Saturday night, while Riverfest visitors filled downtown Wichita, a crowd of eager spectators gathered at nearby Harvester Arts. It was for the third iteration of Clown Jam, a local variety show created by local actor and “full-time fool” Madi White. The air was hot and humid outside, but inside was full of electricity. Fifteen minutes after the doors opened, only a few single seats remained. By curtain, it was standing room only. 

My own attitudes were apprehensive. It isn’t that I don’t like clowns. When I was considering colleges with theater programs, clown school was a viable contender. But I have become a middle-aged skeptic, anxious in over-zealous crowds of young people seeking attention in the name of self-expression. I didn’t want to be bored, and I didn’t want to be pulled on stage. The lights dimmed, the music started, and a cleverly costumed “Tumbleweed” blew across the stage followed by a full-cast, hyper-stylized train robbery. Then, the host clown, “Polly Fartin,” played by White herself, introduced the evening with polish and charm, and I knew we were in good hands.

Each of 10 different acts featured its own character, complete with full-color costume and makeup, loosely connected by an “Old West” theme but otherwise independent of one another. My favorite was “Chartreuse the Sleepy Time Clown,” who carries a lantern running out of fuel. Canteen empty, they set about to solve the problem. Gentle audience interaction along with very carefully crafted moment-by-moment discovery kept the audience rapt with attention and then exuberant with joy at the clever conclusion. 

“Tomfoolery,” of slight build and bold blue hair, fumbled with a single sheet of paper, bumbled through a bit of schtick, and then dropped the note and wowed the audience with a fantastic yodeling number about looking for the love of a cowgirl. “Achy the Clown” finished up the evening, closing the loose plot point of a train robbery. The clever characterization of the lovable “bad guy,” along with extremely specific bits, played very well. These are only a few highlights from a long list of fast-paced, high-energy acts full of creativity and warmth. 

As for audience participation, it was limited to the front row or to self-selecting volunteers. If you raised your hand, you could be fairly confident the clown was going to keep you in the bit and have fun. One exception might be the volunteer who ended up being ridden across the stage while wearing a headband of cow ears. The next volunteer to reluctantly wear the ears timidly walked on stage unsure of what to expect, only to have the clown run away and leave her on stage with no script or prompt. This was during the section of “new clowns,” and Polly Fartin graciously instructed the guest to return to her seat and apologized for the mishap. No clowns or audience members were harmed, and all seemed to take it in good fun.

The stage was a single curtain washed in a few multi-colored lights. Elaborate makeup designs and wearable art costumes provided visual punch, such as with stage kittens Salty Glaze, Suspicious Glaze, and Kitten Fang: Every time they stepped on stage, they reminded us we were in a modern-day clown show. They are a little naughty and a lot of fun. 

Clowning is much more broad than makeup and gags, but Clown Jam is even more diverse. Talents include music, puppetry, drag, and any act capturing the playful spirit of joyful clowning. A full score of intentional songs, both as underscore and performed live, elevated the work and never once distracted. In one of the final numbers, music took full focus and turned the entire room into a brief but lively dance floor. Even I, the curmudgeonly critic with fading joy, found myself moving to the groove and smiling through the end. 

The key to the evening’s success is creator Madi White, who understands that clowning is serious business. The tradition extends well beyond French mime Marcel Marceau and Rowan Atkinson’s “Mr. Bean” and deep into medieval times. From court jesters to rodeos, successful clowns dedicate hours to their craft — honing specific, skills-based routines, sharpening their crowd work, and building sequences of bits to build fanciful narratives. With 10 years of clowning experience on top of an acting degree from Wichita State and furthered by clown school, White has the resume and the chops to deliver the goods. What is more, through teaching workshops of her own, she is also building a local culture of the craft. The Wichita Arts Council provided a well-deserved grant to Clown Jam, but our community would benefit by finding even more ways to keep artists like White working. 

I will be at the next Clown Jam on October 31. It promises to be spooky, but there is nothing to fear. As a reluctant first-timer, I made it through unscathed and left delighted. 

If you share my apprehensions, I offer a few words of advice. Don’t be scared by the invitation to “dress clowny.” Yes, there are people in full clown get up, and they are obviously having a blast, but there are also others in casual jeans and t-shirts. No one is out of place. 

Maybe this is the biggest piece of magic performed all night: Clown Jam achieves a full range of acceptance without any of the didactic tropes of modern theater. It is popular for a reason, and I anticipate it will become even more so. Get your tickets early, arrive early, and find a good seat. If you don’t want to be a part of the action, don’t sit in the front row. All the better if you do. 

Finally, bring cash. Tipping opportunities and other clever devices will help these artists keep making art. After an evening of this much joy, you will want to support it.

The Details

The next Clown Jam will take place on October 31 at Harvester Arts. The ticketed event is general admission and 18+.

Follow Madi White on Instagram and/or sign up for emails from Harvester Arts for news about the next show.

Related coverage in The SHOUT: Heart to heart: Madi White's 'The Free State' at KC Fringe

Leslie Coates is a theater faculty member at Butler Community College and has acting and directing credits from San Diego to New England. He is a former board member for Forum Theatre Company where he also appeared in "Christmas Letters," "Pump Boys and Dinettes," and various Words and Music performances. 

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