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

Olympic Comedy--Paul Hunt & his Comedy Gymnastics Routines

Just happened across some amazing gymnastic comedy by Paul Hunt. He was a coach and gymnast in the 1980's and does some amazing comedy gymnastic routines in drag. In a tutu, Paul manages to perfectly parody a number of female gymnastic stunts, while at the same time doing a lot of amazing gymnastics and acrobatics himself. I haven't been able to find out what happened to him (the videos are all from the 1980's) If somebody out there knows, please comment listed below. There is a Hunt's Gymnastics Academy in Utah, but the webpage is currently defunct. Enjoy these incredible videos (most of which seem to be shot at Gymnastic competitions, and at least a few of these are commented on by professional sports commentators.) It's very interesting to see the floor routine shot side by side, one in French, and one in English, and how the commentators comment on them. COMEDY FLOOR ROUTINE IN ENGLISH COMEDY FLOOR ROUTINE IN FRENCH COMEDY PARALLEL BAR ROUTINE COMEDY BALANCE BEAM ROUTINE

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."

FUNAMBOLIKA 2008 (Italy July 5-8)

Funambolika 2008 is the 2nd edition of the summer circus arts festival particularly focused on clowns, and conceived by Italian clown and director Raffaele De Ritis. It takes places in Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy, in the open-air Teatro D’Annunzio on the Adriatic beach. This is the same 2000-seats arena where Pescara Jazz, one of the oldest and most prestigious jazz festivals in the world takes place (www.pescarajazz.com). Funambolika is organized by the same company Last year's festival featured Jango Edwards and David Larible. This year's festival will have three evenings of entertainment: July 5 DUEL (Paul Staicu, piano – Laurent Cirade, cello) The comedy musical revelation of last year’s Edimburgh and Avignon Festival July 7 PETER SHUB The legendary clown with his solo theatre show “Nice Night for an Evening” July 8 GRAN GALA DU CIRQUE Guest star: Andrei Jigalov An evening of international circus acts (from Monte Carlo Festival, Kiev School, Moscow Circus, Cirque du Soleil appearances) including among others juggler Boul, acrobat Maxim Popazov, contorsionist-swimmer Aqua and others, around a special guest star: clown ANDREI JIGALOV, the king of contemporary russian laughmakers. Pescara is a ten minute drive from Aereoporto d’Abruzzo (www.abruzzo-airport.it ), and is easily connected to via many major cities. For all other destinations, the Rome Fiumicino airport is 2 hours drive. For more information visit the following websites: Funambolika blog: www.funambolika.blogspot.com General program: www.entemanifestazionipescaresi.it Myspace: www.myspace.com/funambolika Tickets: (39) 085-6920057 – (39) 085-4221463 Organization: (39) 085-693093 • (39) 085-4503036 Email: info@entemanifestazionipescaresi.it Artistic direction: rderitis@hotmail.com

Paul Wildbaum

Paul Wildbaum is a mime/clown/ standup comedian that has thrilled audiences around the world with an inspired repertoire of comedy, visual theater and audience participation. Described as "hilarious" and "touching", Paul is a compelling performer who combines the sublime with the ridiculous to create a brilliant cast of characters: Hamlet as a drunk, a baby unsure about being born; and with an uncanny ability to involve the audience, he creates a western in which he plays the villain and has audience members playing all the other roles, even the saloon doors. Paul studied mime with Til Thiel for seven years, Commedia Dell'Arte with Carlo Mazzone Clemente, and clown and mask with Richard Pochenko. He also apprenticed and performed as a puppeteer and studied acting and directing with Marie Hopps. He has presented his work to international audiences since 1976, representing Canada to such prestigious events as The Macao Arts Festival, The International Comedy Festival in Melbourne , Australia , the Totus World Theater Festival in Poland , the 1992 Expo in Seville , London International Mime Festival and the Montreal Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival. At Expo 86, in Vancouver, he was in such demand that a 6 week engagement was extended to 4 months and again, at Expo 88 in Brisbane, Australia, he was held over for a month. In 2004, he performed at the prestigious Singapore Comedy Festival. To find out more about Paul's work, visit his website listed below: http://www.paulwildbaum.com

Clown Therapy Workshop SF (May 26-29)

Clown Therapy Workshop - Weekend Intensive with Paoli Lacy May 24, 25, & 26 Saturday 2-6, Sunday 10-6, and Monday 10-1 Taught by Paoli Lacy, Godmother of Clown Therapy, this workshop will be an experiential, hands-on 2 1/2 day intensive. It will include practical kinesthetic learning of clown therapy techniques along with discussion of the theory and rationales for their use. A holistic approach to meeting psychological and physical challenges, Clown Therapy has been successful with health issues where mind, body, and a sense of humor need to converge. Clown Therapy is noted for serving special needs children at the crossroads of physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and creative arts, with Lucille Ball directing traffic. All participants will receive a copy of the Clown Therapy Handbook for future reference. Cost: $170.00 Discounts for AYCO members, Clown Conservatory and Dell ‘Arte graduates Classes held at the Circus Center San Francisco 755 Frederick Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 Phone: (415) 759-8123 Email: info@circuscenter.org WEBSITE: http://www.circuscenter.org Photo of Paoli Lacy from Rebecca Longworth's Flickr Page Permission to use photograph from Creative Commons License.

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

Clown Show for Bruno Feb 27,28 in Atlanta

Acclaimed mime Daniel Stein and Dell'arte graduates Kali Quinn and Bill Celentano are featured in a new show about Polish artist and novelist Bruno Schultz (author of the classic Street of Crocodiles) Schulz was killed in the Holocaust in 1944 by a German officer. The show will be performed at Atlanta's PushPush Theatre. The play,written by author Murray Mednick, is produced in association with Padua Playwrights. In 1978, Murray Mednick and five other playwrights, including Sam Shepard and Maria Irene Fornes, converged on the old Padua Hills estate in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, just east of Los Angeles. The playwrights, as well as playwriting students and actors, were given free reign to re-investigate their creativity, developing writing exercises for the morning, rehearsing in the afternoon, and presenting the results in the evening. Since 2000, Padua has become a production company that produces works as well as inspires them. The Bruno Project is expected to tour throughout the world, Poland, Germany, the Ukraine and Israel. Guy Zimmerman’s direction uses elements of mask, clowning and other theatrical disciplines to underscore the lyrical poeticism of Mednick’s text. This timeless production will speak to audiences at all levels – young and old, Jewish and non-Jewish - but will have a particular impact on younger audiences looking for new ways to understand the Nazi genocide. Key collaborators in the Bruno project include, playing the lead, celebrated Commedia performer and teacher Daniel Stein. After attending the professional actor training program at Carnegie-Mellon University, Stein studied in Paris with French master Etienne Decroux, and made his home in Paris for 20 years. Daniel started his professional career as an actor with the French National Theatre, and his solo performances have toured in more than 30 countries, as well as in theatres such as the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center here in the United States. Formerly head of the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, in Blue Lake CA (among many other prestigious teaching credits), Stein is joined for this production by two of his star students, Kali Quinn and Bill Celentano, who have made names for themselves in the Los Angeles and New York theater community. Also on board for Padua’s production of Clown Show for Bruno are award-winning designers John Zelewski (music and sound design), Ann Closs-Farley (costume design), Jeffrey Atherton (set and mask design.), and current Padua director Guy Zimmerman SHOW DATES Monday, February 25: Danville, Kentucky - Centre College, Norton Center for the Arts (Studio 502) Wednesday, February 27: Decatur, Georgia - Push Push Theater Thursday, February 28: Atlanta, Georgia - Goethe Institute Library To find out more about the show and the theatre, visit the websites listed below: http://www.pushpushtheater.com/ http://www.paduaplaywrights.net/ On the Padua site, there is a video (apparently not linkable) that you can view which is an interview with author Murray Mednick about the project. The video also features scenes from the production.

Johnny Peers Muttville Comix

One of the top working clown and dog acts is Johnny Peers' Muttville Comix. Johnny has been performing his act for over 25 years, and has performed it on four continents and with some of the best circuses in the business, including Ringling, Big Apple Circus, and Carson & Barnes, among many others. Johnny's dad was a concessionaire on the Ringling circus. While helping his dad, Johnny ended up sneaking away to watch the clowns, and eventually decided to become one. He graduated from Ringling's Clown College in 1970 and a few years later, began creating the character and act that he's been doing ever since. Johnny currently uses about 15 dogs in his show, but owns and cares for 25 dogs. The dogs do everything, including jumping rope, climbing ladders, walking a tightrope, and most importantly, knocking Johnny down several times a minute and then walking all over him. It takes from 6 months to a year for each dog to learn its act, and the act is a collaboration between the dogs natural talents and Johnny's masterful ability to place the dogs in a circus context. In 2003, Johnny and his group won the Animal Planet Pet Star award. To find out more about Johnny and his Muttville Comix, please visit his website listed below: http://www.johnnypeersmuttvillecomix.com/

Peter Pitofsky

Peter Pitofsky is a Clown College graduate who is currently plying his brand of amazing physical and facial comedy to the college and comedy circuits. He lives in the Los Angeles area, and he's been in a few movies and television shows, as well as a number of live shows, including Teatro Zinzanni, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, and the movie The Aristocrats. After seeing the video below, you'll be wondering why he's not in just about everything you see. Among Ringling graduates and road clowns, Peter is legendary for his 108's, for his always being on, and for being one of the funniest guys on or off the show. Here's a YouTube video that shows him at some of his funniest: (a special tip of the hat to Pat Cashin's ClownAlley.net for alerting me to this video) To find out more about Peter's work, visit his myspace page listed below: http://www.myspace.com/peterpitofsky

Circus Action International

Inspired by the success of Cirque du Soleil’s “Cirque du Monde”, Ethiopia’s “Circus of Hope” and Cambodia’s Phare Ponleu Selpak, Canadian director Jerry Snell has founded another institution for Youth at Risk using Circus and Performing Arts as a tool for helping migrant and street children, working children, freed bonded labor children, trafficked and victims of slave labor in Asia and Africa. In collaboration with co founder James Tanabe, they have begun to set up CIRCUS ACTION INTERNATIONAL which is currently a network of teachers, programs, companies using performing arts and circus as an educational tool or simply a way to build confidence and resolve feelings of isolation and abandon in youth cornered by complex problems such as human trafficking, war, AIDS/HIV, poverty and political corruption. The first conference of Circus Action International will be hosted by Cambodian Arts & Circus Company Phare Ponleu Selpak in Cambodia at their Circus Festival 3 to 6 of April, 2008 in Battambang. If you are interested in helping to organize communications (they currently need an english to french translator) or interested in becoming a teacher in the projects in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and India, please contact Jerry Snell. The teaching projects are set to begin in July 2008. Send him your background and availability for the future, especially if you already have plans to come to Asia. For more information about Jerry Snell or Circus Action International, visit his website http://www.jerrysnell.com or email info@jerrysnell.com For more information about Phare Ponleu Selpak, visit their website http://www.phareps.org It's in French, but there's an English translation.

Jean Peysson: Boxeur Bleu: Workshops in Mexico March 8-15, 2008

Jean Peysson is a French clown, writer, and theatre creator who lives in Lyon. Jean has written over 30 plays, numerous songs, two volumes of poetry and is currently working on a trilogy as a novelist. When he works as a clown, he works under the name Lulu. He is also the founder and director of Boxeur Bleu Theatre, which has performed at a number of international festivals, including Okinawa, Shanghai, and others. They teach clowning, put on shows, and create theatre. Their clown show Fanfine & Lulu has received international acclaim. Jean will be teaching a class in San Miguel of Allende, Mexico, March 8-15, 2008. The workshop is being held privately, under the auspices of a group of artists who live in San Miguel, two French people Daniel Sirdey and Florence Dengreville, and an LA Director David Hunter. The class will be about clown and also about theatre-- creating a clown character, and then using your personal life to create the story of the show. At the end of the workshop there will be a performance To find out more about the workshop or Boxeur Bleu & Jean Peyyson, visit the websites listed below. All of the websites are only in French, so you might have a problem if you don't speak French. To the best of my knowledge, the class will be in French, with some English translation available, but the website is not clear on this point. UPDATE: There are two portions to the workshop-- clown & theatre. The clown aspect will be taught in French, English, and Spanish if required. The theatre aspect will be working with French texts in French. If you are having problems understanding either of the websites, I suggest trying to translate it via this webpage www.babelfish.altavista.com It's not perfect, but it will get you 80% of what you need to know. The class costs $450 Canadian dollars, and a deposit must be paid via Paypal. The class is limited to 15 students. WORKSHOP IN MEXICO WEBSITE: www.ateliertheatre.san-miguel-allende.com BOXEUR BLEU WEBSITE: http://boxeur.bleu.theatre.free.fr/ You can also email Florence vipassana9@gmail.comif you have any questions.

November 9-11: Conference of Hospital Clowns in Buenos Aires

From November 9-11 there will be The First Congress of Hospital Clowns at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires to teach and talk about the art and science of hospital clowning. It will be in Spanish, and all the information is in Spanish, and my Spanish isn't very good, so some of this info may be wrong-- feel free to correct me, and I'll correct the information) The conference is being organized by two organizations: Payamédicos, and Clowns No Perecederos. Both organizations organize clowns and artists to help the sick and needy feel better in Buenos Aires. Clowns No Perecederos is a project of Argentinian clown Cristina Marti. I am not 100% sure (as I said, my Spanish isn't very good), but I think they create shows that benefit hungry and homeless kids, and help feed malnourished children. Payamédicos is an organizations similar to the Big Apple Clown Care Unit that connects clowns into hospitals. There is a full schedule of events during the two days, and it looks like clowns and doctors from Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Spain will be there. The conference will be in Spanish (naturally!) To find out more about the conference, visit their website listed below: http://www.congresoclown.blogspot.com/ To find out about the organizations sponsoring the conference, visit their websites. CLOWNS NO PERECEDEROS PAYAMÉDICOS

Parallel Exit Gala 10/29 featuring Barry Lubin

Parallel Exit will produce a Halloween Gala that will include entertainment from the company and special guest star Barry Lubin (Grandma the Clown). The benefit takes place at 7:30pm on Monday October 29 at the 45th Street Theatre, 354 West 45th Street. Tickets are $75 for VIPs and $30 for patrons, and can be reserved at 917-407-7537or parallelexit@hotmail.com. Barry Lubin is the creator of Grandma , one of New York City’s best-loved cultural icons and the star of the Big Apple Circus. He appears this season in their 30th Anniversary show Celebrate! at Lincoln Center (Oct. 19-Jan. 13). Mr. Lubin’s appearance at Parallel Exit’s benefit will allow audiences the chance to see his beloved Grandma in a rare solo performance. Last season, Mr. Lubin starred with Parallel Exit’s Joel Jeske in the Big Apple Circus show Step Right Up! and they both join Parallel Exit for an evening of Halloween fun, food, drink, raffle, and prizes. Proceeds from the evening go towards producing Parallel Exit’s newest show CUT TO THE CHASE, the “biggest wee show in town” as part of the holiday season at 59 E59 Theaters from December 5-30, 2007. This family vaudeville revue is directed by Mark Lonergan and features Laura Dillman, Mike Dobson, Joel Jeske, Juliet Jeske, Ryan Kasprzak, Andrea Kehler, and Derek Roland. Parallel Exit will present excerpts from the show as part of the evening’s festivities with Joel Jeske warming up the crowd with a special Halloween-themed performance. VIP tickets include priority seating, a reception with Mr. Lubin and the performers, and recognition in the evening’s program and company website. Who:Parallel Exit with special guest Barry “Grandma the Clown” Lubin What: Halloween Gala Benefit When: Monday October 29, 7:30pm Where: 45th Street Theatre, 354 West 45 Street Tickets: $75 VIPs, $30 Patrons, at 917-407-7537 or parallelexit@hotmail.com

Jim Moore Photo Exhibition of the Twin Towers Tightrope Walk

In 1974, mime and photographer Jim Moore became the right-hand-man for aerialist Philippe Petit during the secret preparations and daring guerilla tightrope walk between the two World Trade Center Towers. Thirty three years later, Jim is presenting his photographs of the event in oversized 50" x 35" Iris prints, including shots titled On the edge of the abyss, A Helicopter's View, 110 floors, and more. The shots reveal the inner workings of the audacious preparations, including climbing and rigging of the World Trade Towers, all done in complete secrecy. The exhibit will run October 16- November 4 at the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music, 315 Columbia St, Red Hook, Brooklyn. An opening reception is planned for Wednesday October 17 from 6-9 pm. There is no word yet if there will be a commemorative tightrope walk at the reception. For more information about the tightrope walk, visit the wikipedia article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Petit

Ciao, Pagliacci.

If you haven't heard, the amazing tenor Luciano Pavarotti has recently died. As a singer, he was a real talent. And for opera fans around the world, he was the only clown they really cared about (or maybe even seen) Pagliacci the opera was first made famous by the tenor Enrico Caruso, and since has become one of the standards by which tenors are judged. Caruso singing Pagliacci was the first record to sell one million copies. Pavarotti made his indelible mark on the role as well, and was seen by some to be the ultimate Canio (who is the murderous clown/commedia performer in the play) The most famous aria that he sings is Vesti La Giubba (Put on the costumes) Which he sings while heartbroken. Vesti la Giubba is the conclusion of the first act, where Canio (Pagliaccio) discovers his wife's infidelity, but must prepare for performance as the 'show must go on'. Here is the Wikipedia translation of the original text. To recite! While taken with delirium, I no longer know what I say, or that which I do! And yet you must, force yourself! Bah! Are you not a man? You are a clown! Put on your costume, and powder your face. The people pay, and laugh when they please. And if Harlequin steals from you Colombina, laugh, Pagliaccio, and everyone will applaud! Change into laughs the spasms of pain; into a grimace the tears of pain, Ah! Laugh, Pagliaccio, for your love is broken! Laugh of the pain, that poisons your heart! To find out more about Pagliacci or Pavarotti, visit the websites listed below. PAVAROTTI: Obituary PAVAROTTI: Official Website PAGLIACCI: Wikipedia

Gaulier in NY

Internationally acclaimed clown and acting teacher Philippe Gaulier will conduct workshops in New York City during September. Philippe Gaulier was a master teacher at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris before starting his own school in 1980. After ten years in Paris, he moved his school to London and finally, in 2002, back to France. The Ecole Philippe Gaulier is an important center for theatre training for students from around the world. Philippe's unique approach to actor training has influenced performing artists as diverse as Emma Thompson, London's Theatre de Complicite and Sacha Cohen's Borat and Ali G. Workshops will include: SPECIAL 2-DAY Weekend Workshopdays SEPTEMBER 15-16 An introduction to the teachings of Philippe Gaulier. This workshop will be a short version of the Ecole Gaulier foundational course Le Jeu. The basic relationships of actor/audience and actor/actor will be explored. MORE INFO MORNING SESSION 2 weeks M-F weekday mornings SEPTEMBER 17-28 The morning session will focus on teachings from the Ecole Gaulier. Specifically: Le Jeu, Bouffon and Melodrama. MORE INFO AFTERNOON SESSION 2 weeks M-F weekday afternoons SEPTEMBER 17-28 The afternoon session will focus on Clown. MORE INFO Courses will be held in New York City at an undisclosed location. The morning and afternoon workshops are $750 each, or $1300 if you take both. The weekend workshop costs $300. The Registration Form For further information email: Gaulier2007@gmail.com or visit the website: Gaulier in NY Sept 2007 "BOOOORRRIINNG!!!" Read an interview with Gaulier in Fast Company Magazine

Peter Daniel Straus

Peter Daniel Straus is an entertainer with multiple identities- clown, sketch comedian, writer, director, published author, illustrator, and probably a few other ones that I am leaving out. He has performed with a number of illustrious institutions, including the Metropolitan Opera, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Dance Theater Workshop, the National Theatre of Norway, and on Late Night With David Letterman, to name a few. As the rear-half of the comedy duo, Dapo & Straus, he has appeared all around New York City and on Royal Carribean cruise ships. Previous to that, he worked as a clown-doctor with New York’s “Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit”. And as a stage actor, he has recently been touring his new solo comedy show, BiG TiME in Norway. He is also the lead in a developing stage adaptation of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s The First Shlemiel, with music by Elizabeth Swados. Peter also works as a creative consultant, director, and teacher. he has lent his experience as the “slapstick konsulent” to the National Theatre of Norway’s production of Alice i Eventryland. He created and directed the theatrical family comedy show, Dill og Diger, which toured Norway in the Fall of 2006, and is currently in development as a television program. Peter also has taught physical comedy, with students ranging from interested teens to the seasoned actors of the National Theatre of Norway. Wearing a very different hat, Peter is also a published author. He is the illustrator-designer and co-author of MenOpop, the world’s first menopause pop-up and activity book. The book has been featured on a number of television programs and magazine articles. Peter is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, The British American Drama Academy, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. To find out more about Peter's work, please visit his website listed below. http://www.peterdanielstraus.com

500 Clown

500 Clown is a physical theatre company based in Chicago. They have been creating work together since 2000. Their mission as a company is to create shows that use circus arts, improvisation, and action to create charged environments that allow the performers to take emotional and physical risks, and lets the audience become an active observer. Their signature piece is 500 Clown MacBeth. Since that show, they have gone on to create 500 Clown Frankenstein, 500 Clown Christmas, and the piece that they are currently working on is a 500 Clown version of A Man's A Man, by Bertolt Brecht. Currently, 500 Clown is in residence at the Steppenwolf Theatre where they are performing Macbeth & Frankenstein in repertory through July 29.. They've gotten great reviews, and in December of 2007 will be in New York at PS122. Despite their name, the group consists of the following members: Adrian Danzig Adrian Danzig is a clown and performer who has been in shows at the Goodman, Second City, Berkeley Rep, B.A.M., The Public Theater, and LookingGlass. He has studied with Ctibor Turba, Philippe Gaulier, Ronlin Formena, Dominique Jando, Avner the Eccentric, and David Shiner, to name a few. Adrian works with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Chicago, and teaches physical theater at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Leslie Bauxbaum Danzig Leslie is the director of the 500 Clown shows. She has worked with Redmoon Theatre, Elevator Repair Service, choreographer Molly Shanahan, and at a number of other venues. Leslie studied at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq, and with Philippe Gaulier & Ronlin Foreman. She is currently completing a PhD at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Molly Brennan Molly has worked with a number of groups in the Chicago area, including Barrel of Monkeys, The Chicago Children's Theatre, Second City, and the House Theatre of Chicago, where she is a company member. She won a Joseph Jefferson award for her work in Curse of the Crying Heart. Molly works as a clown and supervisor for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in Chicago. Paul Kalina Paul has worked at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, the Court Theatre, and other theatres around Chicago. He co-founded the physical theatre duos Le Pamplemousse, and the Bumblinni Brothers, for which he has toured across Canada and the United States. He also has worked for Big Apple's Clown Care Unit. Paul is a graduate of the Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre and the University of Idaho (MFA) To find out more about 500 Clown, visit their website listed below: http://www.500clown.com UPDATE: Audio podcast interview with Molly and Paul of 500 Clown is available online. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST at http://www.theatreinchicago.com.

Peter Geist

Peter Geist bills himself as a 12-year-old trapped in the body of a 36-year-old man. He has been performing his one-man show for 17 years and has been featured at the International Children's Festival in Virginia, the National Theatre's Family Series in Washington, DC, and the Goodwill Games in New York, among other venues throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Known professionally as Geist, Peter uses magic, pantomime, juggling and physical comedy to create his shows, and performs 150-200 shows a year. He also relies heavily on audience participation in his shows, and will often bring people up on stage with him. In addition to his stage shows, Geist performs as The Wacky Waiter, a buffoonish waiter who interrupts a corporate dinner or event with his antics. This is particularly popular in corporate settings. Geist lives in Lancaster Pennsylvania with his wife, where he is on the Pennsylvania Artists On Tour List. To find out more about Peter's work, visit his website and myspace page listed below: http://www.visualcomedian.com http://www.myspace.com/wackywaiter

Happy Birthday, P.T. Barnum!

Today (July 5) is P.T. Barnum's birthday. He was born in the humble town of Bethel CT on July 5, 1810. Barnum always used to say that he was a Yankee Doodle Dandy (plus one!) Barnum revolutionized American entertainment by giving people what they didn't know that they wanted-- a sense of excitement and grandeur, at a relatively inexpensive price. Barnum really had his finger on the pulse of the American psyche, and from the 1840's to his death in 1891 To find out more about this luminary, visit http://www.ptbarnum.org

Rich Potter

Rich Potter is a Maryland native who has been performing for over 20 years, and has performed in over 20 countries. In 1986 Rich graduated from Ringling Clown College and spent 3 years on the road with the Ringling circus, including a stint working in Japan with the Ringling Gold Unit. After that time, he spent time street performing all over Europe and Asia, performing a one man comedy juggling show in five languages. His show consists of juggling,balancing, unicycling, comedy, improvisational audience participation, and "I've never seen anything like that before..." sorts of stunts. He appeared on the David Letterman show, and Dave said that his act "Was really something." And Paul Shaffer agreed! Rich is still based in Maryland, and continues to perform throughout the United States. To find out more about Rich's work, please visit his website listed below: http://www.flightsofwit.com/

Matthew Pauli

Matthew Pauli is a 1991 graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College and has been clowning ever since. He appears regularly at corporate events, street festivals, fairs and picnics and in his stage shows. His work as a clown has taken him around the U.S. and as far as Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since 1999, he has been proud to be part of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program, performing at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, MD. In addition to performing as a clown, Mathew is an accomplished puppeteer and actor. He performed with Beale Street Puppets for five years, built a life size rhino for Circus Millenia, and has built severaly Audrey puppets for the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Matthew is currently with the Big Apple Circus, sharing the role of Grandma with her creator and International Clown Hall of Fame inductee Barry Lubin. To find out more about Mathew's work, please visit his website listed below: http://www.matthewpauli.net/

Gautham Prasad

Gautham Prasad was born in India and raised in America. He studied acting at Northwestern University and studied mime in Paris with Maximilien Decroux. He was a clown with Ringling Brothers circus for two years. He has studied clowning with Dick Monday, Tiffany Reilly, Sue Morrison, and David Shiner. He currently lives in New York city where he works as a yoga teacher and performer. In addition to working as a clown in the area (offering various acts for parties and corporate events, as well as short clown pieces), Gautham also works as a standup comedian. He has performed at Caroline's on Broadway and the Gotham comedy club, as well as dozens of smaller venues in New York City. To find out more about Gautham's work, visit his website listed below: http://gauthamprasad.com/

Peter Bufano & Cirkestra

Peter Bufano was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut (the home town of P.T. Barnum). He's a graduate of The Berklee College Of Music as well as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. His music can be heard in plays, movies, accompanying silent films, circus' and on morning radio news shows. He has run away to join the circus on more than one occasion and his appearances in the ring have played to hundreds of thousands across the U.S. and Japan. Peter calls Boston home but can be seen playing piano and accordion across the United States with Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Bindlestiff Circus, Circus Smirkus or with his band Cirkestra, a circus band that has been described as "Eastern European meets jazz meets Spike Jones meets klezmer" kind of sound. They've also b To find out more about Peter and/or Cirkestra, please visit the websites listed below: http://www.peterbufano.com http://www.cirkestra.com CLICK THE ALBUM COVER TO SEE/LISTEN TO THE ALBUM ON ITUNES: