Anyone can clown around.
But when it comes to engaging, empowering and entertaining hospitalized children, that requires a unique blend of skills and training.
Ever since Jeannie Lindheim, a Boston actress and theater teacher, founded Hearts & Noses Hospital Clown Troupe 20 years ago, the group has recruited scores of volunteers from all walks of life and helped them to fine-tune and share ‘the clown within.’
Now, to help the Troupe’s clowns enhance the experience for the young patients they visit, Executive Director Cheryl Lekousi announced the appointment of renowned comedic actor Kenny Raskin (photo) to the new position of Artistic Director “to add more opportunity for clown development.”
The appointment takes on added importance as this year Hearts & Noses added a fifth hospital partner, Massachusetts General Hospital, which joins the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Franciscan Children’s, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatrics.
If Raskin’s name or face seems familiar, it might be because you’ve seen him as Lead Clown in Cirque de Soleil’s Nouvelle Experience, on Broadway as LeFou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, or playing the Vaudeville comedian in Barry Levinson’s film Liberty Heights. Throughout his career, Raskin has built a reputation as a leading physical comedian in the U. S. and Europe, delighting audiences with a unique blend of theatrical pieces and clown characters.
The self-described “actor, clown, physical comedian, director and teacher” for over 40 years, Raskin has performed on stages and television in Las Vegas, London, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Santiago, Chile and Wuhan, China. He has conducted clown workshops for more than 35 years both individually and as part of theatre improv retreats.
“We use clown character and improvisation to encourage play and empowerment. Each clown can better develop his or her individual skills with Kenny’s help,” Lekousi says. “Kenny observes bedside visits and helps clowns individually and with partners to see where they can offer more, stay with an idea, give the child more choices, and create a different environment.”
Board member Dmitri Rabin, whose primary focus is on the Troupe’s strategy, says, “We’re excited to welcome Kenny who is helping with two key initiatives: (1) working with existing clowns who have told us that the biggest support they want from the Board is more training in honing their craft; and (2) helping to recruit and train new clowns.”
Q & A with Kenny Raskin
What attracted you to Hearts & Noses? I have met the clowns of Hearts & Noses over the years, and I have led them through workshops. There is a great spirit in the Troupe, and a willingness to get better as clowns. I have developed a warm personal relationship with Cheryl, and am excited by her passion for the Troupe.
Explain character and clown development – and how improvisation skills can encourage play and empower kids in the hospital. A clown is at its essence a male or female child. There is a decided lack of ego. Also, there is a decided absence of complexity, of nuance. Everything is black and white, and rooted in the desire to just do his/her best. Getting clown students to understand this takes time — time to let go of being clever, of being right, of being funny. The clown at its essence is authenticity.
A clown at its essence is also physical, sensory and less verbal. Often in the hospital I see clowns rely on words, on ideas. This comes from the erroneous idea that improvisation is about coming up with funny ideas. My idea of improvisation is trying to do something and allowing the problems to guide your action — to sit down in a chair and get so comfortable that you fall asleep — to open the door of a room and not be able to let go of the knob — to fall in love with your partner while they are talking… and many more. All of this comes from the clown’s physical and sensory encounter of the world, and with others.
Kids in the hospital are empowered because they realize that they are not alone in feeling that they are not in control of their situations. They see a clown trying to figure it out as well. The child can be the smartest person in the room.
Would you care to share some things you’re especially proud of? I’ve been married for 23 years to Joanna, who does hair and makeup on movies. I’m the father to Evan, a multi-talented musician attending his second year at American University in Washington, DC. For 19 years I have been working as an executive coach with business people, giving them tools to create deeper relationships and stronger impact through their business communications. And I was recently nominated for a Best Actor award for a play that I did in Atlanta last year.