Maybe you’re into clowning around or need help juggling tasks. Could be that every day is like walking a tightrope or you feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants.

Well, you’re in good company! Playwright, physical comedian, and ringleader extraordinaire Aaron Esterbrooks is taking his show on the road and heading to a big top (aka classroom) near you!

With more than 500 acts under his rubber chicken belt when he performed with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, this comedian-turned-entertainment producer has had an extensive career. He served as Creative Team Associate with Cirque du Soliel; Founder & CEO of Melange Entertainment, which focused on the variety show market; and has been Director of Show for Royal Caribbean International for 20 years.

Now, Esterbrooks is bringing his act to Denver with two classes at DCPA Education. Students can expect “lots of fun and an introduction into the world of variety and circus arts,” he shared. “We’ll be creating a variety show which, might be, a first for all the students attending. I’m very excited.”

The Denver Center’s Education team will offer “Built to Laugh: Create Your Own Physical Comedy Act” for adult students on Thursdays from July 10-24. Additionally, Esterbrooks will offer The Big Variety Bash for middle school students on day dates.

Learning the circus arts and performance skills takes time, ability and a bit of stick-to-itiveness. “Last century, in the year 1994, I learned of an audition for Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Clown College,” explained Esterbrooks. “I went, did my best, and…didn’t get in. Shucks! Luckily, I’m persistent, and I auditioned again the next year, and this time, I got in. I went to the school in the summer of 1996 for two months and was then offered a contract as a clown in the Greatest Show on Earth.”

His skills range from juggling (he “balanced objects on my face like big ladders”) to tumbling, walking on stilts to unicycling. The physicality of these skills connects with audiences in unexpected ways.

“After a show one night, a lady introduced herself to my performing partner and me. She told us that her father was deaf, and he had just attended our show. Her father rarely went out to see live performances because he didn’t enjoy them. But, she said, her father was laughing at us because we were so cartoony that he understood everything. That was touching.”

So, whether you’re a budding performer, a curious creative, or just someone who wants to let loose and laugh, now’s your chance to step into the spotlight. Aaron Esterbrooks brings decades of circus magic, comedic timing, and heartfelt storytelling to every class he teaches. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn from a true master of physical comedy — sign up for one of his DCPA Education classes today and discover the joy of performing that speaks louder than words!

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