What Happened in May

Performers Workshop: Character Building and Performance Skills with Kelly Ballagh

Kelly Ballagh teaches during the May ‘26 meeting.

DFW Clowns “R” Us recently welcomed Kelly Ballagh for an engaging “Performers Workshop” focused on creating memorable characters and improving performance skills.

Kelly emphasized that clowning is much more than makeup and a red nose. Through examples from his many characters—including circus clown, hospital clown, Grinch, Beetlejuice, cowboy, and mad scientist—he demonstrated how personality, movement, costume pieces, and voice all work together to create a believable character.

One of the highlights of the workshop was an improvisation exercise in which participants transformed ordinary objects into unexpected props. The activity reinforced the idea that creativity and flexibility are essential performance skills. As Kelly reminded us, in improv, nothing has “gone wrong” if you’re willing to say “Yes, and…”

Drawing from Commedia dell’Arte and classic comedy teams like Laurel and Hardy, Kelly showed how posture, movement, and physicality can instantly define a character. He also stressed the importance of developing the character first and then finding a voice that naturally fits.

The workshop included practical tips on makeup, costume accessories, sound equipment, and character development. Throughout the evening, Kelly encouraged performers to keep experimenting, refining, and strengthening their characters over time.

The biggest takeaway of the night was simple: “Great characters are built from the inside out. Makeup and costumes may help tell the story, but it is the character’s personality, movement, and presence that truly bring them to life.”

2026 Board of Directors

President: Tricia Gregory
Vice President: William Beaty
Secretary: Sterling Beard
Treasurer: Debbie Davis
Sergeant at Arms: Willie Thomas
Past President: Cinde Sanders
Board Members Margaret Clauder, Bonita Riley, Martha Warren

President Tricia “Jolly” / “Hanky” Gregory

A Word from Our Clown in Chief

We had a little rain in the month of May, and June is already heating up! Summer 2026 has begun!! Many of us will be performing shows, twisting balloons, face painting, and doing fun walk-arounds. Let’s not forget we live in Texas, and it gets HOT during the summertime! At times we may have a gig that’s indoors, and that’s a blessing! But we need to remember what we should be ready for when our events are outdoors.

Essential for Any Summer Event:

Have event details: address, be there 30 minutes before starting time, know parking or entry information, and contact person information
Charged phone on silent
Water, Gatorade, extra drinks in coolers with ice or frozen packs to keep drinks cool
Sunscreen, hats, bug spray, and staying in the shade is a must!
Fans, misting bottles, or cooling towels
If at night, battery lights
Basic first-aid supplies, medications, and personal items
Check the weather and heat advisories before the event
Encourage people to drink water regularly
Watch for signs of heat exhaustion such as dizziness, headache, nausea, or heavy sweating

Other than the summer working list, we ALL need to remember to NEVER leave children nor pets in a parked car!!

Have a GREAT summer!! See ya on Monday!

President Tricia “Jolly” / “Hanky” Gregory

Y’s of Competition

By Susan “Dubble Bubble” Keys

Why should I compete at the TCA Clown Convention in 2026? It is not just about winning a medal; it’s one of the fastest ways to grow as a performer and build confidence in your clown.

Competition forces you to tighten your act. You stop guessing what works and see what gets the laughs, what is clear or not, and your timing. Stepping into the spotlight with a red nose and oversized shoes is more than just honking a horn—it is a rigorous test of creativity, technical skill, and emotional intelligence. Whether you are a “First-of-May” or a seasoned “Joey,” clown competitions offer a unique platform to sharpen your craft.

Competitions are social glue. You bond with other clowns and build relationships that last for years to come.

Compete if you want to grow, be seen, and sharpen your act under pressure.

Why should I enter any competition? I am so nervous and scared to be up on stage in front of my peers! What if I fall on my clown nose while tripping over my big shoes? Here are a few reasons:

Mastery of the “Face” — In the world of clowning, your face is your brand. Competitions push you to move beyond basic greasepaint to true artistry.
- Precision Under Pressure: Judges look for clean lines, symmetry, and how the design complements your natural expressions.
- Adhering to Tradition: Whether you are a Classic Whiteface, an Auguste, or a Tramp/Hobo, competitions require you to respect the historical “blueprints” of these archetypes while adding your personal flair.
The Skit Competition and Paradeability — A skit isn’t just a series of jokes; it’s a narrative arc. Competitive clowning forces you to master the “Rule of Three” and the art of the “blow-off” (the punchline or finale).
- Pacing and Timing: You learn exactly when to pause for a laugh and when to drive the action forward.
- Prop Management: Using “slapsticks” or trick props require choreography. Competitions ensure your physical comedy is safe, intentional, and high impact.
- Character Consistency: Can you stay in character even when a gag goes wrong? Judges watch for your ability to “save” a moment without breaking the Fourth Wall.
Engineering Joy (Balloons) and Painting Faces — Balloon twisting in a competition isn’t about making a simple dog; it’s about latex engineering. Face painting is about creating fun and seeing those wow smiles on the face you just changed into something amazing, scary, or beautiful.
- Innovation: You are pushed to move beyond single-balloon animals into “multi-balloon” sculptures and weaving techniques.
- Speed and Efficiency: Many competitions include “timed” events, teaching you how to create impressive art quickly—a vital skill for professional birthday parties or festivals.
The Costume as a Tool — A clown’s wardrobe is their most important prop. In a competition, your costume is judged on more than just “looking funny.”
- Durability and Function: You’ll learn how to build costumes that allow for high mobility (falls, rolls, and jumps) while hiding “loads” for magic tricks or pockets for props.
- Color Theory: You gain an eye for what colors pop on stage versus what looks muddy, helping you create a visual identity that is instantly recognizable.

The Professional “Why” — Beyond the trophies, the real value of these competitions lies in the critique. “A clown who never performs for their peers never learns where their ‘blind spots’ are. Feedback from master clowns is the fastest way to turn a hobby into a professional career.”

Networking: You’ll meet agents, circus scouts, and fellow performers who can lead to bookings.
Confidence: If you can make a panel of stone-faced judges laugh, a crowd of children at a fair will be easy.

This year will be full of competitions as we are now every other year. We will only proceed with each category if there are 5 clowns competing. So, get your props, make-up, balloons, costumes, and parade bits ready to go. The countdown is on!

Clowning Has Always Been the Basis of My Entertaining Career

By Margaret “Maggie” Clauder

I started clowning back in 1984. At that time, I was self-taught. I can honestly say I was a “Halloween Clown” with a borrowed costume and Halloween makeup. I looked horrible, but I didn’t know any better at the time.

I began playing with magic a couple years before after visiting a magic shop in Orlando, Florida. I bought 2 magic tricks, practiced them, and began performing those 2 tricks for friends and associates. I was having a ball! My sister encouraged me to “put on a clown costume” and perform my magic on the street in the famous West End of Dallas. At that time the West End was THE SPOT to party in Dallas. Well, I didn’t have the nerve to do that, but I DID have the nerve to perform at my church’s Fall Festival.

To prepare, I went to several local magic shops—Magic Etc. in Fort Worth, Magic Dragon in Irving, Queen of Hearts in Plano, and Magic Mania in Dallas (owned by Dal and Cinde Sanders)—and bought a few more tricks. By then, I had a good 30-45 minutes of magic for a show. Whenever you buy a trick, you learn the secret and I was good about practicing. I had the mechanics down for all these tricks. What I didn’t have down was performance art. I had taken speech and drama in high school which gave me a little bit of a background, but I still was really green and needed a LOT of mentoring.

For the 2nd year of our church Fall Festival, a friend said she would loan me a clown costume she had made for herself. It was a jumpsuit costume. It was cute, but not anything like the beautiful costumes we see today. I borrowed the costume and performed my magic show for the church fall festival dressed as a clown. My makeup came from a Halloween makeup kit, I designed my own face, and wore an ugly rainbow wig. My show was a complete flop. Why? Because I was a magician in a clown costume—not a REAL clown. I had the mechanics down but not the comedy.

I came across a clown class taught at UTA in Arlington. At that time, it was taught by Uncle Will and Van Chauvin, two area clowns in Alley 85 that met in Irving at the Irving Arts Center. I took the class. It really opened my eyes. Van and Uncle Will were good teachers. Two other clowns, Rhetta Roberts “Princess Pollywatt” and Suzi Wolf, were guest teachers.

I later found a clown class in Irving that I took. The teacher was Podunk the Clown and unfortunately, I can only remember his first name, Clint. He was a funny guy and we became good friends at the time and performed together on several occasions. I started performing for kids’ birthday parties on weekends. I had another costume made, which was again a 1-piece jumper. I bought a red curly wig. My makeup was still something to be desired though.

I found out about the TCA clown convention and how to attend Mid Cities Alley 85. I began to attend the meetings. I learned so much at every meeting. I was having so much fun! I’ll never forget meeting Jackie “Lollibells” Garner at Alley 85. She won my heart over with her little girl voice and her silliness.

In 1989 I had my 2nd child. I was working a full-time corporate job and continued doing birthday parties on the weekends. Then in 1991 my oldest child was lost by his daycare center, and we found him down the road in a shopping center parking lot. I decided to quit corporate America and become a stay-at-home mother. I needed to continue to make some money, so the weekend birthday party business became more important to me to help make ends meet.

I became a regular at the TCA conventions with the 1991 convention being my first. It was in Ft. Worth and there were about 250 attendees. At that time the competitions were HUGE. I competed in makeup and costume and the balloon twisting competitions, placing in both.

What I was learning from the alley meetings and the conventions molded my performing. I kept practicing and honing my shows. Little by little I got better. Today, 32 years later, I perform mainly for schools, libraries, and daycare centers as an original costumed character. I still clown a little but I mainly do educational school shows. Since 2006 I’ve been able to make what I call “a decent living” as a performer. I have clowning to thank for where I am today. It all began for me there—one alley meeting at a time, one convention at a time. Performing became my passion, my livelihood, and my purpose in life.

I have many, many clowns to thank for where I am today. I have several of their pictures framed in my home which include Jackie “Lollibells” Garner, Leon “Buttons” McBryde, Chagy, David Bartlett, “Mr. Rainbow,” and friends from a group called “The Red Nose Round Table.” But many, many more have had an impact on my performing over the years.

Today I’m sort of a jack of all trades. I still do magic but it’s always comedy magic. I’ve added puppets, ventriloquism, and storytelling throughout the years. I’ve also worked as a balloon artist and a face painter. Clowning though was my beginning, and I have clowning to thank for where I am today.

I turned 70 this year. Many people have asked if I am “retiring.” Why? When your work is fun and you love what you do, why quit? I do plan on “slowing down” a little and enjoying my golden years more. I also hope to be able to better give back to the art form that made me who I am.

Program for June

Expect a night of fun with the instructors of FLOP as we explore the fundamentals of European style clowning through various performance-based activities. Please wear clothing that is comfortable to move in and leave your fear of failure at the door. At FLOP we embrace failure as a means to grow and learn.

2026 TCA Convention Schedule

August 12-16, 2026ToyBox...Out of the Box Fun! Hosted by DFW Clowns “R” Us

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

2:00–4:00pm — TCA Board meeting
6:30–9:00pm — Pre-convention workshops (your choice): Master Balloon workshop with Ray Walsh or Master Face Painting workshop with Amanda Clark (free for convention registrants, $50 for non-registered participants)

Thursday, August 13, 2026

9:00–9:30am — First Timers’ orientation
9:30–10:30am — Workshops (your choice): Skit Development with Danny “Lanky” Kollaja or Putting a Show Together with Brenda Marshall
10:45–11:45am — Workshops (your choice): Skit Development with Danny “Lanky” Kollaja (repeated) or How to Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) Efficiently with Derrel Allen
12:00–1:30pm — Lunch break
1:30–3:00pm — Makeup Enhancement with “Lanky”
2:00pm — Balloon competition (single)
2:30pm — Balloon competition (multiple)
3:00–4:00pm — Workshop: Yoyos with Nicole Hodges
3:30pm — Face paint cheek art competition
4:00pm — Face paint full face competition
4:30–5:00pm — General meeting warmup – hands-on bells session with Margaret Clauder
5:00–7:00pm — General meeting
7:00–8:30pm — Dinner break
8:30–10:00pm — TCA Board Dessert Social and Toybox...Out of the Box Fun! Theme party and Costume contest

Friday, August 14, 2026

8:30–9:00am — Warmup workshop with Brittany Allen
9:00–10:00am — Workshops (your choice): Face painting class with Bernadette or Starting a Clown School in your Alley with The Lesters
10:15–11:15am — Workshops (your choice): Balloon Workshop with Ray Walsh or Puppets with Matty Spraggins
11:30am–1:30pm — Lunch workshop with Alberto Lira Rotto and Friends – Spanish/English
1:30–2:30pm — Workshops (your choice): Holiday themed show with Margaret Clauder or Juggling with the Winieckis
2:45–3:45pm — Workshops (your choice): Bubbles with Michelle Moerbe or Paper Plate Hats with “Lanky” (craft project)
6:00pm — Make-up/costume competition
7:00pm — Performance competition
8:00pm — Skit Competition
9:00pm — JAMS – balloons, face painting, Ukulele

Saturday, August 15, 2026

8:30–9:00am — Warmup workshop with Brittany Allen
10:00am — Group photo – Foyer
10:30am–12:30pm — Paradeability
12:30–2:00pm — Lunch break
2:00–4:00pm — Toybox Swap and Shop
4:15–5:15pm — Workshops (your choice): Happy Birthday show with Maggie the Clown or Magic Ministry Workshop
6:30pm — Social Hour
7:00pm — Awards Banquet

Sunday, August 16, 2026

9:00–10:00am — Sunday Worship Service
10:00–11:30am — Closing Breakfast

Register early at www.texasclownassociation.com

Keep up with Clowns “R” Us at www.dfwclownsrus.com

Clown Chronicles: June ‘26