Clown Chronicles: November ‘24
What happened in October:
The September 9th meeting was held at The Georgia Farrow Rec Center in Irving beginning at 7:01pm. A big thank you to Susan Keys who brought a table full of free magic and props for everyone to share and take home! We had a small group of only eight members, but still enough for a quorum.
Rudy appointed Susan Keys as a board member to fill a vacant seat.
Debbie Davis gave the treasurers report.
Bark at the Park 2024
In the main account we have $3197.77,
In the convention account, we have $8386.16 and
In the Happi Tymes account which has not yet been transferred, we have $1736.23.
Susan, Debbie and Martha said they would go to the bank and transfer the money in the Happi Tymes account before the end of the year.
Cinde Sanders gave medals to the members of the winning skits from the TCA convention. William Beaty announced that we made $556.80 from the Legacy Park Fundraiser event on October 5th.
It was suggested that we get some business cards and banners printed to promote our alley at events and at the rec center where we meet.
The Georgia Farrow rec center [had] a Halloween event on October 16th and asked us to perform. Susan Keys negotiated a trade for rent in exchange for our entertainment services. Thank you to Susan, Rudy, Debbie, and Ed for working that event.
We realized that we need a slate of nominations for the board to be voted on in November. Cinde talked to some members and put together a list to be voted on.
Cinde announced that the World Clown Association is having the 2025 convention here in the Dallas area. The convention committee will be here on November 7th and has asked us to come meet with them to share ideas and see how we can work together. Several of us will meet with them at 9:00am on November 7th at the Renaissance Dallas North Hotel.
Finally, it was time for our program! Patricia Santos from Flop School was our guest. It was a super fun night. Patricia is a trained dramatic actress who loves the RED nose. She is from Brazil and has traveled the world with her talent. We got in a circle and talked about what clowning means to us. It was a fun exercise that made us dig deep in our hearts as well as listen to our peers explain their passion for the art. We did some movement and laughter exercises. The consistent feeling of the evening was that “we can change the world with a smile and love”.
A Word from our Clown-in-Chief
As clowns, we are diving into the exciting realm of social media and realizing that having a strong online presence is crucial for making people laugh in this post COVID world! This means we need to rethink our performances and incorporate social media as an essential part of being a clown. We must figure out how to be funny on camera, too. Where we once focused on juggling pies in a park, we now need to juggle on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. We might even have to bust out some silly dances on TikTok to expand our audience, but the key is to embrace this tech-savvy world!
It’s now super important to have our own websites where we can showcase our talents, share goofy videos, and make it easy for new clients to book us for events or parties. Having a Google profile is also vital as part of our digital footprint. Think of social media like a giant clown car, there’s plenty of room for everyone to hop in and have fun! Plus, we can use special tools to keep track of bookings and connect with fans all over the world.
To foster a sense of connection and community in this digital landscape, we should explore how our props and costumes translate on screen, adapting them to enhance our visual storytelling. Real-time interaction will be key, allowing us to engage with audience during live performance and build rapport through comments and chats in our video and shorts. By leveraging these digital platforms, we can expand our reach from local to global audiences and continue to share joy and laughter across borders. So, clowns, I urge you to navigate this evolving, horizon and develop new skills in digital performance.
This will be crucial for sustaining the essence of our art while embracing the unique opportunities that technology offers. Ultimately this transformation will enable us to keep spreading happiness and creativity in a world increasingly connected through screens and social media!
Your bilingual Funnamatics Clown | El Payaso de doble lengua y diversion,
Rudie da Clown
aka Rudy Rosales
For Our November Program
Everyone bring a magic trick or puppet or balloon or face paint or routine or idea that relates to the holiday season to share with everyone. Let’s learn from each other and share our strengths. Get those ideas sparking and be ready to share and have fun!
Children’s Holiday Celebrations
Each year our alley volunteers their time for two amazing Children’s Holiday Celebrations Children’s Cancer Fund and Children’s Sickle Cell Program
Please call, text or email Susan Keys if you plan to attend so she can let the organizers know who is coming (972-986-7388 - merrymakers1@juno.com).
Both events are held at:
Hackberry Creek Country Club
1901 W Royal Lane
Irving, Texas 75063
Children’s Cancer Fund Event
Monday, December 9, 2024
Volunteers are needed from 5 to 8pm (or whatever time you can be there). Balloon artists, face painters, magicians, stilt walkers, costume characters, walk around entertainment. You can dress in Holiday attire and come to have fun with the families.
Children’s Sickle Cell Program Event
Monday, December 16, 2024
This one runs from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. Again, balloon artists, face painters, magicians, stilt walkers, costume characters, and walk around entertainment is are needed!
Each event provides a meal and T-shirt as a thank you for your service.
Dress in holiday attire as an elf or clown or just holiday colors.
