QDF Workshops: Clown Master Class with Joe de Paul

Led by:  Joe de Paul
For: Professional Actors, Educators
Hours: 30
Dates: Feb. 23, 24 25 2014, 6:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday-Tuesday
Location: Shift Space – 1190 St Antoine St W, Montreal
Cost: $230 for QDF and CAEA members, and $250 for non-Members

Geared towards the professional actor this course introduces students to various aspects of physical theatre through exploring Clown techniques. Daily Warm – up encouraging mastery and awareness of physical expression of emotional states. Students will participate in improvs emphasizing listening; to self and public, breaking the fourth wall and working the reaction of your audience. Through improv and exercises students discover how Clown logic follows the heart and not the brain, learning how to say yes to yourself and your partner lead you out of your safe zones into genuine play. Building a character in clown is accepting the ludicrous version of ourselves. Thorough journal entries and notes after each class the student is required to retain technique, states of emotion and comic elements they had discovered during improvs and would like to retain and add to their characters.

Joe de Paul –  Clown, Actor, Director, Teacher

Joe de Paul established himself as a clown in Cique du Soeil’s Dralion almost 15 years ago, and has travelled with this production across North America.  Following this tour Joe moved his base of operations to Marseille, France where he expanded his repertoire as soloist and performed to critical acclaim in cabarets, circus, and street throughout Europe and in the USA.  His credits include Salto Natale in Switzerland, Palazzo Germany, Teatro Zinzanni, Los Galindos, Cirque Zanzibar, Les Chiches Capons to name only a few.  He is recognized on an international basis for his expertise in the subtleties of clowning.   Most recently he performed his one-man show “Placebo” as a part of the Wild Side Festival at the Centaur Theatre in January 2013 to sold-out houses. Joe regularly gives workshops in Clown and acting.  Joe has now returned to Canada and is basing himself out of Montreal.