VAUDE_VISUALS

DIXON PLACE

The New Home for The New York Downtown Clown Revue

October 2010 NY Downtown Clown Revue has many new surprises in store for the audience.

Commissioned work by Kevin C. Carr and Nina Levine along with performance by Chris Allison, Jef Johnson and Hilary Chaplain.

To open the night Christopher Lueck performed a short clown Intro.

A pratfall is a wonderful way to open a clown revue!

The balloon took center stage.

Playing with the ball and the audience.

After the large balloon popped he had an audience member (Peter Daniel Straus) get the remains.

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“CONEY ISLAND CHRIS”

One of his fun stunts is getting his tongue stuck in a large rat trap.

He was so excited to try out his new Xray vision glasses he had a woman audience member stand up as he put them on.

With a raw egg taped to his head he attempted to smash it with his new ‘bed of nails’ mechanical smasher.

Travel far and wild to see ‘CONEY ISLAND CHRIS’ do this act.

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Host Christopher Lueck introduces the next act JEF JOHNSON

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JEF JOHNSON

An abstract clown piece from head to toe.

Walking on stage he was pulling a balloon on a string.

Balancing on top of a ladder listening to a ipod. Audience could hear silence.

After having recruited audience members he was pushed around the stage through the maze of music stands.

In and out of the music stands on stage until he reached the original starting point.

The little balloon that finished the piece intact with him.

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One of the fun audience participation segments is:

THE GAME!

Tonight’s game had two contestants that were given a deck of cards with many aces that needed to be found & run across the room to be put on a music stand.

The Winner was Monica who won 2 tickets to see PLAY DEAD at the Players Theatre.

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NINA LEVINE – The Quitter

A Commissioned Work by the NY Downtown Clown Revue
What is must be like to try and give up smoking when you have a habit?

On all fours looking for that next cigarette.

Pleading with the audience to give her a cigarette.

Ahh..that is more like what I remember it to be like!

Collecting all the cigarettes from the audience members.

Having ‘QUIT’ she plays the flute as the lights fade out. Funny Piece indeed!

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Host Christopher Lueck introduces the next commissioned act. Kevin C. Carr.

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KEVIN C. CARR

The Hoboken Hobo

A Commissioned Work by the NY Downtown Clown Revue

Flask in hand ready to take on the world.

Blowing up a balloon in preparation for a trick.

Pushing the skewer into the balloon with it popping.

Showing off that terrific ‘hobo’ physique.

Always wants to be in the ‘spotlight’.

Kevin C. Carr can be seen in the upcoming film The Ridiculous Romantic.

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Host Christopher introduces the new VOTE containers.

Every month the audience is encouraged to VOTE for their favorite act/performer and at the end of the season the winners are selected and presented with

THE GOLDEN NOSE AWARD.

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HILARY CHAPLAIN – The Diva

Dressed so elegantly and performing an aria so nicely.

Then the audience realizes she is pregnant. The show must go on!

The singing is divine.

But she still feels a little uncomfortable.

The ‘bambino’ is born and the diva completes her show!

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Curtain Call for the cast. Drinking a glass of champagne to celebrate the New Season!

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For information on upcoming shows of The New York Downtown Clown revue click here.

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DIXON PLACE is available for parties, performances and other events.

The New York Clown Theatre Festival presented the one…the only CONEY ISLAND CHRIS at The Brick Theatre in Williamsburg.

His ‘sideshow’ credentials come from an online course in ‘Side Show Tricks’.

He prepares his stage to begin his act of marvel.

What shall I begin with? I have so many things to share with you tonight.

He is a proud clown that holds the Certificate of Completion from the famous online school.

This was his ‘warm up’ trick. Catching his tongue in a rat trap!

He followed that with putting his hand in a fox trap. Ouch!

Swallowing a sword was next in line to impress the audience.

Innocent audience member gets to turn his head around and around.

He begins to show us the amazing and difficult tricks.

He begins to eat the clear light bulb. Claims it doesn’t hurt his stomach.

This special formula keeps his stomach from hurting.

Sad for Coney Island Chris that his last Finale Trick didn’t go as planned.

OUCH! lol

What an amazing display of skill and comedic talent!

Coney Island Chris was one of the Finalist on the top rated TV Show AMERICAS GOT TALENT. See a video of his act here.

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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

On the first Monday of the every month BINDLESTIFF VARIETY SHOW is held at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The host Keith Bindlestiff attempted to complete the Kendama Blockhead this past Monday. I have been videotaping all his attempts all the way back to August ’09. I am sure he will get it one day!

Here is a video where he provides the unknowing audience members with a short education on what the ‘Human Blockhead‘ is and then attempts the Kendama Blockhead. The variety show is a mix of acts ranging from singing to burlesque to trapeze and back to Kendama Blockhead. All for $5.00. Well worth the visit and time. This show included the likes of Baby Seals, Jan Manke, Kitty Cockpit, Coney Island Chris, Magic Brian, Zero Boy, The Maestrocities, and Mika.

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One of the funniest acts I have seen and enjoyed is Chris Allison’s side show freak CONEY ISLAND CHRIS. He mixes the zany attitude of the likes of Jerry Lewis’ nutty professor and Pee Wee Herman with a glass eating, finger in a rat trap, silly costume and hysterical facial gestures Coney Island simple guy trying to learn the ropes of sideshowville. Coney Island Chris made it to the finalist on AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.

©2009 Jim Moore / All Rights Reserved