Letter from an inmate

This year’s tour in Eastern Oregon included a large number of community shows. We performed at several assisted living and senior centers, a Boys & Girls Club, a lunch program for kids, and two prisons. Anne Gavzer was in charge of organizing all these shows, and put in an enormous amount of effort before the tour to arrange our visits, get us all clearance for the prison shows, and to make sure we brought in only approved items. It was so incredibly worth it; for the inmates, the guards, and for us. Breaking down the walls between us, experiencing the ultimate freedom of touring with an incredible group of people, and those who find themselves incarcerated, for whatever reason, was such a gift. And this letter is the kind of response that brings tears to our eyes and makes all the difficulties of planning and touring so worth it.
Thanks to everyone who made this happen!
~Michelle

From an inmate at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Facility, where New Old Time Chautauqua performed a show during its 2012 tour.

Back to the Roots

Well we’re at the Oregon Country Fair and what a joyous reunion it is. We were only apart for three days, but we greeted each other with warm hugs and silly “I missed you so much!” which was true.

Nearly everyone from Chautauqua is here, we all have different roles or jobs or shows. There is much fun in watching our friends performing their own shows, instead of just one or two acts. I hear the marching band tooting away right now over at Stage Left, oh so familiar songs give a nostalgic feeling of tour. And what a tour it was.

Many consider it to be a very blessed experience. The logistics were relatively smooth; the food was great and the weather cooperative. Mistakes we’re made and lessons learned, (hopefully). But nothing too serious. It was far from perfect, but what else could you really expect? They say there’s three ways to do things, the right way, the wrong way, and the Chautauqua way. So true. None-the-less, we pretty much rocked it the whole way along. The shows were incredible, and the community feedback we got from everywhere we went was inspiring. Yes we are making a difference, somehow, someway, you can see it in the smiles, you can feel it in the air.

Our last day was beautiful. Closing circle lasted for about 2 hours and everybody gave some heart and soul in recapping the tour. Joannie and some other experienced Chautauquans gave us a little history lesson, which was fascinating. It’s great to hear the old stories, it’s important for us newbies to stay connected to our history as we create our own new stories.

People spoke passionately about tour, what it meant to them, the challenges, the learning, and the community. Always the community, that really is what it’s all about here. This is family. Even when you’re so annoyed at something, when you just want to snap, and sometimes you do, but it’s okay in the end, love is love and we’re all in it together. Growth is never easy.

Some speeches were funny, some sad, some straightforward, some not. We really got the feeling from the group about just how special this is (at least for most of us). Beyond words for many, and yes I’m getting sappy here. Sorry, it’s my favorite thing in the world, along with Country Fair, and I will sap about it as much as I want, just you wait. So much love!

After closing circle we headed into Bend for the finale show. A sold out theatre, hooray! Electricity flowed through the air as act after act stepped up and gave it their all. For the finale act we had about 75 clubs flying through the air in near synchronistic geometric beauty. We received a standing ovation and danced with the crowd to Riverside. “Aint gonna study war no more…”

Back to camp where we took saunas and sang around the fire. Exhausted from three weeks of sheer exertion, yet triumphant, jubilant, accomplished. The last song was sung by Jeremiah, a 17 year old who’s been on every tour since he was born. He went into an improv jam where every verse was about Chautauqua; it was a beautiful closing. In the morning we packed up and headed our different ways. Goodbyes are a lot easier when it goes, “see you in three days!”

Sorry to gush, and I’m sure not everyone shares this sentiment, but this is how feel and I’m writing it as I choose.

So now here we are at the event that started it all. Thousand of people are diligently working to make this essential event happen. I am reminded of the sign again “We don’t work for free for nothing.” How true that is. And the something that we work for is so hard to define. I’m tempted towards words like magic, and love but that’s too simple. You have to experience it to understand.

The community, the friendship, the experiences, the challenges, the surprises, it all adds up to something that’s almost impossible to find in the day-to-day mundane world we all too often apathetically trudge through. This is the smell of the flowers, the color of the dawn sky, the sound of songs and the feeling of laughter. This is the change we wish to see in the world. So take it with you, wash an extra dish, learn a new tune, start an event, plant a seed, dance in the rain and laugh in the face of adversity. We’re as blessed as blessed can be, so don’t ever forget it. Share your gift with the world. We need it.

Sincerely,

Eli “Dr. Bonkers” March

Is it the Bend or Eginning?

We’ve arrived in beautiful Bend Oregon.  With two community shows, two workshop sessions, and the Ben show under our belt, we’ve wasted no time since arrival. We’re camped at a gorgeous piece of private property outside the town of Sisters. Jagged snowy mountains lie to the south and east, pine trees sprinkle the landscape and a giant radiant moon sweetly shines on us at night. Peacocks roam about and yowl regularly. Tents sprawl about it all directions.

This stop is sort of Chautauqua family picnic, and a number of Chautauquans who couldn’t do the whole tour have come to visit for this final stop. In particular there is an influx of elders, not that they’re old, just that they’ve been on way more tours than any of us 20 somethings, which make up the majority of the tour demographic. So that is really nice to see and experience, especially for us newer Chautauquans. Helps us feel more connected as a continuation of this long strange history.

Our first show was as at a senior lunch center, the second a Boys and Girls Club. We had several hundred attentive children at that show, mostly elementary and middle school aged. Afterwards we taught them all our skills in the packed gym of workshops. It’s quite satisfying to see someone learn to juggle for the first time, or throw a knot into a rope, or do their first acro move. The children were thrilled.

Last night we had our infamous Ben Show, a private event just for ourselves. The only rule is that you can’t do something you normally do. So we performed parody after parody of just about every act in the show. It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Song lyrics rewritten, costumes sneakily borrowed for maximum satire potential, men as princesses, spoofs on loading the truck and morning meetings, and so on and on. The ridiculousness was over the top and we laughed all the way through.

The atmosphere around the fire after the Ben Show was very special. There’s nothing like laughing for two hours to put you in a good mood. We were feeling quite silly; there was an impromptu jam song about “stinguished” in all its many forms. As the moon rose higher and higher, the guitar was passed around the circle. One song at a time we serenaded each other with a barrage of comedic songs and a couple of heartfelt ones too. An occasional peacock wail pierced through the night.

Currently we are in the newly opened Bend Circus Center teaching more workshops. This is a nice space where people can come together and work on all sorts of circus stuff. They offer a variety of classes as well as open playtime. Further proof of the burgeoning circus movement, there seems to be a growing revival of this form of skill and play.

Tomorrow we have our big show in downtown Bend, and our closing circle in the morning. On Sunday, we say goodbye and head off to home or wherever our many paths take us. Most people will reconvene at the Oregon Country Fair, the event that essentially birthed Chautauqua 31 years ago, after Patch Adams and the Flying Karamazov Brothers decided to take the OCF experience on the road.

Until next time friends, toodle-oo. Look out for the final entry to come up soon. I’ll abandon the logistics and try to really get into the heart of the matter. We’ve been on the road camping and performing for almost 3 weeks now. It’s hard to describe the changes that undergo during this time, but there’s not a single one of us who hasn’t learned and grown immensely on this journey. It’s like alchemy for the soul, only sillier.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bonkers

On the road again

So many little stories, so little time. For our Pendleton stop, we camped at a gorgeous little summer camp called Meadow Wood Springs, about half an hour outside of town, in the foothills of the mountains. They were our sponsor and a good one at that. The campfire crackled at night, and the moon grew larger with each evening. Songs were sung and jokes were told, (Surprise!)

When we broke camp the effort was fantastic. Sunshine beamed upon our merry selves. We pulled together as a group and left that place cleaner than we found it, in record time. The kitchen sign up sheets have been getting filled with enthusiasm. The group dynamic is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Here we are mimicking the Wiener Dog races on the track in down town Pendleton.

ClayMazing in the lead, but not for long, Slothy catching up, Scramble getting confused, Dr. Bonkers too, while Revolva and MollyWog stand at the finish line, calling us to come boy, come!

Pendleton was an interesting experience. The highlight was undoubtedly the prison show, which you can read about in the previous entry. With a population of 16,000 I think our presence here was less appreciated than in other places. Maybe it’s because they have a Rodeo every other weekend, maybe it’s the economy, but we gave out about 1,000 handbills, had a parade, participated in the Wiener dog races, had a booth at Farmers Market and had posters up everywhere. None-the-less, the turnout for the big show was surprisingly low, maybe 100 people in an 800-seat theatre. What happened!?

This has spurred some interesting conversations about how to make the job easier for our sponsor and in choosing which towns we visit. There seems to be a growing consensus that the smaller the town, the better the experience. After all, we are meant to provide education and entertainment to underserved communities. Something to consider…

Despite low turnout, the people who attended or participated in some way had a great time, here’s a review, “Enjoyed your show tonight here in Pendleton! My kids were amazed and loved every second of the show. You guys are beyond amazing!!! Thank you for the wonderful entertainment.” Here’s another, “thanks for visiting our town my wife amanda and i really enjoyed watching all of you preform and thanks to Della for teaching us how to do the rope knots that was cool. And every1 else was amazing too:) stop by again.” Forgive the syntax, these are exact quotes taken from Facebook.

Now we are in John Day. Immediately after arrival we performed at a senior center. Getting there and pulling it off in time was quite hectic, but we did it.

A great moment came after Clay serenaded an old woman; he went to give her his card and pulled out mine instead. Later, after my act our MC, Becky said “and that’s the guy whose card you have.” Clay replied “don’t you be trying to steal my woman.” So I jumped out and gave her my best stud muffin impression with a wink too. Well that ruffled Clay’s feathers and in true spontaneous fashion, next thing you know these two young chaps are clown style duking it out for the love of an 80-year old woman in front of the whole home. Classic.

Another beautiful occurrence was letting a member hold baby Annabella for most of the show. She was so happy. As usual, we hung around after the show to shake hands and talk. Here’s a quote from someone who worked there, “Thank you for the SPECTACULAR SHOW you all performed for the residents of Valley View Assisted Living Facility tonight! We were AMAZED at the many talents!!! We had such a GREAT time! You all are FANTASTIC performers! Thanks again for the “gift of joy” you gave us tonight!!!”

The parade today was magnificent. A number of local children joined, the police escorted us and the townspeople were very merry. We paraded through a grocery store, one of our favorite things ever! Into a Les Schwab where we sang happy birthday to some employee who ended up literally running away. It really was his birthday though. Handbills were passed out and enthusiasm for tonight’s show seems very high in this little town of 1,700.

We’re camped at the fairgrounds, tents spread out across the grassy field. We have a big open warehouse type space for late night juggling, rehearsals and music making, as well as an industrial kitchen to cook in, such a pleasure. Here’s a little clip from our late night juggle session. I like how slowly we realize that we actually did it.

The show will be out on the lawn, and we’re setting up right now. The sun is shining and the breeze is blowing. There’s much to do, in fact Stefan just asked who wants to help set up the bleachers. So off I go! Toodle-oo friends, toodle-oo.

Sincerely,

Dr.Bonkers

Music and laughter behind bars in Pendleton, Oregon

“My favorite part was watching Scramble strap a massive black inmate onto his rear end and ride an imaginary motorcycle in circles.” Said Chloe as she put her trumpet in its case after performing at Eastern Oregon Correctional Facility.

This was a medium security prison, so getting 50 Vaudevillians inside was quite the task. The security checkpoint was hilarious as juggling clubs, instruments and costumes slowly trickled through the X-ray machine. Finally I got see the inside of an accordion! The beauty! The drug sniffing dog turned into a cute little puppy and started rolling around and frolicking with us. We cracked jokes with the guards as they slowly brought their first vaudeville circus through the stringent security zone. (Harder than TSA this time.) Ten by ten we were escorted to the Chapel, where the show was, and yes, it was Sunday.

The show began with invisible clown motorcycles and progressed through various forms of jugglery, acrobatics, music, audience participation and general merriment. Some of the acts included PepperJill and Jack, a musical duo, The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Clay Mazings’ interactive musical, Dr. Bonkers jugglery, Mamazons’ acoustic freedom songs, Princess Sha Sha the acrobat and her entourage, (aka Shannie, Alex and Jemiah), Chautauquapella, a 5-person acapella song that explains what Chautauqua is, Vanessa Vortex and Revolva team Hula Hoops, Richard Hartnells’ contact juggling, Rio the diabolist, and Poetic Motion Machine. The finale was our usual “Big Juggle,” where every club passer we have helps project over 50 clubs into pattern.

Clad in blue jeans and blue inmate shirts, the audience was incredibly receptive. With every act they cheered and screamed. They laughed from the gut and acted silly. They were truly a captive audience. At shows end we received a roaring standing ovation.

As they filed out one by one, we lined up to shake their hands. They were so utterly appreciative. With their kind eyes, beaming smiles, and gratuitous handshakes, it was hard to believe that these were criminals. To us they were just more people. People who needed a show, who just needed a little love and light.

And how could we ever expect a criminal to change without love and light? How could healing commence without opportunities to see and hear and learn and marvel at the possibilities beyond bars? This prison provides opportunities for the inmates. The superintendent, Ron Miles is at the forefront of creating programs to enrich the lives of prisoners. With good behavior, the inmates get opportunities to learn skills they can then take to the outside world, for example, plumbing, haircutting, or baking.

Ever heard of Dave’s Killer Bread? The ex con turned famous bakery located in Portland Oregon. He is an example of someone whom these programs benefitted greatly. And it’s probably not my place to talk about the prison industrial complex here, but after going inside two of them, I can’t help it. It’s a bizarre institution, and the only thing that is apparent to me, is that the fundamental nature of prison needs to shift from extended punishment, to one of healing and curing, creating people who can be responsible citizens, because they have been enriched somehow while locked away. They need the tools to build a new life. Anyway….

We walked away from that razor wire fence with the feeling that this truly embodies the Chautauqua mission. There is a lot of interest amongst us to go to more prisons. The superintendent was and is extremely supportive. With these two shows under our belt, his help, and some fresh motivation, I think we can look forward to more prison shows in the future.

The whole event was filmed and will be sent to us soon, so keep a look out for video links in the future.

Well we’re in John Day now, preparing for another huge day, parade, workshops, Show. More updates coming soon. Thanks for reading, 1-2-3 Fantastico!!

Sincerely,

Dr. Bonkers

Move over, Deadheads: Meet the ‘Chautauquanauts’

A cozy business in Enterprise, Oregon provided more than just coffee, homemade apple cake and Internet access to New Old Time Chautauqua. Gypsy Java Coffee Lounge – an appropriately named pit stop for a band of gypsy vaudevillians – also served as the nexus for the new rage sweeping the nation: following NOTC from show to show!

Okay, this trend may actually be sweeping … Eastern Oregon. And by “rage,” we might just be talking about … two people. But we’re honored that the warmth and family vibe we experienced with the whole community of Enterprise translated into two of its much-loved residents sticking with us, even after we moved on.

Following Chautauqua isn’t a new concept (rumor has it that our own Claymazing joined the troupe after first stowing away on an Aqua Chautauqua boat). However, discussion with several long-timers proved that there has never been a name for such wild, crazy, advisable behavior. Until now. To that end, we’d like to say, “Move over Deadheads, Parrot Heads, and Juggalos!” The best fan crew now has an official name (thanks, Wren, for coining the term). Ladies and gents, introducing the first-ever, official CHAUTAUQUANAUTS!

Clare: Kite flyer, budding circus star (Enterprise, John Day)

From dancing at the Gypsy Java musical jam – featuring many Chautauquans – to flying her kite in our circus mixer, everywhere we turned in Enterprise, there was an exuberant, bubbly, social little girl: Clare, age 8. Clare says she enjoyed our juggling and music, and her favorite act in the show was “the princess” (played by Shannie).

Clare (center, striped dress) juggles with Wes, after flying her kite.

“She actually made great friends with [Shannie],” says her dad, Stirling, who often dove right into the dancing and acro, along with his daughter. “We horse around all the time, and I try to teach her ‘no fear,’ one scab at a time. We love the way you guys are a big family, and I was amazed at how she could just join in.”

Proving that she’s internalized her dad’s “no fear” lesson, Clare stood on Shannie’s hands, rode her bike in our parade – and will be joining us for even more of that in John Day, where her mother lives. Thanks to Clare, for being one of the first “Chautauquanauts” to celebrate with us in multiple cities. With her confidence and encouraging family, we wouldn’t be surprised if, a few years down the line, she’s joining us – on stage.

Shannie laughs as Clare and her friends show dad Stirling, during an acro workshop, that little girls are stronger than one might think. (Clare is the one wrapped around her dad’s neck.)

Edie: Coffee shop owner, free spirit (Enterprise, Pendleton)

Facilitating the entire Chautauquanaut movement is the woman who made it all possible: Edie, owner of Gypsy Java. Her business hosted the musical jam where we first met Clare. She injected us with coffee when we were sleep-deprived and supported our ability to get work done by providing Internet access. She met us for beers at Terminal Gravity (special shout out to owner, Steve, who was so amazing and generous that we are hoping he joins us again, as the third member of the Chautauquanauts). Edie also came to our shows, joined her customers to cheer in the parade – and decided that one tour stop wasn’t enough. On Saturday evening, she drove out to Pendleton to catch another show.

“I was missing you guys the moment you left town,” Edie laughs, adding that we brought color, amazing energy and a great joy for life to her community. “We have Internet and TV, but we don’t see this live. The way you work together and seem to genuinely love each other comes off on stage. What you do is such a great gift.”

Thank you, Edie, for providing the hub for our Enterprise activities and for being one of the founding members of the Chautauquanauts. For anyone rolling through Enterprise, we highly recommend stopping by Gypsy Java, where you can experience small business at its best – and meet the woman who did her part to facilitate this new trend of following merry vaudevillians, wherever we land.

Edie waves, with newfound friends Steveadore and Shannie.

How to become a Chautauquanaut

Joining the Chautauquanauts is sure to be the most popular trend of 2012. To get in, while it’s still cool, the first step is to buy a ticket to one of our shows. And then, buy a ticket to another show. And then, buy a ticket to another show. The second step is to don the official clothing (clown nose, funny hat) and sell grilled cheese sandwiches next to our tour vans. If you’re broke, you’re welcome to attend a free workshop – and then another free workshop – and then another free workshop. If you’re really broke, then congratulations; you’re probably already a vaudeville act. We love you, Chautauquanauts. See you on the road!

(Revolva may be occasionally supporting blog captain Dr. Bonkers by writing about the people we meet – and by proclaiming the start of historic trends.)

Oregon Trail Vaudeville Tour!

Enterprise Oregon is a cute little town of Wallowa country, located about as far in northeastern Oregon as possible. With a population of 2,000 and small quaint downtown area, our massive colorful musical presence was all the more felt. We had a bunch of locals join the parade, children on bikes, cops happily clearing the way, and passerby’s hopping in just for the sake of it. Our stay here was symbiosis at it’s finest. Everybody was very friendly and hospitable, with lots of mingling with locals. We camped in the lawn at the elementary school, a 5-minute walk from downtown. The Wallowa County Music Alliance was our sponsor and they did a fantastic job. Ten of the best for them, 123 go! (This is where we all clap 10 times as fast as possible all together to celebrate something or somebody awesome. It’s a Chautauqua tradition, now you know.)

A parade a day keeps the blues away

We performed at two senior centers, one in Enterprise and one in Joseph. As usual they were very inspiring. The people seem to just come to life with our presence. After one show, Molliwog the Clown was blowing bubbles. An old man in a wheelchair followed her around and was popping them. Hints of a smile crept out of his tired old face and with each pop it grew a little more. This went on for 10 or 15 minutes, even some of the nurses were watching with awe. They said this is the most interaction they had seen from him in years.

Eben and Harry sing at the Senior Center

The workshops were held at an event called Watershed Festival, and they were well attended.  We got to do a concert there as well, alternating between the Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra and smaller string based singy-songy tunes.

We performed our big show in the oldest theatre in Oregon to a nearly sold out audience. They were one of the loudest most enthusiastic crowds I’ve ever seen. A fun moment was when our MC Harry asked the crowd,

“What do you call yourselves in Enterprise?”

“Outlaws!” yelled someone. It’s the high school mascot and the whole theatre erupted in laughter. It was really one of those nights you know? Where they just keep clapping and cheering us on, so we bring it even harder and that just magnifies off itself until the show ends with 51 clubs flying through the air in a breathtaking moment of geometric juggling beauty. Hup! Hey! We caught every single one to turn and face a roaring standing ovation. Afterwards we got great feedback from the locals. Somebody said to us, “Your show was more fun the Cirque du Solei” We’ll take it! Which brings up another good point.

We certainly aren’t better than Cirque du Solei, but more FUN was what he said. That’s because WE are having fun, lots of it, unbounded uncontainable bursts of joyful play, beaming smiles, merry songs, wacky jokes and a reverence for the silly. Yes the silly! We try not to take ourselves too seriously, we are the butt of our own jokes, and I think that mentality helps create the cheery playful atmosphere everywhere we go. Throughout our shared experiences we manifest our own festive group attitude, the campfire songs and jokes, the wisecracks at meetings, giggling at wrong turns, fake camera’s bouncing off cement, mad cheering for rock paper scissor tournaments, a pie in the face of the birthday boy as he does a handstand, and so on, all of these things add up to a certain unique energy that just flows right out into the world around us.

Happy Kids!

Were about 10 days into tour now and the freshness has worn off a little. We started seeing our first bits and pieces of grumpiness here and there. The kitchen sign up sheet is getting filled a little slower than before. Parade and show preparations seem more hectic and the lost and found box is getting full. I think this always happens about halfway through, but it seems pretty mild this time around. Morale is high, and there’s been virtually no drama. “Somebody didn’t put the soup in the Tupperware last night!” Oh the despair!

It’s always interesting to compare and contrast different tour years. Each one is totally different but they’re all kind of similar. Parade, workshops, show, repeat, cook, clean, camp, repeat. But every repetition is unique. This tour is certainly MUCH easier than Alaska. Our drives between towns are only 2-3 hours. The weather has been fantastic and everybody is getting along well. We don’t have a bus this year, which is an interesting development. We cruise around in a caravan of personal vehicles and a packed full Uhaul. There are some advantages in flexibility, but I miss the community building that happens on the bus. When we are all packed into a little space together rolling off to the next adventure, our creativity seems to amplify off each other and the bus walls. Not so much this time, but the car rides offer the ability for people to get to know each other in a more intimate way. These are my observations.

On that note I should add that this blog is my attempt to synthesize the group mind, our collective feelings and actions as if we are one. But of course this is impossible as I am inescapably me. Everybody has a different interpretation, so I give you mine, in my halfway efforts at objectivity.

Anyway, we had a day off in Enterprise and holy Fantastico was it awesome. Everbody did something different, but the two most popular options were hiking and tram riding. From Wallowa Lake a number of folk took the oldest tram in Oregon up to the top of a mountain with 360-degree panoramic views of mountains, valleys, lakes and rivers. Many others went hiking up Hurricane Creek to Slick Rock. Glacier carved mountains rose up on either side of the crystal clear stream with waterfalls pouring off them and sweet cirrus clouds flowing over the horizon. Black streaks of basalt cut across striated granite layers in strange directions, evidence of long ago volcanic activity. At around 6,000 feet elevation, it was like going back into spring. Wildflowers we’re in full bloom and the plant diversity was incredible. As we ascended the trail an old cowboy came gracefully riding up on a horse and shared some local history.

Eagle Cap Wilderness Hike

We were treading on ancient Nez Perce land. The women used to birth their children in the pools of the stream to which we were headed. The bones of their ancestors are still in the hills. The story is a sad and familiar one. In the 1860’s the Nez Perce were asked to sign a treaty selling their land, Wallowa Valley to the whites, and to head to a tiny reservation in Idaho. Chief Joseph refused. “Our land is not for sale,” he said. So he and his people were chased away into harsh winter conditions. The survivors were eventually captured deep in Idaho near the Canada border. Their summer home for thousands of years, Wallowa Valley now belonged to the whites. We said goodbye to the old cowboy and with hardly a motion he and his horse rode away.

Yesterday we arrived in Pendleton Oregon, home of the historic Pendleton Roundup. Some of us came early to plug the show, parade and workshops. Yesterday we got to participate in their annual Weiner Dog races, which was hilarious! A juggler race down the silly little track downtown followed by a quick teaser show, and promo, promo, promo! But I’ll save those details for the Pendleton entry. Our big show is tonight and we’re getting excited.

Yes friends it’s The New Old Time Chautauqua alright, and there really is nothing like it. Were a big traveling family and were all here for each other. Life is life and emotions wax and wane but overall we are having an amazing time. Our lives beyond Chautauqua seem to fade away as we sink deeper into the moment and the mission. Like the Hokey Pokey really is what it’s all about. Like the gleam of the clowns nose, and the juggler’s eye is more than just another sparkle. It’s a sparkle with a message, “Hey You! Life is Fun! Love Love Love!”

Sincerely,

Dr. Bonkers

Us!

It has Begun!

There really is nothing quite like watching a convicted inmate act like a clown onstage in front of an entire prison, or run around like a child with a giant red heart in his burly arms. Or to see a 25 year old serenade an 80 year old woman with “Won’t you be mine tonight” and her beaming smiling answer “Yes.” These are the moments that make sense of this adventure, but first, some details.

We camped at Union Creek Campground, about 20 miles from Baker City. We had a beautiful spot nestled in the pine trees along a lake-shore. The elevation was 4200 feet. The camp host was very hospitable. As we were cleaning up she said, “You guys are a very wonderful group. It’s been a pleasure to have you here. I didn’t have to work that much at all. You kept the bathrooms clean and the neighbors happy. We hope you come back.”

The first two days were spent with meetings, rehearsals, band practice, swimming, and various sorts of preparing. Buckstop positions were assigned, as in the buck stops here. That’s how we make tour work. Everybody is responsible for at least one job. For example, recycling coordinator, truck loader, kitchen guru, shower set up, Lou upkeep, photographer, coffee maker and so on and on.

Then suddenly it all began! We paraded through main street Baker City in full flying colorful regalia. Marching band tooting away, jugglers everywhere, clowns and capes and costumes galore, a sight to behold, we frolicked with vigor and finally made it back to the park for the free workshops.

Juggling, drumming, mask making, clowning, acrobatics, ukulele, word portraits, and an interactive digestive melodrama were all included. They were well attended by children and adults alike. It’s a beautiful thing to see someone learn to juggle for the first time, or watching 10 people sing and play along in an easy to learn ukulele jam.

That night was our first “big show.” We performed well but there was a feeling of anticlimax as we only had about 40 people in a theatre for 800. This was somewhat related to the degree of prior preparation by our local sponsor. But they did help get us there and we remain thankful. These things happen, we make the most of it.

The next day was when the magic really started kicking in. We performed at the Powder River Correctional Facility minimum-security prison. and wow what an incredible experience for everyone involved. We made through the security checkpoint (easier than TSA), and entered the yard. Inmates gradually made there way from work out stations, basketball courts, horse-shoe games and other activities over to our corner. Somebody asked “How do you pronounce that word on the banner?” (Referring to Chautauqua of course)

“Guess,” said our MC StevenWeven.

“Shuh-Tawk-Wa.” And powerful cheers erupted from both sides of the dividing path as he pronounced our name correctly. The atmosphere was set. We did a mini parade and the show began.

The first act was Scramble the Clown who brought up several inmates as audience volunteers. He immediately got them to start walking like him, a joyful skipping clown strut if you will. Laughter filled the yard and quite immediately it became apparent that something special was happening. Yes they rode around on an invisible motorcycle with a clown, like children frolicking at recess. They loved every bit of the show, but the audience involvement bits were over the top hilarious. ClayMazing brought up 3 or 4 people for Bee Bones (an interactive theatrical ridiculous song play). Someone played Love and someone else played Sunshine and the whole crowd acted like the ocean as the act unfolded in spontaneous silly beauty.

These are criminals? At least that day, it looked a lot more like summer camp for adults. After the show we shook hands with everyone we could. One man said, “I have been here for 20 years, and that’s the most fun I’ve ever had.” I think that sums it up.

From there we went to a retirement home and did another community show. The wonder of these shows is apparent in the faces of the people we perform for. Wide eyes and wider smiles locked onto the stage for the entire duration. Afterwards we got to hang out, shake hands and talk with the residents.

When we got back to camp that night, festivity was in the air. There was feeling of success and clarity. Like, oh yeah, THAT’S why were here, okay, it makes sense now. The campfire burned late and song after song was sung into the night as people slowly trickled off to bed.

That was Baker City, the first town of the trip. Yesterday we traveled, and now here we are in Enterprise, a little historic town in far North-Eastern Oregon. It rained hard last night, many of us awoke with puddles in our tent, but alas, it’s already clearing up and we’re off to go do some more community shows.

Thanks for reading and check back in to hear all about Enterprise.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bonkers

Around the Bend Tour! (Or is it…?)

Get ready Eastern Oregon because the New Old Time Chautauqua is coming to town. That’s right folks, we’re back in action and soon we’ll be jubilantly caravanning across the great Beaver State. Buckle your shoelaces and tie your seatbelts. In the event of a total merriment flood, your clown nose can be used as a floatation device. Juggling clubs will deploy from the sky above you. Please remain festive.

Alas! Here we are again, slowly congregating, retracting from our day-to-day lives and preparing for yet another uniquely Chautauquan vaudeville adventure. Spread across the country, we are shifting gears, upshifting, outshifting perhaps, and making our merry way to the first camp. There we unite, ignite the group mind, and begin to practice.

Ah how sweet, the excited greetings of old friends, many of who haven’t seen each other since saying goodbye last year. Where does the time go? I remember vividly the hugs and laughs and tears as our goodbyes were uttered after the whirlwind journey that was Alaska. And so we’ve gone our own ways and circled the sun once more. Now we come together again like colorful strings in a quilt, to weave wonder whatever the weather wherever we wander. Excitement is in the air.

Here is a brief rundown of the tour:

We initiate in Baker City (6/23), cruise to Enterprise (6/28), gallivant to Pendleton (6/30), jaunt to John Day (7/3), and boogie to Bend (7/7). The parentheses indicate the big show. The amazingly spectacular workshops, parades, free shows, and service projects revolve around those. Please see www.chautauqua.org for details. It’s a fantastic site.

By the way, we are a non-profit organization. Our mission is to strengthen communities through laughter, entertainment, and education. Booya.

Well we haven’t started tour yet but none-the-less here’s a little glimpse into our wacky world. After inquiring about the name of the tour, a knowledgeable board member responded as such:

“Due to some technical complications (as well as communications complications), the results of the voting aren’t incredibly clear.  I’m pretty sure “Around the Bend” tour got the most votes, but since there were late entries, it isn’t totally for sure.  Other close competitors were “Bend or Bust!”, “High Desert Tour”, and “Oregon Trail Vaudeville Tour”.”

Wow, we had a communication issue between 60 distant artists? Who’da thunk it? On that note I bid you farewell for now friends. Keep posted for more updates from the golden road: the trials and tribulations, the triumphs and the glory, the madness, the sadness, the silliness and the uncontainable joy. Stay tuned as it unfolds before you…

Sincerely,

Eli “Dr. Bonkers” March

Happiest Sad Day Ever!

Well today is the last day of the 2011 Midnight Sun Vaudeville Tour and what a tour it has been. Just yesterday we had our closing circle, hiked to a glacier, performed at a senior center, and threw ourselves the infamous Ben Show, or in this case, the Has Ben Show. Currently we are somewhere in between two parades, workshops, breaking camp and a big theatre show. But first, Homer!

So we left Chickaloon village in the afternoon and begin the arduous journey to Homer. A deadly accident left the main highway closed for hours, so we found a parking lot, made dinner, and threw Carmen the best 11^th birthday party ever! Complete with ice cream cake, surprise stilt gifting, changing tires on the U-Haul trailer, singing of course, and a ceremonial pie in the face from Miles, our 10-year old superstar. Oh how the children brighten up our days.

Finally getting back on the highway we drove the quick 7-hour trip through the dark, rainy, windy, whiney road and arrived at 5 in the morning Friday. Luckily, our hosts, the Arts Council of Homer provided a warm dry place for our sleeping pleasures. The next day was followed by three parades, two shows, and a great time.

First we paraded down the Homer Spit, an exposed finger of land stretching miles into Kachemak bay. Wind howling, the jugglers were reduced to mere spinners, the horn players tooted with all their might and we paraded on, a flood of smiles in our wake. Then in downtown, we paraded to the park and gave a teaser show. Still full of gusto, a large number of us bussed on over to SalmonStock, a new Alaskan festival that booked us on main stage at the last minute, hooray!  Not only were the show and festival super fun, but passing the hat managed to raise another 300 dollars for Chautauqua. Woohoo!

Saturday featured a parade and show at the Homer Farmers market. Then our usual two hour workshop session had literally HUNDREDS of attendees learning to juggle, hoop, spin, mask make, quilt, guerilla garden, play ukulele, do magic and more. And that evening the show, the big show!

Yet again we manage to turn a show into an experience where the boundary between audience and performer was gradually dissolved by laughter and awe, leaving one giant scene of celebration. The more we gave, the more they gave, and so on. Afterwards, several audience members I spoke to said it was the best show they ever saw. Booya!

Sleep when you’re dead! Early to rise and off to Ionia, a unique, isolated intentional community whose philosophy is based on good food, organic, vegan, fresh, macrobiotic diets. Although I still don’t know what macrobiotic is. They fed us a delicious lunch on their beautiful property. We even managed to catch a 70-degree sunny day to perform, teach and frolic with them in their large grassy field, aww. So we said goodbye to our new friends and hit the road to Seward.

Rolling hills of fireweed descended down to the bay, where far on the other side, massive snowcapped, glacier carved mountains rose thousands of feet into the stratalocirrus cloud streaked sky. I can make up words if I want to, that’s how pretty it is. Everywhere, huge jagged mountains rise up an all sides of us, big braiding rivers flow between, some silty with glacier melt, others crystal clear. Pink Fireweed speckles it all, and the weather changes faster than our emotions, sunny and glorious to cold and rainy, every day is a surprise.

So we arrived at Seward late in the night, pulled out our wet tents, and set up camp in the dark rain, which was awesome! There’s nothing like a positive attitude, (and hot soup) to make grueling situations fun and silly. And yes you heard me right, it finally got dark. The combo of our southward momentum and the quick seasonal shift leaves us with at least 4 hours of actual night now. With the first starry night in Homer, all the locals joked seriously, that summer is over.

So with tour winding to a close, the feeling is of jubilance, silliness, and accomplishment. Mixing that with impending goodbyes and the knowledge that it’s nearly over makes this the happiest sad day ever. We really did put the unity in community, and nothing reflects that better than our closing circle. Not to be confused with a meeting by the way, circles are special, meetings are logistical, now you know. So we circulated out on the grass and right on cue the sun burst through the clouds, shining upon us, glorious and warm, and one by one we spoke our final thoughts.

Sometimes provoking laughter, other times tears; everybody had something different to say. But throughout the circle some common themes were woven. Themes of triumph, over the hardships we encountered in ourselves and the larger group, of success, in spreading our unique brand of joy to places that truly appreciate it, of community, all of us coming together through thick and thin to keep the dream alive. And of course, humor, as somebody said at last years closing tour, that was reiterated this year, “It could have been worse.” Haha! But could it have been better? It doesn’t matter now, mistakes were made and we try to learn from them. But the fact is, it was what was and what it was was wonderful.

After closing circle we went to Kenai Fjords National Park and hiked to Exit Glacier, a massive, moving hulk of ice literally millions of years old, but melting fast. A warm walk, until right near the edge, when the chilly catabatic winds came flying down the mountainside, the Glacier’s own homemade weather system.  Like so many other glaciers though, it could be totally gone within 50 years, maybe sooner. The lines of retreat were marked by year signs, the hike starts with a sign reading 1917, and so on, for a mile through time almost a hundred years to it’s present location, where it shrinks quicker by the year.

Then a moment of rest, NOT! Actually we quickly changed and went to yet another senior center where we rocked the worlds of many long-term care patients. My favorite moment came right after the show, when we were mingling.

A frail, little old lady held out her delicate hand, Joey held it, and she, whispered, in the faintest yet most powerful voice, “I liked that.” Then she brought his hand to her face, and began to cry.  They sat there together, hand to cheek, for a long moment and I saw in her smiling, weeping face the purpose of it all. The meaning of all this mayhem sparkled off her tears like a beacon of light in a world growing darker. The whole reason we leave everything behind for a month, the ignored bills piling in our mailboxes, the paying gigs we skipped, the jobs we didn’t get, the summer we barely had, the dirty bus, cold nights, wet tents, long roads, and sleepless nights just don’t matter, they never did. All the money in the world could not buy a moment like that. There it was, her face showed us, like so many others the real reason we prevail, singing in the rain, laughing through the night, indefatigable spirits fueled by the notion that this is much than a show on wheels. This is the change, and we are living it. So yet again I offer you the words that have become our way of life: the show must go on.

Alas! Evening is upon us and there is one more show to do. Then it’s back on the bus, and off to the lower 48, where warm beds and sunny days await. So until then, toodle-oo.  It’s about a 4-day journey. I will post at least one more entry after returning. One of them will be journalistic in nature, recapping all the communities we visited and organizations we teamed up with, as well as quotes and stories from people along the way, hopefully including photos. The other will come bubbling out of my rejuvenated heart, a recap of the journey, not just the where and what, but an attempt to capture little essence of the whole experience, a little snapshot of what it means, to truly be ON THE BUS.

Sincerely, Midnight Sun Vaudeville Tour Blog Monkey Extraordinaire,

Eli “Dr. Bonkers” March