Drew The Dramatic Fool in one of the scenes from his one man show “Help Help” at The Canal Park Playhouse.

His show has magic, juggling, puppetry, and all around hilarious clowning.

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Drew The Dramatic Fool is ever the Optimist in this delightful, funny and charming show.

Juggling 3 balls and Drew The Dramatic Fool still has that innocent look of amazement.

Drew is confused when he finds two helping hands in his mail box while trying to find the murderer.

What is going on behind this wall? Drew the Dramatic Fool looks on.

Drew is always a little scared because all night long he gets messages that he is ‘next’ to die!

Drew the Dramatic Fool strikes his ‘trademark’ pose for the audience even with a bucket foot.

Drew the Dramatic Fool conjures up a ‘lookalike’ puppet.

I have many more amazing shots of this great fun show but I suggest you just go see it!

TICKETS and more info HERE!

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The Co-Host of the show were Book Kennison and Mike Dobson.

Book Kennison hosting the Evening’s talent line up.

Mike Dobson co-host the Mr. Aviner’s Variety Hour at Dixon Place

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Gabriel Drouin

Gabriel Drouin performing on the Cyr Wheel

Having trained in martial arts prior to his work on the Cyr wheel Gabriel Drouin has great balance.

With legs crossed and still maintaining a great sense of movement.

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Adam Kuchler

With nothing but a few hats and a shopping bag Adam Kuchler makes the audience hysterical.

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Karianne Hayes

With fine technique and beauty Karianne Hayes captivates the audience.

Currently in her second year at Ecole de Cirque de Quebec, Karianne Hayes has amazing promise for the future.

Karianne Hayes has complete control over her body and technique.

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Aaron DeWitt

Aaron DeWitt has been juggling for 10 years and has an amazing talent.

Aaron DeWitt juggles effortlessly with mystical results.

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Aerial Emery

Aerial Emery performs with her hula hoop at the beginning of her act.

Aerial Emery has plenty of talent to share with the audience.

Performing with multiple hula hoops all at once.

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Adam Kuchler

Adam Kuchler displays his cigar box juggling skills.

Adam Kuchler caught in mid air juggling his cigar boxes.

Adam Kuchler juggling many cigar boxes.

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Karianne Hayes

With precision and technique Karianne Hayes performs on the German Wheel.

Karianne Hayes performs beautifully on the German Wheel.

After finishing the act Karianne Hayes takes her bow while holding the German Wheel.

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The Piccolini Trio

(Josh Stack, John Stork, Joy Powers) The Piccolini Trio act up as the final act of the evening.

The Piccolini brothers try to catch the falling dish from the Piccolini sister.

After breaking up all the dishes the Piccolini Trio take their bow.

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Look for future productions of MR. AVINER’S VARIETY HOUR at Dixon Place in the future!

Kinko the Clown (Keith Nelson) does some amazing tricks with the ‘diabolos’.

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MARK HAYWARD

Mark Hayward performing one of his many amazing top tricks.

Mark Hayward continued to amaze the audience with his top skills.

Mark Hayward had a really crazy finale with 4 different objects and things to do.

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MS. EKATERINA

Appearing out of a satin clam shell Ms. Ekaterina was a beautiful and skilled performer.

Amazing body control and gymnastic skills.

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THE KING CHARLES UNICYCLES TROUPE (KCT)

The King Charles Unicycle Troupe was great in their athletic control and the skills on the unicycle.

Two ropes and a unicycle jumping in the ropes..great skills are needed here for sure!

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JEFF HESS

Jeff Hess performed a very funny and startling strange piece of physical comedy.

Jeff Hess was able to contort his face in so many different ways.

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STEPHANIE MONSEU

Stephanie Monseu was handling the sword pretty good for a Ring Mistress.

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SABRINA CHAP

Sabrina Chap performed as the evenings musical accompanist and was great!

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MARK HAYWARD

Mark Hayward made this contraption fling 3 juggling balls at him at the same to in order to juggle.

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KEITH NELSON

Here is where Keith Nelson borrowed 2 bucks from me to cut in two pieces with his sword.

Keith Nelson swallowing a sword.

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MS. EKATERINA

Ms. Ekaterina performing a body bend while hanging from the ceiling on a silk.

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Stephanie Monseu was terrific as the hostess of the evening.

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The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus is performing EVERY THURSDAY this Month of March!

Next one is MARCH 15th! Come and enjoy a great Cirkus Experience!

Check HERE for the Schedule.

I was fortunate enough to have captured some wonderful moments of Barry in the last several years.

Here they are!

Dancing Ringside with GRANDMA

Barry Lubin doing makeup for GRANDMA at the Big Apple Circus backstage

Still taken from a book project about GRANDMA in New York City

GRANDMA says “Always throw away your coffee cup tops”.

GRANDMA performing in the “Dream Big” Edition of Big Apple Circus 12/2011

I am currently editing an interview I did with Barry in 2009 about his work in the Big Apple Circus and clown.

Stay Tuned for the screening here at Vaudevisuals.

Thank You Barry for all the laughs, fun and performances!

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Hilary Chaplain is a professional ‘funny woman’. Her show A LIFE IN THE DAY is an example of a well rehearsed,

clever, timed and executed with a wonderful sense of improv and contact with the audience.

Hilary with a mouth full of delicious marshmallows.

I was present at the last performance on Sunday Dec. 11th. She had run the show since Dec.8th and this was the last performance!

The afternoon show was attended well and the audience was there with her all the way.

She is a professional and has been performing as a solo artist for many years.

A romance with a twist and laughs all around.

Here is a video excerpt from the show.

Catch it when it comes back to your ‘neck of the woods’.

Clowns Full-Tilt: A Musings on Aesthetics

The cast was warming up for the show when I arrived at La Mama.

“Clowns Ex Machina is an all-women clown troupe.  Their newest full-length show, Clowns Full-Tilt (at LaMaMa in November) has nine women clowns, including creator and artistic director, Kendall Cornell”

Modern art has many ways of being created. Creating is a personal thing.

“Parts of Clowns Full-Tilt were based on famous works of art and other 2-D representations of women.   Three guesses about the masterpiece represented here.”

Comedic visual tableaux were a wonderful ongoing theme.

“The show was filled with many surprising revelations!”

Kendall Cornell in one of her poignant funny characters.

After recruiting an audience member to participate he turned on her with martial arts.

“The clowns gave a send-up to beauty products in high style.”

The Clowns ExMachina ensemble give their version of Chanel’s famous Egoiste commercial.”

A delightful visual tableaux with smoke rings made of cotton.

Kendall breaks out from behind the scenery with a plea.

The ‘confession line’ was a very sensitive and funny sequence.

Kendall Cornell and cast take a well deserved Curtain Call.

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Artists Statement by Kendall Cornell

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The Clowns Ex Machina are:

Amanda Barron, Carla T. Bosnjak, Kendall Cornell, Julie Kinkle, Michaela Lind,

Diana Lovrin, Lucia Rich, Maria Smushkovich, and Virginia Venk

Tickets and more information here.

Performing her ‘Diva’ piece.

Performing her ‘Classically Trained Musician‘ piece.

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N.Y. Theatre Magazine Wrote:

“It will leave one helpless with laughter”

Time Out New York wrote:

“Chaplain manages to go beyond mere slapstick and develops a

sympathetic character that the audience can latch on to.”

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For more information on Hilary Chaplain click here!

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In a ‘tiny’ basement at the Sycamore Bar there is a variety showcase that is quite ‘dangerous’ and really ‘fun’.

The show’s hosts are eccentric performer/clown John Leo and multi-talented (musician,juggler,comedian etc) Andy Sapora.

To start the show off they presented a young man who has been in South America studying clown for some time.

BRYCE PANIC (from Argentina)

With audience participatory music and eccentric dancing.

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A story teller that reveals some insane details about her babysitting experiences.

EMILY KENYON SCOTT

A babysitting story gone awry.

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Look what the hosts found in the back alley.

AUDREY CRABTREE

Wondering where her daddy is?

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A music piece with several complications.

OLIVIA LEHRMAN

Nice music stand.

Playing music can sure be a twisted thing sometimes!

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A few audience members were selected to become the ’13th Act’. They called themselves F*CK YOU GUYS!

They were given a scenario about ‘Btizy’s audition for Cirque du So Lame in Gemany

With wigs and costumes found in the cellar closet they performed their ‘masterpiece’.

Upon completing their performance they were  all given parting gifts.

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A regular at the Cabaret steps up to fill in a spot in the lineup with her borrowed uke.

TANYA SOLOMON

“AND she plays the uke? She’s the Eye of the Tiger.”

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ANDY SAPORA

Has he got blue balls?

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A contest was in store for the evenings festivities and who better to start it up.

SOPHIE NIMMANNIT

Assisted by Bryce and Jonathan. Audience contestants race to identify Sophie Ninmannit.

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John Leo and Andy Sapora ‘go fly a kite’.

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One of the delightful shows from the NY Clown Theatre Festival was “Legs & All“

The show has been extended and one half of the duo performed this physical comedy piece.

SUMMER SHAPIRO

‘dangerous with her balloon.’

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The hosts of the show reminiscing.

John Leo and Andy Sapora.

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The other half of ‘Legs & All’ duet did a piece with another partner.

PETER MUSANTE AND OLIVIA LEHRMAN

“When the Doves Cry” by incredibly expressive finger people.

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NEXT MONTH ON OCT 26th COME AND HAVE SOME ‘DANGEROUS FUN’.