Archive for News

2014 Clown College® Auditions Announced

Every year, Ringling has a few clown college auditions. This one seems earlier than usual, but a great opportunity for clowns go have fun working with real Ringling clowns.

This is a once-in-a–lifetime opportunity to audition to become part of The World Famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown Alley.

Wednesday, March 12th
10:00am – 1:30pm
Prudential Center
25 Lafayette Street
Newark, NJ 07102

Register to participate using the form at the bottom of the page:

http://www.ringling.com/clownauditions/

What do you look for in applicants to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College?

An overactive funny bone and a heart the size of Texas! Also: improvisational ability, a sense of timing, and a sincere desire to be a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth® are necessary characteristics of a potential applicant. Previous professional clowning experience is not required.

What happens when candidates are selected at an audition to continue being evaluated?

They will have an opportunity to see a performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and a more detailed application will be filled out. From there, potentially, another meeting and an intensive training session will be held. The entire process will be reviewed to determine if there’s a mutual fit, and if so, a one year contract could be offered.

REQUIREMENTS:

Auditionees must be 18 or older and come prepared to show a 3-5 minute routine. This routine should display exaggerated facial expressions and body language, showcase any unique physical skills (juggling, unicycle riding, gymnastics, etc.) and demonstrate an understanding of their comedy, a sense of personality and a true desire to become a member of the world famous, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown Alley.

IMPORTANT:

Auditionees should not wear any clown makeup and should not wear any costumes. Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn. It is preferred, but not required, that you bring a headshot and a resume to your audition.

Clown Shortage

Where did this story come from? All of the clowns on social media are suddenly pointing to a story about the shortage of clowns. As far as I can tell, the word “shortage” was just one author’s take that seemed to sparked interest in all of the stories that followed. The one fact that I believe is true is that membership with Clowns of America, International (COAI) and World Clowns Association (WCA) are both down from previous years.

I have met many clowns who for one reason or another are NOT members of the national clown organization. They don’t see the value of being a member. To be honest, the two primary benefits are a magazine and the ability to compete if you attend their convention. I for one, have missed more of their conventions than I have attended.

But, here are some of the news reports that have popped up related to the story.

Clown shortage looms as fewer people enter field from ABC 23

SNN: National clown shortage

America Suffering from Clown Shortage by Fox and Friends

Chris Clips – Coulrophobia

2014 COAI Elections – Declaration of candidacy

Are you a current member of Clowns of America, International? If you think you have what it takes to lead the group and help get it back on track financially, maybe you should run for office. COAI sent the following information about the upcoming elections.

2014 COAI Elections – Declaration of candidacy

To hold an office in COAI, all candidates (at the time of their declaration):

  • You must have been a member in good standing for the last 24 consecutive months
  • You must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age (Regular, Senior or Life Member only)
  • Only one member of your household may serve on the Board at the same time.

A candidate is not eligible to be elected to a COAI office if he or she is a voting officer of any National or International Clown oriented organization. This does not apply to regional or local clown organizations such as your local alley.

If you desire to place your name on the ballot for election and you meet all the criteria, you must:

  • Submit a written declaration of your candidacy of not more than 250 words.
  • Submit a non-clown photo at the highest resolution (megapixels) possible or one not larger than 5×7.
  • Please include full name, address, phone and email address. All positions are open for declarations( except the office of President which must be submitted by someone within the present COAI Board).

Submissions must be mailed and postmarked by January 15, 2014 to the 2014 COAI Election Coordinators listed below. We suggest you send everything in early and not wait for the deadline. International candidates should check to see how long it will take for their mailing to arrive in the States. Late mailings will not be accepted. All declarations sent to any other address will be disqualified.

Send your written declaration and photo to the 2014 Election Coordinators at the following address:
Cheerful Clown Alley 166
C/o Mary “Charmin” Whipple
P.O. Box 2192

Houston,TX 77252-2192

Mott Community College Clowns

Mott Community College honor students talk about what being a clown means to them. Directed by Kevin Lane & Vincent Norris, in association with the Media Arts & Entertainment Technology program at Mott Community College.

Now Casting: Clowns!

The following information came from Jordan Clifford, a Casting Associate Producer at Left/Right, an award-winning television production company that specializes in telling real stories about extraordinary people.

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An award-winning production company is searching for members of the clowning community to participate in a new ensemble docuseries concept for a major cable network. We are looking for groups of clowning professionals, amateurs, enthusiasts, and everyone in-between. This project will highlight the creative culture of clowning and contrast these performers in-and-out of character. We’ll aim to share a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the fun & fascinating world of clowning like it’s never been seen before!

We’re looking to hear performers who are passionate, colorful and comfortable on-camera. Whether you are Clown of the Year or just breaking into the scene, we want to hear your story!

Please email the following to be considered:

  • Name:
  • Location (City, State):
  • Contact info (email, phone numbers):
  • What is your occupation?
  • Who is your Clown Character? Please describe.
  • What is your character known for?
  • How did you begin clowning?
  • Are you part of an alley? If so, please tell us about it: how large, what is their mission, what are they known for?
  • What types of clowning events, groups or other involvement do you participate in on a regular basis?
  • Please describe your life and lifestyle outside of clowning. Are your friends and family aware/involved in your clowning?
  • Please include a few recent photos of you in and out of character, with your alley, and with your family.

The more insight you can give us, the better we’re able to get to know you! Thank you for your time… We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact castingclowns@gmail.com ASAP

Ringling Clown Auditions – Another Update

It is that time of year again, Ringling is planning their Clown College Auditions and announced the third and final audition date. They had previously announced they would hold auditions in Dallas Texas on Friday, August 9th and in San Francisco, CA on Friday, August 30th. The date for St. Louis, MO is now said to be Saturday, September 7th, 2013 from 3:30pm – 6:30pm at Circus Harmony At City Museum, on 701 N 15th St., St. Louis, MO 63103.

For full details, see their website.

If you plan to attend, you must register. They have a form you can use on their website.

Here is a little more information from their website…

What do you look for in applicants to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College?

An overactive funny bone and a heart the size of Texas! Also: improvisational ability, a sense of timing, and a sincere desire to be a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth® are necessary characteristics of a potential applicant. Previous professional clowning experience is not required.

What happens when candidates are selected at an audition to continue being evaluated?

They will have an opportunity to see a performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and a more detailed application will be filled out. From there, potentially, another meeting and an intensive training session will be held. The entire process will be reviewed to determine if there’s a mutual fit, and if so, a one year contract could be offered.

REQUIREMENTS:
Auditionees must be 18 or older and come prepared to show a 3-5 minute routine. This routine should display exaggerated facial expressions and body language, showcase any unique physical skills (juggling, unicycle riding, gymnastics, etc.) and demonstrate an understanding of their comedy, a sense of personality and a true desire to become a member of the world famous, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown Alley.

IMPORTANT:
Auditionees should not wear any clown makeup and should not wear any costumes. Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn. It is preferred, but not required, that you bring a headshot and a resume to your audition.

Ringling Clown College Auditions – Updated

It is that time of year again, Ringling is planning their Clown College Auditions and announced the second audition date. A month ago, they announced they would hold auditions in Dallas Texas on Friday, August 9th. Now, they have announced there will be auditions in San Francisco, CA on Friday, August 30th. The date for St. Louis, MO is still listed as TBA.

For full details, see their website.

Dallas Texas
Friday, August 9th
10am – 1pm
American Airlines Center
2500 Victory Ave
Dallas, TX 75219

San Francisco, CA
Friday, August 30th
10am – 1pm
Cow Palace
2600 Geneva Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94134

If you plan to attend, you must register. They have a form you can use on their website.

Here is a little more information from their website…

What do you look for in applicants to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College?

An overactive funny bone and a heart the size of Texas! Also: improvisational ability, a sense of timing, and a sincere desire to be a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth® are necessary characteristics of a potential applicant. Previous professional clowning experience is not required.

What happens when candidates are selected at an audition to continue being evaluated?

They will have an opportunity to see a performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and a more detailed application will be filled out. From there, potentially, another meeting and an intensive training session will be held. The entire process will be reviewed to determine if there’s a mutual fit, and if so, a one year contract could be offered.

REQUIREMENTS:
Auditionees must be 18 or older and come prepared to show a 3-5 minute routine. This routine should display exaggerated facial expressions and body language, showcase any unique physical skills (juggling, unicycle riding, gymnastics, etc.) and demonstrate an understanding of their comedy, a sense of personality and a true desire to become a member of the world famous, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown Alley.

IMPORTANT:
Auditionees should not wear any clown makeup and should not wear any costumes. Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn. It is preferred, but not required, that you bring a headshot and a resume to your audition.

Young at Art Episode One

Twenty year old Ervinn Siew is a clown and a magician for our entertainment, in this first episode, Ervinn talks about him playing two different characters and juggling between different projects.

Ringling Clown College Auditions

It is that time of year again, Ringling is planning their Clown College Auditions and announced the first date. For full details, see their website.

Dallas Texas
Friday, August 9th
10am – 1pm
American Airlines Center
2500 Victory Ave
Dallas, TX 75219

The other dates haven’t been announced, but they have placholders for auditions in San Francisco, CA and St. Louis, MO.

If you plan to attend, you must register. They have a form you can use on their website.

Here is a little more information

What do you look for in applicants to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College?

An overactive funny bone and a heart the size of Texas! Also: improvisational ability, a sense of timing, and a sincere desire to be a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth® are necessary characteristics of a potential applicant. Previous professional clowning experience is not required.

What happens when candidates are selected at an audition to continue being evaluated?

They will have an opportunity to see a performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and a more detailed application will be filled out. From there, potentially, another meeting and an intensive training session will be held. The entire process will be reviewed to determine if there’s a mutual fit, and if so, a one year contract could be offered.

REQUIREMENTS:
Auditionees must be 18 or older and come prepared to show a 3-5 minute routine. This routine should display exaggerated facial expressions and body language, showcase any unique physical skills (juggling, unicycle riding, gymnastics, etc.) and demonstrate an understanding of their comedy, a sense of personality and a true desire to become a member of the world famous, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown Alley.

IMPORTANT:
Auditionees should not wear any clown makeup and should not wear any costumes. Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn. It is preferred, but not required, that you bring a headshot and a resume to your audition.

News For Clowns of All Ages – Episode 6

News for Clowns of All Ages – Episode 6 – New Clowns Part 1

Sir Toony Van Dukes presents another episode of News for Clowns of All Ages, a production of The Clown Network. This episode is for those clowns who are just getting started. Sir Toony Talks about joining national, regional, and local clown organizations; finding clown training and attending conventions; and shares a few jokes. In the episode, Sir Toony mentions a lot of groups and websites including:

Copyright 2013