Clown Gym started in 2014 as a collaborative member-sourced experiment in play.
Season 11, current
After 10 years of joyful community building we’re taking a break to rest, reflect, and plan for the future.
Season 10, 2023-2024
WORKSHOPS
Clinton Cameo Studios
Tuesday night drop-in classes led by Julia Proctor with guest teachers Shanice Stanislaus, Rachel Resnik, Aya Tucker, Julia Cavagna, Ania Upstill, Andy Sapora, Gemma Soldati, Tyler West, Kendall Cornell, Sophie Amieva, Karen Anne Light, Mark Gindick, Scott R. Sheppard, Marisol Rosa-Shapiro, Jay and Kristin Stewart, Danielle Levsky, Nancy Trotter Landry, Tallie Medel, and Hilary Chaplain.
The People’s Playtime with Omari Soulfinger, Fall BIPOC-only monthly drop-ins
Clowning and Theatre with Jon Davison, September open-level weekend intensive
New Work Incubator with Rachel Resnik, October advanced devising series
Uncover Your Authentic Clown with Aya Tucker, November introductory series
Ready – Set – Make! with Naomi Shafer, November weekend intensive
Romancing the Muse with Gemma Soldati, December advanced devising weekend intensive
Mishap Magic I: A Clowning Crash Course with Michelle N. Matlock, February open-level 1 day intensive
Mishap Magic II: Clowning in the Face of Chaos with Michelle N. Matlock, February advanced weekend intensive
Build an Eccentric Solo Act with Sophie Amieva, February advanced series
Red Nose with Julia Proctor, March open-level weekend intensive
Workshop Showcases
New Work Incubator Class Showcase directed by Rachel Resnik, October
Ready, Set, Make Class Showcase directed by Naomi Shafer, November
Romancing the Muse Class Showcase directed by Gemma Soldati, December
Eccentric Solo Act Class Sharing directed by Sophie Amieva, February
SHOWS
Clown Open Mic, monthly fall 2023
A brand new monthly show designed to provide emerging clowns and physical comedians a place to play and polish their work in front of an audience.
Clown Flex at Brooklyn Art Haus, September 2023
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Edu Diaz, Blaise Wopperer, Brooke Ferris, Sir Cum Sized, Nomad Theatre Company, and Supreme Cream
- Hosted by Julia Proctor and Isaac Young
- Produced by Michael Galligan, Rachel Resnik, Madeleine Joyce and Julia Proctor
- Tech by Francesca Piccioni
- Photo by Madeleine Joyce
Clown Flex at Brooklyn Art Haus, December 2023
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Kristin McCarthy Parker, Sloan Brettholtz, Krista Komondor, Kevin Allen, Sarah Ann Houghton, and the Boof
- Hosted by Lex Alston and Julia Proctor
- Produced by Michael Galligan, Rachel Resnik, Madeleine Joyce and Julia Proctor
- Tech by Francesca Piccioni and Huxley Garrett Rain
- Photo by Mike Bryk
The Clown Gym Ensemble presents “Once Upon a Clown” as part of PhysFestNYC at the Stella Adler Center for the Arts, January 2024
What happens when a gaggle of clowns is invited to the Festival? Come find out in the playful fairytale inspired show about living your dream and getting what you wished for. We made this love letter to physical theatre and Sondheim for PhysFest in the best way we know possible: as clowns. Read more in the virtual program.
- Directed by Julia Proctor
- Devised and Performed by Kevin Allen, Julia Proctor, Rachel Resnik, Aya Tucker, and Nadav Wiesel
- Music Directed by Nadav Wiesel
- Stage Managed by Francesca Piccioni
- Production Managed by Rachel Resnik
- Photo by Jim R. Moore
Clown Flex as part of PhysFestNYC at the Stella Adler Center for the Arts, January 2024
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Richard Saudeck, Dante Fuoco, Aya Tucker, Kevin Allen and Lex Alston, Sara Raj and Lundita Kulla, Tiffany and Dick Monday, and Bill Irwin
- Hosted by Julia Proctor
- Produced by Michael Galligan, Rachel Resnik and Julia Proctor
- Tech by Francesca Piccioni and Michael Galligan
- Photo by Jim R. Moore
Clown Party, monthly spring 2024
Clown Party is a monthly showcase of new and developing work held on the second Thursday of each month at Pine Box Rock Shop. The night features three hour-long blocs with different themes, followed by open time for socializing. Produced by Rachel Resnik and Jess Ducey.
- UNSEEN: a Clown Open Mic hosted by Brooke Ferris or Edu Díaz
- UNSCRIPTED: a Really Really Serious Well Written Play live directed by Rachel Resnik
- UNPLUGGED: an hour of purely nonverbal theater curated by Kristin McCarthy Parker, and hosted by Kristin or Isaac Young
- Photo by Stewie V.
Clown Flex at Brooklyn Art Haus, March 2024
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Emma Taylor Miller, Noor Hamdi and Ania Upstill, Siddharth Raj, Tallie Medel, Jeff and Buttons, and Mariko Iwasa
- Hosted by Lex Alston and Julia Proctor
- Produced by Michael Galligan, Rachel Resnik, and Julia Proctor
- Tech by Francesca Piccioni and Huxley Garrett Rain
- Photo by Mike Bryk
The Clown Gym Ensemble presents “HERO” a work in progress at the Chelsea Factory, June 2024
“In a fertile land gone dry, abandoned by the gods, the animals, and their daddy, a group of dreamers search for a hero to save us all.” Read more in the virtual program.
- Directed by Julia Proctor and Rachel Resnik
- Devised by Kevin Allen, Lex Alston, Michael Galligan, Julia Proctor, Rachel Resnik, and Aya Tucker
- Performed by Kevin Allen, Lex Alston, Michael Galligan, Julia Proctor, and Aya Tucker
- Original Music by Lex Alston
- Production Managed by Rachel Resnik
- Assistant Directed by Charlie Delaney
- Assistant Stage Managed by Francesca Piccioni
- Photo by Alex Mendoza
SPECIAL EVENTS
Introduction to Humanitarian Clowning led by Clowns Without Borders Executive Director Naomi Shafer, an interactive lecture with breakout sessions at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
PhysFestNYC, New York City’s first physical theatre festival produced with support from Clown Gym!
10 Years of Clown Gym Party at the Francis Kite Club, June 2024!
Thank you for 10 incredible years!
Season 9, 2022-2023
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
Clinton Cameo Studios
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
Clown Flex at Pine Box Rock Shop, November 2022
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Jay Délise, Jeff Seal and Chris Manley, Isaac Young, Rachel Resnik, Hannah Mitchell and Nathan Repasz
- Hosted by Madeleine Joyce
- Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Maggie Tully, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
- Stage Managed and Tech by Francesca Piccioni
Clown Flex at Pine Box Rock Shop, February 2022
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- Featuring Blaise Wopperer, Huxley Garrett and KJ Stewart, Lex Alston, Maggie Tully and Richard Lowenburg, Megan Stern, and Olga Putilina
- Hosted by Julia Proctor
- Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
- Stage Managed and Tech by Francesca Piccioni
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. Read more in the virtual program.
The Company: Ania Upstill, Aya Tucker, Francesca Piccioni, Julia Cavagna, Julia Proctor, Kevin Allen, Lex Alston, Nadav Wiesel, Rachel Resnik, and Sophie Amieva.
Clown Flex at Caveat, May 2023
A clown variety show featuring some of the most beautiful, funny, moving, and weird clowns creating work in New York City!
- 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
- Co-hosted by Madeleine Joyce and Julia Proctor
- Produced by Madeleine Joyce, Michael Galligan and Julia Proctor
- Stage Managed by Francesca Piccioni
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.
SHOWS
Do the Virtual Clown Show hosted by Icky Shirley Dangle! monthly January through May. Watch on YouTube.
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.
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
WORKSHOPS
Sunday nights 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.