Workshop draws dramatic arts presenters

The Glorybound Clowns announce its seventh annual Winter Weekend Workshop, “Back to the Basics.” This dramatic arts conference will be Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 at Pioneer Baptist Church, 1707 Yager Rd. It is sponsored again this year by Glorybound Clowns, a local gospel clown alley familiar to many in the community.

The public is invited to the Thursday and Friday night open performances at the church. Nightly performances are at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m..

The remainder of the conference requiring reservations will offer many areas of study in the dramatic arts field including gospel clowning, puppetry, sign language, face painting, Christian comedy, gospel illusion, drama, ventriloquism, and interpretive movement.

Presenters will be arriving from Washington, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. This year’s clown faculty includes Bruce “Charlie the Juggling Clown” Johnson, northwest director of the World Clown Association, and Jim “Strutter” Roberts, former WCA president.

International clown instructor and foreign missionary Theresa “Pinky” Garrett is on staff along with McMinnville’s own Fay “Felicity” Youngblood and clown Joyce “Bee-Bopp” Harwood of Pikeville. These three are very involved in foreign missions to the Ukraine, returning Jan. 24 from a mission experience there.

Additional faculty for the event include communications personality Sheridan Barker, nationally known puppet creators and designers Nick and Barbara Frasher, national drama lecturer Christy M. Haines, face painting extraordinaires Johnnie Johnson and Missy Grant, and balloon artist Gary Jordan.

Also included will be Christian comedian Lanny Moody from Covington, Ga. Local hearing impaired instructor Debby Boyd will be teaching along with local interpretive movement performer Lynesa Youngblood Bell.

Registration costs and information may be obtained by calling Teresa Barrett at 668-2297 or e-mailing her at [email protected]. Evening performances will include faculty performances from each area of instruction along with headline performances by Bruce Johnson, Lanny Moody, Gary Jordan, Jimmy Jack Esque and others.