From Don Covington #1

5p1_preview, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr. New Jersey clown homecoming! OLD BRIDGE — Clowning around is serious business for Pat Cashin, who will soon return to his hometown as a professional circus clown with the Yankee Doodle Circus. The circus is set for three performances on Feb. 26 at Old Bridge High School. Cashin is a 1985 graduate of Cedar Ridge High School in Old Bridge. “Never in high school did I believe I would become a circus clown,” said Cashin, who graduated from the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1997 and is a board member of the Clown Hall of Fame. “I loved to perform as a stand-up comedian in school but didn’t realize I’d end up with a fantastic career as a circus clown.” Cashin has toured worldwide in the U.S., Europe andAsia with circuses including the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus, the Hansen’s Spectacular Circus Thrill Show and the Kelly Miller Circus. Also, he spent a season with the Caesars Royal Roman Circus at Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. “After I graduated, I did TV commercials, including an award-winning Super Bowl commercial for Visa, some standup comedy, film and stage work,” he said. “It wasn’t until I was 30 years old that I decided to apply to clown college.” Admittance to the nowdefunct Ringling clown college, Cashin said, was very competitive, with about 5,000 applicants vying for a maximum of 60 slots. Only about five to 10 graduates are offered a job with Ringling, and luckily, Cashin was one of them, he said. Though Cashin comes from a family of longshoremen, he has no regrets about his career choice and credits his father with introducing him to the world of clowns when they would go to the circus together. He married his wife, Terry, in the center ring of the Ringling Bros. circus in Madison Square Garden, and they now reside in Tinton Falls with their two sons, Shane, 9 and Jamie, 2. When Cashin is not touring with a circus, he makes it a point to bring laughter to the children at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, through his Jersey Shore Clown Doctor program, in which he portrays the Stupidvisor of Pedia-Tricks and Clownocology. “This is my favorite part of clowning — to bring a smile to sick children,” he said. “The kids get bored with toys, and it really makes their day with a visit and some magic tricks.” Also, Cashin teaches clowning through his Clown Alley, www.clownalley.net, and last year taught a class in clowning in Barcelona, Spain. He also acquired the trademark for Captain Kangaroo and is reviving this classic character now through YouTube, with the possibility of future cable productions. “Clowning is my life’s work, especially the history of clowning, and I know this is where I belong,” Cashin said. “The seeds for a clowning career were planted early, probably when I went to the Route 18 Flea Market [in East Brunswick] to buy magic tricks with the money I earned delivering copies of the Suburban newspaper. Like most clowns, I’ll probably never retire.” Cashin asked Mike Naughton, producer and ringmaster of the Yankee Doodle Circus and a 1974 graduate of the Ringling clown college, to divert the tour schedule so that it includes Old Bridge High School. The 2012 Yankee Doodle Circus, Cashin said, is an affordable classic family circus that runs five-week tours in the tri-state area and Massachusetts. “Mike graciously agreed, and I am looking forward to coming home and giving a very special performance at my alma mater,” he said. Cashin is the 2011 Alumni Recipient in Art and Performance, presented by the Alumni Path Foundation, a nonprofit organization that honors the legacy of alumni, staff and students from Old Bridge. The foundation, which also donates to student performing arts and athletic programs, is the host for the Yankee Doodle Circus performances. “I’ve known Pat since high school and watched his performances at our high school talent shows and plays,” said Nora Schmitz, executive director of Alumni Path Foundation and a 1986 Cedar Ridge High School graduate. “I’m thrilled and beyond happy to have Pat and the Yankee Doodle Circus come to Old Bridge High School.” The Yankee Doodle Circus features performers from the U.S. and Europe with acts to entertain children and adults, including Poodles on Parade from Paris, acrobats from Russia, the USA Hula Hoop champion, the Golden Girls of Magic and others. Performances are set for 12:45, 3:15 and 5:30 p.m. at the Old Bridge High School gym on Route 516. Limited advance adult tickets for $17 come with two free tickets for children under 14 years old. Tickets at the door are $22 for adults and $15 for children under 14. Tickets can be ordered online at www.GetCircusTickets.com. For more information about the Alumni Path Foundation, visit the website at www.leaguelineup.com/alumnipath.