About Charles ....
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Charles has been performing for over 40 years. His award winning A&M video, CHARLES THE CLOWN, his books, CHARLES THE CLOWN'S GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S PARTIES, THE TEEN MAGICIAN THAT’S YOU, YOU’LL NEVER WORK AGAIN IN TEANECK, NJ (a memoir) and four collections of his story audios have been used by libraries throughout the country. He's a children's party entertainer and magician who has appeared on more than 75 radio and television programs, and performed in every conceivable location -- From the wealthiest estates to Native American reservations, for billionaires and at homeless shelters, at the Roxy Theatre on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, Disneyland, Bumbershoot, on stage at Knotts Berry Farm, on the set during television commercials keeping young actors relaxed and giggling, at special schools and summer camps engaging differently abled kids, and regularly at the hospital bedsides of seriously ill children. At schools, libraries, festivals, from New York City to Los Angeles, from San Diego to Alaska, from Da Nang to Berlin ... families have all enjoyed his shows. Charles is a recipient of the King County, Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., Humanitarian Award for Community Service. Charles has even been invited to speak to student nurses about entertainment for children in hospitals.
In his graduate thesis, Laughter Therapy, Ruben Rivera, Jr., observed and described Charles’ hospital work at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle: “It was magical to observe the effects that Charles The Clown had on lifting the mood and changing the attitudes, if only for a few moments, of all the sick children, family members, and hospital members he came in contact with.” Charles The Clown was profiled on the KUOW public radio series The Works ... TCTV taped his concert-on-the-green in Lacey, Washington, where the library system coordinating the program wrote to say, "the crowd absolutely loved him." The Seattle P-I featured Charles' magic workshops for teenagers in a story about programs for underprivileged youth, reporting that his show "kept the audience enthralled." KLEW- TV News reported on his highly attended Eastern Washington library programs, and Charles had recent press coverage in The Oregonian, and 3rd Act Magazine, and Parent Map. This summer, The Washington Post profiled Charles in their "Extraordinary People" series describing his innovative work interacting virtually with children around the country. Over the years, Charles has been interviewed about children's parties and performing by major newspapers and magazines, among them: Parents, American Baby, Los Angeles Magazine, The LA Times, and newspapers throughout the country. His essays on children's issues have been published in over 100 newspapers and magazines. Among them: USA TODAY, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, The New York Daily News, The Oregonian, San Diego Union, Miami Herald, Denver Post, Washington Post, The Seattle PI, Providence Journal, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Seattle Times, and The Baltimore Sun. The Los Angeles Civic Center News devoted an entire issue to Charles' observations about children and television. He is listed in Contemporary Authors of America. Charles was a consultant for and appeared in the video, Television and Video – Children at Risk, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Washington State. The Starlight Starbright Foundation commissioned him to write A GUIDE TO ENTERTAINING CHILDREN IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING. Charles wrote the opening chapter for RAISING KIDS IN SEATTLE. Charles has performed for people of all socioeconomic levels and diverse cultures, including deaf culture and disabled children and adults. He tailors each show to the particular age group, theme and location. Many Hollywood celebrities, including the head of Disney Studios, have hired him to perform for their children. Charles has entertained the families of famous writers, Olympic athletes and even Seattle Mariner’s star, Jamie Moyer. When developing programs, Charles frequently consults with his wife, psychologist and early childhood specialist, Linda Kirschner Kraus, M.A. They have appeared together on several television and radio programs, and were interviewed about their book, CHARLES THE CLOWN’S GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S PARTIES by an up-and-coming television star – a young Oprah, hosting Hello Baltimore. Understanding that very young children are often frightened by a person in a costume led Charles and Linda to create his signature routine of putting on his make up and costume in front of the audience. The show is filled with silly “mistakes” as Charles attempts to transform his persona. Hysterical commentary by Charles' puppet sidekicks, keep everyone rolling in the aisles. |