Performers included:

Carol Lee Sirugo and Honey Goodenough

Audrey Crabtree and Billy Dee Bedlam

Hilary Chaplain

Cloris Flap (Tanya Solomon)

James and JF (Emily James and Ishah Janssen-Faith)

Groundgrippers Dance Company

The Maestrocities

Music by Cirque This: Jason Leinwand, Ethan Leinwand, Andy Dickerson, Lauri Berritta, Perry Gavin

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Carol Lee Sirugo and Honey Goodenough in ”Gwendolyn Rosa Lee performs Little Lamb”

Carol Lee Sirugo performing ‘Little Lamb’ with Honey Goodenough

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Audrey Crabtree and Billy Dee Bedlam in “No Reservations”.

Billy Dee Bedlam (Billy Schultz) and Audrey Crabtree in “No Reservations”

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The Triskelion Cleanup Squad in between Acts

Triskelion ‘Cirque Off’ stage hands prepare stage for next act.

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James and JF

Emily James covers her partner Ishah Janssen-Faith (Channel One) in their new piece.

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Andy Sapora

The remote control cat has Andy Sapora in a frenzy.

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Hilary Chaplain

Hilary Chaplain performs her new piece at Cirque Off.

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Groundgrippers Dance Company

The Groundgrippers Dance Company let loose at the Cirque Off show.

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The Maestrosities

The Maestrosities performing their unique form of comedic music.

The Maestrosities: The Coolest Band Ever!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tanya Solomon

Tanya Solomon (Cloris Flap)  performing her pop-break dancing piece.

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Curtain Call

Curtain Call for the Final Night of Cirque Off

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All Photographs © 2012 Jim Moore

Season 5, Show #57

Katherine M. Horejsi performs as the ‘clean up lady’ ~Cleaning up what the clowns leave behind~

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Hilary Chaplain

Not able to stand up with her shoe in her hand Hilary brings a new character to the show.

Bagel with cream cheese is the food of choice for Hilary Chaplain’s new character.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ben Model

Playing piano for a silent film excerpt of Harry Langdon “Remember When”.

Ben Model talks to the audience about the silent film star Harry Langdon.

Still of Title Card from Harry Langdon’s silent film “Remember When”.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christopher Lueck helping his assistant (played by Katherine Horejsi) prepare for next act

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Kiki, featuring Special Guest

Kiki (Aya Tucker) prepares to play the glasses with her spoon.

Kiki performs finally while the ‘special guest’ looks on!

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The Game

Christopher Lueck introduces ‘The Game” which happens at every Revue.

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Amy Larimer

Amy Larimer tells a story using cryptic images and movement.

Using the drawing sharpies and easel she draws out her character’s personal saga.

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Joel Jeske

Joel Jeske opens his piece – I have seen over 16 midgets today and its only Monday -by yelling the title at the audience.

Joel Jeske eats a ‘rotten’ apple in - This is a Really Bad Apple- using his hysterical mime skills.

Joel Jeske hugs audience member Amy Virginia Buchanan during his piece - A Desperate Hug.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Curtain call for the performers at tonight’s Downtown Clown Revue.

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All Photographs © 2012 Jim Moore

Vaudephone is a co-production of Vaudevisuals.com and the American Vaudeville Theatre/Travalanche

vaudevisuals.com
travsd.wordpress.com/

Recorded at Dixon Place on December 13th, 2011.

To see more of the Vaudephone series:
http://vaudephone.com
http://bit.ly/w1j0Iv

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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Artists Statement by Kendall Cornell

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

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“The inspiration for ROOM 17B goes back to a show we did at 59E59 Theaters in 2007 called CUT TO THE CHASE.  One of the reviews for the show challenged us to take some daring leaps and explore new avenues with our work.  With that gauntlet thrown down, we began discussing how to inject contemporary material into a vaudevillian format – purposely pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone.”

(left to right) Mike Dobson, Danny Gardner, Joel Jeske, Brent McBeth

“Mike Dobson and Joel Jeske, the authors of the show, began developing some ideas that we explored over a weekend at the Kraine Theater in 2009.  At the heart of these ideas was a group of businessmen putting on a bizarre and interactive presentation.  As we continued to work on the material, our set and lighting designer Maruti Evans ran with the business presentation idea and came up with the perfect setting for the show – a surreal office of floor-to-ceiling filing cabinets.”

Danny Gardner and Joel Jeske

“With Maruti’s design in place, the concept evolved into what we have today – a long-forgotten room in a huge office building in which all the props and costumes appear from the file drawers.  The result is a cross between Buster Keaton, Monty Python, and Tim & Eric – surreal, funny, physical, and modern – and hopefully, a great night of theatre.”

Joel Jeske and Danny Gardner in a surreal office moment.

Brent McBeth taking a seriously uneasy note.

Joel Jeske in absurdly wild pose while being introduced.

I recommend this show to anyone who wants to laugh and  be entertained by 4 wonderfully hysterical performers.

Written by Mike Dobson and Joel Jeske .

Directed by Mark Lonergan.

Original Music by Mike Dobosn

Choreography by Danny Gardner and Brent McBeth.

Set and Lighting by Maruti Evans

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Get more information and tickets 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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This interview is with the creators and performers of the show CHANNEL ONE. Ishah Janssen-Faith and Emily James are the duo aka ‘James and JF‘. I had a few minutes before their show at The Brick to ask them a few questions about how the show came about and what their original idea was to create it. The show is part of the NY Clown Theatre Festival.

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CHANNEL ONE
This wild roller coaster of a show had me laughing so hard I found myself having trouble shooting the photographs.
It was broken down into sections. Each one was a ‘TV Show’ of sorts that takes place in the future.
I cannot comment on all the sections of the show except to say it was delightful, hysterical, intelligent and original.
I am posting the best images i have of the show for your perusal.

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Opening sequence of the show was really fun.

Karla’s Kitchen was a cooking show with flare and laughter.

Dancing on the cooking show. Wouldn’t that be fun!

Emily just had so much trouble getting her show to start.

Heidi’s show and she made you know it.

Another dance number – this time on Heidi’s show.

This is the show “He’s Your Man Now’.

Thinking about the issue at hand.

He is your man now!

Next up was a ‘healer’ show with Emily.

The duo had a funny show called THE MONO SISTERS.

Never able to complete anything due to their case of mono.

Curtain call for two very funny and talents women.

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That is what we call ‘our vaudeville’. Hope you enjoyed yourselves!

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The hostesses of the show were Karen McCarty and Deborah Kaufman.

Of course the IDEA for this foolish evenings festivities came from the mind of Jan Greenfield. (over 50 too!)

I had a chance to get to the theatre early and take a portrait of the hostesses.

Deborah Kaufman and Karen McCarty Host the Cabaret

They get the show on the road by dancing a number together to rev up the audience spirits.

Are you ready for the show to begin?

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First to start the show is Hilary Chaplain with her delightfully demented piece  THE DIVA.

Uh Oh…What show must go on?

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GORK (Michael Getlan)  the stage hand helps clean up the roses.

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The next act to appear in the cabaret comes from the wilds of Finland.

LILI’s HAIR AND BEAUTY PARLOR

Lily Sukula-Lindblom and audience member Bryce Kasson.

Innocent audience member gets her ‘makeover’ and responds!

The Final Picture for Hair and Beauty Parlor

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The ‘oldest mime in the world’ is Richmond Shepard.  He was there and performed a few comic mime pieces.

Comical stories with nice funny mimetic touches.

Richmond was an inspiration for many mime performers to follow.

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The show was not without disturbances. An act titled ‘Clifton’s Senior Moment’ turned out to be an impostor.

John Leo tried to get in on the show’s action but got pulled off soon.

Out you go impostor. Stay out of here!

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THE HOLE

Next up was the piece featuring Nancy Smithner(c), Therese Schorn (r) and Bernie Kramer(l).

It was a strange piece to say the least!

The young girl is being scolded by the grandmother for misbehaving.

After climbing down a ladder into ‘the hole’ they put on mask and play. They also pull out their tails.(?)

After playing they climb out of ‘the hole’ and back to the drawing room. Grandma reads them the bible.

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WILL SHAW sings ‘This Old Man’.

Very unique discussion of the lyrics during the song! lol

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JULIE GOELL performs ‘Feminity Tonight’.

Preparing a nice facial using uncommon ingredients.

A little egg on the nose is always good for the overall appearance.

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VASES with David Sharps

Not only is David an accomplished juggler and performer he also happens to be a captain of a sea vessel.

Karen and Deborah with signs.

David manipulates the small vase.

David with the very heavy and large chinese vase.

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BERNARD KRAMER performs “My Way”.

Singing Frank Sinatra’s  MY WAY as he proceeded to visually portray his ideas about his ‘way’.

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Mildred and Foo Foo

Here we had another example of a performer trying to ‘get in’ to the show even though he wasn’t qualified. (not 50+)

John Leo was remarkable in his never ending attempts to perform in the show.

(and his never ending array of wild and funny characters! Thanks for the hilarity JOHN)

The gig is over. They found out who you really are John Leo!

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THE AMAZING ZAKAHHR

featuring Michael Christensen

Michael has had a long revered career in the NY circus scene. Having performed in Europe with the one-ring circus’  he and juggling partner Paul Binder came back to NY in 1977 and created the BIG APPLE CIRCUS. Michael also created in 1986 the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit. One of the first season’s of the BAC Michael performed his new act with his new character The Amazing Zakahhr.

Now many odd years later he shows us again his wonderfully creative and off beat mind in action.

“Carnavorium bloodius maximus, the Latin name of one of the most remarkable and vicious creatures of the animal kingdom, the Long Haired, Silverback, Soldier Mole! The Soldier Mole, capable of burrowing through solid granite, having no known predators, this mole reigns supreme in the vast arid wastelands of the middle east.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your safety please remain seated!

We now present

The Amazing Zakahrr

And his trained Soldier Mole, Githha!”

Karen and Deborah help Zakahhr get curtain away for the entrance of his trained mole.

His head to the ground to hear the rumblings of his trained mole.

Exasperated by the effort to keep the trained mole from causing havoc on stage.

His arm under the carpet means only one thing. He is performing the finale  ’grip of death’!

(he is taking a huge chance not to have his hand chewed off  by the mole Githha)

With a hand bloodied he comes out from beneath the rug ‘alive’.

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Final Curtain Call. All of the performers are ready for bed!

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