“As circus artists, we aim to show the outrageous things that our bodies can do and to surprise people as much as we can,†said Chris Lashua, artistic director of the Las Vegas based contemporary circus troupe, Cirque Mechanics. “However, we take circus one step further by building machines that not only capture the spectacle of circus, but thrill in […]
Read moreStanley Allan Sherman, well-known maskmaker who contributed an excellent guest post to our Commedia Month series, will be teaching a 3 week commedia intensive from June 12-July 1 in New York. The workshop will feature over 128 hours of instruction. Here’s some of the details: RCCU 2011 RCCU is beginning its 10th anniversary year teaching Classical Commedia dell’Arte. Students will […]
Read moreI’ve been reading rave reviews of an Indian show called Hamlet, the Clown Prince of Denmark. It’s directed and conceived by Rajat Kapoor, an Indian actor who in the west is best known for his role as the sleazy uncle in Monsoon Wedding, but who has a wide range of films as both a director and an actor (as E. […]
Read moreNaked Empire Bouffon Company Artistic Director of the Naked Empire Bouffon Company, Nathaniel Justiniano, is offering his weekend long Bouffon Intensive May 13-15, 2011. Register HERE. “The work of bouffon satisfies my greatest desires of the theatre. As a performer it demands an intense athleticism and availability to one’s wildest imagination. As audience to it I have found a way […]
Read moreFor more info about Parallel Exit, visit http://www.parallelexit.net Time Monday, May 9 · 7:00pm – 8:00pm FREE! Location HERE Arts Center 145 6th Avenue New York, NY More Info Parallel Exit presents the 5th Annual MOVE IT! A fantastic night of FREE theatre, featuring some of NYC’s most exciting physical and visual theatre artists. Featuring an incredible lineup: Titillating Tap […]
Read moreThis just in from Pat Cashin’s always excellent Clownalley.net: Ringling Clown College (my alma mater!) wins the 2011 Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize Pat Cashin’s CLOWNALLEY.NET: RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CLOWN COLLEGE TO BE RECIPIENT OF 2011 KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR (you can view his site by clicking above, or read the text of […]
Read moreMy good pal Greg DeSanto (executive director of the International Clown Hall of Fame) is quoted extensively in the April 2011 edition of Car and Driver, talking about the Physics of Clown Cars. They spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out (in mock terms) the maximum amount of clowns that can fit in a car. Here’s a […]
Read moreI’ve been reading a blog “The Adventures of Steve and Ryan” which is a blog by Steve Copeland and Ryan Combs, the two clown partners that are on the Kelly Miller Circus. Kelly Miller is an Oklahoma based circus that has been performing since 1938, and is currently owned by John Ringling North. They bill themselves as “America’s Finest One […]
Read moreI spend a good deal of time on this blog speaking about commedia and commedia mask styles, but relatively little on what is the basis of most mask work (and the acting work that mask work often accompanies):Â The Neutral Mask. Learning to be neutral- to display an action separate from character, to divorce yourself from the acting- is incredibly […]
Read moreShowbiz David announced on his blog that Cirque Berzerk, the Los Angeles underground circus company, has declared bankruptcy. Their website and facebook presence still seem active, so perhaps there’s hope for the company. Cirque Berzerk started as a performance ritual at Burning Man, and had seemed to be blossoming into Los Angeles’ answer to the Big Apple Circus, or the […]
Read moreBE FOREWARNED: THIS SHOW contains nudity and sexually explicit content. March 15th @ 7:30 PM Rites & Reasons Theatre (155 Angell St.) John Leo and Sophie Nimmanit have created a clown show about anal sex. Yes, you read that right. And no, not for kids. They bill it as a “Sex-Education Burlesque” The show features sing-a-longs, how-to’s, romance, puppets, and […]
Read moreIt’s Been Real: The Life and Legacy of Ernie Kovacs Paley Center for Media 25 West 52 Street New York, NY 10019 Tuesday, April 12, 2011 6:30 pm ET Members: $20 General Public: $25 Buy Tickets [amazon_enhanced asin=”B004IB04NU” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” align=”Right”/] The Paley Center for Media will hold an event celebrating and honoring television pioneer Ernie Kovacs. […]
Read moreTEN WEST is the comedy duo of Stephen Simon and Jon Monastero under the direction of Bryan Coffee. They blend physical virtuosity and inventive comedy with poignant writing, broad audience appeal to create their own theatrical style with strong influences of vaudeville, commedia, and clown. Ten West originated in the sketch comedy world in 2003, and has been touring throughout […]
Read moreI reviewed Jamie MacVicar’s book The Advance Man,last May (read my review here), and now I’m happy to say that Jamie’s book has become a finalist for the prestigious Marfield Prize. This $10,000 prize—(also known as The National Award for Arts Writing) is one of the largest given to a single author. It is awarded annually to a work of […]
Read morePLAYING COMMEDIA A Series of Classes on the Comic Tradition for Teachers, Actors, Undertakers… facilitated by Clint Bolster and Ben Cornfoot from Lightwire Theatrical Productions When: 6.30-9pm, Thursdays March 17, 24, 31 & April 7. Where: Ithaca Church Hall, 80 Enoggera Tce Red Hill/Paddington (Boys’ Brigade Hall), AUSTRALIA! Cost: $85 for all four classes, $70 for students/unemployed (Earlybird discount price […]
Read moreSince it’s the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, I thought I’d put up videos of five of the funniest female physical comedians/clowns from television. The five I’ve chosen are Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radner, Tina Fey, and Mary Tyler Moore. It’s a little bit of a stretch to fit MTM into the clown role (she’s such a straight […]
Read more