Tanya Perez is a delight to watch in her new solo play, Welcome to ClownTown, now playing at The Tank. Perez portrays Pixie, a clown and occasional stripper who tells of her experiences dealing with all her clients.
Perez is charismatic with an infectious laugh. Watching her portray Pixie the Clown with the fun costumes designed by Lisa Renee Jordan and the amusing props by Jen Varbalow is a visual treat. Perez has a captivating persona where she is able to connect with the audience and persuade them to participate in the show. The audience is asked to answer questions and join her on stage.
The show's story is structured so the audience can experience and participate in performance sets Pixie has performed for clients. The audience gets to see a first-hand account of the life of a clown. Throughout the show, Pixie transitions out of the show scenes to scenes where she reveals her real feelings about those moments. Her honesty is humorous, but the topics she addresses are also disheartening. She speaks of racial discrimination, sexism and the hustle. However, although these sincere attempts are generous, they can delve deeper. Perez can explore the raw feelings behind Pixie's emotions to enhance her character's depth further. The transitions from Pixie's show sets to her revelatory discourses could also be clearer.
Welcome to ClownTown is entertaining and funny. Tanya Perez is joyous to watch. Her clowning and balloon-making abilities will tickle your ribs, and if you play your participation right, you may even go home with a balloon animal.
"Welcome to Clowntown"
Written and Performed by Tanya Perez
Direction by Lorca Peress
April 21 - May 13, 2023
The Tank ( 312 West 36th Street)
Yani Perez, M.F.A, is a poet, playwright, translator, and educator. Her plays have been presented in various theaters in the United States such as La Mama and Yale University as well as internationally in Bogotá, Colombia. She works at IATI Theater, one of the oldest Latinx theaters in NYC. She is currently working on translations of Latinx artists in hopes of introducing them to English-speaking audiences.