Absolute Clown Show

Prepare yourself for an evening of delightful absurdity as our three featured performers take the stage. Enjoy a smorgasbord of juggling, sharp-witted comedy, offbeat monologues, and imaginative prop work. There will be twists, there will be turns, and there will be moments that both shock and amuse. But above all… there will be clowns.

We're especially thrilled to welcome our special guest and featured performer, Benoît François, all the way from Philadelphia, bringing his touring show "Total Modeling" (Directed by Mason Rosenthal) to our stage.

Total Modeling is an absurdist avant-clown performance of the strange dance between cybernetics and consciousness, on a boat. Part lecture, part throwdown, the piece features a blind drunk, his invisible man, third birds, and a domesticated ass. A philosophical odyssey that collides professional wrestling with existential despair, a surreal, comedic inquiry into losing sight and finding vision.

BENOÎT FRANÇOIS (also known as BENJAMIN STIELER) is a Philadelphia-based clown and performance artist. He is the cofounder of the Philadelphia Clown Slam and has performed at the Satellite Art Show in Austin, TX and the Idiot’s Hour in New York City. In 2024, he co-produced the Harvest Punch Festival in Ithaca, NY, and has toured nationally with the Bread and Puppet Theater.

O’RYAN "THE O’MAZING" ARROWROOT is an artist, a clown, a father, and an anxious mess. At 17, O'Ryan left the farm in West Virginia where they were born and raised, and began to travel wherever the whim would take them.

O'Ryan has performed everywhere from orphanages and refugee camps, to auditoriums and banquet halls, and they still get nervous about it.

They created the character, O'Ryan the O'Mazing, as a direct result of learning to cope with anxiety, fear, and failure, and now use it as a tool to inspire, uplift, and entertain others.

O'Ryan spends time playing, traveling, performing, and teaching for an amazing spectrum of children and adults alike, and enjoys every minute of it.

ZEPHRA “PLUNK THE PREPOSTEROUS” FORD is a Pittsburgh based clown, performance artist, and musician. Drawing from experiences that include circus touring by bicycle and performing around the globe. As a multi-instrumentalist Zephra creates unique performances that combine their skills as a musical eccentric and equilibrist.