Kyle Barker
“I GOT IT! I GOT IT! I GOT IT!” were the only words Kyle Barker could scream when he received the phone call he’s been waiting for his whole life- an invitation to join the world renowned Ringling Bros.® Clown Alley at The Greatest Show On Earth®. Kyle’s passion towards clowning began at a young age when he was inspired by the legendary Lou Jacobs. “Lou Jacobs was the first clown face picture I had ever seen. I fell in love with the complexities that simple grease paints could create on a face, then to have the human cartoon act funny at any given time for the simple enjoyment of the crowd, for being so simple had to be very complex, which I thought would have to be the world’s toughest job,” explains Kyle.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 2001, Kyle was ready and eager to pursue his lifelong dream and joined a small performance group at a local community college in his hometown of Chicago. After two years with the group, Kyle strived to gain more experience and to hone his skills so he enrolled at Mooseburger Camp, a school dedicated to the art of clowning. After graduating from the school, Kyle began performing at local events and parties; in addition to that he also started his own online prop-shop. In April of 2009, Kyle’s prayers were answered when he heard that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®was auditioning for Clown College® at Madison Square Garden in New York. Anxious but knowing that this was an opportunity of a lifetime, Kyle drove 18 hours straight to audition. “It was the most surreal feeling anyone could have, I was standing where the magic happens,” he exclaimed. After the auditions Kyle returned home with a great sense of accomplishment and said to himself “Good things come, to those who wait,” – and that they did. In November, Kyle debuted in his hometown, performing alongside the people he looked up to. While on the road, Kyle hopes that he can be an inspiration to the next generation of circus stars and to the old adage “Never give up on your dreams!”
Larry Clark Jr. – All Access Pre-show Host/Dean of Clown College
Larry Clark Jr.’s obsession with the circus began at an early age. He started juggling at 8, and as a teenager, he would travel from his hometown of Memphis to cities such as Little Rock and Birmingham to catch that season's edition of The Greatest Show On Earth®. At 15, he saw the 122nd Edition more than two dozen times in six different cities.
As Larry perfected his juggling skills, he began touring the world with various circuses. He has performed in all 50 states and on five continents, as well as before numerous celebrities and heads of state, including former President George W. Bush. His most unusual feat was a performance with Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, where he juggled three running chainsaws and balanced a running lawnmower on his chin.
His extensive television credits include appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Oprah, America's Got Talent and the daytime drama As the World Turns. Larry also has had several movie roles, including in The Firm, which starred Tom Cruise and was filmed in Memphis. In 2009, Larrywill be seen in Nothing But the Truth starring David Schwimmer, Alan Alda and Angela Bassett.
This is Clark’s fourth tour with Ringling Bros.® and he couldn’t be more excited to be touring again with his peers, traveling to new cities every week, and doing what he has always dreamt about - clowning. Clark even named his daughter Addison Bailey Clark, in honor of James A. Bailey, the founder of Bailey Circus
Asked for a snippet of wisdom, Larry quotes Fred Wynn: “Comedy is not opening a funny door, it is opening a door funny!”
Brandon Foster
Growing up in Plano, Texas, Brandon Foster asked his parents to take him to The Greatest Show On Earth® every year so that he could see the clowns. “It took me forever to figure out why my favorite clowns only came every other year. Then I learned there were two units.”
Back for his third year with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Brandon knew early on what he wanted to do for a living. Prior to joining Ringling Bros., Brandon attended and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2005 with a degree in marketing. While there, he won the university’s big award for Aggie school spirit.
Brandon says his accident-prone clown character is inspired by the Disney character, Goofy. “I look up to Goofy because he’s goofy.” The character is a natural fit, he says. “I have had stitches in my head on nine different occasions. I told you I’m accident prone.” Still, he has prepared for the physically demanding job by practicing Tae Kwon Do for 13 years.
In his spare time, Brandon, says he enjoys experimenting “with my homemade chocolate milk recipe.”
As for a snippet of wisdom, he offers this: “Life is drama, what it needs is a little comedy.”
Todd Griffith
Todd Griffith grew up in Charleston, West Virginia and attended a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®performance every year since the age of six. The youngest of five children, Todd has always dreamt of being a clown and has loved performing and being in front of crowds. Before fulfilling his lifelong dream of being a Ringling Bros.® clown, Todd performed in over 40 musicals and was one of the top children’s entertainers in Atlanta, GA.
Todd started clowning at the age of 16 and confesses that he is still a big kid at heart with a sarcastic side. He describes his clowning as an extension of himself but also looks up to his mentor and fellow clown alley member, Dustin Portillo. What he enjoys the most about being a Ringling Bros. clown is the 139 year old history of the show and being privileged enough to be part of something so big.
Melodee Lenz
Melodee Lenz never imagined that being a chubby kid when she was little would benefit her in the future. Because of her physical attributes along with her cuteness, Melodee landed several commercials in the 80’s for products including Oscar Meyer, Bubble Yum and Mr. Potato Head. The Dallas, Texan continued acting and performing throughout her childhood and was even taken under the tutelage of her manager, who was a famous vaudeville performer. In college, Melodee received her bachelor’s degree in Jazz and performed in the One O’Clock Lab Band as a saxophone player, drummer and singer.
Prior to joining Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Melodee spent the last 11 years as a voice actress for video games and the Cartoon Network. She has held roles on DragonBall Z, Case Closed, Full Metal Alchemist, and Yu Gi Oh. Melodee is grateful for all the experiences that she has had in her life and hopes that her performance will make people feel that life is a beautiful thing to be playing a role in. If she could, she would go back in time to 1984 to tell herself how awesome being a chubby kid will turn out to be when she gets older.
Julio Ramazini
As a child, Julio Ramazini loved going to the circus and watching the clowns. Now he’s a clown himself. His destiny arrived in 2007, when he was tapped to join Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. He is on his second tour with TheGreatest Show On Earth®.
A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Julio began studying circus arts 10 years ago at Brazil’s National Circus School. His clown character was inspired by his good friend and mentor, Paulo “Gallo” Cirillo, with whom he worked at Circus Vox.
When not performing, Julio enjoys watching action movies, especially those starring Vin Diesel. He also enjoys studying, reading and doing research, which helps his imagination flow. “Imagination is sometimes more important than knowledge. Being imaginative and creative helps me be who I am.”
In addition to Portuguese, the native tongue of Brazil, Julio also speaks Spanish and is working on perfecting his English.
His words to live by: “Ha-ha-ha-ha! Be happy!
Marlon Russ
Performing for children, seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter is the highlight for Marlon Russ when he’s under the spotlight. A Washington D.C. native, Marlon has always dreamt of being the best entertainer in the world. Pursuing his dream, Marlon attended The Duke Ellington School of the Performing Arts, which coincidentally happens to be a school that the Feld family supports and donates to. After high school, Marlon continued his education and attended Santa Monica College in California as well as The Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory in Washington D.C.
When Marlon found out that he was accepted on to be on The Greatest Show On Earth®, his mom cheerfully said “they got the right clown for the job!” Now touring with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®, Marlon draws inspiration for his clown character from Thespis, the first actor to step out of the chorus in Greek theatre. Adding to the already talented Ringling Bros. Clown Alley, Marlon brings energy, suspense, excitement, stunts and tumbling to the mixture. When asked for a snippet of wisdom, Marlon replied, “I walk on the gravel of those who have crawled before me.”
Trish Anne Snowden
Trish Snowden is one of two funny female clowns in the 139th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®.
“I have always wanted to work for the circus and now, to be part of this legendary show, is a dream come true for me,” she says.
Raised in Melbourne, Fla., Snowden grew up in a theatrical family, so it’s no surprise she became a performer herself. Prior to joining Ringling Bros. in 2007, she worked behind-the-scenes with Disney On Ice. Having always wanted to work for the circus, Snowden jumped on an opportunity to work for the wardrobe department for the 137th Edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® .
When her family learned she was joining the circus, “They said I would fit right in!”
“My father would joke with me a lot. He would say it was to build character. I guess it worked because now I’m quite a character!”
Snowden says she drew comedic inspiration from the late Steve Irwin, "the Crocodile Hunter” of cable television fame and Boss Clown Dustin Portillo. It is also a special treat to work alongside her husband, Randy Snowden, also a member of Clown Alley.
Away from the bright lights, Snowden enjoys cooking as well as designing and making clothes. Seeing so many different cities is a great benefit to being part of The Greatest Show On Earth®, she says.
Although she considers bungee jumping the craziest thing she's ever done, she’s currently practicing on the low wire and hopes to one day master the high wire.
Her snippet of wisdom: “Physical comedy is not always funny for the comedian.”
Ivan Vargas
Ivan Vargas didn’t have to run away far to join the circus, he literally grew up with one. His father, Alejandro Vargas, a former trapeze artist with The Greatest Show On Earth®, is now its Animal Care Superintendent. And his mother, Lolis, another former member of The Flying Vargas trapeze troupe, is a seamstress for the ladies wardrobe department with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®.
Ivan, 18, is the sixth generation of his father’s family to perform in the circus, and the fifth generation on his mother’s side. He grew up with elephants as his playmates and the trapeze as his playground. He was educated in the Ringling Bros.® school, surrounded by children from all corners of the world.
Ivan says he always knew he would follow in his parents’ footsteps. He first performed with Ringling Bros. in the 135th Edition as an acrobatic production man. Now he returns with the 139th Edition as a tumbling member of the legendary Clown Alley.
The most exhilarating part of the job is performing in front of thousands of people and making them gasp, he says. “I’ve been able to travel around the world and meet different people from different cultures.” His goal is to be remembered as a great performer who redefined traditional acts.
When not performing, Ivan takes pleasure in photography and meeting new people.
His snippet of wisdom: “The show must go on!”
Rudy Wollrabe
Rudy Wollrabe is living his dream of being a clown with The Greatest Show On Earth®. A native of Portland, Oregon, Rudy, and a second generation clown, he has been performing ever since he can remember. In first grade, Rudy amazed the audiences as a magician at his school’s talent show; when he was seven, he made his clown debut at a company picnic with his mother Regina, also known as Cha Cha the Clown; and at age twelve, he began clowning on stilts for Grand Openings of Fred Meyer, a multi-department store. Rudy has also won several awards for his performances including Junior Joey Clown at age 12 and 13 and awards in performance skills and paradability at the Northwest Regional Clown Conference as a member of Clowns of America International. Most recently, Rudy was awarded the senior superlative of Class Clown at David Douglas High School.
In July of 2009, Rudy answered the door when opportunity came knocking. Once Rudy heard about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College® auditions in San Francisco, he knew that this was his chance to make his dream into a reality- and he did. Talent scouts were so impressed by Rudy’s numerous circus skills including acrobatics, physical comedy, stilt walking, magic, and trampoline, that he was immediately offered a position with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown Alley. When asked what he enjoys the most about being a part of Ringling Bros., Rudy replied, “I feel so honored to be a part of The Greatest Show On Earth and bringing laughter and joy to Children of All Ages across our country.”