Clowning Around

On stage or off, Charlene Kurland believes in clowning around. On stage, look for Kurland, who is known as Chaku the Children Chuckler, in whiteface and a red nose. She insists acting the clown almost always pays off. "Getting people to laugh requires an ability to relate to them on their level," says Kurland. That's one of the essential qualities of a successful clown. You can't force people to laugh, you can only create an environment in which people feel at ease enough to make the choice that is right for them."

Kurland, who was named Philadelphia Magazine's Best Clown in 1990, began her professional clown career over 30 years ago when her two children were just toddlers. "They were just starting to make the birthday party circuit," Kurland recalls, "and at the time there was one particular clown at these parties who was very,very popular. But I didn't like his act because he got laughs by teasing a child in the audience. The laughs he got were at the expense of that child."

So Kurland, always somewhat of a ham, decided she could do better. Using some of the funny antics she had used on her own children to make them laugh, the would-be clown bought a costume and a tape recorder, and tried to figure out an act that would catch on. "I decided a good premise for the act would be a magical clown who is sort of a sad sack and whose magic doesn't quite work," Kurland explains. "The children just love to see me make mistakes. But in the end, because of their help, my magic does work, and that evokes a lot of good feelings because they're convinced that they've helped me become a better clown."

Another portion of her act also involves the children when Chaku tries, unsuccessfully, to juggle. "I flub up terribly and the kids yell out that I have to juggle in a circle, so I end up running around in a circle instead of throwing the balls in a circle," Kurland laughs. "Again, in the end, because of their help, I'm able to do what I was trying to do in the first place."

It's this understanding, comical, yet compassionate, attitude that has made Chaku a favorite at children's parties and parties for adults too. At one recent surprise party for a 50-year-old, guests were told to dress up like little kids. "So people showed up with beanies that had little pinwheels on them," she says, "and they seemed to be having a lot of fun with my act. These were people who were able to bring themselves down to the child within them that we all really have, we all really keep."

In addition to private parties, Chaku also has performed magic and silly antics at the Philadelphia Zoo, local schools and hospitals, churches and nursing homes, swanky department stores and more. In fact, it was during an appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue in Bala Cynwyd that she nearly sent two very proper shoppers into cardiac arrest.

"I was performing in their children's department in full clown getup, of course," she remembers. "But since I had a wedding to go to afterward, I brought clothes with me and decided to change in the ladies' room. Well, it was winter, and I always wear thermal underwear under my costume. So here I was, in my underwear, my hair covered with a stocking that I wear under the clown wig, white face, big, bright fluorescent socks. And looking like that, I walked into the lounge where I frightened two women who ran out to get a security guard. They probably thought I had just escaped from an asylum and, believe me, I had a little bit of difficulty explaining who I was and that I was not there to attack anyone."

But embarrassing moments like that are all part of the game, says Kurland. The best part of the whole thing, however, is playing with the children. "I really love working with little kids. I've had them respond in such wonderful ways to Chaku who made a mistake and cried. I've had little ones actually get up out of their seats and run up to me to hug my leg saying, It's OK Everybody makes mistakes. I still love you! So when you talk about warm and wonderful, or what's the best part of being a clown for me, that's it. That's where the real reward is."

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