Laughter has long been considered the language of the soul and Four Clowns Jr. has embodied this message in their productions That Beautiful Laugh, a show that spoke to children and adults alike through laughter and a slew of touchingly funny vignettes, and Robin Hood, a hilarious clown-inspired adventure, which marked the company's most prestigious collaboration to date with South Coast Repertory. Now, in its latest endeavor Somewhere Like Earth, Four Clowns Jr. plans to feed the soul, not just with laughter, but with learning as well.
This will not be Four Clowns first foray into the realm of theatre for young audiences, in fact they created a new wing of their company in 2012, Four Clowns Jr. to produce shows for children and families. However, Somewhere Like Earth breaks new ground as their first show dedicated to education. Four Clowns Artistic Director Jeremy Aluma says, "We are expanding our program by developing and touring an educational children's show. Kids are reactive and interactive, they are just pure energy and they tell you exactly how they feel, right away. We are extremely excited about staging a piece geared specifically for them!"
Somewhere Like Earth is designed to inspire children to care for their environment. The show features a clown who comes to a new and pristine world where he is met by the clown guardians of the elements of earth, air, and water. Each guardian clown shows off why his or her element is the most important, but inadvertently our hero-clown's excitement leads to waste and destruction. Finally all the clowns come to realize how they can live together in mutual benefit and harmony. The production emphasizes collectivity and the need for all of us to do our part to achieve sustainability, for the environment and in our own daily lives.
From its beginning, Four Clowns and Four Clowns Jr. has kept a very collaborative philosophy when it comes to developing their shows, and this production is no different. The premise for Somewhere Like Earth was conceived by Four Clowns company member Mike Funt, who recently taught clown workshops and performed his Four Clowns show The Day They Hung the Elephant as a Guest Artist at the Georgia Theatre Conference. For Somewhere Like Earth the cast, writer, and director have worked together, using exercises, improvisations and other clown and physical work, to devise the show as an ensemble.
With regard to our hero clown it's one small step for him, one giant leap for clown-kind! The initial workshop performance of Somewhere Like Earth opens at the Imaginese Festival (at the
Attic Theatre) on Sat. December 7 at 2pm, and plays for 3 more additional performances. Following this initial production, Four Clowns Jr. will be bringing the show to elementary schools and libraries across the Southern California region.
Four Clowns Jr. presents Somewhere Like Earth, written by Mike Funt, directed by Turner Munch
WHAT: An interactive education show about the environment and sustainability. For 6 - 11 year olds and their parents.
WHERE:
Attic Theatre, as part of the Imaginese Festival. 5429
W. Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
WHEN: Sat. 12/7 @ 2pm, Sun. 12/8 @ 2pm, Sat. 12/14 @ 2pm, Sun. 12/15 @ 2pm
HOW: Tickets $10 for adults and $5 for children at
http://kids.fourclowns.org/ or
http://bit.ly/1e8qAzW.
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