Michael Trautman

Michael Trautman began studying mime in 1976, and in 1977 was invited to become a founding member of MIMEWOCK, a Kansas City based school and performing company. He went on to train with Tony Montanaro at Celebration Barn, working with Tony for over twenty years. In 1987, he trained with Jacques Lecoq at Ecole Jacques Lecoq. Throughout his 40+ years as a performing artist, he has been having fun traveling throughout the world, and has achieved a very high level of fulfillment from providing comic relief to those in need.
 
Variously identified as a visual comic, performance artist, new vaudevillian, mime (gasp), physical comedian, storyteller, magician, and fool, he claims only to be a clown...and not a very traditional clown at that. He has appeared in such prestigious venues as the New York International Festival of Clown Theater, Festival D’Ete (Quebec), the Just ForLaughs Festival (Montreal), The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Milano Clown Festival (Italy), and the Prague Mime Fest. He was featured in 2018 on The Gong Show with Mike Myers, and appeared previously on WOW! The Most Awesome Acts On Earth, (ABC Television Special), CCTV (Beijing, China), and Le Plus Grande Cabaret du Monde (France 2 TV). Michael was the star clown in the national tour of OOPS! The Big Apple Circus Stage Show, and he was a featured performer in the musical production of BUSKER ALLEY, starring Jim Dale and directed by Tony Walton. In 1993-94, Michael was an Artist-in-Residence at MABOU MINES (New York City), where he created The Dark Clown. From 2016 until 2018, he was the Artistic Director of Circus Maine’s Youth Performance Troupe. Michael continues to tour his various solo shows, perform in Circus and Variety as a featured act and/or Emcee, and work with aspiring artists through teaching, training, mentoring, and directing.
 
Keep an eye out (in a glass, on the nightstand, or else at www.MichaelTrautman.com for current activities and various shows.