From classic clowns like Emmet Kelly (aka Weary Willy) of Ringling Bros. fame to the contemporary ones earning laughs at Fringe Festivals worldwide, clowns know how to leverage their massive talent (and shoes) to delight and entertain. The best clowns captivate audiences by exploring a wide range of emotions through an over-the-top lens. If you want to join their ilk, here’s what you need to know about becoming a professional clown.
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At its heart, clowning is a performance meant to delight and entertain. It combines spoken comedy with physical talents to wow audiences and ultimately leave them in stitches. But comedy isn’t the clown’s only forte; many also incorporate elements of drama into their performances to give their characters pathos that can just as easily make a viewer laugh or cry. Many clowns use props to elevate their gags, though this is far from a requirement.
As one piece of the performing arts puzzle, clowns are integral members that use their comedic talents to speak to deeper human truths, à la the classical Shakespearean fool. Clowns express “true, human emotions,” says the author of “The Art of Clowning,” Eli Simon. “Clowning,” he goes on, “is extremely valuable for actors because they get more in touch with what’s true about their comic spirit and what I call their kid spirit.” In other words, clowning allows actors to play.
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Clowning has an extensive and varied history that dates back to folkloric tricksters and court jesters across time and cultures. Many suggest the earliest clowns can be found in Egypt around 2500 B.C.E., where African jesters entertained Pharaohs and other court members during the Fifth dynasty. Legends from China’s Zhou Dynasty posit that it was a jester, Yu Sze, who laughingly convinced the emperor to forgo whitewashing the Great Wall of China, thus saving the countless individuals who would’ve had to undertake the arduous task. In North America, indigenous tribes including the Hopi and the Iroquois employed clowns in sacred roles, where the performers would utilize their comedic looks and antics to expand peoples’ perceptions.
Closer to our modern, more Western-centric conception of the clown were performers in ancient Greece: characters with bald heads and overstuffed clothing would act in plays, teasing the other characters and audience members alike. Roman theater similarly had clownish characters, divided into four categories: Sannio, Stupidus, Scurra, and Moriones. Clowns survived and thrived into the Middle Ages, when traveling troupes of actors mimicked the hijinks of court jesters for a wider audience. It was in the Italian commedia dell’arte that the Harlequin character was born, which would inspire the father of modern clowning, Joseph Grimaldi. In his whiteface makeup and grotesquely childish dress, Grimaldi captured the cultural imagination and became a veritable star.
How to Use Pantomime as Acting Training Like many performing jobs, the money you can make as a clown varies widely based on location, experience, and the exact type of work you do. Estimates from ZipRecruiter and Glassdoor range from around $44,000 to upwards of $84,000 per year. In 2020, Business Insider reported that the average AGI for clowns was lower, at just $31,589 per year.
Many clowns forgo the circus and set out on their own, charging anywhere from $100 to $500 per hour for private events and other functions. These funds don’t just pay the clown’s salary, though; much of it goes toward costume and prop upkeep along with administrative costs. In fact, there are plenty of clowns who work day jobs to subsidize their lives while still engaging with their passion for clowning. That said, there are instances of highly successful clowns who earn six figures per year with their solo businesses.
Party: Working as a party clown, whether for children or adult audiences, is a great way to gain experience and hone your craft. Clowns who take this route might also perform in places like Renaissance fairs and amusement parks. These can be vital spaces for clowns to develop their skills and characters while also building up a résumé of performances that can lead to more regular, higher-paying positions.
Circus: The circus is where we most expect to find clowns, and troupes the world over are always looking for new talent. Circus clowns can find work with the many resident and traveling circuses in the U.S. and beyond, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Cirque du Soleil, and the Big Apple Circus.
Rodeo: Similar to circus clowns are rodeo clowns, who fill time between events with comedic sketches and routines to keep crowds entertained.
Medical: For clowns that want to forge a personal connection with audiences and make a meaningful difference in others’ lives, another option is “caring clowning.” Inspired by the famous Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams, medical clowns visit patients to bring smiles to those who need them most. As the program director of USC’s Comic+Care program, Zachary Steel, explains, “Utilizing the universal language of play and humor, medical clowns have helped improve health outcomes for a variety of populations around the world.”
Crisis: Clowns Without Borders provides another avenue for the altruistic clown. This nonprofit organization travels around the world with a troupe of specially selected, paid performers to bring joy to communities in crisis.
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There is no one “right” way to become a clown, but there are some steps you can take to learn the art of clowning and eventually become a professional clown.
1. Create your clown persona. Put time and effort into crafting a character for your clown, considering makeup and clothing, mannerisms, and comedy style. Additionally, think about routines and tricks that fit your clown character (and that you can feasible perform!).
2. Practice clowning with low-stakes gigs. Amateur clowns should consider reaching out in their community to offer low-cost performances to people they know. This is a great way to try out your material for a small audience and to build a network of potential clients.
3. Join an in-person or virtual “clown alley.” Inspired by the backstage areas where circus clowns prepare for performances, clown alleys are groups of clowns that, according to the World Clown Association, “function similarly to a union.” These groups often coordinate events where clowns can perform and offer education and support to help you be the best clown you can be. Check out the World Clown Association (WCA) and Clowns of America International (COAI) to find an alley near you.
4. Join a professional clowning organization. Speaking of the WCA and COAI, clowns eager to collaborate and work with their peers can join these and other local organizations. Clown organizations not only offer numerous educational resources online, but they also host annual conventions where you can network, collaborate, and participate in educational workshops.
5. Go to clown college. While the famous Ringling Bros. Clown College no longer exists, there are countless educational programs out there dedicated to teaching performers the art of clowning. Beginner clowns might start by looking for classes in their local adult education programs or community colleges, while performers eager to take the next step in their professional clowning journey should consider attending a clown-specific school like Dell-Arte International or The Idiot’s Workshop. If you’re not ready to commit to a full-blown clown college experience just yet, try a camp like Mooseburger Clown Camp.
6. Audition for clown roles. Search for clown-specific, comedy, and improv roles on our comprehensive casting database. After you’ve spent some time sharpening your skills, audition directly for roles with the troupes you’d like to work with. Keep in touch with fellow clowns you’ve met throughout your studies and regularly check in with circuses and other organizations to keep abreast of audition opportunities. Most importantly, always remember to have fun!
