About Happy to Be Here!
About THE SHOW
Compulsive vaudevillian and international romantic Hans Lieberdich wants to bring curiosity and spontaneity back to the circus, and his own life.
Pushing the limits of acrobatics, manipulation, and teutonic comedy, Hans digs deep while balancing atop precarious objects and extended metaphors. Hans had to travel from his native Germany to a new continent, to a land that shared his absurd, possibly fatal, level of optimism to create a new variety arts.
Along the way, he will ask: What are the theatrical dimensions of physical risk? How does curiosity react with danger? And what happens when you lose the plot at the height of the Big Top? After a lifetime spent honing his craft and performing with some of the most famous circuses around the world, Hans now explores new acrobatic props of his own design, to try to find a spark of creativity amidst the sparkle of showbiz.
The results are by turns absurd and poetic, and surprisingly human. Expect thrills, laughs, pathos, and hopefully you, too, can say you’re ‘Happy to Be Here!’
Age 6 and up.
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About THE ARTIST
Jan ("Yahn") Damm has been a professional clown and circus artist for more than 20 years. Originally from Maine, he learned to juggle at age 10 and trained with acclaimed clown Avner Eisenberg at 18. After graduating Bard college he studied at Circus Center San Francisco in clown and acrobatics. Jan enjoys creating original work, such as his theatrical solo show, 'Happy To Be Here!', but is also at home in classic circus spectacles. Career highlights include Circus Bella, Venardos Circus, Flynn Creek Circus, Circus Flora, Celebrity Cruises, Cirque Mechanics, Ringling, Teatro Zinzanni, and Big Apple Circus. He lives in Brattleboro, Vermont with his wife Ariele and their two children.
Thank you to our sponsors!
NECCA is built on a foundation of support. We cannot do what we do without the generosity of our sponsors. Please join us in thanking them.
Annual Sponsors
- Trapeze Annual Sponsor: Brattleboro Savings & Loan, The Porch
- High Wire Annual Sponsor: Back Roads Granola, Holiday Inn Express
- Acrobat Annual Sponsor: Reuter Foundation Repair, Brattleboro Veterinary Clinic, Brattleboro Tire
- In-Kind Sponsors: Brattleboro Portable Storage, Renaud Tree Care, Minuteman Press,
Fall Season Sponsors
We believe that the arts, youth empowerment, and mental and physical wellness are critical for our community, and we are deeply grateful to these businesses who strengthen our circles of support by being NECCA sponsors.