Alley Meetings (quarterly, note new time, same location)

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT The ROSE CITY CLOWN ALLEY is a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to support, educate and act

Members help advance the art of clowning internationally and within their own local communities.

support of other nonprofit organizations. Alley Meetings (quarterly, note new time, same location) Monday, Sept.

Gina Wollrabe and Trudi Sang, our world-class clowns, will lead us in practicing classic clown skits and then videotape us.

Doors will open at 6:30, skits start at 7 pm. What fun! Monday, Nov.

had a nice summer. I enjoyed doing Face painting this year at a few of the events it was my first attempt.

Now that school has started and we are moving into fall, I hope everyone will be on the lookout for kids crossing the streets or

1 OUR MISSION STATEMENT The ROSE CITY CLOWN ALLEY is a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to support, educate and act as a gathering place for the serious minded amateur, semi-professional, and the professional clown. Members help advance the art of clowning internationally and within their own local communities. ROSE CITY CLOWN events are scheduled based on a commitment to reach out to the community by providing clowning entertainment in support of other nonprofit organizations. Alley Meetings (quarterly, note new time, same location) Monday, Sept. 24, 7-9 pm, Magic Theater, Clowns Skits Come in costume! Our plans for our September meeting have changed. Gina Wollrabe and Trudi Sang, our world-class clowns, will lead us in practicing classic clown skits and then videotape us. They will use the videos to train Junior Joeys. Come in costume or arrive early to finish make-up and costume. Doors will open at 6:30, skits start at 7 pm. What fun! Monday, Nov. 26, 7-9 pm, Magic Theater, Year in Review (sharing new gags, looks and ideas) Board Meetings President s Corner I hope everyone had a nice summer. I enjoyed doing Face painting this year at a few of the events it was my first attempt. It was so fun to see the look on some of the kids faces when the looked at themselves. Now that school has started and we are moving into fall, I hope everyone will be on the lookout for kids crossing the streets or waiting for the busses. I have seen some of the kids running back and forth on the roads waiting for the bus to come. We should have a good meeting this month. Hope we have a good turn out. Please try and make it. It will be worthwhile. Take care. Gayle. Sunday, September 16, 2 pm, Denney s, SE 82 Dr., Clackamas Sunday, November, 18, 2 pm. Denney s, SE 82 Dr., Clackamas 1

2 Table of Contents Article Page Number Presidents Corner 1 Alley Meeting Schedule 1 Birthdays 2 Important Dates 3 Bits and Pieces 3 My ACA Experience 4 Photo Gallery 8 Who s Wearing the Hats? 10 Happy Belated Birthday to: August 8 th Larry Papa Hoot Klobertanz 20 th Danae Merry Heart Kent 21 st Paddee Molasses Embrey 22 nd Hannah HannahBanana Grandey September 1 st LaVonne Oopsee Ving 2 nd Dana Clara T. Muddles Sweet 26 th Gary Punkin Bowers 2

Important Dates Mark your calendars Saturday, Sept. 15. Get your membership check in before this date to get your name in the Member Directory. Sunday, Sept. 16, 2 pm.

3 Important Dates Mark your calendars Saturday, Sept. 15. Get your membership check in before this date to get your name in the Member Directory. Sunday, Sept. 16, 2 pm. Board meeting, Denney s, SE 82 Dr., Clackamas. Monday, Sept. 24, doors open 6:30 pm, 7-9 pm. Alley Meeting. Come in costume to videotape clown skits to use to train Junior Joeys. Magic Theater, Mall 205. Membership Directories distributed. Saturday, November 17, 1:30 pm. Caring Clowns visit Pacific Specialty Rehabilitative Care, 1015 N. Garrison Rd., Vancouver, WA. Visit nursing home residents in their rooms. Therapy pets encouraged. Cookies and tea afterwards. Boss Clown: Janice Johnson. Sunday, Nov. 18, 2 pm. Board meeting, Denney s, SE 82 Dr., Clackamas. Sunday, November 25, Candlelighters Dinner, a Christmas-themed banquet for children with cancer and their families. Clowns needed for balloon animals, face painting, magic and strolling. Monday, Nov. 26, 6:30 pm, doors open, 7-9 pm. Alley meeting: elections and end of year roundtable. Plans for 2019 Magic Theater, Mall 205 Bits and Pieces Thank you to Betty Gallucci who has donated fancy name tags to our organization. Betty is bringing her duplicate clown items for sale at the September meeting. All the proceeds will go to the alley for this month's meeting. Sadly, our historian is retiring, Kaethe Anderson. We are looking for someone to fill her position. 3

My ACA 2.0 Experience By Bonnie-Jean Brown I just flew home from Forsyth, Georgia and boy are my arms tired! Why did the clown fly to Forsyth, Georgia? To attend the American Clown Academy of course!

Rainbow Bartlett, Kelly and Becky Ballagh, Angel Contreras, JT Sikes, Kornpop McCullough, Buster Balloons, and Leon McBride.

I loved his use of carboard for his props, it accented his character. We sang Jesus Loves me at the end of the performance. Angel is a very funny and talented clown.

4 My ACA 2.0 Experience By Bonnie-Jean Brown I just flew home from Forsyth, Georgia and boy are my arms tired! Why did the clown fly to Forsyth, Georgia? To attend the American Clown Academy of course! I had an amazing week at ACA! It was a week of ups and downs, of highs and lows. It was an exciting week being inspired by seasoned well known clowns; like Dave Mr. Rainbow Bartlett, Kelly and Becky Ballagh, Angel Contreras, JT Sikes, Kornpop McCullough, Buster Balloons, and Leon McBride. It was a week to step out of my comfort zone and try something new, be something different. The first night at ACA we were honored with a performance by Paco. Paco was a poor Hispanic hobo clown. I loved his use of carboard for his props, it accented his character. We sang Jesus Loves me at the end of the performance. Angel is a very funny and talented clown. I took the Hometown clowning track. It was chock full of great information and ideas. JT and Kornpop led the course. At the end of the week I felt more prepared to promote myself and further my clowning at home. JT told us to have fun with our clowning, to just be ourselves and be flexible for anything can happen. They said to be professional and don t sell ourselves short. Don t expose yourself, free gigs beget free gigs. Perceive your value and know your value. It was suggested to learn just five magic tricks, perfect them, keep them as a focus, then adapt them for different shows. You maybe the only clown a child sees in their lifetime, make it the best moment. JT Sikes. The best part of the workshop was the last day learning how to market ourselves. The best advice is to make sure they know who you are and what you do. Visit restaurants, nursing homes, etc. in person with a trinket of what you do. Think outside the box, think visually to make yourself memorable. David spoke to the camp encouraging us to use our props, balloons, magic tricks etc. to increase our value not as something to hide behind. Once you have clowning in your head and once you have clowning in your heart, it doesn t matter what you have in your hand. No matter what you do, do it clowny. In clowning take the everyday and bring mirth out of nothing. You don t have to be great just be funny. You need to believe clowns are real. Be real! You have to believe you can be a clown! Clowning is a verb. It is not about the costume, wig, or the makeup. Dave Bartlett Photo by Paul Walsh 4

The best part of camp was the mentoring sessions. Every day we worked on our bits in front of seasoned clowns (our mentors) and fellow campers. I felt good about what I brought to work on.

Watching these bits helped and inspired me to try them at home for my own events. It was a lot of fun to see the different abilities and humor of friends new and old.

If I had understood that before I left I would have brought a different bit to work on. It was disappointing to learn that not all of us would be chosen to be in the Big Show.

5 The best part of camp was the mentoring sessions. Every day we worked on our bits in front of seasoned clowns (our mentors) and fellow campers. I felt good about what I brought to work on. I was able to make improvements to use it for other gigs. Participating in the mentoring session gave us an opportunity to watch and support other clown s bits they were working on. Watching these bits helped and inspired me to try them at home for my own events. It was a lot of fun to see the different abilities and humor of friends new and old. Something you don t usually get at clown camps. The one thing I did not understand when I left for camp was the mentoring sessions were in a way an audition to participate in the Big Show. If I had understood that before I left I would have brought a different bit to work on. It was disappointing to learn that not all of us would be chosen to be in the Big Show. I was accustomed to participating in camps were everyone got to be in the big show. However, at least we were able to choose what we wanted to work on instead of being told what we were participating in. Every night we were blessed with a performance by one of the staff clown members. I loved being able to spend an hour watching these seasoned pros perform. It was inspiring and a great way to relax at the end of a stressful day. Kelly and Becky blessed us with a hilarious show Monday night. There was dancing, balancing, quick costume change, juggling, and a flying chicken! Buster Balloons did a balloon magic workshop and show for us. Buster suggested learning tricks with silk, animals and ropes then incorporate them with a balloon. Buster s show was his Halloween presentation that involved a one handed double fisted balloon dog twisting gag. In which he, twisted one balloon dog simultaneously in each hand. He resurrected a balloon dog using a dove pan. He had a zombie puppet that vomited up sponge balls and tried to eat her eye. One evening I stayed up for a balloon jam. I met Annie Bananie, the balloon storyteller. I learned how to make a balloon ball and maze. She taught me to break a balloon. Best of all she was very supportive of my interest in doing balloon storytelling. She gave me some resource and ideas for doing library shows and learning about balloon storytelling. I really felt inspired and confident in my dreams and goals. Avner the Eccentric led a workshop on eccentric clowning. Avner reminded us that our bodies tell the story. Movement plus respiration equals narration. The clown should be the last one to know a joke is told. Don t be interesting, be interested! To communicate we need to create an image. Clowns need to view laughter as an interruption not as a goal. Don t work for the laugher. You need a reason to go on the stage. Why are you doing this? What is your purpose? 5

Later in the evening he led a performance for us. I laughed so hard! He is very comedic, talented, and entertaining clown. He definitely put into practice what he taught us in the workshop.

I had no coordination for the dance number and really clowned it up being blessed with two left feet. At the end of the show all the clowns came back for the closing dance number.

It was filled with challenges and obstacles. As with putting on any large performance show it was a day of hurry up and wait.

It was a real disappointment not being able to participate in the Big Show itself which was an adjustment from the camps I d previously attended.

6 Later in the evening he led a performance for us. I laughed so hard! He is very comedic, talented, and entertaining clown. He definitely put into practice what he taught us in the workshop. After the pre-show, all the clowns gathered behind the big curtain for the opening number. I fumbled it big time! I had no coordination for the dance number and really clowned it up being blessed with two left feet. At the end of the show all the clowns came back for the closing dance number. At the end there was a big balloon drop! It was fun to watch the balloons float down! 6 The Big Show was the longest and the most frustrating part of the week for me. It was filled with challenges and obstacles. As with putting on any large performance show it was a day of hurry up and wait. We spent the day blocking parts of the show, getting into costume, and blocking some more. It was a real disappointment not being able to participate in the Big Show itself which was an adjustment from the camps I d previously attended. Luckily, all the clowns got to participate in the pre-show. At previous camps I witness so many clowns running or going up to kids asking them, Do you want a sticker? Do you want a balloon? Can I show you a trick? My approach is very quiet at these events. I found a quite spot near the entrance and sat down with my bag of balloons. As the kids started to arrive, I started to twist a few balloon animals waiting for the kids to notice and approach me. Pretty soon I had a small crowd around me and was spreading laughter and smiles. One magic moment for me was when a boy said I ve always wanted to learn how to make a balloon dog. It wasn t crowded yet, so I took the time to go over step by step how to make one. The smile and pride in his face when we finished was worth the world. Photo by Paul Walsh The fun and learning didn t end with the big show! The next day was the big pie fight and water fight demonstration. I m a bit claustrophobic so pies in the face are not my thing. But I love to hang out and watch all the fun. JT Sikes told us an interesting story about how Coco the clown made his soap for pies the old way. Coco used ¼ block of Williams soap with ½ cup of warm water. Then whipped together with 3 wire coat hangers duct taped together. You whip the solution into a nice merengue. After the pie fight Kelly led a demonstration on how to toss a bucket of water. That was cool! I actually got involved in this one! Kelly surprised us with a foam bucket. Ok, so I got pied in a way!

For me the best part of the week was listening to Leon McBride. He did a small show and talked about clowning. This guy was awesome!!! My new clown hero. Do have fun with your audience.

If you do that you will begin to understand the meaning of the word clown. Clowning is not fancy props, clowning is an attitude. Clowning is the ability to let yourself go.

In true clown form we laughed and made jokes about the short comings at camp. The first morning at camp we found several cabins without toilet paper! Can you imagine!

7 For me the best part of the week was listening to Leon McBride. He did a small show and talked about clowning. This guy was awesome!!! My new clown hero. Do have fun with your audience. Play with them. Engage. Leon McBride. One the things you need to learn to do is calm down, relax, and play. And when you play, understand the entire stage is your playground. Play to everyone. If you do that you will begin to understand the meaning of the word clown. Clowning is not fancy props, clowning is an attitude. Clowning is the ability to let yourself go. Despite the disappointments, it was an exhilarating week at camp. There was so much inspiration and things to learn. What a great time to spend surrounded by seasoned clowns from all walks of life. In true clown form we laughed and made jokes about the short comings at camp. The first morning at camp we found several cabins without toilet paper! Can you imagine!?! It quickly became the joke of the week. One clown even corralled all us clowns in a running joke at graduation. Every clown presented our director, Lee Andrews, with a roll of toilet paper. Who knew there were so many jokes and gags you can come up with from a roll of t.p. Leave it to a bunch of clowns. There were challenges with the facilities; nothing we clowns couldn t survive. There was white semi see thru sheer curtains for stall doors in the bathrooms of the cabins. The same curtains were in the showers with no place to dress privately. The cabins sat at the end of a gravel hill we had to carry our luggage up and down. Plus, we had to walk up and down them every day in 95-degree heat with 95% humidity! Ugh! We won t even talk about the camp food! Let s just say the food made TV dinners seem like fine dining! But seriously folks Put all the negative aside and it was great experience. What I gained from camp outweighed all the disappointments. One thing I have to say even though Lee and I disagreed on a few things, he respected my opinions and thoughts. He was willing to sit down and listen to my hurts and frustrations. Lee expressed interest in all our opinions and listened to our comments and concerns. Lee has really earned my respect more than any other camp I've attended. I can tell he really care about us and listen to our opinions and thoughts even if he disagrees. No that's how you run a successful camp!!!! Lee make you feel like you really do matter... that we more than a number or change in his pocket. After camp I noticed several changes to the program at the ACA website. I can tell it s going to be bigger and better next year! I look forward to attending. I love you Lee and ACA, and there s nothing you can do about it. Photo by Paul Walsh Photo by Paul Walsh 7

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10 Who s wearing the hats in 2017? Board of Directors President: Gayle Frauline Minnesota Overbeck Vice President & Sgt. at Arms: Albert Clem Alter Secretary & Treasurer: Janice Groovy Johnson Past President: Toni Sprout De- Peel Historian OPEN Committee Heads Library Treesa Lotta Svatos Membership: Janice Groovy Johnson Newsletter, & Photographer Bonnie- Jean Gigglebritches Brown Jr. Joeys Gina Cha Cha Wollrabe Hearts & Flowers: Kimberley Anniebelle Eve Facebook: Alice Szanto Webmaster: Alan Posner Caring Clowns: Janice Johnson Red Nose Newz Biz To submit articles, clean jokes, fan mail, or suggestions: Bonnie-Jean Gigglebritches Brown boggarts70@yahoo.com 844 N Pershing St, Mt. Angel, Oregon Or call (503) Newsletter submission deadline is the 10th of each month. All Alley members are invited to post classifieds in the Red Nose Newz. If you have clown props, costumes, memorabilia, or other items related to clowning that you would like to sell or give to other clown members send your requests to Bonnie- Jean Gigglebritches Brown at boggarts70@yahoo.com, 844 N Pershing St., Mt. Angel, Or call Classified submissions deadline s the 10 th of each month. 10

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