Clown Gym started in 2014 as a collaborative member-sourced experiment in play. Over the years it has grown into New York City’s community clown hub.
Season 9, 2022-2023
Clinton Cameo Studios
Launched the Clown Cohort, a year long mentorship for aspiring clown teachers.
The goals of the new mentorship program are to provide skills, coaching, and confidence for experienced and developing teachers, and to strengthen our community by growing and diversifying the roster of clown teachers. The inaugural Cohort members are Aya Tucker, Jay Délise and Rachel Resnik, with facilitation from Ania Upstill and Julia Proctor.
Workshops
Tuesday night drop-in classes led by Julia Proctor, with guest teachers Ania Upstill, Jay Délise, Rachel Resnik, Aya Tucker, Mariko Iwasa, Selena McMahan, Krista Komondor, Billy Schultz, Carlo Jaccuci, Tiffany Riley, Dick Monday, CB Goodman, Kenny Raskin, Amy Crossman, Bashkar Jha, Tallie Medel, Carol Sirugo, and Joel Jeske.
Advanced Varsity on Monday nights led by Julia Proctor, March through May.
Physical Comedy Bootcamps led by Mariko Iwasa, monthly January through May.
Clown Jams, new work development led by Ralf Jean-Pierre and Tyler West, monthly January through May.
Dynamics of Clowning with Jon Davison from London, October weekend intensive.
Delightfully Difficult with Omari Soulfinger, November weekend intensive: “The Delightfully Difficult” is a dark comedy fusion of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed techniques and various clown methods for finding freedom in-between our masks.
Celebrate your Ridiculousness with Shannan Calcutt, November weekend intensive.
Celebrate the New Year with Mystere: Introduction to Bouffon and Body Mask with Sophie Amieva, January weekend intensive.
No Playing Allowed Here with Michelle Matlock, February 3-day drop-in intensive.
Advanced Bouffon: Grotesque and the Mockery with Sophie Amieva, February weekend intensive.
Red Nose Intensive with Julia Proctor, March weekend intensive.
Rebel Clown with Caroline Dream, May weekend intensive.
Shows
November Clown Flex at Pine Box Rock Shop in Brooklyn
Featuring Jay Délise, Jeff Seal and Chris Manley, Isaac Young, Rachel Resnik, Hannah Mitchell and Nathan Repasz and hosted by Madeleine Joyce
Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Maggie Tully, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
Tech by Francesca Piccioni
February Clown Flex at Pine Box Rock Shop in Brooklyn
Featuring Blaise Wopperer, Huxley Garrett and KJ Stewart, Lex Alston, Maggie Tully and Richard Lowenburg, Megan Stern, and Olga Putilina and hosted by Julia Proctor
Stage Manager and Tech: Francesca Piccioni
Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
March Madness Cohort Fundraiser featuring Ania Upstill at Pine Box Rock Shop
Clown Gym presents Ania Upstill with special guests Butter Water and Saoirse Sawyer Eason, and Lucy Evans as Sir Cum Sized. Produced by Ania Upstill, Jay Délise, Jess Ducey, and Rachel Resnik.
TRANSHUMANCE: Award-winning clown Ania Upstill playfully explores what it means to be a trans human in this surreal journey across the landscape of gender.
“today’s mess,” artistic residency at the cell theatre inspired by the Fall 2021 Examining Clown Lab
We’re all a part of it, (yes, even you) but what are we going to do about it? Come watch as a bunch of clowns try, and keep trying, to come together as things fall apart. This show explores how we attempt to build community and how we deal with our own mess and other peoples’. How do you keep trying even when you’re so dang tired? There will be music, singing, dancing, and silliness performed by individuals with extraordinary abilities in the arts, and yes, quite a bit of mess. April 2023.
The Company: Ania Upstill, Aya Tucker, Francesca Piccioni, Julia Cavagna, Julia Proctor, Kevin Allen, Lex Alston, Nadav Wiesel, Rachel Resnik, and Sophie Amieva.
May Clown Flex at Caveat in Manhattan
Co-hosted by Madeleine Joyce and Julia Proctor featuring Aya Tucker, Michael Galligan, Claire Davison and Shoshana Rubin Mann, Sloan Brettholtz, Eva Lansberry with Kevin Allen, Lynn Hodeib and Patrick O’Donnell and Soojeong Son, directed by Tallie Medel
Stage managed by Francesca Piccioni
Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
Season 9 show photos by Sean Barry
Interviews
Watch Julia’s “clownversation” with Barnaby King of Clown Spirit, March 2023.
Listen to Julia’s interview on STANDUP AND CLOWN hosted by Chad Damiani and Jim Venable, June 2023.
Season 8, 2021-2022
Workshops
Tuesday nights at Molloy Studios, My Room, and Clinton Cameo Studios
Led by Julia Proctor with special guest teachers:
“Character Study” with Joanie Drago
“Dancify That” with Sarah Peterseil
“Don’t Should on Yourself” with Omari Soulfinger
“How To Be An Idiot” with Kate Owens
“Daddy, daddy, look at me daddy” Level 1 Bouffon weekend intensive with Sophie Amieva
“In the Making” Level 2 Advanced Bouffon Series with Sophie Amieva
“Comedians Make the Best Actors” with Ralf Jean-Pierre
“Movement March” with Marissa Molnar (mime), Navarra Novy-Williams + Julia Proctor (Gaga and Play), Tiffany Rachelle Stewart (physical theatre intensive), Tracy Einstein (Alexander Technique) and Aya Tucker (Lucid Body)
“Runway” with Devin Shacket
“Exercism” with Marisa Miranda
“Play the Game” with Julia Cavagna
Launched the monthly Clown Jam
A space to workshop new material with an exprienced coach.
January – May coached by Ralf Jean-Pierre, Kate Owens, Mark Gindick, Tyler West and Pedro Fabião.
Special Events
“Examining Clown Lab:” a collaborative exploration of inclusivity and power in Clowning
Launched Clown Gym merchandise! New logo designed by Clown Gym member, Mike Ricca.
Season 7, 2020-2021
Workshops
Tuesday nights virtually on Zoom
Season 7 kick-off with Clown Gym director Julia Proctor!
“Punching Up:” Clowning for Social Justice with Omari + Spark
“Power of Play” with Michelle N. Matlock
“I’m with Stupid” with Geoff Sobelle
“Clown In The Wild” with Ralf Jean-Pierre
“Power of Play” BIPOC workshop with Michelle N. Matlock
“Accidents Will Happen!” with Hilary Chaplain
“Funny For A Minute” with Aitor Basauri
Jan + Feb Special 6 Part Series: “It’s Not About the Banana” with David Shiner
“Daddy, daddy, look at me daddy!” Bouffon with Sophie Amieva
“Playing Yourself” with June Fukumura
“Why Stop the Music?” with Meredith Gordon
“Trickster” with Mike Funt
“Virtual Playground” with Shannan Calcutt
April with Amy G: “Timing, Relationships, Partnership and Devising”
“Party with Proctor!” Play and Devising with Julia Proctor
Sundays Jan through May: BIPOC “Power of Play” series with Michelle N. Matlock
Fall outdoor classes in Prospect Park led by Jarrod Bates, Madeleine Joyce and Marisa Miranda.
Special Events:
Noses Off Webinar: what it means to be a clown who is Black in America featuring Michelle N. Matlock, Carolyn Ratteray and Omari Soulfinger, hosted by Lex Alston.
An Evening with Sue Morrison: an open forum hosted by Julia Proctor.
Shows
Do the Virtual Clown Show hosted by Icky Shirley Dangle! monthly January through May. Watch on YouTube.
Season 6, 2019-2020
Workshops
Tuesday nights at Molloy Studios and My Room
Led by Julia Proctor with special guest teachers:
Virginia Scott
“Commedia dell’arte” with Chiara Cimmino and Valerio Vittorio Garaffa from Teatro del Disio
“Moment to Moment Play” with Ben Mehl
January Bouffon Intensive with Sophie Amieva
“Dada Clown” with Joel Jeske
Devising Intensive with Mark Gindick
“Object Manipulation” with Keith Nelson of Bindlestiff Cirkus
“Dancify That” with Billy Schultz
Shows
Do the Virtual Clown Show hosted by Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor, weekly March through May. Watch on YouTube.
Season 5, 2018-2019
Tuesday nights at Molloy Studios and LaMaMa Studios
Led by Julia Proctor with special guest teachers:
Ambrose Martos, Emmanuelle Delpech of Pig Iron Theatre Company, Dancify That, and Chiara Cimmino and Valerio Vittorio Garaffa from Teatro del Disio.
January Bouffon Intensive with Sophie Amieva.
Season 4, 2017-2018
Workshops
Tuesday nights at the Artist’s Co-op
Led by Julia Proctor with special guest teachers:
Gabriel Levey, Justine Williams, Aitor Basauri of Spymonkey, and Virginia Scott.
2018 Spring Clownathon with Sophie Amieva, Emmanuelle Delpech, Justine Williams, Virginia Scott, Lucas Caleb-Rooney, John Towson, Jean E. Taylor, Lenard Petit, Geoff Sobelle, and Jim Calder at Nola Studios.
Shows
Measuring in Cartwheels, co-created by Dinah Berkley, Mike Baeur and Julia Proctor, performed by Dinah Berkley and Julia Proctor
Project Y’s Women in Theatre Festival, June 2017, Directed by Michael Bauer
Dutch Kills Theatre Workshop, January 2018, Directed by Tara Giordano
Do you have it all? Do you know someone who does? Really, like you actually know them? Not Beyoncé. Dinah and Julia do not have it all. But they feel like they should, so they made a show about it. Measuring in Cartwheels: a clowny exploration of having it all.
Created and Performed by Dinah Berkeley and Julia Proctor
Season 3, 2016-2017
Workshops
Monday nights in the Basement of Studios 353
Led by Julia Proctor with special guest teachers:
Aitor Basauri of Spymonkey and Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell from Happenstance Theatre.
Season 2, 2015-2016
Sundays at Cap21
Led by Joe Galan-Kaiser and Owen Scott
Season 1, 2014-2015
Workshops
Sunday nights at Shetler Studios
Led by Julia Proctor with Founding Clown Gym Members
Emma Simon, Alex Ristov, Billy Schultz, Devin Shacket, Owen Scott, Erin Roy, Royce Hufford, Megan Stern, Tracy Einstein, Joe Galan-Kaiser, Leslie Roth, Erin Frisbee and Will Clark.
Early Guest Teachers: Audrey Crabtree, Carter Gill, Cat Meuller, Chris Tramantana, Daniel Passer, Devin Shacket, Ilyssa Baine, Jarrod Bates, Joe Galan-Kaiser, Joe Tuttle, Lindsay Brill, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Madeleine Joyce, Michael Bauer, Owen Scott, Tracy Einstein, Virginia Scott, Zach Fine, and Zach Zucker.
Shows
An Unapologetic Mess: a clown show! monthly at The People’s Improv Theatre
Featuring Julia Proctor as Icky Shirley Dangle and Devin Shacket as Chunky Cricket Discharge with lots of special guest performers.
Clown Gym first met in September 2014
Special thanks to Chris Bayes, who’s teaching inspired it all.