Is this a class? A show? An experience? Yes. Are you a player? An audience? A baby who has never moved/spoken/seen before? Yes.
ALL ARE WELCOME. (No experience necessary.)
Step into your own transformation and strip bare everything that is not needed. (Other than your clothes. Unlike a real birth, you will be wearing clothes.)
Please be ready to move in the space, wiggle on the floor in, and find stillness as needed. Bring a water bottle (refilling station available).
Under the guidance of your Clown Mother and with ambient sound and light provided by Dave Basement, you will be guided from gestation to living, breathing clown babies, devoid of social mask, present in your body, and completely in tune with your new surroundings.
Will you learn the fundamentals of clowning (presence, connection, embracing mistakes, slowing down, hearing and responding to every laugh) that can be applied to every kind of performance and daily interaction? Yes. Will several more unexpected things happen? Let's play and find out.
Clown Mother (Anne Zander - she/her) is a queer, neurodivergent mother, clown, character creator and a "completely ridiculous... completely hilarious" international touring artist whose two solo shows - "Anne Zander is MOTHER" and "JUICEBOX" - have brought audiences to laughter and tears from coast to coast (BroadwayWorld). She will hold you in her (figurative) mother's embrace before pushing you right out of the nest.
Dave Basement (David Wester - he/him) is a morbidly hilarious sketch writer/performer, professional film editor and certified "Genius of Comedy" (Portland Mercury) who is also gifted at sound and light design. His sonic and visual support will lift you out of the world you are familiar with and into a land without ascribed meaning.
PulsePDX is an ADA Accessible, mirror-free, club-lit, deeply inclusive dance fitness studio that is large enough for 50+ students! Their philosophy is that movement is for all bodies, ought to seem like a reward and not a punishment, should be fun and feel good, brings people together, benefits more than just the body, and is better with mirror balls. This event is not part of Pulse's offerings, but we stand with their mission and encourage you to check out their classes!
IMPORTANT NOTES:
There is no physical contact between participants and/or facilitator/participants without explicit consent. Consent may be withdrawn at any time.
Masks are welcome.
This space is explicitly inclusive of all races, sexualities, genders, body sizes, and disabilities. The venue is ADA ACCESSIBLE.
This is an explicitly harassment-free space. Any violation of guidelines agreed to in terms and conditions will result in ejection.
No refunds.
Mission Statement:
Le Why Not Productions embraces the intersection of the grotesque and the beautiful, the vulnerable and the powerful, the fringe and the familiar. Our mission is to dissolve barriers between audience and performers, shine laughter into the dark corners of the human experience, and create a space where these contrasts collide and harmonize through the art of comedy.
About:
Le Why Not specializes in live clown-character shows, where the absence of the fourth wall creates a unique, living audience experience. Our core principles - vulnerability, connection, precision and presence - are the cornerstones of our performances and classes, inviting our audiences and students to move from waves of laughter to profound recognition and back again.
Named after a quirky bar in a small French town with a dark but irreverent atmosphere, our company is inspired by the blending of cultures, the joy of crossing linguistic and artistic boundaries, and the ‘Why not?’ spirit that ignites playful complicity and laughter.
In addition to our live theater productions, we also offer classes in clowning and physical comedy. More than just a space to learn an art form, these classes will challenge your habits and inhibitions, push you to take risks, and create a space for self-discovery, play, discipline and liberation.
