JUNE 2008.

Group News: Cast of "The Tearful Assassin" Announced

JUNE 2, 2008 (Chicago) - Suspicious Clowns has announced the cast for its upcoming dramatic play, "The Tearful Assassin": Mary Dehne, Matthew J. Tucker, Shelley Nixon, Vincent Truman, Danielle Cochrane, Caitlin Emmons, Robert Felker, Brian Parenti, Mat Simonian and David Holcomb.  The show will feature exclusive art work from Neil Klemz (see his Etsy page here).  Working behind the scenes will be Melissa Malan (SCX), Kyle Ramos (SC7-8), Robert Felker (SC2-X) and Vincent Truman (SC1-X).

Suspicious Clowns has updated their myspace page here.

"The Tearful Assassin" will debut on August 1, 2008 at Gorilla Tango Theater.  Advance tickets can be purchased exclusively at Gorilla Tango's website.

MAY 2008.

Group News: New Videos: "Teddy the Fox and the Big Test" and "Our Thick Earth"; Truman Book Now at Amazon

MAY 15, 2007 (Chicago) - Suspicious Clowns has put out two more videos: Teddy the Fox and the Big Test and Our Thick Planet.

Also, Vincent Truman's book of cartoons, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SO PLEASE BE BRUTAL, is now available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

FEBRUARY 2008.

Group News: New Videos for "Xonny's Eulogy" and "Oatmeal"

FEBRUARY 16, 2007 (Chicago) --  Suspicious Clowns has put out two videos from their recent appearance at Chicago Sketchfest.  On YouTube, you can see Xonny's Eulogy and Oatmeal; on Myspace, you can see a slightly different version of Oatmeal.

Individual News: Ramos Sets Expectations; Truman Goes Brutal; Kraynek Goes South

FEBRUARY 1, 2007 (Chicago) --  Vincent Truman has released his second book, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SO PLEASE BE BRUTAL, through his publisher, Lulu.com.  The book contains 100+ funny and/or offensive and/or thought-provoking cartoons.  Childhood friend and filmmaker Charles Bryan describes it as funny and time-consuming.

He is also hard at work on his third full-length play, THE TEARFUL ASSASSIN, which will have a public readthrough in March 2008.

Kyle Ramos has also been busy since last sharing the stage with the Clowns for Sketchfest 2007.  Almost a year after that show, Ramos returns with his second full-length play, EXPECTATIONS.  The play runs February 1 - 10 at Gorilla Tango Theater.  Click here for more details.

Jacen Kraynek, meanwhile, is off to his old stomping grounds, Tampa, Florida.

JANUARY 2008.

Group News: And We're Spent.
NOVEMBER 25, 2007 (Chicago) --  Suspicious Clowns, having completed ten original shows in five years, four appearances at Chicago Sketchfest, a mini-festival dubbed Clownfest, a standup marathon called Saturday Night Asylum, a few guest shots at the Lincoln Lodge, two best-of shows at Second City and a couple of compact discs, are fucking tired.  The group is in discussion over what to do next - a musical?  a straightforward drama?  an eleventh show?  teaching? - but nothing is decided at the moment.

In the meantime, Clown founder Vincent Truman is putting the final touches on his second book, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SO PLEASE BE BRUTAL, a collection of 100+ cartoons drawn throughout 2007.  The book is currently exclusively available through Lulu Publishing, but will be making its way to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. this spring.

NOVEMBER 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Closing Sketchfest 2008
NOVEMBER 25, 2007 (Chicago) --  Suspicious Clowns, the Chicago-based sketch comedy group that has been lauded with crtical acclaim for its five-year lifespan, has been chosen for the second year running to close Chicago Sketchfest.  The great honor was given to the group following a very productive year, which saw two full original shows debut between June and November 2007.

Not a group to hesitate before unwritten boundaries of theater and good taste, Suspicious Clowns have built a reputation as one of the premiere writer/performer ensembles in Chicago.  The troupe has been dubbed "sketch comedy at its best" by the Chicago Reader, "prime time pick" by Chicago Magazine, "unpredictable" by Chicago Arts and Entertainment as well as a slew of other like-minded notices throughout the region.  On the other hand, their bold choices of subject matter have led them to be banned outright from the esteemed DePaul University.

Director Vincent Truman notes that the group "takes great care with the material, even though we can appear outlandish to the casual observer.  Our philosophy is that you can tackle any topic, as long as there's a solid point behind it.  We are not shock comedians."  Co-producer Robert Felker observes that this is not always the case, as there is always room for "a scene with puppets in which Silly String is used as ejaculate."

Material to be included in the Clowns' performance at Chicago Sketchfest includes a comedy club set in Auschwitz, a day in the life of a cashier with no arms, a kids' show that stars characters with names that are euphemisms for intimate practices, a lecture about the most common beast (woman) and a documentary on the rise of cliché use amongst the young.

AUGUST 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Hot Issue Video Series Released!
AUGUST 20, 2007 (Chicago) -- As Suspicious Clowns commences work on SCX (its tenth show), it has also produced two Hot Issue Videos, a new series of topical humor and observation.  HIV1 dealt with yet another teacher caught having sex with her students, and HIV2 covered Chris Crocker's 15 seconds of fame as the guy who posted a video in defense of Britney Spears' VMA performance.  You can see them exclusively on myspace, or wherever you can find them.  Here's the link to the group's myspace: http://www.myspace.com/suspiciousclowns.

AUGUST 2007.

Group News: New Ensemble Members for Its Tenth Show.
AUGUST 20, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns is giddy to announce its two new ensemble members: Melissa Malan and Heather Mingo.  They're very funny. 

Group News: Suspicious Clowns 9 DVD Released!
AUGUST 20, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns is happy to announce the release of "Suspicious Clowns 9: The DVD", the group's first full-length reproduction of its live shows.  In addition to a three-camera edit of the raucous closing night, there is also a full-length commentary track by Robert Felker and Vincent Truman, the Clowns' short film "Le Date", Paul Sigwerth's opening standup act, promotional films and bonus extras galore, from behind-the-scenes candid footage to scene montages.  Over three hours of uncompromising comedy for $9.  Buy it here!

Group News: Here's some stuff.
AUGUST 1, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns' Robert Felker and Jacen Kraynek continue to work on the DVD of "Suspicious Clowns 9."  In the meantime, Vincent Truman has remixed and remastered some sketches and put them online as well as transcribed and added commentary to two of SC9's more offensive sketches, "Zanies Auschwitz" and "Cleveland Steamer's Caboose", which can be accessed on the left-hand side of the group's main page.

JULY 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Lands on the Lakeshore!
JULY 19, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns are scheduled for their first appearance at LAKESHORE THEATER as part of a revamped Saturday night variety show.  The group will be performing four sketches from their recent shows: "Naked Boy Standing", "Outsourcing", "Night at the Movies" and "Armless."  The performance will be Saturday, July 21, 2007 at LAKESHORE THEATER on the corner of Belmont and Broadway in Chicago.  Tix are $5 and the show begins at midnight.

Also, the group has been working on a series of short videos as part of a new SCHIV (Suspicious Clowns Hot Issue Video) which should be surfacing soon.

Also also, the mp3s of Suspicious Clowns have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, sending the group to Number 2 in the Comedy Charts in all of Australia!  Australia?  Yes, Australia.  Being big in Japan is so 2005.

JUNE 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns 9 Kicks Ass!
JUNE 24, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns 9 has opened to rave reviews in the Chicago Reader, Chicago Tribune/Metromix and Gapers Block.  With newcomers Melina Paez, Eric Carter, Jacen Kraynek and Aacia Hussain, the material in the show varies from good ol' crowdpleasers (an armless cashier, a shooting gallery at an arcade that features real gang members as targets) to the wildly controversial (Auchwitz as a comedy club, a deceased soldier that has to return to active duty).  The audiences have been better than Suspicious Clowns 8 and work is already commencing on Suspicious Clowns 10, mainly because "SCX" is such a cool title.

Also for your viewing pleasure:
Jacen Kraynek's photographs of the group in various stages of development
Assorted promotional videos on youtube
An improvised sketch called "Faulty Tops"!

MARCH 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Announces Auditions for Ninth Show
MARCH 13, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns has announced auditions for writer/performers for its ninth original production, slated to premiere in June 2007.  Further details here. 

FEBRUARY 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Joins YouTube
FEBRUARY 1, 2007 (Chicago) -- Suspicious Clowns has added select videos from Sketchfest 2007 to YouTube.  

Also, Vincent Truman is holding a public readthrough/workshop on his newest play, tentatively titled either "Museum" or "Cripples", on Monday, February 5, 2007, in Chicago.  Truman and other actors will read the play aloud, and then all attendees will discuss what makes the show work - or what makes it suck.  It is a similar process to what Truman did with "Remote" in early 2006.

Listen to Vincent Truman's recent appearances on Blog Talk Radio: December 2006 interview and a January 31, 2007 'open mic' appearance.

JANUARY 2007.

Group News: Suspicious Clowns Sells Out Sketchfest 2007
JANUARY 14, 2007 (Chicago) -- In its third appearance, Suspicious Clowns sold out its performance at Sketchfest 2007.  Some fellow performers from other groups gave up their seats to paying attendees and were left sitting in the aisles.  The group raced through its all-new set, bolstered with a couple of scenes co-written by Vincent Truman lifted from "Dry Hump 4", which Truman had directed in 2005.  

The set had the premiere of a scene dubbed "the darkest in the history of Sketchfest" by a fellow writer/performer: "Friendly Fire", in which an unlucky serviceman who is killed during his tour of duty is court-martialed for not returning to the front.  Many photos and other show details can be found on the Suspicious Clowns Sketchfest 2007 page.

The group is currently in pre-production for "Suspicious Clowns 10", tentatively set to premiere in late spring 2007.