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Follow TheDailyStamford.com reporter John Lupton as he learns how to be a clown for the 2010 Stamford UBS Holiday Parade Spectacular at noon Sunday. Read his first-person reports and watch videos of his preparation and his performance in the parade. It's all through the eyes of a first-time clown.
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Clowns have always been magical to me. Every time I see a clown, I can't help but smile. What is the trick to being a true clown?
A clown might have a smiling face or a sad face; it might have a funny wig or floppy pants and big shoes; but no matter the look, we all smile.
When I got the opportunity to learn to be a clown and participate in the annual UBS Parade Spectacular in downtown Stamford, I decided it would be a good chance to learn that magical secret.
I had no idea of how to go about becoming a clown and performing in front of thousands of spectators. Would I be able to make them laugh and smile? Or would I just be making a fool of myself?
But I got the help I needed when all the volunteer clowns for this year's holiday parade began working with one of the best circus-training troupes in the country, Cirque-tacluar Entertainment, based in New York.
About 35 clown-wannabes showed up for our first training session at the Ferguson Library, and the fun began immediately. Our three trainers, each of whom has dozens of years of experience in training some of the biggest and best clown groups in the country, got straight to work.
In one routine, a group of us learned all about props and how to best use even the most basic items to generate laughs. It's amazing what you can do with a hat or a ball tied to an elastic string that pops back when you throw it.
Another group learned about reacting to any situation, a skill much like improvisational theater in which a clown makes up something on the spot.
Take a look at this short video of my first training session, and you'll get an idea about all the work that goes into the training.
In my next report, you'll see our costumes and how we add makeup to create our individual looks.
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