VAUDE_VISUALS

Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseau. The two people who made this event possible.

On Friday September 3rd The NY Clown Theatre Festival got off to a great start with the Clown Parade. Beginning in Union Square and moving to The Brick  Theatre in Williamsburg where the festival is presented. More than 100 clowns and admirers moved through the streets of NY and into the L train station for their fun trip to Brooklyn. I have posted a good selection of photographs from that adventure.

John Towsen was present at the parade. John and his performing partner  Fred Yockers were the producers of the First NY Clown Theatre Festival back in the 1983. He was happy to see the tradition continue under the guidance of Audrey Crabtree cofounder with Eric Davis.

Audrey Crabtree muscling in to the picture.

Jeff Seal will be performing with his partner Chris Manley at the Festival

Lilli Sukula-Lindblom(l)  hangs on to Gabriela Munoz (c) and Sabine Choucair(r).

Gabriela and Sabine are perfoming at the festival in ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Quizas.’

Jonathan Kaplan will be performing in the festival in ‘Le Fleur’.

Center in the platform is Audrey Crabtree giving advice to the passengers.

Nick Trotter as ‘Ferdinand the Magnificent’ taking a well deserved rest

Peter Musante is performing with Summer Shapiro in “Legs and All“.

Eric Davis -shooting photographs at the parade.

Butt Kapinski with a handcuffed friend looking proud.

Once the crowd arrived at The Brick Theatre it was only a matter of time until the ‘Pie Throwing Contest’ got started.

First the referee had to lay down the rules and then all hell broke lose!

If you want to see more Clown Theatre that will bring joy to your bones and laughter to your soul…

go here and buy some tickets to the shows!

FERDINAND SAYS “COME AND SEE SOME SHOWS!”

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I will be posting more photographs from each performance I shot in the upcoming weeks.

Stay tuned or subscribe in the upper right hand corner!

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All Photographs are © 2010 by Jim Moore

Just before the show on August 26th I was able to get Patrick and Fred (who are performing in the wildly funny THE ROTTEN PLANTAINS) to sneak into a small alley near the 45 Bleecker St. Theatre (Where the show is presently playing) for a quick and brief interview. It was fun to get them on camera. The show THE ROTTEN PLANTAINS is probably one of the funniest clown ensemble shows I have seen is some time. Talented performers in the group include Claudia Carneiro, Julie Ferrier, Wayne Nelson, Daniel Passer along with Patrick and Fred. Using their skills in clown, mime and absurd theatre they combine to make a potpourri of madness, chaos, and funny hysteria for an evening of enjoyable theatre.

Interview with Patrick de Valette and Fred Blin by Jim Moore from Jim Moore on Vimeo.

Interview with Patrick de Valette and Fred Blin by Jim Moore from Jim Moore on Vimeo.

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Here are a few visual highlights from this past weekends performance of THE ROTTEN PLANTAINS.
A collection of wild and wonderfully funny clowns that put together an evening of insanity and delightfully funny chaos.
Pictured below are the cast members that come from far and near!

Patrick de Valette - Paris/ Claudio Carneiro – San Paulo  / Julie Ferrier - Paris / Fred Blin – Paris

(Wayne Wilson and Daniel Passer – Not pictured – Will be in the next weeks shows!)

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Guest Artist this past weekend – Arnaud Maillard  &  Amy Gordon – Brooklyn NY

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Patrick de Valette and Fred Blin start the show off.

Patrick de Valette and Fred Blin acting out a fantasy.

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Julie Ferrier

Julie’s character is so wrapped up in her discussion of ‘art’.

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Claudio Carneiro

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Patrick de Valette

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Julie Ferrier

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Amy Gordon – GUEST ARTIST

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Arnaud Maillard – GUEST ARTIST

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Julie Ferrier roller skates herself atop of an innocent audience member in a wonderful routine.

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The Rotten Plantain’s cast take a bow!

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The show was an amazing, hysterical, collage of clowns on their day off!
IT will be running again at 45 Bleecker St Theatre starting on August 26th for 4 Performances ONLY!

Thur Aug 26th at 10:30

Fri Aug 27th at 10:30

Sat Aug 28th at 10:30

Sun Aug 29th at 7pm

Get your tickets HERE.

Welcome to The New York Goofs 2010 Showcase

Larry Pisoni escorts a traveling young man into the world of the side show and carny.

Jay Stewart headed up the show as MC and all around ‘jokester’.

Hilary Chaplain and Dick Monday perform a very odd piece of mime!

A very funny lady with skills and talent  to boot! She performed several pieces in the evening and all were hysterical and artistic.

Jay Stewart, Hilary Chaplain and Evelyn Tuths perform a finger puppet circus act.

Joel Jeske and Hilary Chaplain perform a ‘squeeze’ and ‘hug’ piece that takes them to the floor.

Tiffany Riley cried her heart out for the audience.

Hilary Chaplain performed a ‘diva’ singer who was carrying more than she expected!

Chet Monday juggles up a storm for his debut performance with NY Goofs.

Evelyn Tuths performed a ‘dancing senior citizen’ with an affinity to drink a little ‘brew in between her steps.

Joel Jeske

Joel Jeske performs his ‘executive in peril’ piece. A wonderful dark humor that hits home with his great silent skills.

The NYGoofs cast club juggling with Hovey Burgess

The male cast members juggle clubs with Circus teacher/historian Hovey Burgess

Chet Monday

Chet Monday adding to the upbeat motions on stage with his dance moves.

Dick and Chet try and keep up with Tiffany.

Dick and Chet  try and keep up with Tiffany.

NY Goofs 2010 Performance Finale and Curtain Call from Jim Moore on Vimeo.

Hovey Burgess has been teaching circus skills for as long as I can remember…he is a really great teacher. You can ask the thousands of students that have passed thru his classes.
He talks about his work in the circus world and his teaching and amazing library of circus and circus related books.

Part 1 – Interview with Hovey Burgess by Jim Moore from Jim Moore on Vimeo.

Actually it is the amazing channeler of Lord Buckley from Santa Fe, New Mexico. ROD HARRISON. If you haven’t ever heard of Lord Buckley do some internet investigating and see what you are in store for! A real delight! Rod brings Lord Buckley back to life with his humourous, uncanny portrayal.

6pm Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts -- OUT OF DOORS Festival

See Rod Harrison here in a video I shot at The Bowery Poetry Club celebrating Lord Buckley’s B’day last year! Performing The Nazz.

In depth interview with Lord Buckley biographer OLIVER TRAGER coming soon!

CIRCUS is a new six-hour series that takes you on an unforgettable trip with the legendary Big Apple Circus. From the big top to the “back lot,” explore a distinctive world with its own rules, lingo and no fixed address. Follow the diverse characters who make up the Big Apple family and find out what it really means to live life in the ring. Premieres in November, 2010. (PBS Press Release)

I mention this because my first posting of my new series CLOWN  UN_MASK was Glen Heroy.

http://vaudevisuals.com/2010/02/the-clown-un_masked-glen-heroy/

He has a terrific place in the documentary showing off all his delightful talent.

Mark Lonergan knows how to put together a good ‘variety show‘. He has  produced quite a few MOVE IT shows in the past plus his usual calendar of shows gives him a good ‘edge’ over the competition.

This MOVE IT show included some amazingly talented physical/variety performers.

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Starting the show off was a delightful “Oddotorium Puppet Freak Show”. Performed by J. E. Cross.

A pupppet  ’Coney Island’ type side show with the barker and the ‘main attraction.

J.E. Cross and The Cosmic Bicycle Theatre

J. E. Cross and his COSMIC BICYCLE THEATRE presented a beautiful “Puppet Freak Show”.

A very innovative puppet theatre company garnered with much attention which it surely deserves!

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The next act to perform was juggler/dancer Jen Slaw.

Combing the best movement with the grace of a beautiful juggler she made her work look effortless and charming.

Her act was simple, stunning, lyrical and and she is very talented.

Jen Slaw with Clubs

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One of producer Mark Lonergan’s favorite performers and  collaborator on some of Parallel Exit’s best shows is a charmingly gifted funny man Joel Jeske.

His stage presence is hysterical and he played the audience well with his JOEL JESKE TRIO.

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Book Kennison is one of my favorite unique comedic juggling acts.

He is a young man wit lots of talent and abilities.

Keep your eyes out for ‘Book Kennison‘. He is a rising star in the variety scene.

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Shana Solomon’s Phastasamic Physical Theatre

Performing their interpretation of Akira Kurosawa‘s film RAN

The six member company made use of corporeal talent and  unique physical discipline to interpret the essence of the film on stage without hardly any words and no scenery.

A great actor uses these skills before adding the voice.

I was very moved with the creative work that went into this piece.

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A playful duet James and JF came on stage walking cardboard dogs.

The piece was set in the future and included plenty of verbal banter and visual gags.

The comedy duet James and JF consist of  Emily James and Ishah Janssen-Faith.

Inventive, wild, sexy and off the wall funny!

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The Final performer for the evening was one of my favorite clowns. Chris Allison performing his wacky “CONEY ISLAND CHRIS“.

This act is so curious. He proclaims to have learned how to perform  ’sideshow’ feats in an online class.

What happens to him in front of the audience as he attempts to show off his new found skills can only be described as ‘hysterical’.

He was one of the finalist on “AMERICA’S GOT TALENT” and just returned from Germany where he performed in a revue of ‘Newcomers’ with all international artists.

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The evening would not be complete without a chat with the audience by Mark Lonergan.

SUPPORT THE VARIETY ARTS!

He knows how to make it happen. It is up to you…the audience to support it!

Watch out for the next MOVE IT show. They are SOLD OUT fast!

For additional information about Mark Longergan and/or Parallel Exit contact: Parallel Exit

(This is not a complete description of the show. Many of the performers did another turn.

I covered the parts I had room for!)

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS © 2010 Jim Moore

©2008 Dan Piraro