Two separate Saturday intensives! Join one or both!!
CLASS CLOWN is the Elysian Theater’s youth performance class, and we're excited to introduce kids of all ages to the joyfully weird comedy that defines the Elysian! If your kid loves making people laugh, has lots of energy and big feelings, likes coloring outside of the lines...send em our way!
A chance for kids to unleash their imagination, activate their bodies, experiment with ideas, and build confidence and connection.
Ages 11-16!
This four-hour workshop will introduce young performers to the fundamentals of comedy and clown, helping them channel their natural instincts and find the bravest, silliest, funniest parts of themselves.
Each hour will be dedicated to an essential tenet of comedy performance:
Be, Try, Play, & Make
Taught by Elysian teaching artists who actively create and perform at the theater, the class celebrates curiosity, collaboration, and unabashed playfulness. Students will explore physical comedy, ensemble games, listening, and stage presence in a supportive, and fun environment.
Class SOLD OUT? Join the WAITLIST!
Saturday April 11th 10am-2pm (bring a lunch! we’ll take a 20 minute lunch break)
Saturday April 25th 10am-2pm (bring a lunch! we’ll take a 20 minute lunch break
in the Skunk Room
About the Instructor:
Natasha Mercado is a performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. A first-generation mixed-Latina artist, she creates worlds that are intimate, strange, and unapologetically alive.
Her work centers the intelligence of the body and the audience relationship, building comedy through presence and invitation. David Shiner, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, once called her “fearless and completely out of her mind.”
Natasha’s practice spans solo performance, immersive theater, and film. Her award-winning solo works Tree and #1 Son have toured internationally from Hollywood to the Edinburgh Fringe, earning sold-out runs, critical acclaim, and extensive recognition. Across her work as a performer and director, she has received over 50 award nominations, winning more than half.
On screen, Natasha has appeared on HBO, Adult Swim, Broadway Video and TBS, and was named an Emerging Content Creator by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers.
Natasha is the creator of Soft Clown, a performance philosophy that treats sensitivity as a strength and pleasure as a compositional tool. As a director and teacher, she leads workshops in the U.S. and internationally, working both in-person and virtually with artists across borders.
Class cancellation policy: No refunds, exchanges, or transfers.