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 Then the following year, I applied to
Ringling Brothers Clown College and
toured with the Blue Unit for a year. Later I graduated taught?
in 1977 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting
from the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago which
is now the Theater School at DePaul University.
Even though RBCC closed in 1998, how would you
recommend people to apply to Ringling Brothers and
other circuses?
I recommend three things for people who wish
to apply to the circus:
1. He or she would need to put together a three-minute
videotape or DVD. The video should show their best
work, be right to the point and be professionally
done.
2. Find online which circuses you’d like to
apply to and who to send your video to that
views the video or DVD.
3. Send along with the video or DVD a one-
page resume, a cover letter, photos of
yourself (both in and out of clown and
at least one letter of recommendation.
What is the best thing about being a
clown?
It affords me the opportunity to express
myself in a very specific style of a
performance art that I love. It brings me
joy, and the joy radiates to (my audience)
which is shared by everyone.
How did the Goodwill
Ambassador represent Ringling
Brothers Circus?
It was a full-time job where the
Ambassador had to travel two
weeks ahead of the show. For
me, I traveled in a motor-home
and had to be in full make-up and
costume before five in the morning. A
typical day would be going to station to
station, usually radio then TV. During
the day, the show and Ambassador would
go to grade schools to promote Ringling
Brothers based on the theme of its show.
We also did presentations for service
clubs such as Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis.
Later in the day, we’d return to a school
or be broadcast on television at their local
radio station. Besides not-for-profit groups,
the Goodwill Ambassadors would go to a
variety of specialties from Cub Scouts to
deaf schools as well as hospitals, day-care
28 MAGAZINE
centers and senior-citizen homes.
Which clown classes do you teach or have
Pantomime; Physical Comedy; Character
Development; Timing/Rhythm.
Which roles did you perform at the Goodman
Theater in Chicago? Do you have any favorite
roles?
I portrayed Nickles, an Antichrist character, in
Archibald MacLeish’s J.B.
What four duties does the Director of the Clown
College assume?
1) Recruit faculty, staff and students—to conceive and
produce the annual graduation show;
2) Create a safe environment for the students to
succeed and fail in their studies;
3) Offer a supportive environment for the faculty
and staff - to give the tools they need to excel;
4) Build a “creative cocoon” for all of us -
where we work together towards a common
goal. We teach and try to teach skills and
techniques including the history and
lore as well as the love and respect
of the ancient and honorable art of
clowning!
Since your 1993 induction into
the International Clown Hall
of Fame, what has been the
biggest honor you’ve received?
It’s being given an opportunity to
make a living at what I do - to “live
a creative life and get paid for what
I do!” There’s no greater honor than
that. I’m being connected to great
people and, besides clowning, can
hone my other talents as a writer,
teacher, director and producer.
Finally, please let us know what
your favorite clown quote is.
I’m not certain who said it, but my
favorite quote is: “We make a living by
what we get, but we make a life of what
we give.”
My belief is that this quote gave whole
beings to the art of clowning and it’s a
way to “pass the torch” (down the line).
Pictures by
LeBlanc Studios and Kelly Perusich