Three years ago, John Towsen, artistic director of the first NY Clown-Theatre Festival in 1983, hosted a clown-theatre reunion of performers from back in the 80s. When he made plans for a “second tri-annual” clown-theatre reunion this September, Audrey Crabtree suggested he stage a cabaret of older clowns as part of the 2012 festival. The happy result was the sold-out September 28th cabaret, “Return of the Old-Timey Clowns,” which featured twelve acts from a total of fourteen performers.
Area man John Towsen put on his best circus tie to host the festivities.
Hank Smith performs The Mime, a parody of mime clichés to the music of James Brown.
David Tabatsky somehow convinces himself he’s a black cowboy in If I Tell You Now, There’s No Surprise, and Really, What Fun is That?
The Tunisian Toe Tapping Twins with Liz Bolick (left) & Therese Schorn.
Storytelling and face painting come together in Story Faces by Christopher Agostino, a finalist for the 2012 Unique Artist Awards. The volunteer is none other than festival luminary Summer Shapiro.
Hovey Burgess introduces Jim Moore and his film, The Ridiculous Romantic.
Jim Moore’s The Ridiculous Romantic, winner of the Best Silent Film award at the Coney Island Film Festival
Jan “Yoyo” Greenfield defends his right to dance to the music in his piece The Music Box, accompanied by his son Daniel..
Terry Dineen (Ireland) performs The Birth Day, a selection from her latest solo show.
Stephen Ringold confronts the audience as Charlie The Hunchback Geek.
Zeke Peterhoff charms the audience and gets them singing along with his sweet, contemplative, and original song, Stone Buddha.
Celia McCarthy & Joan Merwyn twist words and their own bodies in Help Yourself
Fools Unlimited take a curtain call.
After a mere five minutes, we were all worshipping our new guru, Bernie Kramer as The Mime Master.
Michael Trautman proves he’s not as old as he looks as he performs King Pong’s Ping Pong Rodeo
With only a mirror he was able to knock the can off his head with a ping pong ball.
Michael Trautman yells to the audience ‘Say OH YEAH’
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’.
~~~~~~~
Final Curtain Call. All of the performers are ready for bed!
The opening act (after Keith’s Chinese Yoyo act) was Maks Turner on aerial.
Host Keith Nelson warms up the audience with his Yoyo ‘wind’.
Therese Schorn salutes Liz Bolick who juggles and balances everything.
Keith Nelson performs with his ‘age-old- parlor trick Yoyo.
Jerlin Cuesta works on some new Unicycle tricks. Juggling 3 balls while riding the unicycle.
Nelson Lugo performs a magic trick involving a cut and restored rope.
Michael Goldman and Lauren Elizabeth do some beautiful acrobatics.
Maggie Neuwald performs an amazing series of trapeze movements.
Cobra Gold performing a few original tunes. 
Phineas (dressed in Whoopee Cushion attire) and audience volunteer doing a card trick together.
Zero Boy captures the audience’s imagination with his oral acrobatics and mimetic storytelling.
