‘The Great Clown Bank Show’

Step right up to Atwater Village Theatre, where Open Fist Theatre Company presents an immersive theater extravaganza. Under the cracked neon glow of the Big Top, a wild-eyed, clown-capitalist circus fantasia erupts in a fever-dream spectacle of greed, glitter and grotesque excess. Created and directed by our ringmaster, Hank Jacobs, and featuring original circus music by Stephen Jacobs, songs by Michael Messer with lyrics by Jacobs and Messer, music direction by Robby Good and choreography by Raquis Petree, the world premiere of The Great Clown Bank Show opens on June 27 for a six-week run through August 1.

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 (a different guest performer every week), The Great Clown Bank Show skewers capitalist America with razor-toothed humor, exposing 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 Great Clown Bank Show runs June 27 through August 1. Performances take place on Fridays at 9 p.m.; Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 7 p.m., except the performance on Saturday, July 4, which will be at 5 p.m. There will be one additional performance, on Thursday, July 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $26 to $40. Content warning: risqué language and situations; parental guidance is advised for children under 13.

Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. Parking is free is in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) parking lot one block south of the theater.

To purchase tickets and for more information, go to openfist.org.

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