Clown Research Project: The Blue Man Group!

I was always a little freaked out by the Blue Man Group (kind of sounds like an homage to human!) They always kind of scared me because they are essentially clowns! And for me, traditional whiteface miming clowns will always be creepy.

The group was started around 1991 by recent college graduates that were really good friends. They wanted to create a performance that was experiental and  thus the group was formed. The Blue Man group tells a story without really following a specific plot, and they tell this story non verbally of course.

The Blue Man was made to help humans view things in a different light. The Blue man is always exploring and questioning everything. This creative innovative group inspires audiences to think outside the box with their performances. Everything is a new experience for the Blue man.

They give us new perspective and are said to be foreigners to our culture which helps us see things from a different light. While the performances are not all the same, the overall message of each performance, the mission statement of the Blue Man group if you will, is to create a sense humanity, being alive!







"Blue Man Group." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Man_Group>.

Spring break is almost over...

...aaannnnd I've forgotten what our Quote of the Day was last time. Anyone remember? Audrey?

Here's the old post with the four clowning vids on it for your continued amusement. You don't have to worry about any homework on those unless you were absent and didn't watch them in class with us. http://the3220.blogspot.com/2014/04/clowning-vids-for-homework.html

And also for your amusement, a throwback pic of me and my best friend in high school. This was the final exam for our class' clowning unit: to perform for at least an hour on Pearl St. Mall. Which is a mall known for its street performers. Not a high pressure final at all...

Class today!

Okay, I just had to reflect on the scene that Bryan, Gustavo, Ashara and I did in class today! Given the task of putting on a scene with stock characters, we decided to do an elevator scenario.


We had the first person who just wanted to get to where they were going in peace. The obnoxious person on their phone, the creepy guy, and the person who has...issues with gas.


A twist that we added in was that the elevator got stuck and then Gustavo started passing gas. Eventually I died and everyone else was able to make it off the elevator alive wooooo!


It was really fun to do, I always enjoy doing non verbal scenarios!

No, YOU be a clown.

I had no idea that there are different types. I thought a clown was a clown was a clown. Now I realize the one I've seen most often is the Auguste style at the circus (or Ronald McDonald). I've probably seen the other kinds in movies or on TV, but I just assumed they were all lumped together in the same category. I also didn't know that hats were so important to creating a clown character. When I think of a costume, I first think of big shoes, billowy pants, scarves, and a red nose. While reading Be A Clown, I got pretty excited to try clowning because I love humor, but I've always used it with the voice and not physically. Now I get to try the other side and I have a feeling this could be my favorite part of class. As a side note for the people in class who are afraid of them, maybe clowning will actually help you feel less scared!

P.S. I really hope I get to try a spit take.

-Audrey

Clowns

Personally i have never really liked clowns i think that they creep me out. When i was reading the 'Think Like A Clown" part it was a very stereotypical movement and i feel like they over do thing like that. I do like making people laugh but i think its better like things with comedy of manners then with just acting clownish. Though some of the movements i do agree with like: Double takes, spit take (though that's grouse if you are the person they spit on) or even the running gags. Though i still think i'm bias because i just don't like clowns

Comedy of Manners

I am with Tatum when I say that Comedy of Manners is one of my favorite things to play. I personally like to dress well and use manners so it is so fun for me to take that, amplify it, then play out the most ridiculous scenarios. As with Tatum, I really like "Importance of Being Ernest" for it's dry, tongue in cheek, humor. Everyone is trying so hard to stay polite even though they are in a dire or precarious situation. Also, the "Importance of Ernest" is the only show that I really know of, besides "The Rivals", that utilizes comedy of manners. I am sure there are others, but I really do enjoy how Wilde portrayed comedy of manners.

Honk! Honk!

In reading "Be a Clown" by Turk Pipkin I noticed that a lot of what he was mention ing I knew and I have utilized before as a character. Although my characters were probably not meant to have these clown like qualities I adapted and used them. I also inspired me to maybe try and create a clown character. I do love to make people laugh so it really got me excited to try something new.