NoExit Performance and Indianapolis Movement Arts Collective are proud to announce that Chicago actor and clown Molly Brennan will be the 2019 OPEN Indy Visiting Artist. Molly Brennan, named “Chicago’s Queen of Mischief and Mayhem” by American Theatre Magazine, is a physical comedian who specializes in clown and devised performance. Molly has been teaching students the art of clown and devising for nearly 20 years at the University of Illinois Chicago, Actors Gymnasium, DePaul University, the University of Chicago and all over the U.S. Brennan will offer four masterclasses in Theatrical Clown to the Indianapolis community during her residency as well as showcase performances at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre at 8pm on September 13th and 14th.

Masterclass #1
Tuesday, September 10th from 6:30-8:30pm at Indy Convergence

Masterclass #2
Wednesday, September 11th from 7:30-9:30pm at IMAC

Masterclass #3
Thursday, September 12th from 6:00-8:00pm at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre

Masterclass #4
Saturday, September 14th from 1:00-3:00pm at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre

Each masterclass will be a unique experience so register for all four if you feel so moved. We will email you once we receive your registration payment to confirm what date(s) you will be attending.

Philosophy
Theatrical Clown is a state of being oneself as poetry: raw and refined, chaotic and ordered, magnified and specified – with an acute awareness of the environment and immediate access to impulses and Reponses.

Goal
Strive to find an maintain a state of simplicity, presence and curiosity. Utilize senses, impulses, experiences, gestures, movement and breath to build material. Students will actively partner, propose, respond and report inside devised performance material.

Expectations
Students will be asked to exercise the following in the classroom: awareness, alertness, altruism and artistry. This is a highly physical event, and a highly psychological and expressive and celebratory event. Eat your vitamins, salute the sun, drink some water, you belong!

OPEN Indy is an advanced arts education program that invites nationally recognized visiting artists to Indianapolis to provide accessible, professional, and innovative training opportunities to performing artists in Indianapolis. Produced jointly by NoExit and IMAC, OPEN Indy has two main components: First as a platform for continued education and training for artists in Indianapolis, and second, an opportunity for our audience to witness training applied to public, professional performance.

This year, OPEN Indy is being supported by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the Arts Midwest Touring Fund – a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.