Jones & Boyce-Song and Dance Duet
New Vaudevillians Brian Jones and Susan Boyce have toured as a song-and-dance team since 1979.
Jones & Boyce has appeared in a variety of venues, and is well remembered as the energetic song-and-dance team of the late New England New Vaudeville Revue. Like the old-time troupers they pattern themselves after, Brian and Susan have shared show business experiences galore from local clubs and dance halls. In period costume and choreographed routines they have danced in ragtime reviews, traditional jazz concerts, dance festivals, ballrooms and legitimate theater.
Tom Murphy-King of Slapstick
Tom Murphy was born and raised in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the heart of the anthracite coal region. He graduated from Pottsville High and after receiving his Bachelor's Degree from East Stroudsburg University, he moved to Stowe, Vermont to pursue a career as a professional acrobatic skier. During his illustrious two year stint as a professional athlete Mr. Murphy was sidetracked by the smell of the grease paint and the bright foot lightshe turned his energies to the stage. Although a performing career offered little more in the way of security, Mr. Murphy was able to quit his waiter job and successfully make a go of it.
After his conversion he co-founded two international touring comedy troupes: Mountain Mime and Klown Shoes. He shared his talent as a teacher in Denmark, France, Germany, Austria, and the U.S. as a faculty member at the Boston University Theater Institute and three years at Ringling Brother's Clown College. He was featured on a SHOWTIME special from THE JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL in Montreal. In Paris he was awarded NUMBER ONE CLOWN at the 1987 international circus competition, Cirque de Demain. After finishing a three-month engagement at the International Resorts Hotel in Atlantic City he traveled to Hollywood to make his film debut in Ava's Magical Adventure starring Timothy Bottoms and Patrick Dempsey.
Mr. Murphy has been touring primarily in Europe and the United States where he has made a solid reputation as a Theater Clown, garnering descriptions such as "Der Chaos Poet," "a descendant of the great clown, Charlie Rivel," and "tender, warm, compassionate," "One of the greats of our time." Mr. Murphy is no stranger to Broadway either! In 1984, while still a mere babe, he co-produced with clarinet virtuoso Jean Kopperud, a show called The Ladder and the Clarinet at Symphony Space-it was just a bit shy of critical acclaim.
In November 1998 Mr. Murphy performed his solo show on Broadway at the New Victory Theater. It was a 13 show, sold out engagement that the New York Times called "a sure-fire cure for the blahs." In the same vein as Keaton, Lloyd, and Chaplin, Mr. Murphy continues to be one of the top slapstick comedians alive today.
Fritz Grobe-One-of -a-Kind Weirdo
For the first twenty years of his life, Fritz wanted to be either a designer for Lego or a mathematician. Then came juggling. While attending Yale University, he founded the Yale Anti-Gravity Society, the university’s juggling club. After leaving Yale, he turned to Celebration Barn Theater’s renowned performing arts school where he studied physical theater with Avner Eisenberg, Julie Goell, Fred Garbo and Tony Montanaro.
In 1993, he won the International Jugglers Festival individual championships, the first of his five gold medals at the festival. He also briefly held a world record for juggling way too many objects, bouncing 15 balls between two people.
Fritz was artistic director of the juggling and dance ensemble “blink” from 1995 to 2000, which won both the Dance Portland Professional Choreography Showcase and the International Jugglers Festival Team Championships in Las Vegas. blink toured theatrical venues for five years, including performances in London, Edinburgh, Montreal, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles.
From 2000 – 2001, Fritz served as the Managing Director of Celebration Barn Theater before creating two new touring productions: “Bride and Broom: A Story of Marriage & Messes” with Meghan Strell, directed by Avner Eisenberg, and “The Odd Company” a touring comedy & juggling production with Michael Miclon and Amanda Huotari.
In 2004, Fritz was in the original cast of “Birdhouse Factory,” a theatrical circus created by a group of Cirque du Soleil performers. He appeared in a leading role and as the featured solo clown, touring throughout the United States and Mexico.
Fritz is also known as one half of the Diet Coke and Mentos team EepyBird, the internet sensation whose videos have been seen over 160 million times.
Oren Robinson & Band
Oren is a Singer-Songwriter from Midcoast Maine. Writing songs about natures and introspection as well as humorous tunes based in basic human nature. He is the musical director of the Early Evening Show, Maine's oldest continuously running variety show.
Oren was the co-creator of The Ale House String Band and Twisted Maple, both local folk groups that have toured New England.
Oren will lead an all-star band.
Casey Turner-Comedic Actress
Casey began her career apprenticing at the Oddfellow Theater in Buckfield under Michael Miclon, Fritz Grobe and Amanda Huotari and quickly built her repertoire as a comedic actress.She spent summers working and training at the Celebration Barn Theater in South Paris and received her BA in Theatre from USM.
Michael Miclon- Physical Comedian
Michael Miclon is the Executive/Artistic Director of Johnson Hall but in his former life he traveled the world as a physical comedian.
As an entertainer, Michael has built an international reputation that has brought him to some of the finest theaters and special events across the United States and Europe, with such highlights as the Kennedy Center and the White House in Washington D.C., The Keller Theater in Germany, The Victoria Jungfrau Hotel in Switzerland and the Festa Americana in Italy. The Portland Phoenix called him a “comedic genius.”
As host of The Early Evening Show, Maine’s longest running variety show, which CBS Sunday Morning called “must-see reality,” he has written and appeared in more than 250 performances over the past 26 years.
