Jan_Feb_1997

January/February, 1997
Meet tbe Artists--
Mark Renfro brings a solid background
of performance and teaching
to his appointment as a Clown Artist it
Residence.
As a clown performer, Mark has
worked in a variety of venues, from the
kid-next-door's birthday party to the
stage of Radio City Music Hall. Stops
along the way include Ringling
Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, Walt
Disney World Resort, and Tokyo
Disneyland.
As an instructor, he has lectured
for COAi and WCA annual
conventions. For the past three years
he was part of the teaching team for
Clown Camp at the University.
of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, and the
RBB&B Clown College.
Mark views his work as an AIR this
way: "Teaching, especially about
something you love, is always a
challenge and always an opportunity. ,
As an AIR, I would have more
challenges and opportunities to share,
develop and grow with others who are
also exploring what it means to be a
clown."
Mark offers presentations that
cover a range of subjects, from a
discussion of the intimacy of one-toone
clowning to hands-on workshops
about parade-sized props. Each of his
classes is a balance between theory
(why we do it), and practice (how wed
it).
Mark can be reached at
4655 Wlnesanker Way,Ft.
Worth, TX 76133-5105. Ph.
(817) 294-0204.
'B.B.'
This is the second year Bob "B.B."
Widdop has been named one of
COAi's Clown Artists in Residence.
He said he sought another
appointment "because of the
response I received from being AIR" in
1996.
Bob retired from the N.E.
Telephone Co. in 1995 and became a
supervisor for the Big Apple Circus
Clown Care Unit at Boston's Children's
Hospital. He began clowning in 1985,
learning the '.¾rt from a professional
clown and from attendance at clown
schools and seminars across the
country.
A guest performer with the Cole
Brothers Circus, he has lectured and
entertained at dozens of clown
events: COAi regional conventions
and at the Big 3, Spring in the Clowns,
Mooseburger University, Clownfest,
Peachey Keene U, February Frolic
18 The New Calliope
and Telephone Pioneer Clowns.
Bob is a "busker," or street
performer, and works a variety of
venues, ranging from birthday parties
to nursing homes, and from country
clubs to sidewalks. AS Clown Artist in
residence, Bob offers four workshops,
judge credentials, MC work,
hospitality, entertainment and a stage
show. His workshops include:
+ "B.B.'s" School of Fine Hearts:
Character development, essentials
that every clown should know, tricks ot
the trade. Designed for the Caring
Clown, the course is not clown ministry
but teaches the essentials that every
clown should know. (Everything you
wanted to know about clowning but
were afraid to ask.)
+Street Performing (The Art of
Busking): Involves street art that is
thousands of years old. Crowd control,
safety, increased income and
techniques that "will help you avoid
becoming a balloon-making, facepainting
machine."
+ "B.B.'s" Balloon School:
Importance of knowing types of
balloons, kinds of pumps and how they
can be used. Entertaining will be the
main theme, more than sculpture.
+ "B.B.'s" Birthday Party: How to
create a quality party; making the sale
over the phone, promotions, time
management of the shows, the quality
of performance, and method of
payment.
Bob Widdop can be
contacted at P.O. Box 117 West
Bridgewater, MA 02379. Ph.
(508) 583-6246. email:
BBFAMENJ@AOL.COM