* We are still confirming staff changes, minor changes may be necessary.
Our Joyful Journey 2021 Instructional Staff has an unparalleled combination of passion, talent, knowledge, and heart, which makes them more then instructors... they are your mentors and friends - as well as your guides for this Joyful Journey.
Brittany Allen
Brittany “Zoe” Allen began her journey in clowning in 2007 as a camper at Moose Camp, as part of her goal to become a clown working with children with cancer. She returned to Camp year after year, adding skills like magic, balloons, puppets, caring clowning, and eventually starting the early morning Wake Up and Wiggle lab. Zoe has been on several mission trips to India and has been working as a hospital clown at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Texas, using the healing power of laughter, since 2009. In addition to her adventures in clowning, Brittany has a design company where she creates logos and other business marketing design pieces for clients. Brittany joins us as one of the Clowning 101 instructors where her infectious energy and positive attitude are sure to inspire and motivate new clowns.
Fred Baisch
Fred Baisch is an award winning clown as well as an accomplished magician. We are thrilled that Fred joining us for the Joyful Journey with his new character, Chef Ozzie. Fred is a masterful magician and clown and can’t wait to break out all of his personal favorites and trade secrets and shares them with you in his classes and in his special show on Friday. Fred fits in perfectly at Moose events with his giving teaching style, his real love of being a clown himself, and his chance to mess around and laugh with all of us!
Julia Bothun
Julia Bothun has been clowning her whole life. Her mother, Pricilla Mooseburger, raised her to appreciate the art of clowning and she now has completely embraced it! She started with theatre in school, but it just didn't seem to be enough for Julia. One summer, she had the opportunity to work on Culpepper Merriweather Circus with her brother, DJ Weiss, for a few weeks. The first time she ran into the circus ring, she knew she was hooked. After that she had the pleasure of working in Brooklyn on the Holiday Circus, and before she knew it, she was touring with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey, loving every minute of it! In the last couple years, Julia created a new character named Wanda Fool! “Wanda” found her place singing on a stage performing in variety shows as the "clown chanteuse," sometimes writing her own lyrics to popular songs. You can catch her teaching makeup, silly songs, and arts and crafts!
Dennis Burkholder
Dennis Burkholder is Chief Moose at Mad Moose Media, with 20+ years of experience in marketing, social media, and advertising, but has always been a clown at heart. He started clowning his freshman year in college as a youth minister and joined the Shriners in 1999. Dennis received the Shriners’ Imperial Potentate Medallion and has won several awards for social media, web, print & newsletter designs. He is the first recipient of the Red Skelton Award for marketing and community service. Dennis speaks on a national basis on marketing and social media. His down to earth approach to marketing and social media has a proven success record.
Don Bursell
Don Bursell presented his first show at 12 years old and, for the next five years, he performed around Minnesota with The Variety II Review. After one year of college, Don opted to chase his dream of circus life by working with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Sadly, after only 6 months on the road he was forced to leave because of severe allergies and life threatening asthma complications. Soon afterward, he moved to California to work as an entertainer for the Disney Corporation. Now Don presents family and corporate shows as DonB! Entertainment, and ministry events around the country as DonB! Ministries, sharing his faith through his entertaining shows. He is a 2-time National Unicycle Champion and can juggle as many as 6 objects at one time! Don’s comedy programs include juggling, unicycles, and illusions, presented in a clean and comedic show that audiences remember for a long time.
Sean Carlock
Sean Carlock has been entertaining since age six. Theater, magic, and clowning have always been his passion. The only thing he loves more than Clowning is sharing it with others. Sean grew so much in his clown career since first attending as a Camper that we are proud to have him on staff. He draws from his magic and theater background as well as his time as a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus clown to bring you his spin on the world of clowning. www.carlockent.com.
Ed Chee
Ed Chee, CBA, has received international recognition for his balloon sculpting talent. He has been featured in print media, has appeared on television, and is widely acknowledged as one of the top balloon artists in the world. In recent years, Ed has traveled around the world entertaining, creating large-scale exhibits, and teaching his unique style of balloon twisting skills. His award winning, highly-detailed style has raised the bar for balloon twisting as an art form.
Randy Christensen
Randy Christensen is an entertainer, creative communicator, child specialist, pastor, clown, juggler, and author. Mentored in clowning by former Ringling Clown Michael O’Shaughnessy, Randy began pursuing every professional training opportunity available. The expertise he gained led to being a featured solo performer for the International Clown Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the Clowns International Convention, and pre-event performer for Cirque Du Soliel. In 2011 he was awarded the title “Master Clown” by the World Clown Association. With experience in circus, hometown, and ministry clowning, Randy brings good, clean fun to audiences of all ages with his incredible world-class presentations that are knee-slapping, physical based clown comedy, full of heart and humor.
Annette Darragh
Annette Darragh has been a professional clown and clowning instructor for over 30 years. She has won numerous awards for clowning in Make-up, Character, Skit, Face Painting, and Balloon competitions at the regional, national, and world levels. She specializes in hospital clowning and its therapeutic benefits and has been recognized in many cancer publications for her work in the healing power of humor. Annette owns and operates “Funny Bone Props,” a business that sells hospital props for Caring Clowns. She was selected for the People to People ambassador program and in 1999 was one of seven clowns from the U.S. sent on the first clowning delegation to China. In 2000, Annette was inducted into the Midwest Clown Hall of Fame. In 2013 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Midwest Clown Round-Up. Annette lectures throughout the year at conventions and seminars around the country.
Brian Fason
Brian Fason started hanging out with a bunch of clowns when he became a Zamora Shriner in 2001. From there, his passion for clowning grew. Through various events Brian saw how fun clowning can be and how much joy it can bring to people. Soon after that Brian discovered a local clown school in his area called Clowns Care. Under the direction of Annette Darragh, Brian attended the 13 week program in the basics of clowning and Fazo (Clown Extraordinaire) was born. Brian first came to Moose Camp in 2015 and discovered the wonders of hospital clowning. In 2016 Brian became executive producer and boss clown of The Bingo Show, a twice weekly hospital program at the UAB Hospital in Birmingham.
Mike Fixer
Mike Fixer dabbled in clowning for fun as a kid in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. As the realities of high school and then college set in, Mike set the dream of attending Ringling’s Clown College aside but resumed clowning as a hobby in 1980 while at Western New England University where he earned a BSBA in Business Management. Throughout the 80s, he continued to hone his clowning skills by meeting and learning from other local clowns, joining a COAI alley, attending various clown conventions, and performing at parties, at corporate events, in parades, and in various clown shows. In the late 80’s, Mike was a guest clown on Robert’s Brothers Circus before resuming his dream of attending RBBC Clown College. In 1990, Mike was accepted into and graduated from Clown College and went on to become part of the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus Clown Alley in 1993. Mike has also served on the Board of Directors for Clowns of America International, Inc. and was a regular clowning and props columnist for LaughMakers, a family entertainers and variety arts magazine.
John Hadfield
John Hadfield is a modern day renaissance person. This award winning singer songwriter and former circus performer is also a professional dog trainer, worked at the White House with the White House Communications Agency, has a degree in Russian language, has worked with a trained bear and monkeys, is an accomplished stilt walker and juggler, a graduate of the elite Ringling Bros. Clown College, an army veteran, and a black belt (and fukushidoin) in aikido. But he will be joining us to make you laugh. If you’re lucky he’ll also bring Reggie the Wonder Dog!
Dave Hill
Dave Hill has been performing for 30+ years (not counting his 8th grade talent contest). He has gone from novice clown to full-time business owner, speaker, and notorious comedy performer. In addition to entertaining, Dave also shares his experience through teaching. He is a featured speaker at magic and clown conventions across the US & Canada. A member of the Fellowship of Christian Magicians, Clowns of America Intl., & World Clown Association, he has presented at national and regional events across the country.
Karen Hoyer
Karen “Dot” Hoyer’s mission in life is to bring laughter and a sense of humor to every situation she encounters. For the past 20 years, she's visited nursing homes and senior centers with Vaudeville Chicago, appearing as a variety of eccentric and clownesque characters. She cultivates her skills in mime, mask, music, dance and puppetry, performing all over Chicago and the Midwest. Karen has taught hundreds of workshops at the elementary, high school, and college level, including at Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College! Every week she appears as Dr. Dot, the Chief Bonehead of La Rabida Hospital under the auspices of Healthy Humor, after over 17 years with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit. Karen first came to Moose Camp as a “Special Guest Star” in 2011 and feels truly blessed to be a part of the returning faculty. Check her out online at www.dots-all-folks.com.
Christopher Hudert
Christopher Hudert has been entertaining for over 50 years. He is equally at home on stage as a performer, or backstage as a builder, writer, or tech, or in front of the stage as a director, or off stage as an instructor, trainer, or goofball. Christopher attended Ringling's famed Clown College (Class of ‘82, with Tricia) and traveled with the Circus for 9 years. He is the only person to serve as Boss Clown on all 3 Ringling units. After traveling with the Circus, Christopher cofounded Applause Unlimited, an entertainment company specializing in professional puppet shows, stilt walking, and clowning. He is also the Stilt Trainer and Talent Coordinator for King's Dominion's Halloween Haunt (a Cedar Fair Park). Christopher has been a featured instructor at Ringling's Clown College, numerous puppetry festivals and clown conventions across the country. But most importantly, at Mooseburger events he teaches many aspects of both clown and puppet arts as well as taking care of numerous background duties.
Brian Ivory
Brian “Dr. Bubbly” Ivory is the director of Mott Honors College and the founder of the Mott Campus Clowns. Brian is a 1987 graduate of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He worked as a professional clown until 1994 when he began his doctoral pursuit at Ohio State University. In 2011 he "un-retired" from clowning to recruit and train the Mott Campus Clowns, a 12-member troupe he started as part of an honors course (Social Diversity and Civic Engagement) that he teaches at Mott Community College (MCC).
Jane Kinney
Jane Kinney attended Mooseburger Clown Camp for the first time in 2009. She arrived as Mrs. Kinney, first grade teacher and departed as Ladybug the Clown, first grade teacher! Upon returning home she began weekly visits to senior care facilities to offer a moments of joy, delight, tenderness, and comfort to residents, their families, and staff, through humor, loving kindness, and a playful presence. She also began the Silly Nilly Clown Club in her school for 4th and 5th graders to learn the art of clowning. For the next six years the group entertained in Senior Care Facilities and their school. Ladybug continued to attend Moose Camp summer after summer and upon her retirement from teaching, she added Caring Clown visits at UW Children’s Hospital in Madison, and holiday shows at Senior and Memory Care Centers. Still having the teaching bug in her, Ladybug began performing shows on Fire Safety, Kindness, and Read Across America in schools to bring smiles and laughter to children of all ages. Her entertaining programs encourage and educate using humor, music, puppets, whimsical magic, and storytelling. When Pricilla introduced Red Nose Readers in 2019, Jane joyously jumped on board and continues to share the wonderful world of clowning, literacy, and kindness with kids everywhere.
Stacey Kuhn
Stacey Long Kuhn is a business owner and behavior analyst/school psychologist who works to help families impacted by Autism to find ways to learn skills and to grow and prosper as a family. She facilitates the training of other clinicians through one-on-one coaching and team building to support families in reaching these goals. Before this chapter of her life, she was Sugar Pop, part of the clown duo, “The Comedic Engineers.” Her partner in this endeavor was her father, Peachey Keene. For nearly 20 years they performed in their hometown and across the country. She stepped away from that life to follow a different path. Stacey says that “without a doubt, clowning made me who I am today. It taught me skills that I use day in and day out in my current profession: poise, creative thinking, humor as medicine, and so much more.” Stacey believes the passion for the art of clowning must be rekindled (as it was for her), free from stereotypes, stigma, and ridicule, so that young and old alike can be reminded of what a #realclown is all about!
Dan Langwell
Dan Langwell has been entertaining since 1988, starting in children's radio and television ministry. Dan wrote and voiced some of the material, and performed for the live tours. In 1999 he wanted to learn more about a new style of clowning so Dan attended Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp, opening up a whole new adventure. Over the years, he has tirelessly worked at improving and adding new talents and skills to his arsenal, as well as helping other entertainers grow in their craft. Dan wants every entertainer to be the best they can be and is happy to share his secrets of success with you! He believes you should continually update your skills and improve your business every chance you get, and that this starts with quality education. For over a decade Dan has been lecturing at the regional and national level, and has had regular, steady gigs entertaining at various restaurants in Northern Indiana. He has been the President of two local clown alleys, President of the Midwest Clown Association, Co-Director of the MCA "Junior Joey" Program, and a COAI Regional Vice President. When it comes to entertaining with twisted latex, Dan is accomplished at all levels, from simple single figures to elaborate multi-balloon sculptures, so don’t miss his workshop and/or intensive!
Matthew Lish
Matthew “Phineas” Lish is a second-generation clown, world record holding juggler, and former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus clown who toured with the show during the Final Farewell Tour. His antics have been seen on The Food Network, NBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, at The Century Association with Dick Cavett, and off-Broadway in New York City. In addition to performing, Matthew is an Emmy Award Contributor Winner for his puppet and prop work at Jim Henson's Creature Shop on Sesame Street, and a former Walt Disney Imagineer working on projects for Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. He has fabricated and built pieces for productions including Hamilton, Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway, and Princess Cruise Line. He can be found at www.matthewlish.com.
Tricia Manuel
Tricia Manuel, the unmistakable, incomparable, Pricilla Mooseburger/Miss Moose, got her start in clowning in the 1980s with Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus and Disneyland. She went on to create the costume company Pricilla Mooseburger Originals. After coming back from the circus, she found that the world needed a fresh take on how to train clowns. She began a plan for Mooseburger Clown Arts Education in 1994. It was the first clown training program to teach every style of clowning based on choosing one specific area on which to focus and keeps getting better every year! Tricia loves teaching Clown Arts and considers it a vocation, not simply a profession. She finds nothing more exciting than watching students and customers discover new things in themselves! While she loves going out to clown, she knows that she touches more people through the clowns she teaches than she could by clowning on her own. Tricia gives 110% of herself to her students, and they in turn share the love of laughter with the world. She is the heart and soul of Mooseburger Clown Arts Education.
Brenda Marshall
Brenda Marshall has been clowning around as "Flower" since 1981 when she donned a borrowed costume and truly "grotesque" make-up for a Vacation Bible School and was bitten by the "clown bug!" Brenda enrolled in a clown class at the local junior college and became involved in the local Clown Alley. In the ensuing years, Brenda has performed at birthday parties, company picnics, grand openings, parades, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, and various church activities and camps in Texas and several other states. Clowning and Ministry have also taken her to China, Poland, Russia, Hungary, and India. Brenda has been the Clown Coordinator and a performer in the Circus of the King, and is a published author with two books on Christian Clowning. Brenda cofounded the therapeutic clown program "Funnyatrics" at Children's Medical Center Dallas, where she was known as "Dr. Abby Normal." Still a student of the art, she attends training whenever her schedule allows.
Steve Marshall
Steve Marshall is known around the world as the “Ambassador of Magic from the USA.” This is not only for his award winning magic shows, but also for bridging the gap between magicians of the east and west through his lectures and writings on magic. Steve began his magical career at just eight years old when he received a magic set for Christmas. He was trained in the art of physical comedy and clowning at the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown college in Florida before touring with the circus as a clown, magician, and fire eater for five years. After leaving the circus, Steve moved to New York City and spent the next three years performing in comedy clubs and at corporate functions, and learning the art of street performing! He then began working for the Walt Disney Company creating and performing his magic shows in their parks in California, Florida, and Tokyo. Whether performing card tricks, presenting his large scale “Las Vegas style” illusion stage show, or appearing on Chinese TV, Steve just likes to create wonder and joy for people of all ages with his special brand of magic and performance.
Rex Nolen
Rex Nolen was a teenager selling cotton candy at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium when he first saw Otto Griebling perform and got hooked on clowning. Later, under the tutelage of Master Clown Frosty Little, Rex learned the finer points of physical comedy, timing, delivery, classic gags, and pyrotechnics. Rex is the hobo model for Mehron Make-Up and has won numerous awards for make-up, skits, and parade-ability. He's also the past educational director for COAI. He loves passing along what he's learned over the course of more than 20 years of roughly 250 gigs a year, including birthday parties, festivals, grand openings, and special events. Rex owns and operates The Gag Bag, a company that specializes in stickers and magic, and he was a favorite member of the Mooseburger Camp staff for many years.
Ron Severini
Ron Severini, Executive Producer of Castle Entertainment, Inc., has over 50 years of experience in the entertainment industry, arranging extraordinary talent for some of the world’s most varied and unique events. He is a former Dean of RBBB Clown College and spent over 20 years with Feld Entertainment (Circus, Clown College, Siegfried & Roy, Disney on Ice) as well as the Talent Casting Director of Walt Disney World. Ron has traveled the US and around the globe scouting out the best talent in the world. Ron is also the author of several books on clowns and circus.
Chris Shelton
Chris Shelton is a graduate of Ringling’s Clown College and toured for 4 years with the show, first on the Blue Unit and then as Boss Clown on the Red Unit. He was a police officer in Wilmington, DE where he created his character “Office Offbeat, the Juggling Jester of Justice,” and was later a famous mascot clown for a world-wide hamburger chain portraying Ronald and training other clowns. Chris is a multi-talented performer doing slaps and falls, balancing, juggling, slack rope, unicycle, stilts, and more. He is happy to be sharing some of his skills and knowledge with you.
Neal Skoy
Neal Skoy wanted to be a professional clown since he was 4 years old. Neal got involved in theater and found a second passion in acting. Drawing inspirations from Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, Bill Irwin, and Jerry Lewis, he discovered that most of his comedic heroes of the stage and screen also went by the title of "clown." In 2004 and 2005 Neal attended the Mooseburger Caravans in Las Vegas and won Best Skit with Dustin Portillo. Neal found his own personal "never-never-land" when he attended Moose Camp in 2005. After graduating High School, he got a contract to live his dream as a professional Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus clown. He toured from 2006-2007 with the Blue Unit, then came home to go back to school for theater. Still thirsty for clown performance, Neal signed on with Circus World Museum and appeared there for several seasons. He has also become an accomplished actor in the Twin Cities, was named "Best New Actor" by Metro Magazine, and continues to appear in notable venues. He has been all over the country with Ringling Bros., Shrine Circuses, and Physical Comedian appearances, and was invited to take part in the AEMI Clown Festival in Hangzhou, China. Currently, Neal is clowning more as a physical comedian in theater gigs and has an interactive street character at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Neal is a true clown at heart.
DJ Weiss
DJ Weiss has traveled around the world by circus train and cruise ship! He started clowning as a youth in the Twin Cities area and found his way to Moose Camp and into our hearts! He has clowned in Culpepper Merriweather Circus, Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, and performed on one of the Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise ships. While with Ringling he performed in hospitals all over the US. Currently he is a road manager for one of the Disney on Ice tours. DJ is a versatile performer and make-up artist!
Peggy Williams
Peggy Williams was been employed by Feld Entertainment/Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® in some aspect or another, including: Clown, Performance Director, Educator, Circus Ambassador, Outreach Manager, and Motivational Speaker for over 40 years. Regardless of the job title, the thousands of people who have been touched by her kind heart and her unfailingly generous spirit know something about her which no resume includes: in or out of the ring, Peggy loves people!
Regina Wollrabe
Regina “Cha-Cha” Wollrabe is a multi-skilled performer and presenter. She has been performing most of her life and spent many years as a preschool teacher. In 1977 Regina began studying and performing as a mime. One magical day her love for children and her love for the arts came together and, in 1991, she began her journey as a professional children’s entertainer. Regina is currently the Director of Junior Joeys for Clowns of America International (COAI) and was named COAI Clown of the Year in 2016. Whether a clown, mime, or balloon artist, Cha-Cha’s flexible style always brings fun to every event, reunion, school, church, wedding, grand opening, or party she works. Regina also teaches mime and clown workshops to students of all ages.
Josh Zehner
Joshua Ryan Zehner has the distinct honor of being the very last graduate of The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. It’s his experience at Clown College and his two years touring with the Greatest Show on Earth’s Blue Unit, that is the foundation of his career. Joshua was an original cast member and writer for Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. He also was Director & Writer of Cirque Berzerk’s: Beneath. Loved by audiences and critics, it was placed on The Los Angeles Times list of summer must-sees. He’s also worked for some of the top entertainment companies, including NBC/Universal, Disney, The Second City, The Late Show with David Letterman, Cirque du Soleil, and The Amazing Johnathan. Joshua has personally performed in over ten thousand live performances. His work has been performed internationally, in Great Britain, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Norway, Mexico, and throughout the United States and Canada. Joshua has been teaching improvisation and physical comedy since 1998, as a private instructor and at institutions including the Ecole Nationale de Cirque, Manege Center for Circus, Music Hall & Street Performance, The Second City Training Center, and Camp Bravo.