February 25: International Commedia Dell'Arte Day

(Thanks to new papa Brian Foley for bringing this to my attention!) He'll also be performing at the View Theatre, Roy Arias Studios on Feb 25 in celebration.  See the postcard below for details) Associazione SAT has proclaimed February 25, 2010, a worldwide Commedia dell'Arte Day Simultaneous events will occur all around the world as theatre companies, scholars, students, and audiences celebrate Commedia dell'Arte on Feb 25, 2010. There will be shows, conferences, lectures, and workshops in dozens of global cities. This worldwide festival is promoted by the Italian cultural association SAT and organized by Faction of Fools using viral and grassroots tools, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. View the current list of worldwide participants! For more information, email them, join the Facebook group “Commedia dell'Arte Day,” and become a "Facebook fan" of Faction of Fools. Theatre companies--large and small--will produce shows in the style of Commedia dell'Arte using traditional character types and scenarios. On Feb 25th, events will occur in hundreds of cities as diverse as Boston, Barcelona, Bangkok, and Beirut. The flagship event will be in Bologna where SAT and La Fraternal Compagnia will host an international conference of prominent European scholars and performers. Other companies are invited to produce events in their own cities and may utilize the free scripts and performance guides that are available on the Faction of Fools website http://www.factionoffools.org. Commedia will also be in the classroom as theatre instructors dedicate their February 25th class time to Commedia dell'Arte at drama schools and universities around the world. Primary and secondary school teachers in the US can find easy-to-use, free curriculum that will aid them in teaching a lesson on Commedia dell'Arte tailored to their theatre, art, history, literature, or language classes. Curriculum will be available on the Faction of Fools website in January. Did you know that Commedia dell' Arte is not recognized as a "World Cultural Heritage"? The United Nations' cultural wing (UNESCO) has officially recognized indigenous theatre traditions such as Japan's Noh and Kabuki; however, the famous "stock characters" of Commedia dell'Arte--Arlecchino (Harlequin), Pulcinella, Dottore (the Doctor), Pantalone (the Pantaloon), Scapin (Scapin), and Scaramuccia (Scarmouche)--have yet to be acknowledged. The Italian cultural association SAT is petitioning the nation of Italy and the United Nations (UNESCO) for official recognition of this famous and monumental theatre form, and Faction of Fools is proud to support this appeal. To organize a “Commedia dell'Arte Day” event in a theatre or classroom near you or for more information about SAT's petition for recognition of Commedia dell'Arte as "World Cultural Heritage," email Faction of Fools Artistic Director Matthew R. Wilson. Commedia dell'Arte Day is promoted by SAT and is organized by Faction of Fools and the SAT project incommedia.it.

Flying Karamazov Brothers in NY through March 7

World renowned juggling group who don't fly, aren't brothers, and aren't Russian, the Flying Karamazov Brothers are performing their show 4Play at the Minetta Lane Theater until March 7th.  If you don't know them, you should.  They are fantastic!  Actually, an earlier iteration of their show that they performed one summer at Trinity Rep got me interested in vaudeville.  I must have seen that cabaret 10 or 12 times as an usher!  (Yes, FKB, it's ALL your fault!)     If you go to the box office at the theater, you can avoid the $7 "service" charge from Ticketmaster. If you're on the fence, just watch this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gALkHQnPPn0  Click Here Call 212-307-4100 Minetta Lane Theatre 18 Minetta Lane New York, New York 1pm- showtime   Don't miss THE FLYING KARAMAZOV BROTHERS in 4PLAY! LIMITED ENGAGEMENT February 8 thru March 7 ONLY! The Flying Karamazov Brothers are preparing for lift-off from the Minetta Lane Theatre from February 8 through March 7th for a run of their non-stop hit show "4PLAY". An innovative blend of comedy, theatre, juggling and music, this exuberant and hilarious theatrical event is recommended for ages 5 through 95. For tickets as low as $10 you get to ride a rocket to Planet K. The Karamazovs, master practitioners of cheap theatrics, juggle 'til they drop. The audience is invited to bring objects to the theater for Karamazov's Champ to juggle, making each show unique."4PLAY" shows NY's favorite multi-faceted, new-vaudevillians at the apex of their ambidextrous ability. Come watch the Flying Ks as they prove with each performance that chaos and unexpected events in our lives are the best part of being human. Four Weeks, Four Brothers, For Everyone, 4PLAY. "Book passage now! An evening of airborne hilarity! These four unrelated American lunatics know exactly where they are going — to the moon and beyond!" - The New York Times "Drop everything and go see them!" -The Today Show "So much fun that anyone you take to see it will want to go to bed with you!" -Chicago Reader INSANELY CHEAP!! TICKETS STARTING AT $10! WEEK 1 February 8 - 14 $10 - $50 WEEK 2 February 15 - 21 $20 - $55 WEEK 3 February 22 - 28 $25 - $60 WEEK 4 February 28 - March 7 $30 - $65 Performance schedule: Tuesday - Friday at 8pm Saturday at 2pm & 8pm Sunday at 2pm & 5pm Special performance: Monday, February 8 at 8pm February 8th - March 7th www.fkb.com

Flaming Idiots at New Victory now through January 3- Discounts!

I saw this show today, in the midst of my wacky craziness. (One of my very good friends is their stage manager.) The show is delightful- funny, quickwitted, and well-done.  The Idiots are legendary on the RenFaire circuit, and this show shows them off quite well.  Still going after 20 years-- their show is even more finely honed. Some jugglers are about juggling, but these jugglers are about comedy.  In fact, if you are a juggling aficianado, you might be disappointed.  Not that there isn't some great juggling in the show, because there is.  But the juggling is stuff you've seen before (admittedly, very well done) It's the comedy that makes this show great (and at $12, a steal) This is the first time I've seen pedological leger-de-main, and it's simply beautifully done and handled. And hilarious.  (You want mayonaise with that?) And they get a nine year old girl to kick the droppers of a complicated passing routine in the shins.  Very funny. Go see it, you won't be sorry. To get your discount: For a limited time only, Playbill® Members can save 20% with code PBIdiots1700. THREE EASY WAYS TO SAVE 1) Click here to visit NewVictory.org 2) Call 646-223-3010 and mention code PBIdiots1700. 3) Show this offer to the New Victory box office. 209 W 42nd Street, just west of Broadway Box office hours: Sun & Mon: 11am - 5pm | Tue - Sat: 12pm - 7pm

Inside Out (Cirkus Cirkör at BAM- NY) Nov 12-15

Part of the 2009 Next Wave Festival Cirkus Cirkör Live music by Irya's Playground Directed By Tilde Björfors "...A magical breathtaking performance...a powerful inter-disciplinary work of art..." —Skånska Dagbladet (Sweden) The human body unfolds as a surreal rock and roll fantasy in Inside Out, Swedish troupe Cirkus Cirkör's phantasmagoric journey into the outer reaches of inner life. Accompanied onstage by dub-punk-new wave-electro-inspired band Irya's Playground and featuring a mix of highly skilled acrobatics, musical theater, and spectacle, Inside Out boggles the mind by way of the body. Actors and acrobats course through veins, explode through space like uncoiled strands of DNA, and lunge across synapses to become the body electric. Don't miss this if you have the chance to see it. Nov 12 & 13 at 7:30pm Nov 14 at 2 & 7:30pm Nov 15 at 3pm BAM Howard Gilman Opera House 110min with intermission Tickets: $25, 45, 60 In English Appropriate for ages 5 & up

Clown Axioms at La Mama (NY)

Clowns ex Machina is Kendall Cornell's continuation of her work with groups of female clowns. (which started as Kendall Cornell's Soon-to-Be-World-Famous Women's Clown Troupe) Clown Axioms is a show of 12 women clowns that "create a poetic yet preposterous world" Expect some interesting takes on female stereotypes, and by extension female clown stereotypes. Last July they did a workshop showing, and now they are doing an expanded show. the show features a number of clowns, including: Amanda Barron, Christine Bodwitch, Kendall Cornell, Melinda Ferraraccio, Kathie Horejsi, Emily James, Ishah Janssen-Faith, Mona Le Roy, Judi Lewis Ockler, Julie Pulmettaz, Maria Smushkovich, and Virginia Venk. where: The CLUB at La MaMa ETC 74 A east 4th St. (between Bowery and 2nd Avenue) cost: Tickets $15 $10 student tickets with valid I.D. call: Box office: 212-475-7710 when: Friday, October 9th at 10pm Saturday, October 10th at 10pm Sunday, October 11th at 5.30pm Friday, October 16th at 10 pm Saturday, October 17th at 10pm Sunday, October 18th at 5.30pm Find out more: clownsexmachina.com, www.lamama.org (and by the way, I know I'm being incredibly un p.c.-- but www.clownsexmachine.com is available. Possibly Kendall and Co. should snatch that up before someone else does and uses it for their own nefarious purposes. Clown porn could be a big business! and works pretty contrary to the whole ClownsExMachina.com theme.)

Fettucini Brothers in China... and Blogging!

In the next couple of weeks (Sept 28-Oct. 9), the Fettucini Brothers (Mike Heidtman & Steve Langley, otherwise known as Alfresco and Alfredo) will be going to Hangzhou China to participate in the Golden Week Events there. The Hangzhouians are crazy for American clowns, and over the last couple of years there have been lots of festivals there chockful of American clowns. There are lots of performers going. Here's a list of them (per their blog) Stage Performers Seth Bloom Christina Gelsone Matthew Duncan Brian Foley Mike Richter Keith "Bindlestiff" Nelson Andrew Scharff Bryan Fulton Mike Smith Mark Lohr Steve Langley Mike Heidtman Ron Hoffman Julie Pasqual Josh Eldeman Anatoly Valiev Nadezda Andreeva Balloon Artists Micha de Haan Christopher Charlot Suzanne Harring Todd Nuefield Strollers/Street Performers Lara Heidtman Smith Brad Bodary Michael Sabb Irene Fong Cheryl Schrueffer Mitchell Yosheda Raquel “Rocky” Giberstein Chelsea Conklin Aaron Watkins Chris Shelton Margaret Carr Alice Farley Rachel Ann Whitman Sharon Livardo Du Maine Martin Ewen Reuben Haller Ted Lawerence Charalambos “Harry” Mavromichalis Paul Michalec Face Painters Liz Bolick Derrick Little Patricia Russell Mike & Steve will be blogging about their experiences and posting lots of photographs at the blog listed below. Make sure to check in and follow their adventures-- I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. Blog: http://web.mac.com/fettucinibrothers/iWeb/China%20II/Blog/Blog.html Fettucini Brothers Website: http://www.fettucinibrothers.com/

Kill Me Loudly Opens Tomorow!

Tomorrow! Fools on Fire presents Kill Me Loudly: A Clown Noir Sept 16-20, 23-25 at 8pm Triskelion Arts, Williamsburg 118 N. 11th between Berry and Wythe, 3rd Floor A brutal comedy about desire, betrayal and murder. Done by clowns. KILL ME LOUDLY. Very Good Intentions. Very Bad Clowns. It's a nice, intimate theater, so buy your tickets today. This just in! After the show, go to the cast party at The Gibson on the corner of N. 11th and Bedford. Show your program at the bar and get 2$ off drinks all night long! L Magazine calls KML one of the 20 Must-See Fall Events. KILL ME LOUDLY is created by the company and directed by Eric Davis (Cirque Du Soleil, Red Bastard, NYIT-award winning Bouffon Glass Menajoree). The show has been workshopped at Clemente Soto Vele and the Brick Theater's Clown Theatre Festival in 2008, and at the Celebration Barn and Amherst College's Ko Festival in 2009. Fools On Fire makes dark, idiotic comedy for dark, idiotic times. For full show and company info visit www.foolsonfire.org

All of Seinfeld for $100!

Every once in a while Amazon comes out with a deal that is too good to resist, this is such a deal. NOTE: This is now $140! It's still a pretty good deal, but obviously $100 is better! Every episode of Seinfeld for $100 . While it's not clowning per se, there are great archetypes at work here, and the physical work of Michael Richards and his myriad jitters, sputters, spewers, and oh yes, can we mention his door entrances? This is one of the funniest television shows ever, and you have the opportunity to own it all for less than $100. What are you waiting for?

Vote For Coney Island Chris! Tonight! Vote Often!

UPDATE: THE NUMBER TO VOTE FOR CHRIS: 1-866-602-4807 My good friend and hilarious clown Coney Island Chris (former Ringling Clown Chris Allison, and current head of Cirque du Jour) will be on Americas Got Talent this Tuesday 8/25/2009. (That's tonight!) http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/contestants/chris.shtml#bio Please vote for him. You can vote up to 10 times per phone number, but you must watch the show to know which # to vote for him at. Link to voting procedure: http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/vote/rules.shtml More about Chris: http://www.coneyislandchris.com

Benefit for Fools On Fire Sat. Aug. 29 (NY)

Fools On Fire presents The-Good-Time-Watch-Your-Back Show: A Gritty Cabaret at Dead Herring 3 aerialists. ridiculous comedy. tantalizing burlesque. rousing music. cheap drinks. dance breaks. optional dress code: apocalypse-chic. All this for $10 141 S. 5th Street between Bedford and Berry L train to Bedford MAP THIS SATURDAY: AUGUST 29th 2009 Doors at 8pm, show at 8:30pm www.foolsonfire.org for more info.

Clown Make Monster

500 CLOWN, the genius clown trio from Chicago, has a documentary coming out about their work (and about the making of their show 500 Clown Frankenstein. Title of the show CLOWN MAKE MONSTER. Here's the description of the documentary: What happens to a group of clowns in a theater company that push against authority when they believe that theater itself is the authority? Popskull Video and Darryl Miller present Clown Make Monster, a documentary web series exploring the relationships between 500Clown ensemble members Molly, Adrian, and Paul as they take great physical and emotional risks to push their own boundaries as actors, performers and clowns. Revealed in multiple episodes, the filmmakers show the method and the madness behind creating improvised based clown theater spectacles where failure is used as a learning and narrative tool for both the clowns on stage and the audience in the seats. The web series gives an unprecedented behind the scenes look at the history of the group as they create their show “500Clown: Frankenstein”, the constant evolution of their shows as they push the boundaries of theatrical convention, and their drive to train, teach, and help others through their lives as Clown Performers. Below is the Youtube teaser for the documentary, that will come out in October. For more information, you can also visit http://www.clownmakemonster.com

Cirque du Soleil Anniversary DVD collection on sale TODAY

If you are like me, you have slowly over time collected Cirque du Soleil videos- mostly either at shows, or if you are cheap like me, you've taped them from Bravo (and/or TIVO'd them) Here's an opportunity to clear up a lot of your TIVO space! On Sale Today NEW for just $58.99! 12 DVD's of Cirque-- that's around $5 per show. Definitely worth it. I just ordered mine! Here's the info: Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Cirque du Soleil's Anniversary Collection 1984-2005 is a 12-disc retrospective of the Canadian troupe's distinctive brand of performance, involving the fantastic feats of acrobatics and athleticism, balance and contortion; the single-ring techno circus; the multicolored lights and costumes; the abstract story lines of fantasy and self-discovery; the music that fuses rock, New Age, and various world influences; and the madcap clowns that prey on their live audiences. The programs included are La Magie Continue (1986); Cirque Reinvente (1989); Nouvelle Experience (1991); Saltimbanco (1994), the 1994 documentary retrospective A Baroque Odyssey; the Amsterdam-set Quidam (1999); Allegria (1999), the live Sydney show; the Chinese-influenced Dralion (2000), in its standard, non-Superbit release; the relatively short IMAX film Journey of Man (2002); Varekai (2002), from Toronto; La Nouba (2003), from Walt Disney World; and Midnight Sun, strikingly staged outdoors at the 2004 Montreal International Jazz Festival. That's a lot of aerial feats, tricks, and tumbling, but the set is not designed to absorb in one sitting. Rather, viewers can sample both the simpler early shows and the stunning later performances that, with their 5.1 sound and widescreen pictures, are perfectly suited to home theaters. Compiling 12 previously released DVDs in space-saving Thinpaks at an economical price, the Anniversary Collection is nearly all the Cirque du Soleil you could ever want, but completists should note that the set does not include the feature film Allegria: An Enchanting Fable, the bonus disc of Varekai, the reality-TV show Fires Within, and the 13-part variety series Solstrom. --David Horiuchi Product Description This anniversary collection celebrates the achievements of the world renowned Cirque du Soleil. The collection includes 11 Cirque du Soleil productions plus a bonus DVD of Midnight Sun, a once-in-a-lifetime special event captured on DVD. The title within this colorful collection are: A Baroque Odyssey, Allegria, Cirque Reinvente, Dralion, Journey of Man, La Magie Continue, Nouvelle Experience, Quidam, Saltimbanco, Varekai, and La Nouba.

Hotel Bananas - This week at the Flea Theatre (NY)

Hotel Bananas The NY Goofs July 23 – 25 Clowns check in but they don’t check out at the Flea Theater, 41 White Street (between Broadway & Church Streets) An evening of raucous laughter with the New York Goofs America’s Got Clowns, Season Two, proves exactly what the title says, that America has some rocking physical comedians. New York Goof co-founders Dick Monday & Tiffany Riley bring together their Clown School faculty and professional clowns to create a hilarious show. Expect to see eccentric dance, musical entrees, bad magic, feats of tossing and manipulation (juggling), Godly and unGodly characters, and a lot of very physical comedy. The New York Goofs have presented three original clown theater productions at The Flea over the last ten years. The performances are July 23 – 25 at 7pm. Tickets may be purchased by visiting the Flea website here More information about the goofs at http://nygoofs.com/

Celebration Barn - Big Barn Spectacular, South Paris Maine.

The Celebration Barn, one of the great places to study during the summer, has all sorts of stuff going on performance-wise. Next week, it's the The Big Barn Family Show at 4 p.m. is a chance for kids of all ages to enjoy a great cast of favorite Barn performers. The 60-minute matinee at will feature physical comedy, amazing mime, and spectacular juggling to captivate the imagination of young audiences. Tickets are $12 all seats. The 4 pm show will feature: Randy Judkins, Jackie Reifer and Jon Saccone. The cast expands for The Big Barn Spectacular at 8 p.m. with knock-your-socks-off variety and a star-studded silent auction. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $20 and $16. The year's roster includes: * Karen Montanaro * Fritz Grobe * Michael Lane Trautman * Mike Miclon * Rick Adam * Amanda Huotari * Clare Vadaboncouer * Plus a wicked fun silent auction! Shows begin at 8:00 P.M. or 4:00 P.M. Doors open at 30 minutes before showtime. Seating is general admission. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling the Barn's box office at (207) 743-8452. The Barn has a lot of other great events going on for the rest of the summer too! Schedule is here (or look below): http://celebrationbarn.com/main/shows.html Find out more about the barn at http://www.celebrationbarn.com CELEBRATION BARN SUMMER SCHEDULE JULY 24-AUGUST 29 Friday, July 24, 8 p.m. Meet the Artists: Karen Montanaro Maine Arts Commission Fellowship recipient Karen Montanaro shares her unique approach to fusing mime, dance and improvisation, illustrated by work with her students. Tickets: $8 Saturday, July 25, 4 p.m. Big Barn Family Show! This 60-minute matinee is a chance for kids of all ages to enjoy a variety of favorite Celebration Barn performers! Tickets: All seats $12. Saturday, July 25, 8p.m. Special Event! BIG Barn Spectacular! 4th annual alumni show celebrates the spirit of the Barn with knock-your-socks-off variety and star-studded silent auction! Tickets: $20 adults, $16 seniors and students. Friday, August 7, 8 p.m. Meet the Artists: Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz of Eepybird.com Famous for their Diet Coke & Mentos and Sticky Note Experiments, the duo discuss their groundbreaking work in viral videos. Tickets: $8 Saturday, August 8, 8p.m. Marta Rainer in Unaccustomed to My Name. This outstanding one-woman show has received rave reviews across the U.S. and Europe. Tickets: $14 adults, $12 seniors, $8 students and kids Friday, August 14, 8 p.m. Meet the Artists: Avner the Eccentric and Julie Goell Avner the Eccentric and Julie Goell introduce the world of clowning and celebrate the comic art of succeeding in the face of failure, as they present new works from their Eccentric Performing students. Tickets: $8 Saturday, August 15, 8 p.m. Bill Bowers in It Goes Without Saying International mime sensation and broadway veteran presents his solo play. The NY Times called it, "Zestful and endearing... full of life." Tickets: $14 adults, $12 seniors, $8 students and kids. Friday, August 21, 8 p.m. Meet the Artists: Davis Robinson Davis Robinson, author of The Physical Comedy Handbook, Davis delves into how to develop funny, honest and imaginative theater. Tickets: $8 Saturday, August 22, 8 p.m. The Early Evening Show A wild night of comedy and surprises in this late-night talk-show spoof hosted by Mike Miclon, Jason Tardy and Matt Tardy! Tickets: $14 adults, $12 seniors, $8 students and kids. Friday, August 28, 8 p.m. Meet the Artists: Deborah Henson-Conant Grammy-nominated Deborah Henson-Conant explores the power of the performer behind the music, and hosts the work of her Performance for Musicians students. Tickets: $8 Saturday, August 29, 8 p.m. Special Event! Jazz Harpist: Deborah Henson-Conant Solo! This Grammy nominated wild woman of the harp is back by popular demand! Tickets: $20 adults, $16 seniors and students.

Keith Michael Johnson: Forever Blowing Bubbles - July 24 Matunuck, RI

Keith Michael Johnson :: Forever blowing bubbles by Joe Siegel EDGE New England Editor (Originally appeared in Edge Magazine) Keith Michael Johnson (as seen on the Discovery Channel’s Time Warp) became the first Soap Bubble Artist in America to create a Bubble-Show with the help of public funding through Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, an appropriation from the Rhode Island General Assembly and private donors. The 44 year-old Connecticut native has performed at schools, museums, festivals, and family and corporate events all over New England. "The Secret World of Bubbles is my chance to share with a room full of new friends the amazing things I’ve discovered bubbles can do," Johnson told EDGE. "And I spend a lot of time encouraging everyone to try the tricks at home. To remember them. To notice for themselves what tricks their own bubbles are doing in the dish water." The show features "frighteningly massive bubbles, bigger than bathtubs, floating & wobbling around loose on stage," Johnson noted. "Also tiny, intricate, fog decorated, helium filled bubble sculptures that spin in circles as they float straight up to pop on the ceiling. Snow-person bubbles. My famous dinosaur in a bubble called The Jurassic Bubble. One of the audience members might even find themselves encased in a bubble, cut off from the outside world, wrapped-up like a sausage in a casing of rainbow colors... if only for a second." After graduating from Roger Williams University in 1986, Johnson wrote and performed humor-based educational programs for elementary schools. He began doing bubble art in 2002. The practice evolved from Johnson’s fascination with science. "My career as a bubble artist was born of necessity," Johnson explained. "No commercial solutions would make a bubble live for more than 30 seconds. It became my quest to find or invent a stout soap bubble formula." Johnson has visited research libraries and spent 18-hour sessions of experimenting and inventing in his studio to perfect the bubble formula. "I expected that there was a lot of bubble-science to be learned. Chemistry, physics & all that. I didn’t anticipate I would be introduced to bubbling as a hobby, craft & performance art," Johnson said. Audiences are continually amazed and fascinated by Johnson’s work with bubbles. Their reactions also enhance his feelings about bubbles. "Through them I re-experience the thrill of seeing for the first time the surprising behaviors of soap films - behaviors presented to us every day with every washing of our hands or dishes. For me bubbles exemplify the kind of natural magic in our lives which is plain to see if we take the time to observe rather than glance. That’s fascinating to think about," Johnson added. The Secret World of Bubbles will be presented on Friday, July 24, 2009 at 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Matunuck, RI. Single tickets are $10.00 each with a three show package for $24.00. Discount rates are available for groups of 20 or more by calling (401) 782-3800 x18. Tickets are on sale at the box office Mon-Sat from 10:00 am-4:00 pm, online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587).

Commedia at Lincoln Center (July 22-26)

The New York Premiere of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano's production of Goldoni's classic work: Trilogia della villeggiatura Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni’s 1761 three-part satire of the Italian middle class was given new life more than 50 years ago by Piccolo Teatro di Milano’s late founder, Giorgio Strehler. With a nod to Strehler and in the spirit of Goldoni, Italian actor and director Toni Servillo continues this legacy of innovation that helped to redefine commedia dell’arte nearly 250 years ago. Recently appearing in the Italian films Gomorrah and Il divo and “widely reputed to be the best Italian stage and screen actor of his generation” (The International Herald Tribune), Servillo stars in and directs his own company, Teatri Uniti di Napoli, in a co-production with the famed Piccolo Teatro di Milano in this fresh and charming version of a seminal work. This remarkably timely piece of comic theater reminds us that the masks we wear to escape from ourselves hide nothing and only serve to draw attention to the complicated realities of our everyday lives. Performed in Italian with English supertitles This performance is approximately two hours and forty-five minutes with one intermission. FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY! Wed, July 22, 8 pm Thurs,July 23, 8 pm Fri, July 24, 8 pm Sat, July 25, 8 pm Sun, July 26, 3 pm at the Rose Theater, Broadway at 60th Center (Lincoln Center) Buy tickets at this page: http://www.lincolncenter.org/search_results.asp?showcode=32269

Circus Contraption ...The Show to End All Shows is Ending.

Thanks to Trav S.D.'s blog Travalanche I learned of sad news this week-- Seattle based Circus Contraption is ending. Here's an article from Fremont Universe (a local Seattle blog) with photos and an interview: http://www.fremontuniverse.com/2009/07/12/circus-contraption-says-farewell-this-week Circus Contraption says farewell this week July 12th, 2009 · The “Show to End All Shows” has ended, and Fremont’s Circus Contraption is calling it quits this week after 11 years in Seattle. “It takes an enormous amount of time and makes people a very little amount of money,” said Erin Brindley, Circus Contraption’s managing director. “Everyone’s ready to move on.” This last weekend, they put just about everything up for sale in a big rummage sale in the circus’ performance space at Theo Chocolate. Even this original handmade prop that once took Bunny Lamont around the world was up for sale. The tongue-in-cheek price tag? $300,000 or best offer. A farewell celebration is scheduled for this coming Saturday, July 18th, with favorite vintage performances, special guests and a live auction “to help us bury our debt in the smoldering embers of greasepaint and poodle fur,” the website explains. As of this writing, tickets are still available. But this might not be the end of Circus Contraption. “We’re keeping the set of the Show to End all Shows with the hope we can scrounge up enough money to take the show to New York for one final hurrah,” Brindley said.

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

Any one of these guys would be a treat to see. All three is just the icing on the cake on the ice cream. If you are in the San Francisco area, don't miss it! The FLYING ACTOR STUDIO is an international center that celebrates the imagination and invites a profound journey into the very heart of life. In Spring 2008, James Donlon, after a 40 year international teaching and performance career, was inspired to create a physical theater school in San Francisco, building on the rich history of clowning, mime, and circus that had flourished in the city for decades. Donlon invited fellow master teacher Leonard Pitt to share this vision, and together in 2009 they founded the FLYING ACTOR STUDIO, one of the few centers in North America where one can study physical theater. In the '70's both Donlon and Pitt operated nationally known movement theater schools in San Francisco and Berkeley, as part of a vanguard of artists that included Robert Shields, Geoff Hoyle, Bill Irwin, and The Pickle Family Circus. Now Donlon and Pitt continue. THE SHOW: To celebrate, master performers John Gilkey, Leonard Pitt, and James Donlon will perform a gala kickoff piece called ‘The Zany and the Surreal’ Two performances only July 18, 5pm & July 19, 3 pm at the EXIT Theatre in San Francisco. The Show Gilkey, Pitt and Donlon bring their individual "greatest hits” to the main stage of the EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy St., San Francisco for two performances only, July 18, 5pm, and July 19, 3 pm. The Saturday (July 18th) show is followed by an 8pm to 11pm Gala at the new Flying Actor Studio, 40 First St. between Market and Mission, celebrating the launch of their new school dedicated to physical theatre and movement for actors. ABOUT THE PERFORMERS: John Gilkey has played a lead role in three Cirque Du Soleil productions; Quidam, Dralion and Varekai - more than any other performer. For each of these shows he developed and performed totally original characters and routines. With Cirque Du Soleil alone John has performed live for more than three million people. He also directed and performed in the clown troupe in Franco Dragone’s spectacular water show, Le Reve, in Las Vegas. Additionally, John has performed internationally for more than twenty-nine years in circus, variety, comedy clubs, theater and television. John Gilkey's innovative routine with a coat rack is widely recognized as a landmark juggling act of the contemporary circus movement. WEBSITE: http://www.johngilkey.com/ James Donlon has been a celebrated international performer and master teacher of Physical Theatre for 40 years, presenting his original works throughout North America, Europe, and Latin America to critical acclaim. James is the only physical theater artist ever invited to perform with legendary San Francisco street mime Robert Shields of CBS' The Shields & Yarnell Show. He is the first American clown to perform in the famed Teatro Dimitri of Switzerland. James has created award-winning ensemble works for James Donlon & Company touring nationwide and in Mexico, and also directed productions in Ireland and the Czech Republic. He has been on the faculties of acting schools such as The American Conservatory Theater, The North Carolina School of the Arts, The National Theatre Conservatory-Denver Center, The Yale School of Drama, UCSB, and UCSD, and has presented residencies with special institutions like El Teatro Campesino, Mexico City 's Bellas Artes, Prague's national Academy of Performing Arts (AMU), Dublin's Gaiety School of Acting, and Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown College where he taught Tony Award-winner Bill Irwin. He has been a film movement coach for Oscar-winners Javier Bardem, Kathy Bates, and Frances McDormand, as well as Benjamin Bratt and David Strathairn. To find out more about James Donlon's work, visit http://flyingactorstudio.com/flyingactorstudio/James_History.html Leonard Pitt has been performing and teaching for over forty years. In 1963 he traveled to Paris to study mime with Etienne Decroux, later becoming his assistant for two years. In 1970 he opened a school of physical theatre in Berkeley CA, attracting students from around the world. He has studied mask theater and carving in Bali and performed with the Balinese in their villages and temple festivals. He has presented his work internationally including England, Spain, Holland, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Australia. He was a founding member of George Coates Performance Works, has received Chicago's Actor of the Year Award for his solo work, and was movement consultant for Jurassic Park and motion-capture specialist for the films Dragonheart and Three Wishes. In 1986 Leonard co-founded Life On The Water, a contemporary performance space at Fort Mason, San Francisco. He has written several books, one of which, Walks Through Lost Paris, has become a bestseller in France. The Leonard Pitt Website: www.leonardpitt.com To purchase tickets to the show, visit http://flyingactorstudio.com/flyingactorstudio/Show.html To find out more about the school, visit the website http://www.flyingactorstudio.com.

NY Saw Festival, July 18 Queens

Natalia Paruz, also known as "The Saw Lady" has spent the last 10 years bringing the art of the musical saw to audiences high and low. She is a NYC subway musician that has performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta, at Carnegie Hall, at Madison Square Garden, and at numerous other events, including the Spoleto Festival, Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion, and on film, radio, and television. Natalia has received citations of honor from the New York City Council, the New York State Senate and a medal of honor from Paris, France. She's been featured in the "Best of" of numerous magazines, and people love to write about her work. I think it's no stretch of the imagination to say that she is one of the pre-eminent Musical Saw Players in the world. She is putting together the world's largest convocation of Musical Saw Performers on Saturday July 18 in an attempt to break a Guinness world record for largest Musical Saw Ensemble. If you want to find out more, visit http://www.musicalsawfestival.org. If you'd like to find out more about Natalia, (including listening to some samples of her music, you can visit her website and/or blog, listed below. WEBSITE: http://sawlady.com BLOG: http://sawlady.com/blog/ Natalia has created a special webpage on her site about Musical Saw playing clowns which it would behoove you to check out: http://www.sawlady.com/Clowns.htm

Parallel Exit Goes Broadway!- Literally!

Well, don't say that doing a preview show won't get you anywhere. In November, Parallel Exit previewed their tap show TIME STEP at the Joyce Theatre. It got great reviews on a limited four day run, and more than likely they broke even or lost a little money on that venture. However, people saw it, and the gods smiled, and a little something called SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE? raised the profile of one of the dancers (the fabulous Ryan Kasprzak, who didn't make the show (cut at the last minute for his younger and equally talented dancer brother Evan) And now-- well, and now, they've got a slot at the New Victory Theatre come April! Mucho congrats to the Parallel Exit crew for this coup, and hopefully this is the start of a much deserved round of recognition for their work. More about Parallel Exit below and at their website http://www.parallelexit.net A brand new kind of tap show! 3 aging hoofers reminisce about their glory years as they prepare for one final performance. Fresh, funny, and filled with visual magic, TIME STEP pushes tap in a new direction by conveying a story entirely through rhythm and choreography. Perfect for audiences of all ages! “It’s a reminder of how eloquently the body can speak and of how little it takes to create entertainment.” - The New York Times TIME STEP

Jay Stewart meets Elvis... (Cape Cod, MA)

Thanks to Pat Cashin and Don Covington for the heads up on this. Jay was my roommate at Ringling's clown college. I'd love to go check it out, if I have the time! JAY STEWART: Elvis... The King and Me from Pat Cashin's CLOWNALLEY.NET by Pat Cashin Link courtesy of Don Covington The Clown And The King: Jay Stewart Rocks In ‘Elvis… The King And Me’ At HJT by Jennifer Sexton HARWICH, MASSACHUSETTS--- Once in a while a show comes along that is so unique, so inspired, and promises so much fun that it is an absolute must-see. “Elvis… The King And Me” is just such a show, and performer Jay Stewart is not to be missed in this one-man semi-autobiographical evening of live music and comedy featuring over 20 of The King’s hit tunes and ballads. Stewart, a brilliant physical comedian, along with a three-piece live band led by musical director Bob Wilder, lets the music take the lead in this story of the dizzying heights and bottomless heartbreaks of first love at age 13. Anyone who has survived adolescence can relate, and anyone who cranked up the tunes and sang into a hairbrush in front of the mirror to take the edge off teenaged loneliness and heartache will laugh along with Stewart. “The HJT folks have really gotten behind this very simple idea I had,” says Stewart. “Now it’s a full blown production. It kind of surprises me to see my little idea grow to fruition.” The show is a departure for Stewart, whose career spans 20 years of clowning. After earning a degree in theater at Wake Forest University, Jay entered circus life as a member of Clown Alley of The Greatest Show on Earth. He has traveled around the world, clowning in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan with the Kinoshita Circus, and in Liuzhou, China as a member of the first-ever Clowning Festival there. He enjoyed a four-year run as the Boss Clown of Clown Alley in the Ringling Bros. Circus, and later founded The Seaside Clowns, a troupe of veteran circus clowns. Jay currently performs with his talented wife Kristin and children Karen and Nick at Harwich Junior Theatre and at festivals and events Cape-wide. During the week he makes rounds as part of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Boston, bringing hilarity to the bedsides of hospitalized children. The idea for the show was born last fall, when Stewart performed an Elvis song during karaoke at a birthday party. The guests included HJT artistic director Nina Schuessler. “It was mostly friends and theater folks, and Nina said, ‘You really do that well! You should put something together for the stage!’” says Stewart. “I thought OK, she’s just talking off the top of her head. But then a few weeks later we were talking and she said again, ‘I want you to do something!’ And so I started writing.” Stewart knew that he didn’t want to dress up in a jumpsuit and become another Elvis impersonator. Instead, he was inspired by his own experiences growing up in the South with Elvis Presley’s music and the way it seemed to act as a soundtrack for his memories. “A lot of Elvis Presley songs can be broken into little subsets in my mind,” Stewart explains. “There are the ones where he wants to be with the girl. He’s yearning for the girl. Then there are the ones where he’s with the girl. They are dating, or going steady, and they’ve got a relationship. Then there’s the breakup and the heartbreak and sadness. And then there are the straight out rock ‘n’ roll ones that I consider to be the rebound. So through that progression a story became fairly clear to me. I said, this is a kid remembering his first heartbreak. So pulling from my own ridiculous history, I was able to come up with some funny stories about that.” Stewart praises the expertise of Schuessler, Wilder and the rest of the HJT staff and crew who helped him make the leap into unknown territory. “My career has been pantomime, physical comedy and circus skills, so this is a departure as far as that goes,” Stewart says. “However, this particular show is very close to home for me. It has elements of biography in it, and the music is something I’ve lived with my whole life. I haven’t had to struggle with the lyrics, as they are all second nature. My initial thought about it was Jay, you’re not a singer. But once I stopped saying that to myself and met with Bob Wilder, I realized I was in good hands.” The band features Wilder, described by Stewart as a magician, on keyboard and two extremely talented young men, Alex Harper on guitar and Phil White on drums. “It’s so much fun. It’s so much fun to do, and to laugh about these ridiculous things that did happen to me, and ridiculous things that I made up. There are certain things you’ll know when you watch—you’ll say to yourself, ‘I’ll bet that really happened.’ That’s what good theater does. As Shakespeare said, it holds a mirror up to nature. You see the truth. How many times have you heard people say ‘It’s funny because it’s true?’” “Elvis… The King and Me” written by and starring Jay Stewart, with musical direction by Bob Wilder, opens June 12 and runs Friday and Saturday evenings through September. With sound design by J. Hagenbuckle, set design by Richard Archer, lighting design by B.J. Powell, costumes by Robin McLaughlin, and props by Mary Beth Travis. For information on matinees and additional show times or to purchase tickets, visit www.hjtcapecod.org or call the box office at 508-432-2002. Tickets are also available through Theatremania at 866-811-4111.

Bare Breasted Women Sword Fighting (DC in July)

Just got word that Dog and Pony DC (a company of female artists in DC) is putting on a show at the Capital Fringe in DC titled (you guessed it) Bare Breasted Women Sword Fighting. Want to guess what the show features? :o) First off-- great title for a fringe show-- this is a show that is going to sell out pretty much guaranteed, regardless of the quality of the show. But it's more than that- it's got a great promise as a concept-- that we can look beyond the titties to see a fantastic show of women doing the Errol Flynn thing with virtuosity. I saw a French mime woman a number of years ago who performed topless so that you could better see the dazzling muscles and work that she was doing. After the first few minutes of "Wow- nice tits!" you stop looking at the lascivious and start looking at the work. Now, I'm not sure if there ever stops being a lascivious quality to it, and the first few minutes I was most DECIDELY not looking at the work, but I love the idea of it, and I love the promise of this show. I have been planning a trip to DC to see some friends, and now I'm going to try to coincide it with this show. Who knows, maybe there's some other great fringe to see too! And there's also a blog about creating the show: http://bbwsf2009.blogspot.com/ Bare Breasted Women Sword Fighting is a vaudeville that unleashes the feminine mystique in a whirl of petticoats and a dazzling display of strength, swords, and skin. Behold brutal buxom beauties! Take in tantalizing ta-ta titans! Gaze longingly at the titillating, tangoing Bare Breasted Women Sword Fighting! (And, yes, this contains strong language and nudity.) conceived & directed by Lorraine Ressegger Performance schedule: July 16 @ 9pm; July 17 @ 10:30pm; July 18 @ 10:30pm; July 19 @ 8pm; July 22 @ 8pm; July 23 @ 8pm; July 24 @ 10:30pm; July 25 @ 10:30pm; July 26 @ 6pm. Tickets: $15. On sale June 22 at dogandponydc.com and capitalfringe.org.

Maestrosities in Brooklyn with Orchestra June 13

The Maestrosities (the self-proclaimed coolest band ever) is a group of clown musicians who have a really good time while playing instruments. They've announced a collaboration with The Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra. On the program: Finlandia - Jean Sibelius Peter and the Wolf - Sergei Prokofiev The William Tell Overture - Tonto They most certainly won't be interfering with the arrangements, instrumentation or integrity of these pieces. No, what you will hear at this set of concerts is musicians playing music to the best of their ability. And it definitely won't be fun or funny. They'll also be playing a set of their favorites from the 80s, 20s, and today. Here's what you need to know: When: Two concerts - Saturday, June 13th, 2:30 pm and 5pm Where: The Irondale Center - 85 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene ( Just around the corner from BAM ) How much: $15/$8 students and seniors. Purchase now. This will sell out. http://www.zerve.com/BQCMusic/Comm To get tickets by phone call Zerve at 212.209.3370 If you have questions email louis@TheCoolestBandEver.com Or visit http://www.thecoolestbandever.com