The New York Downtown Clown Revue

March 15, 2010

Jim Moore — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:43:47 +0000

The NYDTCR # 47 at the Krane Theatre

FINAL PERFORMANCE

The night was a variety of eccentric acts and all of them were so happy to be part of the Final Performance of the New York Downtown Clown Revue

The first person to greet the audience was Matt Mitler in his character ‘Little Hymie’. (pronounced HI ME!)

Greeting the audience as they entered and telling all about the show.

He then attempted the impossible.

TO FLY!

Using his trusty Beany Copter cap he cranked it up and let it spin….Whooossssh!

The wild antics of Matt Mitler were not over. He would return with more of his solo madness later in the show!

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Next in the arena of eccentric performers was two young upstarts.

Brian Wright and Tatiana Ramirez

Brian fell in love with clown when he attended his first Ringling show at the age of 4. He met Tatiana and they both began attending Ringling Bros. shows.

They participate in the Unicycle Club, NY Downtown Clown Slapstick Dojo and are hoping to go to Mooseburger Camp for the summer to learn more skills.

In their spare time they practise applying make-up and try out new facial expressions. Although YOUNG, they are very determined to become professional clowns in the future and hope tonight’s show will be the first they make the audience laugh.

Brian showed up bothering Chris the host with Birthday balloons. HE thought there was a birthday party on the stage.

It turns out that was the beginning of a very long search for birthday presents for Tatiana. What did she want for her birthday? What did he think she wanted?

What did her get her? All these questions were wrapped up in the physical piece that they brought to the show. Props and more props seemed to appear out of their

plastic trunk.

He thought that maybe she wanted something more fun. Balloon animals?

Maybe he needed to be more creative and get an audience member on stage?

Carol Sirugo was a nice volunteer to go along with his attempts to find a present.

What she really wanted finally came to her in the form of a magic trick that didn’t really work!

A REAL DOG!

She was happy now!

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CLOWN TIKI AND CLOWN TED

Aya Tucker is a clown, actor and devisor. She is originally from Japan, but has trained mainly in Tennessee, New York, and London. She holds a an MFA in Lecoq-based Actor Based Theatre from London International School of Performing Arts. (LISPA). It was in Naropa University that she discovered her character KIKI and an act with Aram Alan Aghazarin. She is currently doing an acting internship with Bond Street Theatre in NY.

Aram Alan Aghazarin is back from a winter in Alaska where he played BIG STONE in Eurydice. He also co-created and performed in Forward Operating Base. Aram is a graduate of the London International School of Performing Arts.

Clown KIKI and Clown TED played music together. She tried to play the water glasses but couldn’t find the right final note.

Need to add some beer to make it sound better.

But she added too much beer to the glass. Now she had to remove some.

Now it sounds great! Thanks!

Maybe I need to finish off the beer?

Encore…Play the stray.

Very funny act and she has delightful stage presence.

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DANIEL

A wonderful trip thru the inner turmoil of the performer on stage. Daniel was punishing himself with pillows for quite some time on stage. It was funny and insightful.

Daniel was born in the Virgo Supercluster at the outer limits of the Milky Way Galaxy near a star known locally as the Sun on a planet where the food is quite good.

When his college advisor wrote him a note to get into Harvard University he decided comedy was a smarter option.

Here he begins to find a way to go thru a visual and inner exploration of process and delightful physical balances.

Can I get myself onto of the world? Can i accomplish this feat?

He leaves the stage and takes his antics to the audience.

In the end it all worked out. The audience got a glimpse of the inner workings of a creative mind. Did they want to experience it themselves…? Probably NOT!

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MATT MITLER

Matt’s bio in the program said ‘has been hospitalized in seven different countries and has a criminal record in the state of New York. He starred in over a dozen grade Z motion pictures in the 80’s before making his own feature film ‘Cracking Up’, which won ‘Best Film’ in the Venice Film Festival Critics Week and in the NY Underground Film Festival. He initially trained in Humanistic and Existential Psychology before discovering the healing power of theatre.’

Using a hysterical monolog and mimetic gestures he gives the audience a taste of his personal travels thru Europe and how the train and accidents can ruin your time away.

The ups and downs of traveling.

I am a human. I am not an animal.

Matt will be back again with a final comment on life!

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RACHEL RESNICK

Rachel Resnick is a graduate of the NY Goof’s Clown School Class of ‘06. This will be her fourth NY Downtown Clown Revue. She is skipping classes at McGill University in Montreal in order to appear in this evenings performance. She will most likely be finishing her Music History Term Paper backstage while the show is going on. She hopes her professors don’t google ‘Clown Shows in New York’ and find out she is in it.

She is competing for a dance school admission. She wants to get in and learn to become a professional dancer. Why is she eating chocolate? She becomes aggressive and ruthless.

Her competition is good!

I got the position? WOW..I am so happy!

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THE METAL CLOWN SHOW

Finally we have someone brave enough to mix Clown and Heavy Metal music….Michael Schruefer is excited to perform again at the NY Downtown Clown Revue. He has studied at the Slapstick Dojo and NY Goofs. His mother joins in on stage in a role that only a mother can do right!

HE and his partner bring out the BRUTAL STUFF carton! The music starts and then begin to run it like crazy.

With stud noses and stud juggling balls they begin to rock the house!

Here we have the ‘grim reaper’ and MOM gaged and roped up!

All over and dazed and confused.

~~~~~~~

Matt Mitler

The odd characters that Matt creates can be attributed to his work and studies in the therapeutic lineage of R.D.Laing and Carl Rogers. His theatrical decisions are founded on training he received with Jerzy Grotowski and Eugenio Barba. Here is his character ‘Clyde‘ who wants to sing. He is able to but can he bring himself to the task?

You can find the oddest people cleaning up.

~~~~~~~

ERICKSON HUERTAS

Erickson Huertas is a bi-coastal stage and film actor and singer. He is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, where he studied under Dean Zayas. He had his first professional theatre role at the age 0f 12 with Nuestro Nuevo Teatro, in Puerto Rico. Recipient of the UNESCO merit medal, his stage and film credits include Torch Song Trilogy, Bala Perdidia and Pregoges Theatre’s Geni y el Zepelin, Cuento que cuertan, and Aloha Boricual.

Tonight’s performace was structed loosely as an audition. He wore a red nose and sharp suit jacket. Mannerisms and pantomime technique were top on his list of things to bring this character alive. A Funny man indeed! Look forward to seeing more of his work in the near future. See his reel here.

He finally found the attractive woman Megan sitting next to me as his focus of attention. She was the new target.

He seemed to be content with making a small fire with his large than life pocket lighter.

~~~~~~~

MATT MITLER

Performing his “Tango de la Coca Cola Classico”.

Preparing for the Tango.

Passion de la Coca Cola!

Interview with Matt Mitler by Christopher Lueck

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0NJmagpDDA

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The community will miss this monthly event very much.

A Pie in the Face of Christopher Lueck!

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The APRIL NY Downtown Clown Revue is the Annual GOLDEN NOSE AWARDS!

Make sure to make your reservations in advance.

MONDAY APRIL 19th 2010

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ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COPYRIGHTS © 2010 JIM MOORE

~~~~~~

To contact Jim Moore write to:

jim@moorepics.com

or visit his web site:

http://moorepics.com

or blog:

http://vaudevisuals.com

~~~~~~~

The NY Downtown Clown Revue is produced by Amanda Pekoe and Christopher Lueck

The Technical Director and the one who make the show possible to all the performers with such an amazingly short tech time is:

Justin Sturges.

February 15, 2010

Jim Moore — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:52:06 +0000

The Amazing, Outstanding and Outrageously Great

New York Downtown Clown Revue

What a lineup it was!

(Two of the Six Acts were no where to be found! Oops!)

BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

The Host of the Evening was in GOOD SPIRITS as Always!

: Christopher Lueck is up to the Challenge!

Christopher Lueck is up to the Challenge!

Show #46

This month’s Downtown Clown revue had a great assortment of talent. Dave McKay from the wilds of Toronto, Canada. He runs the website TorontoClown.com, coproduces the Lunacy Cabaret and coproduces the Toronto Festival of Clowns. Dave has studied Pochinko clown with Michael Kennard of Mump and Smoot, buffon with Adam Lazarus and improv at the Second City Training Conservatory program. He presented his character TREFOR.

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TREFOR

: TREFOR at The New York Downtown Clown Revue

Not content with wishing for a better world he wants some one to help him. Make romance, beauty and love! He solicits a volunteer.

: Trefor with Rob Lok. The lucky volunteer.

The making of a life long friendship this is NOT! It was a delightful exchange and one that the audience enjoyed mostly.

Dave’s lispy monolog was heartfelt, romantic and depressingly uplifting all at the same time.

But this one man was not enough…TREFOR had to have ROMANCE on stage. HE had to make it happen. Catch the love.

: A Couple of Love Birds with Trefor

He wanted something from them. He wanted the couple to donate their magnetic love breath. And so it shall be!

It was at that moment he made the audience smile with overwhelming group love!

: Trefor pleads with the Audience Once more.

Thanks for that NEW YORK LOVE!

~~~~~~~~

R_C_E

This trio is comprised of Rob Lok, Christina Gelsone and Erin Schmahl. They have had their troubles working together in the past!

Rob has worked with 6 clown partners in his fourteen year career. He’s on speaking terms with 3 of them. Christina has worked with 3 clown partners in her 10 year career. She still performs with two of them.

Erin is one of those three partners that are still speaking with Rob. Erin has to wonder what she did wrong.

The evening was a ‘hit and miss’ bout between the three partners. Trying to get the scene done right. It was always ‘right’ to one of them but the other felt it needed to be changed yet again.

The first Attempt to get it right!

The first attempt to get anything right is always the hardest. Let’s try and do it again! My Way! (The right Way!)

Heads up!

All right! Now we can finish this bit of business with a finale.

OK….Now we have to discuss what we did right and what we did wrong…RIGHT?

Rob wants to try it with the other partner!

WOW! How can I do this? You aren’t going to make me lift you? Are you….

It doesn’t help to get mad at your clown partners…Sometimes you can go crazy!

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CLAIRE

A delightful stage presence makes an audience feel at home and CLAIRE WEDEMEYER is one of those performers that has that gift!

She toured with the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus and as a featured clown with the Kelly Miller Circus.

She has street performed in Chicago, Boulder, and in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Tonight she performed her ‘magic’ ring act and a did a piece with a delightful broom that had a personality of it’s own.

She whispers to the audience ‘magic’ as she moves the rings in and out of reality.

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Featured Performers

LEGS & ALL

Featured in the 2010 FRIGID Festival at Under St. Marks Theatre

Two very movement orientated performers. Summer Shapiro and Peter Musante.

Summer, a San Francisco Clown Conservatory graduateand current Climate Theatre resident artist, has written, performed three original physical comedy shows, which toured to San Francisco, Hawaii and New York.

For more information on Summer and Peter click on their names above!

The excerpt from their full length show LEGS & ALL is a visual potpourri of images.

To describe it with words will not do it any justice. They story is about a man and a woman.

But not any man and woman.

We had a chance to interview Summer and Peter before the show.

Interview with Summer and Peter

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uRNoZeWUgA

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Next and LAST Clown Revue is scheduled for:

MONDAY MARCH 15th, 2010 8pm.

Scheduled to appear are the following performers:

Matt Mitler

Rachel Resnick

Cheryl Schruefer

Daniel Forlano

Aya Tucker

Erickson Huertas

and more…..

KRAINE THEATRE

85 East 4th St. (Between 2nd Ave and Bowery)

~~~~~~~~

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COPYRIGHTED © 2010 JIM MOORE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

~~~~~~~~

To contact Jim Moore write to:

jim@moorepics.com

or visit his web site:

http://moorepics.com

or blog:

http://vaudevisuals.com

~~~~~~~

The NY Downtown Clown Revue is produced by Amanda Pekoe and Christopher Lueck.

The Technical Director and the one that makes the show possible to all the performers with such an amazingly short tech time is

Justin Sturges.

January 18th, 2010

Jim Moore — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:52:00 +0000

Magic is in the Air!

Red is the Color for January!

Mind is indeed STRONGER than Matter!

The Host of the Evening was the gentleman and producer of the show Christopher Lueck.

Every show gets started by showing off the inflatable clown and the NUMBER on it’s head.

The number being the NUMBER of Downtown Clown Revue that have been performed!

This was #45

Then ‘whacking’ it into the audience. One day those little fellows will be collectors items!

This month’s Downtown Clown Revue had a wonderful variety of performers. PROFESSOR HERCULE NOCHEAUX and his magical and mysterious globe traveling revue has made a stop at the Revue to share some of his unknown and paranormal feats of disappearance. The AMAZING AMY proves once more that the MIND is stronger than matter. She has been thru much physical operations and worn down parts of her body have almost taken their toll. But she proves to all of us that with the right amount of Yoga you can bring yourself to an AMAZING state of physical magic.

Eric Davis is subversive, corrosive and brilliantly funny as he brings his RED BASTARD to the stage. Nominated for Golden Nose Award in 2007 he continues to break barriers, assault audience members that deserve it and make theatre that got him work in Cirque du Soleil’s QUIDAM.

From the wilds of Delaware we have the charming ITINERANT DANCE THEATRE that states “Have Costumes – Will Travel.” They perform eclectic dance pieces using the varied talents of all professionally trained members of the company. Their signature piece “SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO BE SILLY” has never been performed twice the same way. Always allowing the moment to inspire the improv aspect of the work.

Golan made the theatre audience think about the absurdity of space and time. With just a long red string and his quiet demeanor it was a constanttelling the audience to ‘Shhhhssh’. Be quiet! Making his way to finally tackle that task at hand. Walking on the imaginary stringas though it were much higher than it was on the floor. Funny and absurd!

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AMAZING AMY

Amazing Amy makes her unassuming entrance

Contact Amy at her web site / www.idanz.com/aharlib

Amazing Amy is 54 Years Old!

Contact Amy at her web site / www.idanz.com/aharlib

The Amazing Amy was accompanied by Harlan Muir on accordion.

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ERIC DAVIS

is

The Red Bastard

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THE ITINERANT DANCE THEATER

A Dance with Pantomime

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THE GAME

Every month there is a new GAME where audience members get a chance to win some PRIZES!

This month it was Christopher Lueck getting pied in the face. The audience member that got it

’square’ in the face won the PRIZE. Here are some glimpses of what happened!

Chris comes equipped with the proper attire

WHACK! Right in the face!

And The Winner IS!

She walked away with a nice pair of DVD movies to watch.

~~~~~~~~

GOLAN

Golan listens for audience quiet before attempting his task.

Beginning to walk the line.

Reaching the destination after all that wait!

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PROFESSOR HERCULE NOCHEAUX

After much hoopla we finally realize that the Professor is NOT SHOWING up. The two tech crew people will some how make it work.

That is the show that he was supposed to do..The MAGIC show! So the two begin by doing some silly but amusing finger manupulationtricks which get the audience in the right mood for what is to come. They change their clothes into a more ‘performer’s type attire. Then they proceed to stun the audience by doing the amazing TRUCK ESCAPE trick. The two performers are Matthew Pauli and Karen Beriss. Both are very professional performers and did a wonderful and delightful performance of this skit.

The ‘tech crew’ member shows off Manual finger magic at it’s best!

They have their professional costumes on now!

He puts her in the bag and covers her with it.

Puts her in the truck!

He thinks he is locking her in! Look on the left side back…lol

Covers the truck with a large cloth and stands on it!

The cloth is dropped and there she is! MAGIC!

He comes out of the box and out from under the bag in her clothes!

Amazing feat of magic and we have the stage tech crew to THANK for it all. A job well done by Matthew Pauli and Karen Beriss.

Visit this link at Youtube to see an video interview with Matthew Pauli and Karen Beriss before the show on January 18th, 2010.

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Make sure you visit my other blog:

Video and photographs of Eccentric Variety

http://vaudevisuals.com

~~~~~~~

The next scheduled New York Downtown Clown Revue will be held on Feb.15th

at The Kraine Theatre, 85 East 4th St. NYC.

The performers will include:

Rob Lok

Claire Wedemeyer

Tad Schegel

And
MORE!

December 21, 2009

Jim Moore — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:32:05 +0000

Holiday time in December and we had Le Fromage Royal in the house. Watch Out!

BUT hosting the show was the SPECIAL GUEST HOST Mr. Michael Getlan.

Special Guest Host Michael Getlan

His assortment of head wear was amazing. You might think he was a hat salesman. One after another he adorned his head with. Each more hysterical then the last. It was so much fun. We didn’t need anyone else. Just have the Special Host come out with different hats inbetween blackouts.

Anyway the evening moved on to a wonderful series of short pieces by the delightful women clown trio THOSE IN THE NOSE.

Nina Levine walked out on stage with a small mistletoe plant on her head (another funny hat!) and it was the ‘kiss me if you stand underneath me’ plant.

Nina waits for that special someone.

Next we find her waiting for that special someone…
STILL!

Getting restless waiting for that Special someone.

Finally some comes up from the crowd.

Waiting again! That is what she was waiting for!

OK. That was wonderful..who is next?

~~~~~~~

Roland Zee

Roland Zee came onto the stage and made the air become objects. Trained as a pantomime he did a delightful

series of vignettes that showed off his great skill making us believe what was not there.

He even invited an audience member up on stage to help him move a balloon that seemed to have

gotten stuck in mid air.

Michael Getlan’s daughter Gillian with Roland Zee

Why won’t this move?

Roland awards Gillian a prize for her hard work on stage.

~~~~~~~

Mariko Iwasa

Mariko Iwasa is a professional actor and dance performer from Japan. I have seen her work improve so much in the last year. I know she loves the material she performs. It is filled with laughter and smiles. A cabaret act with props and costumes that change so fast you can’t imagine where she gets all the energy or where she gets all the props.

It always seems to work out for Mariko’s characters no matter how difficult it gets!

Working your way thru the entertainment world. Whew!

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THOSE IN THE NOSE

Evelyn Tuths, Holly McCracken and Nina Levine

Hysterical song with trio’s fun antics that got us all laughing.

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THE GAME

Every month the New York Downtown Clown Revue decides to give away some really fun CLOWN novelties, tickets to shows, DVD’s etc.

BUT the contestants must play the GAME!

It was a NEW concept from Micheal Getlan. IT was wild and crazy. You can tell from the pictures. Paper cups and building them as HIGH as possible

in the limited amount of time given.

Michael begins the proceedings.

The Contestants

The three contestants are ready to play.

Rachel Resnick making it tall.

Jacob working hard to get it really tall.

~~~~~~~

And Introducing

LE FROMAGE ROYAL

Christian Royal (Lueck)

Joel Royal (Jeske) – Christian Royal (Lueck) – Michael Royal (Richter)

Their antics are so funny as they enjoy what they are doing together as much as we enjoy watching them.

Magic tricks anyone?

Joel, Michael and Christopher having a blast!

Joel Royal (Jeske)

Video interview with Joel Jeske, Christian Lueck and Michael Richter.

(click on small window icon on lower right of screen for full screen)

~~~~~~~

NEXT CLOWN REVUE: Monday Jan. 18th. 2010

The Amazing Nocheaux

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Photographs from this show are available by emailing jim@moorepics.com. Only performers pictured can inquire!

November 16th, 2009

Jim Moore — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:53:43 +0000

NOVEMBER was a fun month for The New York Downtown Clown Revue!

Master of Ceremonies Christoper Lueck

Mistress B loves to play with balloons!

Mistress B always likes to play with balloons!

The act that started the evening off was Mistress B and her wildly sexy and strange custom made balloons. You have to see it to believe it! Followed by Michael Bongar and his delightfully funny Mister Magic. The mischief of The Donovan Ensemble (Joe Kolbow and Johnnie Niel) added to the mayhem. Kathie Horejsi was bogged down with purses and bags only to reveal they will filled with things to eat. Philip Burgers took us to another place with his wild antics.

Watch out while holding her hands.

Along the way Mistress B was able to hijack some innocent audience members to partake in her fun!

Making the men understand!

~~~~~~~

Kathie Horejsi comes from a Ringling Bros. Clown College background. On this night she did

some wild food improvisation.

Kathi tries to find a place to put her food.

Finally finds a way to get to her food.

Finally gets to open and eat!

~~~~~~~

The Donovan Ensemble is Joe Kolbow and Johnnie Niel. They are co-artistic directors of the duet. Here they perform their Merril and Emmet in an excerpt of their production SUPER SPECTACULAR!. Directed by Deanna Fleysher.

Joe Kolbow as Merril

Johnnie Neil as Emmet

Super Spectacular!

Bravo!!!

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Michael Bongar was featured performer and has had a long standing history with the performing arts establishment. He has run his own entertainment business BONGARBIZ since 1975, and is always interested in stepping back onto the stage. As a graduate of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Clown College (same as Kathie Horejsi), his career reflects a love of clowning and circus entertainment. Tonight show he performed his ‘Magic Mike’ character.

Here he is pictured with Mistress B as the couple for the New World Order!

Magic Mike and Mistress B as the ideal couple for the New World Order

Here is Magic Mike performing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=17F7IwzING4

New York Downtown Clown Interview with featured performer Michael Bongar

www.youtube.com/watch?v=weJ8XGvOq9U

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The last performer of the evening was Philip Burgers.

He was last seen performing at the Jango Edward’s performance that week.
He comes to NY to perform his one man show “Mr. Brown Behaves”.
He has been seen performing in Praque and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival..
He is currently living in London.

Dressing up with no place to go!

An excerpt from "Dr. Brown Behaves".

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All Photographs that appear on this site can be obtained by the performers pictured by emailing me.

jim@moorepics.com

Read my other blog: VAUDE_VISUALS