Following a wildly successful debut in 2024, Coney Island Clown Skool is back for its second year, bringing laughter, learning, and legacy to the historic New York boardwalk.
NEW YORK, NY, September 08, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- From September 14–21, 2025, Coney Island Clown Skool will once again welcome students from across the country to an intensive week of creativity, comedy, and connection at the Brooklyn landmark.
What began as a bold experiment last year quickly struck a chord with performers and audiences alike, proving there's a real hunger for the joyful, time-honored art of clowning. Building on that momentum, the Skool reached a major milestone by becoming a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This designation cements its mission to preserve, celebrate, and advance clowning—not only as a performance art, but as a cultural legacy that continues to inspire laughter across generations.
Why Clowning Matters
At its core, the art of clowning is more than slapstick or spectacle. Rooted in vulnerability, physical storytelling, and improvisation, clowning teaches artists to connect deeply with audiences through humor, honesty, and surprise. One of the oldest and most versatile forms of performance, clowning skills extend far beyond the circus ring. From theater to street performance, from cabaret to corporate public speaking, clowning has influenced countless art forms and communication methods, and it continues to shape how performers approach timing, character, and audience engagement.
The Skool's mission is to honor this tradition while equipping a new generation of performers with the tools to bring clowning into fresh contexts. By blending world-class instruction with opportunities for public performance, the program highlights how clowning remains a vital, evolving art form that bridges entertainment, engagement, and emotional truth.
"This program has grown so much in just one year," says Glen Heroy, Clown Skool's founder, creative director, and veteran clown. "We started with a vision of creating an inclusive space where people could connect through laughter and training, and now we're building a lasting home for clown arts in America."
A Legendary Stage for Showmanship
It's no coincidence that a clown school found its home in The People's Playground. Coney Island has long been a proving ground for performers who went on to shape the very fabric of American comedy and vaudeville. From the early days of the amusement district, its theaters and sideshows served as training grounds for the likes of the Three Stooges and even provided a stage where one of the Marx Brothers joined the famed troupe. The neighborhood's legacy of vaudeville, slapstick, and spectacle continues to echo through popular culture today.
Coney Island USA, the nonprofit arts organization behind beloved attractions like the Coney Island Circus Sideshow and the Mermaid Parade, has been at the forefront of preserving and revitalizing this history of live performance. By keeping alive the traditions of showmanship, satire, and the art of the unusual, Coney Island USA ensures that the landmark's notoriety as a birthplace of laughter and entertainment remains vital in the modern age.
With guidance and support from Coney Island USA, the establishment of Coney Island Clown Skool takes that tradition another bold step forward. The Skool provides a space for today's clowns and performers to draw inspiration from this legendary setting while contributing new voices to the lineage of artistry that has always defined Coney Island.
Adam Rinn, Artistic Director of Coney Island USA, adds: "Last year, Clown Skool brought a wave of creativity and energy to Coney Island, and we couldn't wait to welcome it back. It's a natural extension of what we do here: celebrating performance, history, and the unexpected. Giving clowns a stage in Coney Island isn't just about entertainment, it's about keeping the art form alive and thriving in the place where spectacle belongs."
World-Class Training for the Next Generation of Clowns
Under the guiding slogan "Enter Curious, Leave Inspired," participants in the 2025 session of the Skool will immerse themselves in hands-on training led by renowned artists and educators. This year's workshops and activities include:
· Clown Fundamentals with Glen Heroy, Founding Director of the Coney Island Clown Skool, faculty member of the Academy of Clown Arts, and featured clown in the PBS documentary Circus.
· Puppetry with Tyler Bunch, puppeteer and performer with the Jim Henson Company and Sesame Workshop.
· Mime Arts with Becky Baumwoll, Artistic and Executive Director of Broken Box Mime Theater.
· Performance Development with master clown Michael Trautman, former Artistic Director and Creative Director at the Maine Circus Academy.
· Dynamic Duos with Hilary Chaplain, renowned performer and instructor, and the memorable "Nurse Nice" of the Big Apple Circus Hospital Clown Program.
· Classic Comedic Techniques with Joel Jeske, creator of clown acts for Ringling Bros/Barnum & Bailey and Cirque Du Soleil.
· Ensemble Exploration with Matt Mitler, performer and director, as well as founder of Dzieci Theatre.
· Mask with Christina Gelsone, internationally-beloved wordless clown and former headliner with the Big Apple Circus.
· Comedic Devices with Jeff Gordon, known as the famous Clown Gordoon, respected teacher and former performer with Big Apple Circus.
· Clown Magic with Sara Crasson, celebrated as the 'Magician at Law' and producer of Flavors of Magic.
· Social Circus with Kat Alexander, founder and director of Circo Ciencias and contributing member of the National Circus Project.
· Plus a field trip to UniverSoul Circus to study circus arts in action and talk with performers, an opportunity to perform on the famous Coney Island Sideshow Stage, one-on-one mentoring with industry professionals, and much more!
Public Performances
The Coney Island Clown Skool is also inviting the public to join in the fun with two special events during the 2025 session:
Flavors of Magic – Thursday, September 18, 7:00 PM | A magical showcase blending wonder, comedy, and variety. Tickets are available through FlavorsOfMagic.com
Student Showcase – Saturday, September 20, 7:00 PM | Original clown performances created during the week. Admission is a suggested donation (pay what you can) that supports Coney Island USA.
The Skool invites aspiring (and seasoned) clowns, actors, educators, and curious minds to attend this year's public events to experience the dynamic of this unique program. To learn more, please visit ConeyIslandClownSkool.com.
The Coney Island Clown Skool is 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive environment for educators and students, inspired by Coney Island's rich history of frivolity and community. Offering a unique training intensive designed to teach students the art (and heart) of clowning, the Skool's instructors include seasoned clowns, theater professionals, puppeteers, and movement artists with years of experience in stage performance, street theater, and circus arts. They bring expertise from Broadway, major circus productions, vaudeville, and contemporary clowning, ensuring that students receive an extensive, balanced, and challenging curriculum.
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