BoxFest: Celebrating 10 years with Box Of Clowns!
BoxFest: Celebrating 10 Years
Presented by Box of Clowns
July 22nd @ 7:30 PM
Box of Clowns is compromised of clown duo Jeff Desautels and Laura Loy, and they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary at CoHo Productions with BoxFest!
Box of Clowns recently performed their original comedy, Mind Blown, in the 2022 CoHo Clown Festival. Having met at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre in the class of ‘13, Laura and Jeff have been performing locally and internationally ever since, from CoHo Productions, to Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus, and from the Edmonton Fringe Festival, to America’s Got Talent.
The company’s namesake is “The Box”, a bottomless trunk raised on two small side platforms. It was constructed specifically for Mom? A Comedy of Mourners, a red-nose clown show about three siblings scattering their mother’s ashes at the end of the universe. The Box has traveled around North America, but has been sitting, waiting, in a small backyard in SE Portland for years to be used again.
To celebrate their birthday, the dynamic duo behind Box of Clowns is inviting performers from around town in all disciplines to explore the creative possibilities of this clever stage in a mini-festival, culminating in one final, FINAL, performance of Mom? during the one-night-only performance of BoxFest.
Catch Opening Acts from:
Winston Bischof
Majd Murad
Summer Olsson
Ari Rapkin
Jenelle Weidlich
About Box of Clowns
Box of Clowns is a new ensemble from Portland, Oregon. They are a clown troupe, so proudly come from a tradition of popular theatre. Their premier work, Mom?, was their culmination project at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, and thus, the box was born. Box of Clowns’ methods have grown out of the teachings at Dell’Arte, their own group research, and a collective desire to find delight and humor in unexpected places. They benefit from pushing themselves past expected limits physically and mentally, ruthless play, and fierce editing. Box of Clowns aims to create visceral, emotional, and provocative experiences for their audiences.
The Crowds are Raving!
“Intriguing physicality!”
– The Oregonian
“Amazing physics-defying comedy!”
-Indy Fringe Talks
“Sharp, beautifully timed, elegant”
-Plank Magazine
WINNER Best of Fest -San Francisco Fringe
WINNER Tech’s Choice -San Francisco Fringe
WINNER Sold Out Run- San Francisco Fringe
Meet the Clowns
Jeff Desautels is a founding member of Box of Clowns, with whom he has performed all over the world. Locally he has performed in Portland with CoHo Clown Cohort Theatre, Tears of Joy Theater, Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus, Fou Fou Ha, and the Curious Cabaret. He also performs frequently as the drag queen persona, Mysteria. He has studied at Salve Regina University, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre.
Laura Loy is an actor-creator who believes passionately in theatre’s power to foster empathy and community. Laura has devised, directed, taught, and performed at venues across North America and around the world. Her award-winning physical theatre company, Box of Clowns has been featured on The Gong Show and America’s Got Talent. Portland credits include shows with Imago, Broadway Rose, Lakewood, Tears of Joy, Speculative Drama, and Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus. She holds a B.A. in Theatre & Dance from the University of New Hampshire and is a graduate of the professional training program at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre.