About Michael
About ZERPHY
Storyteller • Clown • Musician • Poet
"A talented Zany!"
-The New York Post
MICHAEL ZERPHY is a storyteller, clown, poet, musician, banjo jokester and mirth instigator. His inventive and diverse performances defy conventional description and have captivated audiences of all ages across the US and Europe for decades. His shows include FoolzJourney, Zany Acts, Cahoots and The Wacky Zerphy Boys.
He has presented performances, workshops and residencies in schools and theaters across the US and is on the Performing Arts Rosters of Vermont and New Hampshire and is a juried member of the New England Common Ground Artist Registry. Over the years he has collaborated to present original touring productions including Children’s Voices with Marv Klassen-Landis, El Trato with Pat Picciano, Fiddle N Fool with Rodney Miller and The Clown Conspiracy with Joe Killian. Other collaborators include Davis Robinson, Hilary Chaplain, Michael Trautman, and John Towsen.
Michael appeared with Bob Berky at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He was a featured performer in Bill Harley’s Lunchroom Tales and has been Clown in Residence for years at the Vissell Summer Renewal Family Week at Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon. He has taught at the Boston University Summer Theater Institute, presented workshops at The Omega Institute, The Sandplay Therapists of America Conference, the Green Mountain Dharma Center, and at Pinewoods Dance Camp.
"Michael Zerphy is much more than a clown. Michael has a rare and special quality that comes across from the stage with startling clarity. There is no "I won't be touched by this." His is an extremely difficult act to explain but one of great effectiveness... a truly wonderful entertainment experience."
-Ira Gavrin, Colonial Theatre, Keene, NH
"Michael was just superb. He actually had me and several others in tears from laughter. The entire program was perfect for a family night. He appealed to every single person in the audience."
-Sherry Shea, Program Coordinator, Brown School, Swansea, MA
"I have seen many clown shows in my seventeen years arranging pro theater...but this was one of the best. Michael is smooth, the show moves, and the hour went by without a moment to catch your breath. He is a highly polished performer. The audience agreed and didn't seem to want to leave the theater"
-J.G. Jacobs, Theater Consultant, Sullivan Festival, Lock Sheldrake, New York
