April 13, 2015, 8PM

Stephon Walker

Stephon Walker performs unnatural acts of comedy with shattered glass, rusty nails, a staple gun, razor blades, bondage, a love of pop culture, and a rubber chicken in order to make the world safe for nerds, dorks, and loveable losers. Swami YoMahmi has performed regularly at Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, as well as festivals, conventions, and fairs, and has been featured in documentaries, magazines, news segments, and the books "Carny Sideshows" and "Weird Virginia". He is the founder and artistic director of Washington, DC's premiere sideshow troupe, Cheeky Monkey Sideshow.

James "Crickett" McGrath

A multi-talented dynamo, audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with sideshow and burlesque have all been delighted and amazed by his antics. No audience is too large or small, Crickett is sure to be a hit whether he's using his unparalleled juggling sticks, hosting the show, or simply eating a block of tofu.

Kolleen Kintz and Her Precocious Pooches

Kolleen and Bobby Kintz stumbled into the world of clown at the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theater in California (where Kolleen attended, and Bobby loyally supported the ensemble as resident photographer). In 2011, the duo returned to Maryland and began volunteering with Clowns Without Borders, helping spread joy and laughter through programming at inner city schools, festivals, and coordination of local fundraising. In 2012, Kolleen traveled with CWB to Indonesia, and this fall the two will make their first voyage together, to perform in Haiti!

The Kintz Family Circus, as they call themselves, works annually teaching camps where little ones can experience the magic of clown, learn skills, and create a show of their very own.

When not training at The Center for Movement Theater with Dody Disanto, these two are working on creating original and wacky pieces of theater, in and out of the red nose.

Dr. Torcher

The professor of pain… the Indiana Jones of sideshow: Dr. Torcher!

No quiet suburb of Indianapolis could hold her… Dr. Torcher fled to seek an academic’s life, stripping her way through school to become an anthropologist, unraveling the world’s bizarre and taboo. But it was her matriculation at Oddity U with Harley Newman where she developed her appetite for fire and straitjacketry. She’s performed sideshow arts at the Weirdo Show, comedy at DC Improv and Washington Improv Theater, storytelling with Speakeasy DC and is an esteemed member of the diabolical Perfect Liar’s Club. The good Doctor has served as an audience assistant for tricks in Las Vegas with Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity and Penn & Teller.
drtorcher.wordpress.com

Matthew Pauli, Co-Producer

Matthew Pauli, co-Producer of Clown Cabaret, is a 1991 graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College and has been clowning ever since. He appears regularly at corporate events, street festivals, fairs and picnics and in his stage shows. His work as a clown has taken him around the U.S. and as far as Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since 1999, he has been proud to be part of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program, performing at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. For 6 years he toured with The Big Apple Circus sharing the role of Grandma with creator and International Clown Hall of Fame inductee Barry Lubin.

www.matthewpauli.net

Karen Beriss, Co-Producer

Karen Beriss, co-producer and emcee of this month's Clown Cabaret has been a professional magician for over 15 years. Performing at trade shows around the world, her magic and dry sense of humor - combined with corporate messaging skills - have captured the eyes of the press including National Public Radio, Market Place and The Wall Street Journal. She is super excited to have just joined the Big Apple Circus Clown Care program performing at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Karen is a regular at The Comedy Zone in Washington DC. She trained in improv and acting with Second City in New York. And she has performed for celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Kirstie Alley, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, the Washington Capitals and Robert Goulet. Most recently she worked with Leon Redbone. Plus, Karen’s mom thinks Karen is funny – so it must be true.

www.swellmagic.com

Rich Potter, Co-Producer

Rich Potter is a co-producer and frequent performer for Clown Cabaret. He's studied with Ringling Bros, Maine's Celebration Barn Theater, and Nouveau Clown Institute in Barcelona, Spain, and still hasn't attained his dream of knowing nothing.

His appearances on the David Letterman Show, at the Vice Presidential Mansion, in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and other domestic venues and in dozens of other countries have gotten him a laugh or two.

RichPotter.NET

Photo Credit: Silly Human Tricks Photography