The First Day of the Shows in Zimbabwe, The Laughter Begins.

The First Day of the Shows, The Laughter Begins.

Today was our first day of shows with the  Clowns Without Borders tour in Zimbabwe.  There's something magical about the first day of shows. We have a team of artists working together for the first time. — The anticipation and the nerves start and stop, ending with seeing the sheer joy of the audience. 

Our team of clowns and support staff arrived at the school and checked in with the school officials. As we waited in the car, we could see some students peeking at us with curiosity shining in their eyes.

Once the school officials cleared us, we set up our show in the courtyard. Several goats and chickens were in the space as we set up, but they mostly ignored us as we got ready for the show. 

First, the younger elementary students arrived. They sat in front, then the older elementary students, and eventually some Junior and high school students. What an audience we had. Eight hundred twenty students gathered, wide-eyed and buzzing with energy. It was a sea of smiles and school uniforms, a palpable excitement. Performing for such a large group was exhilarating. The sound of children's laughter coming through the school grounds is wonderful. It is music that reaches inside you and lifts your emotions.

My favorite moment in the show was when Tsunji was singing, and she brought one of the teachers from the audience on stage to sing to. The students roared with laughter at this. 

After the show, some other teachers asked us when we were returning. 

It was a great way to begin the tour. I will post more about it over the week here on my blog.

When I return to Atlanta in a few weeks, we'll host our Second Annual Fundraiser for Clowns Without Borders USA on Thursday, July 24. If you're in the  Atlanta area, I'd love for you to join us. You can support our work by visiting the fundraiser link here if you can't attend the event.  It'll be an evening of stories, joy, connection, and clowning to support our work. This Zimbabwe tour is just one small piece of a much larger mission, and we can't do it without your support. Whether you donate, attend our fundraiser, or spread the word, it all makes a difference.

Stay tuned for more updates from Zimbabwe as our show comes to life and our tour begins. I'll be sharing stories from the field, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creative process, and some joyful moments that remind us of the power of laughter.

The Link to the fundraiser is https://givebutter.com/j5njHV.

Thanks from Zimbabwe,

Meredith