Clownfoolery with Joel Axelrod

In this class we'll work on how to be vulnerable when we perform, removing our covers and just existing as our true selves on stage. We'll explore pushing to the point of failure. How to stop fearing it and instead use it as a gift. We'll allow ourselves to truely see the audience and allow them to truely see us. Creating a conversation with them with our choices, and allowing the audience's engagement or lack of engagement to help guide us. We'll work on how to get in trouble with the audience and how to get back out of it. (There will be an hour-long break for lunch)

Bio:

Joel Axelrod studied improv at iO Chicago, UCB, iO West and Now Improv. He studied Clown directly with Aitor Basauri, Stefan Haves, Daniel Passer, Deanna Fleysher, and John Gilkey. He was a founding member of the clown group The Innocents, where they devised and performed a new show every month for over 2 years. He worked with the award winning theater troupe Four Clowns to write and devise “Welcome to Illyria!" and "Shakedown at the Dusty Spur."

He taught Clown and bit creation at "The Catsby Workshops" for over 2 years. He co-founded and co-taught the workshop series "OK Clown" and "Hijinks Class." He developed and taught the Clown 8 week course at Third Coast Comedy Club. In 2022 he's sold out multiple Clownfoolery workshops in Oakland, Nashville and Toronto, with upcoming workshops in San Diego, Seattle, and Philadelphia.