Hey Roob! Wanting to get in on this sweet, beginner clown action and take your gains to the next level?
Well YOU’RE IN LUCK!
THIS November/December Teller Productions presents Nonesuch Theatre of Play’s CLOWNS OF STEEL!
4 Saturdays, 10am-2pm (with breaks):
November 21, 2026
November 28, 2026
December 5, 2026
December 12, 2026
Led by Karie Vieira and Erica Acebo, this intensive will take you to the next level.
Like, become a scary-strong clown sure to out idiot all your dweeby friends!
Course Fee: $280.
(Special early bird discount of $30 off for the first 4 sign ups!)
Register below!
Clowns of Steel 101 Course Focus:
What is a clown? (Answer: no one knows)
The art of play and tapping into the clown
Opening to vulnerability
Allowing the audience to say what they want to see
Throwing away “the plan”
Saying “no problem” to impossible tasks
Accepting failure as a device for success
Working with scene partners and the audience (complicité)
REGISTRATION
Nonesuch Theatre of Play (NTOP)
Clown is hard. Studying it requires vulnerability, risk, and a willingness to embrace failure. That means finding the right instructor is essential. Founded by Erica Acebo and Karie Vieira, Nonesuch Theatre of Play combines physical comedy with a grounded, supportive framework designed to make deep creative exploration both safe and transformative.
The pair first joined forces in 2026 as "Kie & Keit," a comedic duo of twin athletic coaches motivating audiences toward absurd, epic sports victories. Following their time together studying physical comedy at Celebration Barn (South Paris, Maine), they formally established Nonesuch Theatre of Play to explore shame-free play, authenticity, and heightened audience sensitivity. NTOP operates on the core belief that clowning not only elevates every facet of performance art, but also transforms everyday life, helping people become more present, responsive, playful, and unapologetically themselves.
Karie and Erica bring a uniquely holistic approach to their teaching, blending rigorous performance experience with deep mind-body awareness:
Erica is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and trauma therapist. She integrates a trauma-informed perspective into every workshop, establishing a foundation of safety, trust, and psychological freedom where students can comfortably take risks and celebrate their inner clown.
Karie is a Registered Nurse (RN) with a holistic practice framework, previously working in both the critical care and operating room spaces. She is also a breathwork instructor, meditation guide, and Reiki master. She applies somatic awareness and energy work to help performers move past mental blocks and connect authentically to their bodies.
Together, Erica and Karie offer a rare space where vulnerability meets high-energy play, proving that when safety and freedom lead the way, anyone can find their clown, deepen their inner connection and upgrade their stage-game!
Karie Vieira
Karie Vieira chooses freedom, which is the exact reason she sought out clowning. She continues her physical theater studies primarily with London’s Spymonkey, alongside training in mime, improv, and traditional acting grounded in a layered Uta Hagen and Kristen Linklater approach. Guided by the philosophy that a competent teacher must remain an active student, Karie brings a distinct depth and playfulness to her craft.
She has performed clown across Atlanta and Los Angeles, most notably debuting HIGH DEDUCTIBLES at the 2025 Atlanta Fringe Festival and returning to the 2026 festival busking as a lonely snow yeti. Her comedic stage work also includes clown stand-up under the moniker Ralphie Camacho.
In 2025, Karie created the hit live game show DOWN TO CLOWN in partnership with Scottie Rowell and Teller Productions. The show features a rotating cast of clowns and high-energy audience participation, where contestants compete for the ultimate glory: proving they are smarter than an idiot.
Offstage, Karie is married with two daughters and two "dog-ters." Her favorite color is all of them, and her hobbies include daydreaming, buying books she’ll never read and recklessly inhaling music.
Erica Acebo
Erica Acebo hated clowning but she couldn’t let it go. There was something there. Then she began studying under the world-renowned instructors at the UK’s premier physical comedy company, Spymonkey. Through their supportive, irreverent training, Erica unlocked her inner idiot, uncovered a fierce confidence in her authentic voice, and mastered the foundational rule of the craft: always follow the funny.
Beyond physical theater, Erica is the creator and producer of Shrink Comedy, an acclaimed independent improv and stand-up showcase that fearlessly explores the intersection of performance art and mental health. A staple in the local comedy scene, Shrink was featured at the Atlanta Fringe Festival to enthusiastic crowds. Audiences can also catch Erica on stage as her outrageously unhinged alter ego, "Sherry Dust," in Atlanta’s hit live interactive game show, Down to Clown.
Offstage, Erica is happily married and shares a home with her spouse, three beloved "dog dummies," and one chaotic ginger cat.
What will you learn working with Nonesuch Theatre of Play?
A Brief History of Clown
What Sets Clown Apart from Other Comedy
Presence
Sensitivity to Your Internal World (Before, During, and After)
Sensitivity to the Audience
Coping with Failure
Reflecting on Why
Moving On
