go to clown school

It had previously been my ambition to go to Jacques LeCoq’s school in France (L’Ecole International de Theatre Jacques LeCoq). This would require putting some work in on my French (which was previously fluent but has grown rusty since I last used the language almost a decade ago). I would also first need to build up my resume and to receive more preliminary training before I could apply. Not to mention needing to plan a relocation to France…

I definitely still want to go someday, but I’ll need to prepare in the meantime.

So I started Googling clown schools. Then I turned up The Clown Conservatory in San Francisco. One-year program, no previous clowning experience required. I just got a good feeling looking at the website… like an intuitive vibe or something. $8500 for the year… I wonder if you can get student loans for clown school…?

They’re apparently still accepting for this fall. The school year runs September to June… applying, somehow coming up with the funds, and moving up there in time seems improbable.

So here’s my new check list for getting my butt to clown school:

1) Contact the school to request more information. I’ll request a prospectus if they have one, get the exact dates of the 2009-2010 school year, get a more detailed explanation of the audition material/process, ask about scholarships and work-for-tuition grants, as well as find out if visiting the school and/or seeing a student performance is possible.

Here’s the contact info from the website, so I’ll have it right here tomorrow:
For more information or to schedule an audition, please contact Peggy Ford at 415.759.8123, Ext.*814.

2) Consider if going next month could be for me and if it’s even remotely feasible.

3) Think about what I might use for an audition piece or how I might develop an audition piece (even if the audition is a year away!).

4) Discuss a move to San Francisco with my boyfriend. Investigate potential living situations. Evaluate moving costs, changes in living cost and the potential for work up there. (Would we definitely both move up there…?)

5) Create a plan to fund my clown education.

5) Investigate local clowning workshops I could try out in the meantime, pick up juggling again, find a tumbling or trapeze class… anything to start getting myself immersed in clowning, physical theatre, and the circus!