The Moisture Festival Podcast

In this episode we welcome Nox Falls to Hales Ales. Nox discusses growing up in Texas and how burlesque was a way to combat shyness. We learn about where some of the ideas for Nox’s routines come from and which ones get selected for shows. Nox also spits some spoken word poetry (which is a first on the podcast.) A really great conversation with a fantastic human being. You are going to...

In this episode we record on location at Hales Ales where we welcome in Moisture Festival favorite and clown extraordinaire  Hilary Chaplain . Hilary discusses how she develops her material and all the things that goes through her mind when she is debuting a new routine. We cover her over 30 year career that includes her one woman show, a play about a rat, appearing in the movie For...

Today’s guest is the fantastic burlesque artist Lily Verlaine . We discuss her career arc which started as a child performing in a cabbage patch commercial and now has her touring around the world performing for delighted audiences. We Learn about what goes into developing a burlesque act, all the people that can be involved, and a great conversation with one of the world’s best burlesque da...

In this episode of the Moisture Festival Podcast we triangulate locations and interview Stephon Walker aka Swami Yo Mami aka Less S Moore. We talk with Stephon over Zoom and discuss his many characters he has created in his 20 plus years of performing, what led him to create his characters and how his performance at the Kennedy Center was received. We also discuss the world of pickpocketing, and h...

In this episode we hit the road to the Rose City (Portland) and interview the super positive Nate “Scramble” James from Circus Luminescence. Scramble is one half of the group and discusses how the group started from a chance encounter and also the successes and failures of the group throughout the years. He also talks to us about why they decided doing glow in the dark juggling was the...

This episode of the Moisture Festival Podcast we are in Portland interviewing the fascinating Jon Dutch, aka “Dutch.” We talk about how he got into the circus later in life, the physical tolls it takes on one’s body and how he got into his unique form of acrobatics. We also discuss the circus scene in Portland, learn about the World Naked Bike Ride and learn about why he created...

The Moisture Festival is joined over Zoom by the amazing comic daredevil David Aiken a.k.a the Checkerboard guy. David is a unique talent that has traveled the globe with his show and shares with us some amazing stories of his travels. He also tells us about  the origins of the checkerboard theme in his show, his love of unusual cars and we gain some unique insights on why someone would gravitate...

 In this episode we make our first house call and interview the hilarious Steve Hamilton. We chat with Steve in his home and learn about how he went from saving lives as a paramedic to making people laugh with his comedy and magic at events all over the world. We hear how he quit his job to pursue his dreams and how his family responded to that decision. A fun interview with hilarious stories...

Curt Carlyle is one of the premiere comedy jugglers in the Pacific Northwest. He joins us in the clown basement in Portland and discusses all the things that led him to choose juggling as a job. He tells us about his early days performing with a partner, how their comedy act of stripping down to speedos opened the door to a plethora of performances in the circus world. We discuss his affinity...

This episode is part 2 of our two part conversation with the maestro of bubbles Tom Noddy. If you have not heard the first part, go back and check out the beginning of our conversation. In part #2 we pick up right where we left off with some amazing stories from Tom’s 50 plus years of performing. If you love vaudeville, you are going to love one of the people who is responsible for keeping i...

If you have been to the moisture festival before you have probably seen the bubble man Tom Noddy . In this episode, Tom  joins us in person in the Jungle Wagon for almost two hours of great conversation.  In part one of our two part interview with Tom, we dive into his early career, what drew him to bubbles, how he integrated bubbles into his street act and how that has led to over 50 years of del...

The Moisture Festival releases its last interview from the Berkley sessions and we are pleased to welcome in Robert Strong . Robert is a magician, comedian, idea guy and doer of awesome things. We learn about how he found out that he is related to Harry Houdini, his encounters with Robin Williams and cold calling famous comedians for a show he produced. Robert discusses performances at TED making...

On this episode of the Moisture Festival Podcast we continue our interviews from Berkeley California and welcome in Swami Beyondananda and Trudy. The Swami tells us about starting an alternative high school, being a ghostwriter for dental books and how all of that led him to performing his Swami character across the United States. We hear some horror stories from the road and discuss the state of...

The Moisture Festival is on location in Berkeley California where they are joined by festival favorite and award winning clown Iman Lizarazu . Iman discusses a few of her many passions including wine, designing clown noses and most importantly being creative. We hear some funny stories about growing up in the Basqu region of France, how people respond to her accent and what it’s like perform...

The Moisture Festival Podcast continues their residency in Berkeley California where they are joined by the hilarious Dan Holzman . You may know Dan as one half of the juggling team the Raspyni Brothers and we discuss his performing career that has spanned over three decades. We hear about his time performing on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson , opening for Robin Williams and his weird interac...

This week the Moisture Festival Podcast is joined by the magician to the stars, Jay Alexander ! The talk about Jay’s beginning as the doorman at a rock club, his relative that was a vaudeville strongman, living on a boat and owning his own magic theater! This is a great episode, where you’ll learn about Jay’s amazing life!

The Moisture Festival Podcast is on location in Berkeley California and is joined by the amazing Nancy Levidow. Those of you who know Nancy, know that she is such a cool, interesting and amazing person. For those of you who don’t, get ready to meet someone awesome. Nancy tells us about how she got involved in the WELL which is the oldest online community in the world. She also tells us about...

The Moisture Festival Podcast hits the road and is joined in Berkeley California by Stevie Coyle . Stevie tells us about his childhood path to become a priest and how he ran away to join the Royal Lichtenstein Circus instead. We learn all about his eclectic career that involved things like a trained cat act, announcing whale shows at a marine park, fixing alarm clocks, playing in successful bands...

This week continues the Moisture Festival Podcast’s roadshow with another interview from Berkeley, CA where they are joined by Jeff Raz ! In this episode they chat about his time in Cirque du Soleil, what makes a good clown and how he became an author! This is a fantastic interview that you’ll love!

This week, the Moisture Festival Podcast hits the road and travels to Berkley California where they are joined by Scotty Meltzer and Katrine Spang-Hanssen of Comedy Industries. In this episode, Matt and Louie get into the nuts and bolts of comedy and discuss how custom script writing was the tool that would allow Scotty and Katrine to carve out their 30 year career in the entertainment industry, h...

The Moisture Festival hits the phone lines to welcome in the multi-talented and hilarious Amy G. Amy discusses how she transitioned from a shy kid to a powerhouse performer that has traveled to every country you can think of (and more you can’t think of.) She discusses what life was like for her during covid and how she was forced to pivot to something she never knew could be so much fun. A fun an...

The Moisture Festival podcast is joined by Magician and raconteur Mike Caveney for an over the phone chat. Mike tells us some amazing stories from his 40+ years in show business. We discuss how he got into magic, how he married a fellow magician, how hard it is to go on the road with a chicken and how after 50 years of research he is finally releasing a book on the history of sawing a woman in hal...

The Moisture Festival Podcast is super excited about the amazing Jet Black Pearl joining us over the phone. Jet Black Pearl discusses with us how she came to the United States from the Netherlands and helps us with our Dutch. She also discusses how she begun playing accordion and the inspiration behind some of her hilarious songs. Spoiler alert, she even plays us a few. Louie also brings up how mu...

In this episode of the Moisture Festival Podcast we are joined over the phone by the hilarious Bri Crabtree. She tells us about how she had to hide being a juggler in high school from her classmates and what it is like to live in an artist workspace in San Francisco. She discusses her career, what it’s like being a woman at a juggling convention and her fascination with learning new skills. She’s...

The Moisture Festival Podcast is pleased to have the multi talented Mark Hayward join us over the phone. Mark is a smorgasbord of quirky talents. He is a world champion yo yo player, a Guinness World Record Holder, Artist and self proclaimed “Cool Guy”. In our conversation we discuss his progression from playing yo-yo as a kid and how that took him all around the globe including appearances on the...