Biography
Jane Nichols is a teacher, director, and actor who has been teaching Clown for over 25 years. Her work brings together skills and techniques of Improvisation, Mask, Le Jeu, Physical Comedy, Clown, and Fool. She has studied with world-renowned Clown Master Philippe Gaulier, Avner Eisenberg (Avner the Eccentric), Clive Mendes (Theatre Complicite), Ronlin Foreman (DellArte School of Physical Theatre), Michael Kennard (co-founder of Canada’s acclaimed Mump & Smoot, and Master teacher of the Richard Pochinko native American mask/clown technique), Bolek Polivka, Antonio Fava, Davis Robinson, Keith Johnstone, and Merry Conway. She has taught at Brown University, Yale School of Drama, Juilliard, Harvard University/Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at American Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Stella Adler Conservatory, University of Washington, University of Utah, Emerson College, Simon’s Rock College of Bard, Actor’s Center in NYC, and Shakespeare & Co in Lenox, Massachusetts, and Lesley College Graduate School.
She is the founder and artistic director of the Crosswalk Theater in Boston. Her acting credits include roles at En Garde Arts, New Georges and SoHo Rep, Dallas Theater Center, Portland Stage Company, Gloucester Stage, Shakespeare & Co., the Lyric Stage, Nora Theater, and Berkshire Public. Jane has performed for film and television in School Ties, Heights, Law & Order: SVU, Ed, America’s Most Wanted, and Rachel’s Dinner with Olympia Dukakis.