“Marry the Beast” Event with the New Not-for-Profit: thebetes.org

Mar 062015

Deborah Kaufmann as Cookie the Clown,
photo by Paul Gutheil

My friend and colleague Deborah Kaufman approached me a couple months ago about a project she called “Marry the Beast.” From the title, I had no idea what to expect but because Deborah and I go way back (Deborah is one of the founding members of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care unit), I said “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s this all about?”

“Marry the Beast” is a project of the Betes Organization, a new not-for-profit that uses performance to focus on the emotional and relational component of diabetes care emphasizing the message that healthcare is a human story. The “Betes” in the organization’s name is pronounced “Bee-Tees.” The term Betes is close to the French “les bêtes,” which means “beasts,” but in this context the term is derived primarily from “diabetes.”

Marina Tsaplina and her Betes,
photo courtesy of the Betes Organization

Deborah said they would be pleased to honor me at an event at the end of February.

Dr. Paul Wiseman told me that I had type 2 diabetes just over 18 years ago. I’ve spoken openly about living with type 2 before, and part of my story was published by Diabetes Forecast in their March 2014 issue. I was happy to be able to share more of my story with the Betes Organization. They suggested the format of me marrying my betes, my “Beast.”

Over time and several discussions with Deborah and Marina Tsaplina, the founder, executive and artistic director of the Betes Organization, the idea behind the “Marry the Beast” was (thankfully!) changed into a renewal of the vows that I’d made 18 years ago to seek a vital and healthy way to live with my type 2 diabetes. In the presence of some dear friends of mine and supporters of the Betes Organization, I would talk about my personal journey with diabetes and renew my vowed commitment to exercise, eat healthy, keep my weight down and deal with the emotional qualities of my condition.

Barbara Ann Michaels,
photo courtesy of Barbara Ann Michaels

The event took place this past Saturday evening at the historic firehouse at 87 Lafayette Street. Barbara Ann Michaels, an ordained minister … the “Jester of the Peace,” officiated the ceremony, which was complete with Deborah as a delightfully wacky flower girl, a processional to a recording of Stephane Grappelli playing “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” and a lovely tribute to my parents and grandmother. Then my sweetheart Shelley read a passage from The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder by Henry Miller in which he speaks of clowns being blessed with the ability to help us all rise above what Miller called “the common grief.” I read a chapter from the original manuscript of my book that talks about how the Zen Buddhist concept of “beginner’s mind” helped me overcome the initial shock of my diabetes diagnosis. That was followed by a community blessing and pledge of continuing support, the actual vows renewal, and a recessional complete with me wearing my top hat to the tune of the Mills Brothers singing “Bye Bye Blackbird.” Oh, and (ha, ha!) I was able to squeeze in a fun musical performance of “The Ugly Duckling” with the help of the brilliant accompanist Dennis Buck, who also played for me at the Lotos Got Talent event at the end of November.

The truth is that I love any chance I can get to perform and share some of my stories, and I’m grateful to the Betes Organization for honoring me and providing me with this thoroughly enjoyable opportunity.

One last thing I want to share … I received this short video in an e-mail a day after the event. I couldn’t resist sharing with all of you.

Interview in the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum for the “Collecting Recollections” Series

Feb 132015

I’m pleased to report that the “Collecting Recollections” interview event at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art exceeded my expectations. It was one hour of thoroughly enjoyable conversation.

With my daughter Katherine and granddaughter Sonya
after the “Collecting Recollections” interview

I was in and around Sarasota, FL, for several days prior to the event spending time with my daughter, Katherine, and Leo and Sonya, my grandchildren, who live there. We celebrated Leo’s 5th birthday. I was also invited to a dress rehearsal at Circus Sarasota and attended an excellent performance (more on this to come in the next blog post).

The interview series at the Ringling Museum is hosted in the Historic Asolo Theater, and while I knew how beautiful the theater was, and had even been honored on the stage before, I did not anticipate the pleasure of this particular interview. The theater’s house contains two balcony tiers of seating, and from the stage, both the orchestra and first tier of seats looked nearly full. I estimate that there were about three hundred people in attendance at 10:30am––I remarked during the interview, “Not a bad turnout for a Tuesday matinee.”

Aerialist Dolly Jacobs,
photo by Shane K. Smith

There have been moments as a performer where I have felt entirely (for lack of a better word) present. I’m familiar with this experience from many times in the ring: there’s a feeling in my body that’s fully aware of what’s happening, my mind active and engaged rather than drifting off, being in myself instead of watching myself in the situation. It can be an entirely liberating experience where I am “in the zone,” completely in the moment. And during “Collecting Recollections,” I was there. For an hour, I felt totally at ease, able to take pleasure in answering the interviewer’s questions.

Bello Nock walking the wire above Lincoln Center,
photo by Chris Brady

And I’m happy that there were some familiar faces in the crowd who got to be in attendance. Shelley Doctors, my wonderful partner and sweetheart, was in the audience. She sat with my daughter Katherine and granddaughter Sonya. Not far away were the great performers Bello Nock and Dolly Jacobs, both of whom I thanked from the stage with humorous anecdotes, and David Burlet and Anton Monastrysky of Circus Sarasota. It’s always flattering and humbling to have friends come out in support. It’s a testament to how dedicated and heartfelt the circus community is.

Of course there were plenty of unfamiliar faces as well, many of who I talked to in the Pavilion after the interview where I signed copies of my book. And wouldn’t you know it … the museum bookstore ran out of books! If anyone was in Sarasota and didn’t get a copy of Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion before they sold out, remember that you can always buy a copy through my website, and I’ll sign any book ordered through me.

Off to Sarasota and The Ringling Museum

Jan 302015

What: Paul Binder interviewed for the “Collecting Recollections” series
Where: the Historic Asolo Theater of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
When: Tuesday, February 10th at 10:30am

Within the week I’ll be on my way to sunnier-and-warmer-than-New-York-in-the-middle-of-winter Sarasota, FL.

As you hopefully already know, on February 10th I will be interviewed at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art as part of the “Collecting Recollections” series. This is truly an honor for me because all of the interviews are recorded and kept for posterity as part of the Ringling Museum’s extraordinary circus archive.

Ringling Museum - Courtyard of Art Museum

Courtyard at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
photo courtesy of State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

For those of you who don’t know, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is officially a part of Florida State University. At his death, John Ringling left his estate and art collection, along with a sizable endowment, to the State of Florida. After many years of neglect and disrepair, the Museum of Art underwent a grand expansion and renovation between 2002 and 2007. The art museum contains paintings and works by many masters including Rubens, Duchamp, Bernini, and Gainsborough. In addition to the art museum, the estate includes the Cà d’Zan mansion, Mable Ringling’s rose garden, the Ringling Art Library, the Asolo Theater, and the Ringling Museum of the American Circus, who is presenting the event on February 10th.

Cà d’Zan Mansion
photo courtesy of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

Bello Nock performing at
the Big Apple Circus

Also being interviewed in the next couple of months for the “Collecting Recollections” series are Ward Hall, the so-called King of the Sideshow, and Victoria Christiani Rossi, a member of the long-time prestigious Christiani circus family. Bello Nock has been there too. I feel like I’m in great company.

Tickets to the event are only $5, and the public is welcome (and encouraged) to attend the interview in the beautiful Historic Asolo Theater. You can buy tickets online at http://www.ringling.org/events/collecting-recollections-paul-binder. If you can, please buy a ticket to the event in advance and let me know that you are coming so that I can be on the lookout for you. And if you want to buy a copy of my book “Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion,” I’ll be there with extra copies and a pen at the reception afterwards.

New Year’s Eve 2014-15

Jan 022015

Shelley and I rang in the new year under the Big Top at the Big Apple Circus’s annual New Year’s Eve Celebration. On New Year’s Eve, the circus starts later than usual so that the performance ends fifteen minutes before midnight. And as the clock counts down, champagne cups are filled (the little ones get apple juice) and the entire audience counts down with it.

… 3 … 2 … 1 …

Happy New Year!!!

The band plays “Auld Lang Syne” and then continues playing for another hour, and the audience is invited into the ring to meet the performers.

It’s a wonderful celebration year after year: of the new year, of the Big Apple Circus nearing the end of its run at Lincoln Center (Jan. 11 is the last day), and of the circus arts.

And this year’s show is itself a celebration. Metamorphosis has received some truly great reviews, and the performers and creative team deserve all the accolades they’ve been getting. I’ve seen the show many times, both before and after it’s official opening, and I hope you have a chance to see it for yourself. It’s surely the best show in years.

NYE

Collecting Recollections

Dec 242014

Historic Asolo Theater, photo courtesy of The Ringling

I’m honored to be coming to Sarasota. I’ll take in a performance of Circus Sarasota. Then on Tuesday, February 10, I will be interviewed onstage at the beautiful, Historic Asolo Theater at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art as part of the Collecting Recollections series.

Collecting Recollections is a series of informal interview sessions featuring “fascinating people with fascinating stories to tell.” Isn’t that nice? Someone thinks I’m fascinating.

Chick Austin as the magician The Great Osram in 1944,
photo courtesy of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Joking aside, I’m very pleased to share stories about my life, the circus, and Sarasota. And I’m especially thrilled to be able to do so in the Asolo Theater, which has quite a history of its own. Built in 1798 in Asolo, Italy, and then reconstructed in 1857, the court theater attracted many touring European actors. Sadly, the theater was dismantled in 1930 and effectively placed into storage for two decades until A. Everett “Chick” Austin, the Ringling Museum’s first director, purchased the theater’s interior. The new site of the Asolo Theater opened its doors at the Ringling Museum for the first time in 1958 and was later restored again for a second opening in 2006. Although Sarasota Symphony, Opera, Ballet and the Asolo Rep have found other homes, the Asolo Theater continues to serve Austin’s vision:

“The museum is the place to integrate the arts and bring them alive.”

Tickets for the event are already available online. The event is open to the public and is free with an admission ticket to the museum. Otherwise, the entry cost is only $5. I’ll have extra copies of my book Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion (and Other Uncommon Tales from the Founder of the Big Apple Circus) with me, and I’d be happy to talk to people after the show and sign copies of the book. Of course, I’m always happy to sign a copy of the book if you purchase a copy through my website.

Lotos Got Talent

Dec 022014

I have deep gratitude for being an honorary member of the Lotos Club, New York City’s wonderful private club dedicated to literature and the arts. As you all know, I’m a great believer in the deep value of arts and culture, and as you also know, I love to sing, although mostly in the shower.

Last Monday night was the sixth annual “Lotos Got Talent” event at the Lotos Club where club members get to perform for fellow members and their guests. This year’s performance featured eight singing acts, a trombone medley, a comedic sketch, a classical piano performance, and a few readings of humorous poetry and quotations.

The audience came to enjoy the evening. It was a full house, and they were clapping along right from the beginning.

This was my first time performing at the event, and I was very pleased to do it. Gloria Shafer, the creator and producer of the event, had urged me to participate a few months ago.

Vivian Blaine, the original Miss Adelaide in the Broadway, London, and film productions of Guys and Dolls

I performed two songs, both written by legendary composer and lyricist Frank Loesser. The first was “Adelaide’s Lament.” Now, Adelaide is a character, a showgirl, in the great 1950’s musical Guys and Dolls. I was encouraged to do the song by Gail Van Voorhis, our wonderful Lotos Club leader of the Theatre Round Table.

There were a few moments during the rehearsal process where I wasn’t sure people were going to laugh and go along with me singing as Adelaide. But (whew!) the audience at the performance was definitely encouraging and I had a ball doing it.

My second song was my personal homage to the great Danny Kaye. The song was “The Ugly Duckling” from the musical film Hans Christian Andersen. If you saw it, you might remember:

There once was an ugly duckling
With feathers all stubby and brown
And the other birds in so many words said …
“Get out of town.”

Danny Kaye telling the story of “The Ugly Duckling” in the film Hans Christian Andersen

But of course the other birds didn’t just tell him to get out of town––they quacked at him. And I wasn’t just going to quack all by myself throughout the song. So, I asked for audience participation. And participate they did. You gotta picture this: a room filled with fully grown men and women, dressed to the nines, all quacking along. It was great fun!

As Mark Twain, an early member of the Lotos Club, said, “He who laughs, lasts.”

The wonderful cast of “Lotos Got Talent.” From left to right … Back row: Dennis Buck, Paul F. Jock, Donald O. Quest, Meg Brogan, D. Bruce Rabbino, Martha Cohen Stine, and Paul Binder. Front row: Olivia Casriel, Jill J. Witten, Gloria Shafer, Jane Hart, Anne Russell, and Carol Robinson.

The Very First Circus of the Senses

Oct 072014

While writing the blog about my most recent stint with Circus of the Senses, I was reminded of the very first Circus of the Senses in 1988. I was one of three commentators at that very first event alongside two men whom I greatly respected and admired: Marty Glickman and Dave Jennings.

Marty had been one of my boyhood heroes. If his name sounds familiar but it’s difficult to place … Marty was a professional athlete as a young man, born and raised in the Bronx. At the 1936 Olympics he was scheduled to run in the 4 x 100m relay for the United States. However, the day before the race, he was swapped out. Why? Well, Hitler’s Berlin in 1936 was not the most encouraging place for a young Jewish man to succeed. Later in life, Marty went on to be a radio announcer/commentator for several New York sports teams. He was the first television announcer for the NBA and one of the first announcers for the (then) New Jersey Nets. He also worked with the New York Knicks and the New York Giants for over twenty years, as well as on some New York Rangers broadcasting. If any of you can remember back that far, Marty was the man who came up with the slogan “New York Football Giants.”

The other commentator was Dave Jennings. Dave was a football punter who played for the “New York Football Giants” and the New York Jets. After his career with the NFL as a punter, he worked as a radio commentator for both the Giants and Jets games from the booth and in the locker room, covering player interviews both pre and post game.

The commentators at the first Circus of the Senses. This picture is from a plaque that reads: THANK YOU FOR MAKING "CIRCUS OF THE SENSES" A TRULY MEMORABLE EVENT FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT WCBS NEWS 88 NOVEMBER 18, 1988

The commentators at the first Circus of the Senses. This picture is from a plaque that reads:
PAUL BINDER
THANK YOU FOR MAKING
“CIRCUS OF THE SENSES”
A TRULY MEMORABLE EVENT
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT WCBS NEWS 88
NOVEMBER 18, 1988

The photograph above is the only one I know about from the first Circus of the Senses. In the back row from right to left are Marty, me, Dave, and Mr. Gordoon (Jeff Gordon). The three boys in front were visually impaired and are listening to our commentary through their personal hearing devices.

All of this to say that my fellow announcers knew their stuff. In fact, Marty was such a great radio announcer, that comedians often joked that he could describe things that weren’t happening. Marty could fix any improper call with a “lateral”: “He’s tackled on the five yard line. Wait, wait … it’s a lateral, and it’s a touchdown!”

Now, can you imagine how excited I was for the very first Circus of the Senses as I stood between Marty and Dave? Me, a Brooklynite, sandwiched between two iconic New York sports celebrities. I was thrilled.

My longtime performance partner Michael Christensen joined me as commentator during the third year of Circus of the Senses, and since that time, the two of us have done many events together.

Circus of the Senses, Dulles 2014

Oct 032014

This past week, I was delighted to be able to participate in the latest Big Apple Circus presentation of Circus of the Senses in Dulles, Virginia. Circus of the Senses is always a positive experience, and it truly demonstrates the power and joy that the circus can provide its audiences.

Jenny Vidbel’s animals were a favorite during the Touch Session for the sight-impaired kids after the show

During Circus of the Senses, the Big Apple Circus performs a slightly abridged version of its full productions. But in order to assist the children with various disabilities, the program offers accommodations to the audience members. There are sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired. And for the visually impaired, there are typically two commentators situated in the back row of the big top who describe the circus acts in vivid detail into microphones whose audio is transmitted to personal listening devices. That’s where I came in.

(I have a whole other story to tell you about my first two narration partners for Circus of the Senses… but that’s to come next time.*)

Here are the trampoline acrobats, the Aniskin Troupe, performing a different act, flying trapeze, from the Big Apple Circus “Metamorphosis”

I was commentator to the wonderful descriptions of Bill Boots. Bill is a clown in the Washington and Baltimore Clown Care Units, serving both the Children’s National Medical Center and Johns Hopkins. Of course, he wasn’t in his clown costume for Circus of the Senses. He is a great describer of the acts and a generally big-hearted fellow. To say the least, he makes it easy for me to comment on the acts. He describes so well that I only need a few words to add some humor and liveliness to the description experience. Take for example …

During the trampoline act, Bill described in detail the various flips and tricks that the acrobats were performing. He needed absolutely nothing from me. Remember, the purpose of the commentary is to enable visually impaired audience members to experience the circus acts. Descriptions are important for this audience because their image of the act must be created entirely by words, along with the musical accompaniment of course. But that doesn’t mean that a simple play-by-play of the action as it’s taking place will be sufficient enough to communicate the entire circus-going experience. So, as Bill was creating the visual picture, I was able to add colorful commentary. For the trampoline act, I chimed in a very soft “boing” alongside Bill’s description of the act every time the acrobats would hit the trampoline and fly back up into the air. Bill actually started giggling during his description. Humor and lightheartedness in the commentary helps create a better sense of the circus experience. It’s great fun working with Bill. He was so good that I got to enjoy watching the acts while being a silly version of my usual self.

And I received positive feedback after the performance as well. One of the funders from a foundation came up to me and asked, “Are you the one doing the ‘boing’? That was fantastic.” And that’s what the Circus of the Senses is about—creating a positive performance experience.

The circus is for everyone.

Well, the Big Apple Circus is finishing up in Dulles, VA this weekend, and then the big top is making its trek to its home at Lincoln Center.

*Footnote: My performance partner Michael Christensen joined me in the third year.

Africa Trip #6: Zip Zap Circus and School

Sep 022014

I’ve been so excited to show you photographs from our safaris in Zambia, that I haven’t written much about our days spent prior to that in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town is surely one of the most beautiful cities that I’ve ever seen, and it was an extraordinary visit.

When Shelley was invited to teach for three days at the University of Cape Town, I thought I could take advantage of the opportunity and plan my own trip to visit the Zip Zap Circus and School, to which I had been repeatedly invited in years past.

Under Artistic Director Brent Van Rensburg, Zip Zap trains a diverse community of kids in the Circus Arts in order to provide them with future employment opportunities and to help develop the next generation’s confidence and leadership skills. The Circus School has been in operation for over twenty years, co-founded by Brent and Managing Director Laurence Estève “to inspire young people and help build a new culture of peaceful coexistence in South Africa.”

Part of my visit was spent presenting to the students, followed by a very lively and inquisitive question and answer period. It’s always a thrill to speak to the next generation of circus artists, especially when my next encounter with these young performers could be anywhere in the world.

I had a great time at the Circus School, as no doubt you can tell from the photograph below:

For my next and last blog about the Africa trip, I’ll share a brief recap and some photographs from the rest of our time in Cape Town.

L’École Nationale de Cirque, Montreal

Jun 022014

L'Ecole Nationale - L'abri

On my brief trip to Montreal this past weekend, I was thrilled to be invited to attend two performances by the National Circus School in Montreal (L’École Nationale de Cirque). These were presented at TOHU, the wonderful permanent circus performance space.

The National Circus School is the largest school in the Americas devoted to circus arts training It offers an enormous variety of programs to prepare students for professional careers including college-level certification.

These were two showcases that exhibited the excellent world class training and discipline imparted by this school, its teachers and staff. In addition, the young artists are extraordinarily well conditioned. The ensemble work is excellent. L’École Nationale de Cirque is to my mind, the finest circus school in the world currently.

The shows that I saw last week were part of an annual showcase that the School produces for graduating students. Each is featured in an act of their own that is a product of the three year schooling and training, tied together in a performance created by a professional team of directors, designers and choreographers.

The two shows were titled L’abri (Shelter) and La Matrice de Morphée (Morpheus’ Matrix). The former L’abri was created around ideas of transition and transience, in-between spaces, and the show’s creator and director Gioconda Barbuto wanted to highlight “the passionate energy of youth.” The second show, La Matrice de Morphée, created by director Michael Watts, was “a journey punctuated with humor and flashes of great energy” that played on ideas of modern life and social reality. Both shows were simple and excellent circus shows, but the real drive and entertainment behind each show came from the student performers. There was some extraordinary talent.

The shows run through next weekend, and if you’re in Montreal don’t miss them. Watching these young people perform, I feel the future of the circus arts is in good hands.

L'Ecole Nationale - La Matrice de Morphee

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