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Welcome to Slappy & Monday’s Foundation for Laughter, a non-profit organization where ‘Humor as a Second Language’ is celebrated.
OUR MISSION
is to use the healing powers of laughter to inspire joy in traditional venues, such as schools and community centers, as well as non-traditional venues with a focus on children's hospitals and special care facilities.
The Foundation for Laughter is a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization.
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WHO WE ARE
Tiffany Riley and Dick Monday have been partners for nearly 15 years. In that time, they have trained all the clowns for the Greatest Show on Earth, created the clown troupe The New York Goofs, and opened Slappy's Puppet Playhouse in Dallas. In performance, they are the clown team Slappy & Monday who have appeared from China to Mexico, Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center, and lots of circuses and festivals in between. As Director of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, Dick traveled to 30 cities each year to help find and train clowns for producer Kenneth Feld. He was awarded this job because of his lifelong commitment to the art of clowning and his illustrious background in circus and clowning in films and television. He has been seen as a funnyman in such classic films as Brain Donors, My Life and Sweet & Lowdown. His teaching has been recognized in the book "Guiding Lights" where he is celebrated as a mentor, or someone who helps guide people toward their purpose in life. Tiffany has been the driving force behind the NY Goofs Ultimate School, cultivating students each year from all corners of the world. The finest faculty in physical comedy is assembled every summer to impart their skill to a new generation of clowns and physical comedians. Aside from teaching, Tiffany & Dick create shows for theatrical clowning, circuses, festivals, and even for marionettes. Their goal is to inspire laughter wherever they go, and to prove that laughter is not just for the kids.
SLAPPY'S PUPPET PLAYHOUSE
A family theatre nestled in the third level of the Galleria brings high quality entertainment to children and their families of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Since 2004, Slappy's Puppet Playhouse has become a destination for families throughout Texas. Slappy's has produced 16 marionette shows, which have been the backdrop for hundreds of unique birthday parties, countless scout troupe gatherings, school groups from all around the area, and many families looking to spend some quality time together enjoying theatre aimed at the whole family. An affordable theatrical experience for the whole family, Slappy's sets the stage for magical moments.
NY GOOFS CLOWN SCHOOL
When the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College closed its doors in 1998, there was suddenly no place in this country to study the art of physical comedy and clowning. Having been a part of the amazing process of finding talent and guiding young people toward careers in clowning and the circus, Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley felt it was important to develop a new training ground for clowns. Hence, the New York Goofs' Ultimate Clown School was born in 1999 in New York City.
What began as a weekend course in comedy, has grown into a two week annual clown immersion program as well as weekend workshops around the country focusing on various disciplines within the art form. Some of these include act development, mask/movement, and hospital clowning. In the past twelve years, we have had hundreds of students train with the New York Goofs, and many of them have gone on to perform with Ringling Bros., The Big Apple Circus, and theatrical companies around the country. Our students have included professional clowns, actors, doctors, nurses, stock brokers, lawyers and even members of the clergy! Clowning is our passion, and it is our mission to help ensure that physical comedy will live long and prosper through the continuous training of new talent.
FUNNYATRICS CLOWN PROGRAM AT CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER
The Funnyatrics Clown Program is a full-time professional Clown Doctor program at Children's Medical Center Dallas. It is the only program of its kind in the Southwest. This program is funded solely through donations. There are eight clowns on staff at Children's, and they have all received training through the NY Goofs/Foundation for Laughter. The goal of the Funnyatrics Clown Program is to be part of Children's mission to make life better for children by providing the healing power of humor to the patients, families and staff at Children's.
(Slappy & Monday visit the Children's Cancer Center in Amman, Jordan
ONGOING PROJECTS:
"The Science of the Circus" show reaches thousands of elementary school kids each year, and teaches them the basics of science through the circus arts.
Training and implementing hospital clown programs for Children's Medical Center.
Developing community-based circus for neighborhoods in the metroplex.
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and even more
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We have assembled a talented, hard working Board of Directors from local entertainment, medical, business, media and sports entities.
They are:
Dick Monday - President (Co-owner of Slappy's Puppet Playhouse, co-founder of NY Goofs, and former director of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Clown College)
Greg Wright - Vice President (President of Catalyst Equipment Corp.)
Tiffany Riley - Treasurer (Co-owner of Slappy's Puppet Playhouse, co-founder of NY Goofs, coordinator of Funnyatrics at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, former choreographer of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College)
Kathy Beazley - Secretary (President of Kathy R. Beazley Communications)
Dale Riley - Board Member (Co-founder of Irving Ballet Company)
Joy Riley - Board Member (Co-founder of Irving Ballet Company, Realtor for Ebby Halliday)
And a great team of artisans...
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