“I think we were all a little exhausted by seeing sex portrayed on stage so violently and carelessly. In part, we wanted to make a show that celebrated the silliness of both sex and violence without traumatizing our audience.”
Responder: Julia Byrne, Head of Festival Paperwork/ low priestess
Name of Company: Clown Corp LLC
Name of Show: Business Doing Pleasure With You
- Why should people see your show?
It’s genuinely meant to be fun! You don’t have to take it seriously, and we will not attempt to make you. We want you to be a part of our exploration of silliness – silliness of work, love, desire, competition, and hatred. You will laugh, and if you cry, it won’t be because of us probably.
- What about festivals intrigues you? Any why the Atlanta Fringe?
The accessibility and DIY-nature of Atlanta Fringe attracted us immediately. We knew that in this festival, we could make a strange, delightful show we never would’ve made with resources we never would’ve found without Fringe.
- What inspired you to create this?
Literally fun! We wanted to laugh, and clowns having small wars and steamy marriages is funny to us. And frankly, I think we were all a little exhausted by seeing sex portrayed on stage so violently and carelessly. In part, we wanted to make a show that celebrated the silliness of both sex and violence without traumatizing our audience.
- This year ain’t normal and there’s no sense pretending it is. How has Covid affected what you’re doing for this festival?
Honestly, I’m not sure this show would exist without the pandemic. We may have had too many other ~important artistic business tasks~ to take care of if the world hadn’t been shut. Despite the absolute horror of the pandemic, I am glad that it has allowed us the constellation of events that made this show happen.
- What have you learned from working on your show so far?
That clowning is one of the most honest, vulnerable, and personal forms of performance an actor can engage in. That my friends like me even when I don’t think I have anything funny or clever to throw at them. That clown characters can and should have healthy and rich sex lives.
- There’s a mysterious stranger in the back row of your show, wearing a big ol’ N95 mask and a baseball cap and there’s something weirdly familiar about them, and then they come up afterwards to tell you they loved your show. In your WILDEST DREAMS, who is this mysterious stranger? (Bonus points if your mysterious stranger is an Atlanta celeb.)
Professor Michael Evenden of the Emory University Theatre Studies Department. But we would know him instantly.
- Fringes are the place to really push the boundaries so we gotta ask: are you inviting your family to this show are “Hey, maybe sit this one out you guys…”
Well, well, well, the Fringe is self-aware.
Frankly, I, Julia, haven’t made up my mind about this yet. But I did tell my parents that the show was happening, so at this point I’m not sure I can stop them from coming. I DEFINITELY can’t stop the other performers’ families from coming. So…we have some thinking to do.
- We’ve asked this question every year for the past ten years or so but it hits different this year: Will your show change the world?
No, but it will change your day. And it’s already changed a lot of my days, for the better.
- Zoom meetings: dress up head to toe or Donald Duck it?
Julia: head to toe, but not dressed up.
Roz: full fit, but poorly matched.
Nathan: toe to head.
Jake:…
- We’re making an excellent Fringey Feelings playlist. Describe your show in two or three songs we can add to keep the jams flowing.
She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby
Daddy’s Grove by Bvulgari
Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik
Sounds incredible, right? Gonna need to nab those tickets, right? Click here to reserve your seats today!
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