March brought another round of Coney Island Clown Skool, and by all accounts it was a hell of a session. A fresh crop of students got a deep dive into the craft — the physical comedy, the timing, the character work, all the elements that separate a real clown from someone with a red nose and a dream.
What makes Clown Skool worth paying attention to is the faculty. These aren’t weekend workshop instructors — they’re working professionals who’ve built careers doing exactly what they’re teaching. The lineup included Michael Trautman, Christine Gelsone, Joel Jeske, John Towsen, Ian Sweetman, Shereen Hickman, Becky Baumwoll, and Watson Kawecki, all brought together under the direction of founder Glen Heroy, who has been driving this thing from the start.
When your teachers are that accomplished, the students get something real. And from what hit the stage at the final performance — they delivered.
Introduced by Glen Heroy anf Hosted by Bambi (Brian Grimotes)
A little parade of the performers begins the show!
Abby (Abby Williams) shuffles across the stage in a most delightful fashion.
Chuckie (Charlotte Chauvin) taunted the audience with her wild antics.
Soo Soo (Anna Kim) mesmerized all the audience with a quiet and blissful comedic style.
Coney Island USA hosted the Clown Skool’s final student performance, and this beloved not-for-profit wouldn’t be what it is today without the extraordinary contributions of Patrick Wall — General Manager, actor, and the kind of indispensable, does-everything force that keeps an organization truly alive.
Bambi (Brian Grimotes) tackled the old vaudeville routine using the animated coat with charm and pathos.
Clown Skool founder/director Glen Heroy with ever-so-important Beth Brown address the audience.
Lollygag (Miles Nelson) created a demomic looking monster act with the innocent candy lollipop.
Benny (Alberto Chamorro) conducted the audience with much glee and charm.
Velvet (Kaitlin Wilkie) a charming, and rather clumsy beauty queen held her own!
Alexis (Alexis Lopez) man-handled Lollygag with brute force and hysteria.
Carlos (Carlos Ramos) explored the issues of grief and healing with quiet abstract physical exploration.
Ari (Ariana Jimenez) creates an underwater adventure story with her accordion.
Edith (Dustin Ramirez) tantalizes the audience with her secret meal!
Sir Cuss and Sarah (Sarah Listrom) have their first clown date on stage.
More photographs from the show HERE!
# # # # #
