About the Production

Ringling Brothers meet the Godfather in this surreal dark noir comedy Clown Bar by Adam Szymkowicz. Gumshoe detective Happy Maloney's junkie brother Timmy is found dead. Now Happy must return to his former life as a clown to ask a few questions. But will Happy be able to go home again without getting sucked into the seedy underbelly of vice and violence that's near impossible to escape in the Clown Bar!

(Audience members are encouraged to dress as Gangsters or Clowns or both)

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What the Critics Are Saying:

 

“……What makes these clowns special, however, isn't their clowning ability, but the world that lies beneath the act. Clown Bar is in many ways a standard crime noir tale, telling the story of a detective who comes to the bar to investigate the murder of his baby brother. These tropes--the suave detective, the little brother who has gotten on the wrong path, the femme fatale, the gun-toting henchmen and the terrifying crime boss--make the bizarre world of the play familiar, and the mystery of who killed Timmy utterly engaging.  That almost every member of the cast happens to have on a wig and face paint only draws you further into the world, where loyalty is everything and no one can ever really escape… “

(CHARGED.fm)

 

“……So a dozen clowns walk into a bar, and the ensuing punch lines are as plentiful and varied as a pack of Bozos exploding out of a circus car…."  (Time Out New York)

 

…..Did the TV series It give you nightmares for decades?  Does the art of John Wayne Gacy make you tremble?  Does dear old Bozo make you break out in hives?  If you suffer from coulrophobia – a fear of clowns – then Clown Bar, a production full of energy and charm, might be your ticket to freaking out.  Not only does this show boast an abundance of ubiquitous clowns, but they are far more similar to the clowns of your nightmares than the cheery jolly buffoons of your childhood circus days…..

(www.Stage andCinema.com)