‘The Great Clown Bank Show’ World Premiere: New Circus-Theater Satire at Open Fist
The Ensemble Photo courtesy of Open Fist Theatre Company
A wild, immersive Los Angeles premiere blending political satire with high-flying circus arts.
Under the cracked neon glow of a dystopian Big Top, a wild-eyed, clown-capitalist circus fantasia is set to erupt in Los Angeles. The world premiere of The Great Clown Bank Show opens June 27 at the Atwater Village Theatre, launching a six-week run of greed, glitter, and grotesque excess presented by the Open Fist Theatre Company. Created and directed by Hank Jacobs, this highly anticipated immersive theater extravaganza blends physical comedy and sharp political satire to skewer corporate America.
A Fever Dream of Greed and Glitter
The gleefully deranged story follows the rise of the Greedy family — a scheming dynasty of powder-faced hustlers who transform their tiny carnival cashbox into the most powerful clown bank in America. Wildly funny, sharply satirical, and packed with playful circus acts (featuring a different guest performer every week), The Great Clown Bank Show skewers capitalist America with razor-toothed humor. It exposes a world where wealth is the greatest magic trick of all — and everyone outside the ring is paying for it.
“The idea is to combine circus with some pointed observations about capitalism and income inequality for an easy, fun-filled 90-minutes of communal laughter and togetherness,” explains Jacobs. “It’s a way to ecstatically welcome our audience to Open Fist: Come on in, we’re all f**ked, we might as well have a good time together.”
The Creative Minds Behind the Madness
The production features original circus music by Stephen Jacobs, songs by Michael Messer, music direction by Robby Good, and choreography by Raquis Petree. The immersive experience is designed by DJ Handcrank, with lighting by Matthew Richter, costumes by Benny Lumpkins, and clown apparatus and props by Anna Kraus. Circus art and graphics are by Kris Kish, D. Morris, and Ian Pitts.
The production stage manager is John Dimitri, assisted by Ashleigh Gilfort. Jeremy D. Thompson produces for Open Fist Theatre Company; Kelsey Kusinitz is associate producer. The Great Clown Bank Show is made possible in part by the generous support of Drew Thaler.
Open Fist Theatre Company is a collective, self-producing artistic enterprise with all facets of its operation run by its artist members under the leadership of artistic director Martha Demson.
Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
The Great Clown Bank Show runs June 27 through August 1.
- Fridays: 9:00 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8:00 p.m. (Note: Saturday, July 4 performance will be at 5:00 p.m.)
- Sundays: 7:00 p.m.
- Special Show: Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $26 to $40.
Content Warning: Risqué language and situations; parental guidance is advised for children under 13.
Venue Location:
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039
Parking: Free parking is available in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) parking lot, located one block south of the theater.
Tickets & Info: To purchase tickets and find more details, visit openfist.org.
