What people are saying...

“Christopher Bayes is a master, an extraordinary visionary who has done more to liberate young American actors over the last two generations than I can possibly express. His classes in Clowning are philosophical manifestos; the power of his laughter inextricable from the depth of his spirit. 
​— Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, The Public Theater
 ‘MORE BAYES!!!’ is what students at Yale School of Drama write to me, again and again, about studying with Christopher Bayes… They invariably type in ALL CAPS…because he is a master teacher of a gen­eration of remarkably gifted and successful actors who have learned to own the softness of their brains while finding out what makes them funny. 
— ​ James Bundy, Dean, Yale School of Drama / Artistic Director Yale Repertory Theatre 
Christopher Bayes knows where the funny lies in every actor. More importantly he also knows where the truth lies that releases the funny. He thinks he is a Clown teacher, but he is really a master acting teacher. ​I stand in awe of his gift.”
— Ron Van Lieu​, Lloyd Richards Professor of Acting (Emeritus), Yale School of Drama 
"Thank you for the privilege of seeing you effortlessly capture ecstasy."
"Chris Bayes forever!"
John Guare
Playwright, Six Degrees of Separation

...and what the students are saying...

Christopher Bayes
"Chris has a gentle way of calling you out of the shadows to play and grow in the light that is the world of the clown. I've never felt more present than after spending a few hours laughing and crying with Chris. It follows me into my work and, more importantly, into my life. Taking classes with Chris is absolutely essential if you are serious about growing as an actor, artist, performer, human being. Chris Bayes is a beautiful magician. I learned more about myself and my instrument training with Chris for several months out of the year than I did in several years of professional acting training. I am forever grateful for this man. He helped me find my clown. He helped me find myself. That's all any artist can ever hope for."

"Wow, is all I have to say. I had no idea what was coming, but this intensive was a truly transformative experience. I would fervently recommend this workshop not solely as an actor and artist, but for anyone willing to bravely plumb the depths of their emotional and psychological wells, in search of truth, freedom, and ultimately love."

"This is not just a class. It is a communal experience of discovery. Chris facilitates masterfully, with the spirit of inclusion, play, and care. Not only are all welcome - all aspects of the human experience are invited in and celebrated. To discover the clown is to rediscover yourself - the impulsive, enthusiastic, sensitive child-like self that has been left behind and all of the beauty and magic that comes with that. Clown with Chris is a transformational adventure for the artist and the human. And it’s really really fun!!! Did I mention that?!"

"It’s hard to describe the effect Clown and Chris have had on me. The class is humbling and forces vulnerability. It helps you realize that laughter and crying, happiness and sadness, are two sides of the same coin and the point of crossing over from one to the other is basically invisible. Clown is 100% terrifying and 200% the most fun I’ve ever had in a 3 hour class. Chris is some kind of sorcerer. With love and kindness, he fosters the most incredible community I’ve ever been part of and guides you to discover and nurture the version of yourself you’d completely forgotten existed and, in some instances, the version you intentionally hide - your imaginative, playful, beautiful, and sometimes inappropriate child. And Annelise provides world-class DJ sets during breaks for dance parties. Clown is cathartic and grounding, and SUPER fun. All of these things can only lead to being a better performer and a better human. Do yourself a favor and enroll in a class!"

"This class made me become more comfortable with facing the unknown and challenging the fear, both creatively and personally."
"Clowning with Christopher Bayes has made me a better human."

"Taking class with Christopher Bayes changed my life.  He introduced me to the most beautiful thing in the world and I will cherish it for the rest of life.  Before studying with Chris, I was afraid to truly reveal myself to the world -- afraid that if I let all the messiness of living tumble out, I might be judged, ridiculed or dismissed.  But Chris created a safe, fulfilling, vulnerable, creative space of empathy and open-heartedness (even over zoom!) that allowed me to overcome my fear, bare my soul to my classmates, and discover that instead of being judged, ridiculed or dismissed, I could be seen, heard, and accepted for all that I am." 

"I came into class an eager performer with what felt like a lot of raw material under the surface that I didn't know what to do with it, or how to actualize it. This class took me out of my head and broke down a lot of walls inside me... once I was in my body and out of my head, making creative ideas a reality became easy. Finding joy, wonder, tears all became easy and felt GOOD... this class gave me access to MYSELF."

"Studying clown with Chris Bayes cracked me open as an artist. In pursuit of being funny, he also helped me find power in the bossy, tragic, angry, beautiful, and joyful aspects of my work. As a result, I'm a stronger performer, and a softer, more empathetic human. The world would be a better place if we all had a chance to study with Chris. Thankfully now we can."

"In finding my clown, I found myself.  I hope for nothing more, then that all those who are blessed to stumble into Pandemonium, sign up for every class they can and find themselves along the way.  It’s a small world after all.  Go for it."

"This is the first top-notch “actor training” program (year of Clown curriculum, YSD style: check!) I have ever recommended to laypeople (muggles) and artists alike. The fact that there are award-winning professional actors spilling their guts alongside retired lawyers and everything in between, only deepens the experience, making it all the more profound for everyone. Also, Chris Bayes is a genius, so there’s that."

"Chris sees deeply and brings out something perhaps long buried or hidden. What is so magical is that Chris doesn’t just teach, he illuminates. His generosity and patience create a space for people to explore, to push through the hard parts, and to make the mistakes and discoveries so needed for growth. In the clown garden, I’ve been given an artistic family that embraces vulnerability and leads with love. I feel like I’m becoming a fuller human when I’m in his class. The work we’ve been doing has been pouring into my everyday life more and more with each week. I laugh a little louder and longer. I do little weird dances when I’m happy, even in front of other people. I let myself have the wet fall apart when I want it. Without hyperbole, Chris and clown class have changed my life."
Gabriel Levey
"The pairing of clown work and scene work has cracked open my experience of acting."

"Gabe Levey and his class are, respectively, the cat's pajamas and bee's knees. Gabe creates a safe and supportive space where people can take big risks, fall flat on their faces, and then discover something completely amazing and unexpected in the floppy messes they create. He pushes us to get out of our heads and into our bodies and to re-approach our craft with a sense of pleasure and ease. I would tell you more, but I don't want you to swoop on this class before I get a chance to secure my spot for next session!"

"Acting as Play is a fantastic class that enables you to re-discover the boundless creativity and fun you had as a child, and to become fearless and free as an actor. Gabe has amazing instincts and is able to guide you to that place, through a series of extraordinary exercises and games that are both simpler and more complicated than they appear. You will leave feeling like your creativity, body, and soul has had a killer workout, and ready to face any challenge that the business may throw your way."

"Gabe brings his sense of wonder, play, and wholeheartedness as an artist into his teaching, and his personal investment is infectious!  Illuminating a dynamic way of working, Gabe leads explorations in bringing the pleasure, risk, abandon, and generous truth of clown into monologue and scene work.  Seeing each actor with supportive clarity, Gabe helps us bear witness to each other's discoveries and to embrace our own."

"Taking this class with Gabe Levey has been, and this is not hyperbole, PROFOUNDLY illuminating to how I go about my process as an actor. Gabe is enormously insightful, clear in his tutelage, and most importantly, insists on the inclusion of FUN into the proceedings, a fundamental element of performance that I feel too often gets short-shrift in the multitude of classes and training available to actors currently. It will terrify you by asking you to truly be courageous in the pursuit of creative curiosity, but the rewards yielded cannot be overstated. Based on this single 8 week course, I am now revising my whole approach to acting. I cannot recommend this class enough." 


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"Gabe has a true talent for bringing out the best possible performances from every individual, while fostering a safe and supportive environment. I learned just as much from watching others as I did from being directly coached. The group activities were fun and freeing, but also challenging and eye opening. Absolutely loved this class and adore Gabe. I feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful teacher."

"Gabe's classroom very quickly becomes a laboratory for the silly, grand, and beautiful experiments that open an actor to their full range of emotional life on the stage. Prepared, honest, and patient, Gabe comes to class fully equipped to to tackle any theatrical situation. In his class, Gabe challenged me to work to my fullest potential, but he never lost sight of the joy and play that lies at the heart of every piece of theater and inside every great actor. For me, his class has unlocked endless possibilities of depth in the work of the clown and the world of the theater, and I highly recommend it to every actor (clown or not) who is looking to expand and deepen their work and their joy. "

"From the beginning, Gabe sets an inviting tone of camaraderie and collaboration.  This supportive, open environment, inspiring spontaneity/play, remains throughout the course.  As we dove deeper into the scene work, Gabe shared keen insight into human behavior/interactions, and he introduced exercises to facilitate making discoveries about the characters that students would most likely not find on their own. He will always challenge and encourage you to experiment, take risks, and exercise the strongest choice that resonates. During every class, he invites discussion amongst students and implicitly instills reminders with humility and humor.  His course reminded me to approach any scene/situation with more conviction, more humor, and a broader perspective. Moreover, Gabe has a compassionate way of acknowledging people for who they are at the core.  He always comes from a generous-hearted place of supporting all individuals and whatever season they're in; he gives space for everyone and provides a platform for his students to share openly and unabashedly. Consequently, his students emerge as more generous, thoughtful actors with a deeper level of listening and sense of joy in their work." 

"Gabe has a true talent for bringing out the best possible performances from every individual, while fostering a safe and supportive environment. I learned just as much from watching others as I did from being directly coached. The group activities were fun and freeing, but also challenging and eye opening. Absolutely loved this class and adore Gabe. I feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful teacher."    
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