Jester of the Peace
Reverend Barbara Ann Michaels
AUDIENCE-INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES,
PERFORMANCE & INSTALLATION
Rev. Barbara Ann Michaels, Jester of the Peace, works at the nexus of love, art, and comedy. She creates participatory performances, installations, and virtual experiences for you to self-express, connect in sudden truth, and transform. (Herself included, with auto-biographical shows and writing.) Enjoy awakening takes on shared culture, e.g. voting, phones, olympics, holidays, dinner, weddings, and spiritual services. She leads a global non-religious congregation, House of Holy Humor, leveraging the Humor Arts for Humanitarian Aims. (HAHA).
She is a graduate of Brown University (BA), Massachusetts College of Art (MFA), One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, and the Cornell University Certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship, and attended the Salt Center for Documentary Field Studies.
She has studied physical theater with master teachers around the world including: Avner The Eccentric & Julie Goell, Actor Basuri & SpyMonkey, The New York Goofs, Daniel Stein & D'ell Arte, Lume Teatro, Tony Montanaro, Ruth Zaporah, Deborah Kaufmann, Hilary Chaplain, and more.
ORIGINAL WORK
2024
Circus of the Heart | The Church | Sag Harbor, NY
#IVote4U | Chashama Gala | New York, NY
Friend-Working | Industrious Co-Working | New York, NY
Clown Curious | Bay Street Theater | Sag Harbor, NY
I Vote 4U | LightHouse RBNY | Rockaway Beach, NY
Love Letter Lounge | LightHouse RBNY | Rockaway Beach, NY
HumorVille |Arlington Porchfest | Arlington, MA
And Now Woman | Season 5 | Living Room Tour in NYC
Spring Clean Your Heart @ Love Letter Lounge | Online
2023
House of Holy Humor | Chashama @ Port Authority Bus Terminal |NY, NY
Dot Dash | National Council of Jewish Women NY | NY, NY
It's Funny Now| Lahore Leads Univ. Experimental Psychology | Pakistan
It's Funny Now | Let the Girl Be | Uganda
2022
Love Letter Lounge| Marketplace of the Future w/ Lena Cole | New York, NY
Sculpture Talk Back | Susan Eley Fine Art | Hudson, NY
House of Holy Humor First Service | YouTube
2021
Clown Curious | The Hive at Claremont College | Los Angeles, CA
#IDanceLikeU | 15th Annual Dance Parade (online) | New York, NY
Love Letter Lounge | Global Play Brigade | Global Zoom
Love Letter Lounge Mother's Day | Global Play Brigade | Global Zoom
2020
The Power of Love; Action = Love | Art 2♥ | New York, NY
#IDanceLikeU | 14th Annual Dance Parade (online) | New York, NY
#IVote4U | Tea Salon with Kiana Love (online) | New York, NY
Marry Your Self | Resilience #4 with Karla Rasmusson (online) | NY
Juggling as Meditation | Relax With Adam | New York, NY
I Have a Vision | Community-Based Workshop | New York, NY
Clown Curious | The Hive at Claremont College | CA
2019
Juggling as Meditation | Newark Museum | Newark, NJ
Happy Habits | Newark Museum | Newark, NJ
Clown Curious | The Hive at Claremont College | Los Angeles, CA
Holy Humor | One Spirit Interfaith Seminary | NY
Black Tie White Lie | with Tom Morley | London & New York
AND NOW:HUMAN Season 1 | USA Living Room Tour
AND NOW:WOMAN Season 5 | USA Living Room Tour
Love Letter Lounge | The Assemblage NOMAD | New York, NY
Love Letter Lounge | Thankful.org Girls | New York, NY
Lickers & Watchers | Parade of Love | New York, NY
Love Letter Lounge | The Love Economy Love Fest | New York, NY
Immigration BFF | Human Rights Arts Festival |Immigration | NYC
Jester Of The Peace | Love Immersive | Moontribe | NYC
Do The River | Riverdale Riverfest | Riverdale, NY
2018
AND NOW:WOMAN Season 4 | USA Living Room Tour
New York City, Philadelphia, Newark, NJ, Washington, DC
Seven Senses Stroll | AirBnB Experiences | New York, NY
Love Letter Lounge | Settepani & Spaces NYC | New York, NY
First Church of Comedy | Connection Camp | Summit New Jersey
9 Million I Love You's | HeyTide Sunrise | Secret City | New York, NYThe Head of the Matter | Human Rights Arts Festival |Mental Health 2 | NYC
Stranger In a Normal Land | Human Rights Arts Festival | New York, NY
Great Fullness | ABC Carpet & Home Thanksgiving | New York, NY
11 Kevins | Failsafe Festival Share | New York, NY
Get Close | Music On The Inside Fundraiser | New York, NY
Measuring Love | Riverdale Riverfest | Riverdale, NY
Eat Your Art Out | Heartist Collective |GaleriaZero pop-up | New York, NYHidden
2017
Books & Music | Failsafe Festival | New York, NY
#IVote4U | USA Street Tour funded by Participatory Safety, Inc.
New York City, Miami, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago
AND NOW:WOMAN Season 3 | USA Living Room Tour
New York City, Miami, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, Austin
Comfort Able | Glasshouse ArtLifeLab, NeoDomesticities Performance Art Festival | New York, NY
Clown Curious | AirBnB Experiences | New York, NY
Books & Music | Movement Research at Judson Church | New York, NY
#IDanceLikeU | Dance Parade | New York, NY
#IDanceLikeU | Coney Island Mermaid Parade | New York, NY
#IDanceLikeU | Riverdale Riverfest | Riverdale, NY
#IDanceLikeU | Gratitude Migration | Keansburg, NJ
#IVote4U | Salsa for Sanar Fundraiser | New York, NY
Love Letter Lounge | Blindfold Contact Improvisation Jam | Greenfield, MA
Dot the Director | Circus Minius | Bradenton, FL
2016
WEquinox on the Equinox| Unarthodox | NY
Love Letter Lounge | The Cell Theater | NY
#IVOTE4U | Streets of NYC | NY
AND NOW:WOMAN Season 2 | Living Rooms in New York City | NY
Calling In | GaleriaZero | NauART + Open Night | Barcelona, Spain
Knock, Knock, Who's Here | C. Maidique Gallery | Yonkers Art Week | NY
Play In A Day | Director | Barcelona Improv Group | Barcelona, Spain
Jester of the Peace | Faces & Names Gesamtkunstwerk | Cell Theater | NY
How I Met You: Love Stories | I Have A Crazy Idea | Three Trees | NY
2015
Love Letter Lounge | chashama 217 | NY
AND NOW:WOMAN Season 1 | Living Rooms | NY
Now Boarding at Gate Me | Claudine Maidique Gallery | Miami Project | FL
Jester of the Peace | chashama | 20th Anniversary Gala | NY
Valentine Vow Renewal for 300 Couples | Times Square Alliance | NY
Marry The Beast | The BETES Project | NY
Ripple Affection Street Team | Times Square | NY
2014
Jester of the Peace | Susan Eley Fine Art | NY
Ripple Affection Street Team | Times Square | NY
Jester of the Peace | Manhattan LGBT Pride Parade | NY
2013
Jester of the Peace | Figment Festival | NY
Ripple Affection Street Team | Times Square | NY
Jester of the Peace | Manhattan LGBT Pride March | NY
2012
Jester of the Peace | New York Clown Theater March | NY
Jester of the Peace | Figment Festival | NY
Clown Curious | Central Park | NY
Jester of the Peace | New York LGBT Pride March | NY
2011
Jester of the Peace | chashama | NY
Clown Curious | Central Park | NY
Jester of the Peace | New York LGBT Pride March | NY
2010
Clown Curious | Central Park | NY
Cliff and the Hangers | Rake & Roll | New York Clown Theater Festival | NY
2005-09
Applied Theatrics Interactive | Tradeshows, Festivals, Galas | National US
Discovery Channel Australia
WAAF Radio, Boston
Ball Horticultural
SunBio Systems
Percussion Software
North Shore Spirit Baseball
Burton Associates
Windemere Housing Development
Stagecoach Improv
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Friends of San Francisco Library
Eden Trauma Center
San Francisco Theater Festival
Lullalee Publications
Dance Across the City Day
East Boston Main Streets
New York River to River Festival
First Night Portland
MaineArts Festival
Cambridge River Festival
Lakeville Festival of Arts & Music
Marblehead Festival of the Arts
Town of Hampton, NH
Boston International Festival
Cambridge Art in the Park
ArtsUnion Festival
Celebrate Chelsea Day
Chelsea River Revel
Cohasset Village Holiday
Morse Community School
St. John's Greek Church
2009
Clown Curious | Central Park | NY
2008
The Doormen | San Francisco Fringe Festival | CA
2006
A Clown on Clowns | Nantucket School of Design & The Arts | MA
Only Fooling | Opera House, Arlington Center for the Arts | MA
WAK & BAM | Edinburgh Fringe, ImprovBoston, Feverestival, Brazil, NY Clown Fest
2002-2006
AHAH! A Human Among Humans | Cambridge Community TV | MA
2005
After Onion…Balloon | Somerville Community TV | MA
2003
Prayer to the Cookie God | ImprovBoston | MA
Living Statue/Jacobs story | One Step Beyond | Discovery Channel | Australia
2001
MONA: My Offering Neighborhood Art | “Chronicle” News WCVB-TV | MA
1999
And Now | Massachusetts College of Art | MA
The Art Car Project | First Night Boston | MA
1996
Vorpmi Comedic Improv | Resident Troupe | Elvis Room | Portland, ME
RESIDENCIES
2024
IMPACT HUB NYC | New York, NY
LightHouse RBNY | Station In Residence | Rockaway, NY
Liberty Cat | Catskill, NY
2017
Vital Signs | Plainfield, MA
CONFERENCES
2024
Circus of the Heart | EPIC International Summit | CA
2023
Clown Curious | Epic International Summit | CA
2022
It's Funny Now| She Leads Women's Entrepreneurs | NY
2019
Clown Curious| WE@Brown | Brown University | RI
Clown Curious | Creative Problem Solving Institute | NY
Seven Senses Stroll | Applied Improvisation Network | NY
2018
Heartist Collective | Performing the World | NY
Clown Curious | Creative Problem Solving Institute | NY
2016
Moving.Media Unconference | Brown University | RI
ARTIST TALKS
2024
University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Media Program
2023
It's Funny Now | UU Church of The Palisades | NJ
2022
NYU Masters in Entrepreneurship Program | NY, NY
Clown Curious | Fresh Connections Networking | NY
2020
SUNY Stonybrook Graduate Art Program | NY
2018
Languages of Business | Power Partners Initiative | NY
GRANTS & SPONSORS
2017
Participatory Safety, Inc | #IVOTE4U | New York, NY
1999
First Night Boston | JP Art Car Project | Boston, MA
Centre Street Cafe | JP Art Car Project | Boston MA
Finalist: New England Foundation for the Arts | JP Art Car Project
THEATER & DANCE ROLES
Gravity Rules
Jack the Jester/Einstein/Newton Boston Museum of Science | MA
Jon Lipsky., Dir.
Foodplay National Tour
Coach Tobe
Foodplay Productions | National
Barbara Storper, Dir
Bernier Dance
Intergenerational Dance Ensemble Cindy Bernier, Choreo. | NYC
Dana Salisbury/No See Ums
Blindfolded Dance Ensemble
Dana Salisbury, Choreo. | NYC
Big Apple Circus Clown Care
Dr. BAMM, Clown Doctor
Boston Children’s Hospital | MA
Fighting Laughter Warrior
Iron Jester (silent ninja mime)
The Joe Kramer , Dir. | NYC
Manhattanpotamia IV
Punch, Stupina, Nelson
Hyperion Theatre | NYC
Red Tie Mafia
Improv Company Member
Michael Pauley, Dir. | NYC
Tribal Rhythms Storyteller/Musician/Teaching Artist Cooperative Artists Institute | MA
Behind the Mask Theater
Repertory Lion/Mermaid/Lucia
Young Audiences of Massachusetts,
First Night Boston | MA
Eric Bornstein, Dir.
Ghosts and Gravestones
Primrose the Night Gardener
Old Town Trolley, Boston | MA
Clowns Doktoren
Visiting Hospital Clown
Wiesbaden and Munich, Germany
Mystery Café
Repertory Ophelia/Jayne/Hans
Comedy Theater Productions | MA
Beacon Hill Walking Tour
Victorian Guide
Old Town Trolley, Boston | MA
Haunted Happenings
Commedia D’ell Arte
Peabody Essex Museum | MA
Curve 9
Robot Dancer/Chorus
Spacejunc Productions | Boston | MA
Venus
Sideshow Stilt-Walker
Loeb Experimental Theater
Harvard University | MA