NEWS RELEASE
Media contact: Gale LaJoye (906) 362-2594
High resolution photos available on line at lajoye.com
Down loads page, Password is “password”
WHO: Gale LaJoye,
WHAT: “Gale LaJoye’s Snowflake”
WHEN: Friday January 26, at 7:30 pm, & Saturday January 27, 7:30 pm
WHERE: Forest Roberts Theatre
TICKETS: Advance Tickets Prices - Adult $17, Student/Children $10
Available at: All NMU tickets outlets
Online at: nmu.edu/tickets
At the Door TicketsPrices – Adult $19, Student/Children $12.
Box office opens one hour performances.
FOR MORE INFORMATION -
“Heartwarming and hilarious”
Broadway World
“…one of the most magical hours of entertainment I have ever experienced”
The Vancouver Sun
“LaJoye to the world”
Star Tribune Review
The heartwarming and hilarious one-man show, Snowflake, starring Gale LaJoye, returns to Marquette with two performances January 26 and 27 at NMU’s Forest Roberts Theatre. Without a single spoken word, LaJoye's character helps a child turn sorrow into joy. With his unique blend of comic genius, slapstick, feats of balance and tender moments, LaJoye spins a tale of a creative and gentle soul that entertains and takes delight in turning simple objects into comic treasures. His mastery of timing, nuance and subtle style touches the spirit and causes laughter, tears and pangs of recognition that make this a show for all ages. Ventura County Star states, "Gale LaJoye's wordless one-man show has a lot to say about humanity."
Gale LaJoyegrew up and lives in Marquette. It is here that LaJoye began and continues to study how people respond to situations and each other. Over time, LaJoye has learned how to integrate his observations into funny and poignant stories without words - stories that turn sorrow into joy and inspire us to embrace life.
LaJoye has worked to make a difference in the lives of others through his humorous and heartfelt performances. Attending Northern Michigan University he initially enrolled in pre-law. When required to take a humanities or theatre course, LaJoye chose theatre. When he discovered how plays can change people's liveshe shifted his focus from pre-law to theatre. His initial dramatic roles were in Chekov's Three Sisters and as the lead, Randle McMurphy in One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest. Early on, LaJoye developed a reputation for portraying complex characters - characters that rely on physical humor and non-verbal communication. After college, LaJoye attended the Valley Studio in Spring Green Wisconsin, where he studied mime, commedia dell′ arte and the Japanese art of Kabuki.
In 1973, LaJoye ran off to Florida to be with the greatest show on earth - Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. While with the circus, he mastered the art of gesture, silent communication and poignant short story telling. Within four years, LaJoye became "Boss Clown" - one of the highest honors in circus tradition.
In 1979, fate dealt Gale LaJoyea crushing blow. After a car accident, his doctors advised him he would "never walk again." Driven to be a performer, LaJoye immediately began rebuilding his body and using humor to heal his mind and soul. Today, you would never imagine LaJoye was once paralyzed.
After regaining his balance and the ability to perform physical stunts in the early 1980s, LaJoye produced the critically acclaimed and much loved Too Foolish for Words. After touring this silent comedy around the globe, LaJoye set to work to produce Snowflake.
In 1990,Snowflake premieredin Minneapolis and Marquette and LaJoye then embarked on a global tour. For the last 28 years, LaJoye'sSnowflake has toured throughout Asia, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Scotland, Ireland and the United States. Hailed by critics and audiences alike as "a must see," and “one of America’s finest theatrical clowns” LaJoye has performed Snowflake over two thousands of times. In Japan alone, he toured Snowflake to 300 cities.
Ten years ago LaJoye announce his final performance here in Marquette thinking there was no more interest out there for the production, and then the phone rang. Another ten years and hundreds of performances later,it is now time to retire this production of Snowflake. “After all, twenty eight years is a pretty good run if I may so myself”. His next production, a staged memoir,is slated to premiere next year.With forty three years of experiences, as they say in Washington, he has a story to tell.