clown. By seeking out master teachers such as Richard Pochinko, Tony Montanaro, Bob Berky, Avner Eisenberg and John Towsen, she has studied the art of clowning in its many facets. She was part of the production team of the First and Second NY Clown Theatre Festivals presented by If Every Fool, Inc. in 1982 and 1985. Since its inception in 1986, Deborah has performed with The Big Apple Circus Clown Care (sm). “Dr. Dibble” brings her own brand of buffoonery to hospitalized children and their caregivers. As the Creative and Educational Coordinator for Clown Care, she auditions and trains new performers, and oversees the ongoing artistic development of almost 100 unique “clown doctors.” She has taught hospital clowning in Brazil, France, The Netherlands, Finland and Australia. As the tuba player for The Baltic Street Blowhards, an eccentric band, she played NYC Parks, Symphony Space and Avery Fisher Hall. Deborah has performed her original works in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Brazil and Australia. Of her performance at the 2006 New Clown Theater Festival nytheatre.com said, “this performance gleams most brightly, with true mischief and solid will operating unfettered at maximum strength.” Deborah will be performing that same work, entitled Veni Vidi Vici, for three nights only at the Access Theatre in Manhattan. Take equal parts of dance, theater, and circus clown, add Native American mask work, flavor with a pinch of bouffon, a touch of true mischief, and a nod to "Harold and the Purple Crayon, " and you get this delightful look at greed and acquisition. "An exploration of human instincts at so basic a level that thought can be put aside and impulse thoroughly enjoyed . . . this performance gleams most brightly, with true mischief . . . unfettered at maximum strength." --nytheatre.com VENI VIDI VICI Written for adults, appropriate for children over 7 Dates: Sunday-Tuesday, August 17, 18, 19, 7:30pm Place: Access Theater - 380 Broadway, 4th floor, at White Street (two blocks below Canal) Subways: A, C, E, N, R, Q, W, 6, J, M, Z to Canal St; 1, 9 to Franklin Tickets: $10.00 theatermania.com, 212-352-3101, or 1-866-811-4111

Kathie Horejsi's Blog: Clown Mommy

I've featured Kathie previously on the blog here But that was before she had a blog! She's got a relatively new blog Clownmommy.com It's a personal account of her trying to do her work as a mom. So far I've read through most of it, and it definitely talks a lot about the struggles I have now (and I'm sure will have soon, as our baby is due to arrive in the next 4 weeks or so) I didn't know about her blog until my personal news alert for my unique last name let me know that somebody had posted it somewhere (Oh my God, The Clown Signal!) Kathie was talking about a conversation that we had about female clowning about 16 years ago. And sadly, her blog conks out in the middle of the story. I'd really like to find out what I said! And if you've got a clown blog out there where you are talking about your work as a clown, please let me know-- I don't promise to post it, but I'll give it a read at the very least!

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

Bindlestiffs Reality Show on the web

Add another show to your summer web watching schedule. The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has a new reality show that is being broadcast on the web. Each week will feature a mini-sode that is a different aspect of working with the Bindlestiffs-- booking, rehearsing, performing, touring. The trailers look like they are taken from all over the last 10 years or so (or at least incorporate footage from that time period.) The whole thing is supposed to start on 8/1/08, but there's some pretty good footage/trailers up on the site now. Here are some screengrabs from the trailers. For more information or to watch the show, visit the websites listed below: WEBISODES: http://www.thebindlestiffs.com WEBSITE/INFO: http://www.bindlestiff.org

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)

Kirk Marsh

Kirk Marsh is a clown and entertainer that has been described as an amalgamation of Charlie Chaplin, Jerry Lewis, and Dick Van Dyke rolled into one. His shows feature magic, juggling, eccentric dance,and oddball audience participation routines. His performances portray a man at odds with his life and his props. Kirk is a graduate of Ringling Brothers Clown College. Part klutz, part consummate entertainer, Kirk's shows and acts have delighted and amazed audiences around the world, from Las Vegas casinos to the world's largest cruise ships. Some of his employers have included Disney, Ringling, 3M, IBM, The RIO casino in Las Vegas, and Caribbean Cruise lines. He recently had a very successful performance at the International Circus Festival of Albacete, Spain. To find out more about Kirk, visit his website listed below: http://www.kirkmarsh.com

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

Kendall Cornell & Co-- April 11-13

a semi-sophisticated clown cabaret with Kendall Cornell and her Soon-To-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe APRIL 11-13th 2008 (three nights only!!!) An old-fashioned music hall is overrun by clowns who, along with their slightly more serious guest artists, present music and song of all genres, madcap dance numbers and devilish surprises. Special guest artists include: The hip songstress Fiona Landers The tap dancing élan of Rod Ferrone The flamenco vocals of Alfonso Cid The rock and roll musings of The Bitter Poet

WHERE: The Club at La MaMa E.T.C. 74 A EAST 4th Street - between 2nd Avenue and The Bowery (F/V to 2nd Avenue, 6 to Astor Place, N/R to 8th St.) MAP WHEN: Friday, April 11th at 10 pm Saturday, April 12th at 10pm Sunday, April 13th at 5:30pm Running Time: Approximately 65 min ~ no intermission TICKETS: $15 (Student and senior tickets are $10 with valid ID) Online: www.lamama.org Phone: (212) 475-7710 In person: LaMaMa box office (Mon - Fri 10am – 10pm, Sat - Sun Noon - 10pm) MORE INFO: www.lamama.org and www.notjustforshockvalue.com MORE INFO ON GUEST PERFORMERS: Alfonso Cid: www.gazpachoandalu.com Rod Ferrone, The Tap Cat in the Hat: www.rodferrone.com Kevin Draine, The Bitter Poet: www.thebitterpoet.com Fiona Landers: www.fionalanders.com and www.myspace.com/fionalanders

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

Tall Toys Troupe

The Tall Toys Troupe is a group of stilt-walking performers based in Connecticut who perform a number of stilt-based shows. They provide a number of entertainers and shows for corporate gigs, parades, birthday parties, and other events. Their costumes are great, and they have a number of different looks, including a 9 foot tall Uncle Sam, trees (like Ents from the Lord of the Rings), wizards, and lots of other characters. Although their name implies stilt-walking, they also provide jugglers, balloonologists, face painters, and of course clowns. Many of the performers they bring in are graduates of Ringling Clown College (one of the founders, Katie Wilson Peterson, was in my year) To find out more about the Tall Toys Troupe, visit their website at http://www.talltoys.com UPDATE: Both their email and their phone isn't working, although their website works like a charm. Not sure if everything is okay with them. If anyone reading this has more of an update on Tall Toys, please let me know. Or you can post in the comments....

Portland OR: Intro to Clown Weekend 10/20-10/21

Barnaby King is teaching a workshop weekend in Portland OR. "INTRO TO CLOWN" Workshops Weekend - Oct 20/21 2-6pm Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (5340 N Interstate Ave., Portland OR) Working with the basic concepts of clown work: connection, engagement, knowing yourself, playing with vulnerability and strength. Cost: $90 Barnaby's Clown Training Philosophy The kind of clowning I teach stands apart from most clown training in that it is inspired the Native American concept of clown as a transformative and divine being, and blends this with a more traditional European (Le Coq) style of clowning. This methodology was developed by Richard Pochinko and Sue Morrison in Toronto and is still taught by Morrison. For us, the clown is not merely a fool, an idiot, a figure of fun or a joke-teller (though he/she may be any of these things), but rather a channel for the whole gamut of human emotion and experience, but conveyed in a manner of such extremity, directness and self-exposure to the audience that makes him/her distinct from the actor. The reason that the clown persists as such a potent figure in cultures around the world is that he/she has power to do or say anything, however outrageous or embarrassing, truthful or dangerous, but always in the context of powerful emotional connection with the audience. It is this connection, the ultimate humanity and vulnerability of the clown, which allows him/her to transgress all kinds of boundaries and ultimately to remind us of who we are. The world needs more clowns. These workshops teach clown through connection, through discovering what you want to communicate and how to communicate it. Learning to clown does not take you down any specific path (any fixed idea of what a clown 'is') but rather supports you in discovering more about who you are and then learning to connect with vulnerability and strength with your audience. Learning to clown is about testing your own limits and going beyond them. As a clown you are able to take people into your world, transform them, and bring them back with a new awareness. ABOUT THE TEACHER "Barnaby encouraged me to be more of who I am. I was truly touched by this experience." (Student) "The clown workshop was engaging and fun, but what I appreciated most is that it challenged me, as an actor and a human being, in profound ways. You are a brilliant teacher." (student) Barnaby King has studied under master clown teacher Sue Morrison since 2000 and is now a recognized teacher and performer in countries around the world. In 2004 he created a solo clown show, Flawed Genius, which he has subsequently toured internationally with great critical acclaim. He is currently writing a book about clowning with Sue Morrison. TO RESERVE PLACES CONTACT: barnabyking@gmail.com 646 673 3014 For more information, visit http://www.flawedgeni.us

Fab! Festival NY-- 9/29

Kendall Cornell and her Soon-To-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe will perform at the FAB! Festival -- A Block Party and Festival on September 29th (1-5pm) E. 4th Street between Bowery and 2nd Avenue Presented by the Fourth Arts Block and its many members, FAB! Festival celebrates the arts of the East Village with performances, food, and open houses. Kendall and company will be participating on behalf of La MaMa, Etc.,(their stage will be in front of LaMaMa at 74A East 4th Street) Schedule will feature Kendall Cornell in Flamenco Girl at 2 pm (approximately) and the Soon-To-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe at 3:15 pm (approximately) The STBWF group includes Kathie Horejsi, Ishah Janssen-Faith, Mona Le Roy, Judi Lewis Ockler, Maria Smushkovich and Ginny Venk Other La MaMa performances include music by Heather Christian, theatre by Collaboration Town, performance by Michael Cross Burke, puppetry by Frederico Restrepo and more... To find out more about the festival visit http://www.fabnyc.org/festival.shtmlfor info about more performances and the day's many events! To find out more about Kendall Cornell and her STBWF Troupe, visit http://www.notjustforshockvalue.com/

Steve Russell-- In Capable Hands

A good article recently appeared in the Dunn County News about Clown College Graduate Steve Russell, and how he got a job with the NY City Opera through clown-networking. I'm a member of that network, and saw the whole thing happen! Steve and his wife Kobi Shaw form a juggling duo called In Capable Hands. Both are graduates of Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Clown College, and Steve has trained over 100 Ringling Bros. clowns in juggling and clowning. Their talents have taken them all over the country, as well as all over the world. Between the two of them, Steve and Kobi have appeared at Disney World, Disneyland, London's Covent Garden, and renaissance festivals from Florida to Texas. Their skills have been seen on national television for Good Morning America, Nickelodeon T.V., and the Tonight Show. They have juggled on more than 15 cruise ships, traveling throughout Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, South America and the Caribbean. Regionally, they entertain audiences at numerous fairs and festivals, including the Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, Ohio, and Northern Wisconsin State Fairs. In addition, they do a corporate presentation entitled The Art of Ooomph. Russell and Shaw are married and have been a juggling duo since 1996. Their two sons, Tate and Quinn, were born in January, 2001 and November, 2002, respectively. They spend their time trying to avoid being juggled.. You can find out more about In Capable Hands by visiting their website (listed below) http://www.incapablehands.com/ I've also included a portion of that article, but to read the rest, read the article on the original website Specialty act - Talent with fire lands Russell with Big Apple opera gig By LeAnn R. Ralph, Reporter When you have a specialized skill and no one else applies, you're bound to get the job. And that's exactly how Colfax resident Steve Russell, of the comedy juggling duo In Capable Hands, ended up as the understudy to the fire-breathing juggling clown in the production of "Pagliacci" at the New York City Opera. "Pagliacci" is scheduled to be performed at Lincoln Center from Sept. 28 to Oct. 27. Russell began rehearsals Sept 13, after learning only five days earlier that he had gotten the job. "I'm a graduate of Ringling Brothers Clown College, and I'm on an e-mail list of about 400 other people who graduated from clown school and clown college," Russell said. People on the e-mail list exchange information about jobs that are available. Russell's wife and show business partner (and Dunn County News correspondent), Kobi Shaw, had seen the listing asking for a juggler/fire eater to be an understudy for Pagliacci the day before Russell called about the job. "Kobi said, 'this is something you should do,' " Russell recalled. By the time he was able to make a telephone call on Friday afternoon, he was certain that the New York City Opera would have already found someone else. "I gave them a call mid-afternoon on Friday. Within five minutes, he was talking as if I already had the job," Russell said. "It turns out that it's hard to find a fire-breathing juggler who could make the dates of the show. I wish all my jobs were this easy and this glamorous." READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus

Since 1995 the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has traveled the world, bringing its unique hybrid of vaudeville, circus, burlesque, and sideshow to theaters, clubs, colleges, and festivals. The company has produced innumerable cabaret shows, custom performances for special audiences, all-ages and family productions, and sophisticated adult shows. Over the last five years the company has begun developing more theatrical productions, including 2001's Buckaroo Bindlestiff's Wild West Gender Bender Jamboree, 2003's High Heels & Red Noses, and 2005's From the Gutter to the Glitter: A Night Out with the Bindlestiffs. In 2004 Bindlestiff instituted its annual children's performance program, the Cavalcade of Youth, in which young performers and technical staff (ages 8-20) have the opportunity to hone their skills with variety arts professionals. The Bindlestiff Family co-founders are Stephanie Monseu and Keith Nelson, who over the last decade have hosted a variety of outrageous talent under the Bindlestiff banner. Individually both Keith and Stephanie provide a vast array of talents, from public relations to booking to performing. Their personal dedication to the variety arts, circus, vaudeville, sideshow, and burlesque has made the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus famous both among audiences and within the variety performance community. From 2002 to 2004 the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus operated the "last vaudeville house in Times Square." In conjunction with chashama, Bindlestiff opened Bindlestiff's Palace of Variety and the Free Museum of Times Square. The Palace presented up to five performances a day, presenting continuous vaudeville shows on 42nd Street and hosting nearly thirty other productions. [NOTE: During this time, I performed with the Bindlestiff's performing my flea circus on weekends, and working as the Outside Talker during night shows] The size of the Cirkus can range from two to sixteen performers, depending on the show. Over 200 performers from a multitude of disciplines have entertained Bindlestiff audiences across the country and around the world. Bindlestiff has brought its grand spectacle to hundreds of thousands from a live stage, and over a million through television. Dedicated fans come back again and again expecting the very best and most original acts working today. In 2006 the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus and Magic Hat Summer Variety Show made its debut tour. Co-sponsored by Magic Hat Brewing Company, this production sought to bring circus to festivals and music stages up and down the East Coast. For the next two weeks, the Bindlestiffs will finish their 2007 Magic Hat Tour. The show currently features some of the Bindlestiff's best and brightest, including juggler and clown Adam Kuchler, funambulist Ariele Ebacher, cowboy extraordinaire A.J. Silver, organist Frederik Iversen, and of course Philomena Bindlestiff and Mr. Pennygaff (the founders of the show) To find out more about the Bindlestiffs, visit their website listed below, or call their Hotline. WEBSITE: http://www.bindlestiff.org HOTLINE: 1-877-BINDLES TOUR SCHEDULE: September 5 Tink's 519 Linden St Scranton, PA 18503 (570) 346-8465 http://www.clubtinks.com/index.php Showtime 9 September 6 The Chameleon 223 N. Water St. Lancaster, PA 17603 http://www.chameleonclub.net/ HOTLINE: 717.393.7133 Showtime: 9 Friday Sept 7th Zipper Factory 336 W. 37th Street NYC 10018 212-563-0480 http://www.thezipperfactory.com showtime 9pm September 8 - 9 Boston Tattoo Convention Boston Center for The Arts 539 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02116 http://www.bcaonline.org Doors at noon Saturday & Sunday Shows throughout the day September 10 The Lucky Dog Music Hall 89 Green St Worcester, MA 01604 508-363-1888 Start Time: 8:00 PM Sept 12 The Red Square 388 Broadway Albany, NY 12210 (518) 465-0444 www.redsquarealbany.com show 9pm September 13 Hops in the Square 100 East Genesee St Downtown Syracuse event begins at 5pm show 6pm-7pm September 14 The Rex Theater 1602 East Carson St Pittsburgh, PA venue phone 412-381-6811 http://www.elkoconcerts.com/rextheater.htm Show 8pm September 15 World Cafe Live 3025 Walnut Street Philadelphia PA http://www.worldcafelive.com/ tix and info 215 222-1400 Show 8:00 pm

Barnaby King-- Flawed Genius

Barnaby King is a performer, director and teacher based in Leeds, England, and is the Artistic Director of Yellow Belly Theatre, which produces diverse theatre projects in the UK and internationally. In 1996 he completed a Masters in Theatre Studies at Leeds University and went on to be Associate Director with the Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah for five years, directing and performing in plays for young audiences. During this period he also began working with Sue Morrison, first in the UK in 1999, then taking the full Clown Through Mask workshop in Toronto in 2001. In 2003 he left the Blahs to set up his own company, Yellow Belly, and pursue freelance directing opportunities. That same year he won an Arts Council of England grant to make a show with Sue which became Flawed Genius. Since then he has toured extensively with the show around the UK, Canada, USA, Colombia and Peru (South America). Barnaby also teaches clowning and various performance and improvisational techniques in universities in the Leeds region and has given workshops in the USA, India and South America. Barnaby's show, Flawed Genius, has been described as like watching "Hugh Grant coming down off a bad mushroom high". It's a whirlwind tour of love, loss, frustration and triumph, via piano lessons, latin lessons, science lessons, tragic tales of stuffed birds and flown girlfriends. The show combines emotional intensity and honesty with a quirky post-modern absurdity and improvised interaction with audience that makes every show a unique and remarkable experience. It's received a lot of acclaim wherever it has performed. Barnaby will be performing his show at the Minnesota & Iowa Fringe Festivals this summer. (unfortunately, the Iowa dates have already passed) To find out more about Barnaby's work, including his U.S. appearances, visit his website listed below: http://www.flawedgeni.us

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.

Greg and Karen DeSanto

Currently in their third decade as professional circus clowns, Greg and Karen DeSanto are one of the few husband and wife comedy/clown teams working in America today. Karen graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1993 and then was featured in Ringling's Blue Unit. A member of the Clown Care (SM) hospital clowning program of the Big Apple Circus, Karen is one of the country's leading clown instructors and has developed teaching programs for the Circus's Arts-In-Education program, the National Circus Project and Ocean Park Amusements. Her performances have taken her to the stages of Carnegie Hall, the State Capital of California and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Greg graduated in 1985 from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He was the featured producing clown and created, wrote and directed original clown material for Ringling's Blue, Red and Gold Units. Greg taught at Ringling Clown College for a number of years (I was one of his students!) Greg has performed in a number of places, including the center ring of Madison Square Garden, the historic vaudeville stage of the Sarasota Opera House, Lincoln Center and the White House. Greg was also a featured performer in the 1996-1997 Big Apple Circus tour, Medicine Show. In 2001, Greg was inducted into the 2001 EHS Hall of Fame for his contributions to the arts and humanities. Together Greg and Karen have served as consultants for Feld Entertainment and have directed the clown