Noah Bremer (left) and Jason Ballweber.
The Honest
Clown:
Removing the Nose
A Workshop on Radical Authenticity in Performance
This intensive is designed to dismantle the "performer" and reveal the human underneath. We move away from the artifice of acting and toward the vulnerability of being, merging the playfulness of the Clown with rigorous text analysis to treat every script not as a set of rules, but as a playground for honesty.
Through neutral mask techniques, we'll build awareness of the stories our bodies tell, both consciously and unconsciously. We'll strip away the performance of "acting" to find the core truth of the words, shedding preconceived notions of how a text should be done.
You won't be doing this alone. As a supportive ensemble, you'll heighten each other's choices and surprise yourself with what emerges. Together, we'll uncover the inherent truths we might be oblivious to without this kind of deep dive into authenticity.
You will leave this workshop not just with an eye on performance but being able to look for the story that needs to be told, and how to be deeply vulnerable while speaking someone else's words.
Dates: June 29th–July 3rd
Schedule & Classes
Roughly 30 hours of instruction time, plus a few hours for rehearsal outside of class. A sample day runs from 10am–6pm with a 90 minute lunch. Students are encouraged to spend free time exploring the forests, coasts, rivers and mountains of Humboldt County or attending some of the Baduwa’t Festival.
Who Should Apply?
18-80 years old, professional, semi professionals, or those just starting out.
Fees
$527 — 15% off Early Bird Tuition (by 6/15/26)
$620 — Regular Tuition
Faculty
Jason Ballweber is a Minneapolis-based actor, director, and educator whose work centers on creating new performances and championing the importance of joy in the process. His credits span a wide range of companies, including Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Sod House Theater, Three Sticks Theatre, Jon Ferguson Theater, Live Action Set, Bedlam Theatre, Minnesota Orchestra, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, and Seattle Children's Theatre. At Know Theatre of Cincinnati, he won an Acclaim Award for his direction of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. At Open Eye Figure Theatre, he co-created and directed the Ivey Award–winning Milly and Tillie, and at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, he directed the North American premiere of Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat.
Jason is the former Artistic Director of Four Humors Theater and a co-founder of the Twin Cities Horror Festival. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to the creation of more than 300 new works. He is deeply invested in building spaces that are safe and joyful — places where everyone can play and use their imaginations to the fullest, in theater and in life.
Jason received his BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota and has trained with Chelsea Pace (intimacy), Virginia Scott (physical comedy), and Eric Davis (bouffon), as well as numerous graduates of Dell'Arte International and École internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq.
Noah Bremer is the Producing Artistic Director of Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre in Blue Lake, CA, where he is stewarding the organization into its next chapter as the country's premier ensemble-based physical theater training center, with complementary focus on international touring and local community engagement.
A veteran physical performer and clown, Noah most recently toured in a clown duo with Minnesota-based Jason Ballweber. Prior to that, he played the lead in Karera, a circus production in Guam, and served as the Interactive Performer aboard the German flagship cruise line AIDA Cosma. His Las Vegas credits include Cirque du Soleil's Beatles LOVE, where he played Father McKenzie from "Eleanor Rigby," and Spiegelworld's raunchy western Atomic Saloon Show as Reverend Peabody. Internationally, he originated the lead role of The Skywatcher in Cirque du Soleil's big-top touring production Varekai.
Noah is the founder of Live Action Set and trained at the University of Minnesota, Dell'Arte International, and in numerous clowning workshops around the country.
REFUND POLICY
This policy is in place to ensure our ability to continue offering high-quality programs to performers near and far. Registered students faced with the unfortunate need to withdraw from a course for any reason may request a refund of tuition paid based on the following timeline:
Early Withdrawal (45+ days out): Requests made more than 45 days before the course start date are eligible for a full refund, minus a $50 processing fee.
Standard Withdrawal (44–15 days out): Requests made between 44 and 15 days before the course start date are eligible for a 50% refund of the tuition paid.
Final Deadline (14 days or less): No refunds will be granted within 14 days of the start date or once the course has commenced.
All refund requests must be submitted via email or in writing to the program administrator. schooladmin@dellarte.com
Exceptions may be made for documented medical emergencies or visa denials at the discretion of the School Director. In these cases, we may offer a tuition credit for a future intensive instead of a cash refund.
A note about our Ticketing Service Provider: Zeffy
We use Zeffy because it is entirely free for organizers and patrons, meaning more money directly supports the artists. Zeffy asks for a contribution towards credit card processing fees. They automatically suggest a 17% fee, but you can select "other" and enter any amount, or none at all.