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Joey Ventura,
the altered ego of variety artist and actor, Craig
Sjogerman, will spice up your event with his custommade
comedy, eccentric vaudeville skills, and unique audience
participation, all while celebrating creativity and
service. |
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The Prep:
Craig will
speak at length with members of your school or
organization about leaders, organization history,
etc. to develop a conceit that he once attended your
school, or was a part of your organization. |
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The Show:
As he juggles and brings
audience members up to experience "Ventura-obics"
Joey will integrate stories and anecdotes about
favorite and well-known staff members. |
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The message
of the presentation is twofold: (1) "Follow your passion." We are all creative, interesting, and
interested humans. We not only have the ability to create, we
have the need to express ourselves. People who find a creative
outlet and get involved with the world are less likely to engage
in destructive activities. This leads to the second part of this
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"Service to others." Through engagement with the world,
through making a difference, we can find our truest selves.
Joey relates stories about his work in hospitals,
rehabilitation centers, and senior centers. The stories are
filled with humor and inspiration.
The Fun: Although Joey is an exaggerated character
with an attitude, his message is clear. It is told through
laughs and stories, not through sermons or pontification.
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Hospital Clowning/
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Vaudeville For Seniors
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Hospital Clowning: Since
1999, Craig has donned a doctor's coat under the auspices of
New York's famed Big Apple Circus. The
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Big Apple Circus Clown Care (sm)
program entertains and and inspires young people and their
families in hospitals throughout the country. Craig, aka Dr.
Gesundheit, makes regular rounds, going room to room at
Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago and LaRabida Children's Hospital. Since February of 2005, he has
been the Supervising Clown at LaRabida. He has had extensive
training in hygiene and hospital protocol. His partners are
some of the best performers in Chicago and include actors
from 500 Clown, The House Theater, and Barrel of Monkeys.
Clown Care (sm) is a vital part of the Child Life programs
in their hospitals.
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Work with Seniors:
Craig has many years of experience performing for
senior citizens at nursing homes and independent
living centers, performing vaudeville schtick, old and
new songs, and comic improvisations. He has also been
a leader in developing a new project for the Big Apple
Circus, the Vaudeville Caravan. This exciting program
takes the room-to-room format of clown care, and
adapts it for senior programs.
Writing:
Playwriting:
Craig has written over 16 scripts that have been
professionally produced. His plays for young audiences
include productions about environmental issues for
Gaia Theater, and other work |
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Imagination Theater, Make-A-Circus, and Whirlwind Theater.
His musical, The Wanderers, won the San Francisco Bay
Guardian's Award for Best Children's Theater Production in
1995. Craig's plays for adults feature dark humor,
comments on popular culture, and explore both personal and
political issues. Opie Taylor Must Die won the New
American Plays Competition at Humboldt State University.
Suburban Viking -a play about Craig's upbringing and how
Vikings turned into Lutherans- was performed at the
Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco, at the New
Vaudeville Festival, and at the Chicago Director's |
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Festival at the Bailiwick Theater in
Chicago. Curtains -a comedy about dying- received
productions at The Intersection, the Company-In-Flight
Theater in San Francisco, and at the Sheppard Theater
Complex in Los Angeles.
Please contact Craig for
samples of his scripts:
info@drgesundheit.com.
Business/Commercial Writing: Craig can also create a custom-made
presentation for your business, not-for-profit, private
party, or community event. Combining his writing skills
with his physical and verbal comedy, Craig can help you
create a memorable and unique way to spread the word
about your organization or product. Past clients
include: Borland International, Photo Show
International, Murder Mystery, Inc., Sun Microsystems,
IBM, and School District in Skokie, IL. |
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Creative
Nonfiction/Memoir: Harnessing a near-eidetic
memory of things that happened a long time ago, Craig
has begun to write strange and fascinating stories
about his past. Studying with S.L. Wisenberg at the
Chicago Poetry Center has helped him develop these
nonfiction writing skills. Please email Craig for
samples of his stories (info@drgesundheit.com).
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Strolling:
In addition to his stage shows, Dr. Gesundheit
can spice up your parade, trade show, street
fair, or party as a walk-around performer.
Whether you want a bowling ball-tossing,
firejuggling skill act or a European style
clown, Craig is happy to bring one of his
personas to your event. He has strolled at
such venues as: Andersonville Street Fair;
Navy Pier; MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas;
Photoshow International; Comdex; Pier 39, San
Francisco; US Cellular Field, and Chicago
Bulls' games.
Cool Links:
To apply for an ArtsTour grant click: |
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