Shows
Vermont Artists & Authors(Episode 81): Behind Every Laugh & Trick: The Real Circus Life with Rob Mermin!#RobMermin #CircusLife #Memoir #CircusArts #StorycomicPresents #CircusHistory #TraditionalCircus #CircusSmirkus #CircusMagic #CircusCulture #CircusBook #AuthorInterview #CreativeJourney #VermontArts #circusworld
Join us on Storycomic Presents for Episode 390, where we are thrilled to welcome back the captivating Rob Mermin, a master of the circus arts and renowned author. Today, Rob shares insights from his latest book, "Circle of Sawdust," a memoir that delves into the enchanting world of traditional traveling circuses. In this episode, Rob recounts his extraordinary journey from running off to join the circus as a young man to founding the acclaimed Circus Smirkus. Dive into tales of triumph, adversity, and the m...
2025-02-2626 minVermont Artists & Authors(Episode 81): Behind Every Laugh & Trick: The Real Circus Life with Rob Mermin!#RobMermin #CircusLife #Memoir #CircusArts #StorycomicPresents #CircusHistory #TraditionalCircus #CircusSmirkus #CircusMagic #CircusCulture #CircusBook #AuthorInterview #CreativeJourney #VermontArts #circusworld
Join us on Storycomic Presents for Episode 390, where we are thrilled to welcome back the captivating Rob Mermin, a master of the circus arts and renowned author. Today, Rob shares insights from his latest book, "Circle of Sawdust," a memoir that delves into the enchanting world of traditional traveling circuses. In this episode, Rob recounts his extraordinary journey from running off to join the circus as a young man to founding the acclaimed Circus Smirkus. Dive into tales of triumph, adversity, and the m...
2025-02-2626 min
Storycomic Presents: Interviews with Amazing Storytellers and Artists(Episode 390): Behind Every Laugh & Trick: The Real Circus Life with Rob Mermin!#RobMermin #CircusLife #Memoir #CircusArts #StorycomicPresents #CircusHistory #TraditionalCircus #CircusSmirkus #CircusMagic #CircusCulture #CircusBook #AuthorInterview #CreativeJourney #VermontArts #CircusWorld
Join us on Storycomic Presents for Episode 390, where we are thrilled to welcome back the captivating Rob Mermin, a master of the circus arts and renowned author. Today, Rob shares insights from his latest book, "Circle of Sawdust," a memoir that delves into the enchanting world of traditional traveling circuses. In this episode, Rob recounts his extraordinary journey from running off to join the circus as a young man to founding the acclaimed Circus Smirkus. Dive into tales of triumph, adversity, and...
2024-10-0327 min
The Vermont Conversation with David GoodmanHow Rob Mermin ran away with the circus and spent a life under the Big TopIn 1969, with the country in the grips of protests against the Vietnam War, Rob Mermin took a different path. He ran off to join the circus. So began his career as a performer that has touched the lives of thousands of people.For the next decade, Mermin performed in circuses throughout Europe, above the Arctic Circle and behind the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union. He studied with the legendary pantomimist Marcel Marceau, who would become his mentor and friend. In 1987, Mermin came to Vermont and founded Circus Smirkus, now one of the country’s top traveling yo...
2024-06-1251 min
Vermont ViewpointHour 2: Bob Ney, Seven Days, Rob Mermin - Founder of Circus SmirkusKevin Ellis talks first with National News Correspondent Bob Ney. Then, Seven Days culture staff writer Mary Ann Lickteig tells Kevin about her recent story: Three to Six Hours in Greensboro. And then, founder of Circus Smirkus Rob Mermin joins Kevin in-studio to talk about his new memoir: “Circles of Sawdust: A Circus Memoir of Mud, Myth, Mirth, Mayhem, and Magic.”
2024-05-2443 min
Muse MentorsThe Circus of Life: Rob Mermin and his mentor Marcel MarceauEncore episode: Rob Mermin ran off to join the circus in 1969 at the age of 19. He clowned with renowned European circuses, including England’s Circus Hoffman, Sweden’s Cirkus Scott, Denmark’s Circus Benneweis in the famous Circus Building by the Tivoli, and many more. It was his long mentorship with the iconic French mime Marcel Marceau that shaped him as a performer and inspired him to dream and make plans. In 1987 he founded Circus Smirkus, the embodiment of Rob -- the touch of wonder, the charm, the story line, th...
2021-08-2449 min
Resilience RadioMime and Parkinson's Disease, Rob MerminRob Mermin studied under Mime under Marcel Marceau and in addition to being a Mime is a director, lecturer, author, clown, magician, and raconteur. He has Parkinson's Disease and used his training as a mime to develop The Parkinson’s Pantomime Project (PD Mime). PD Mime explores methods of training in specific motor skills adapted from the techniques of pantomime and circus to modify or alleviate symptoms of idiopathic PD. One goal of the PD Mime classes is to trigger the Paradoxical Kinesia Impulse (PKI) as a movement management strategy. http://robmermin.com/parkinsons-pantomime-project/
2021-04-1256 min
Muse MentorsThe Circus of Life: Rob Mermin and his mentor Marcel MarceauRob Mermin ran off to join the circus in 1969 at the age of 19. He clowned with renowned European circuses, including England’s Circus Hoffman, Sweden’s Cirkus Scott, Denmark’s Circus Benneweis in the famous Circus Building by the Tivoli, and many more. It was his long mentorship with the iconic French mime Marcel Marceau that shaped him as a performer and inspired him to dream and make plans. In 1987 he founded Circus Smirkus, the embodiment of Rob -- the touch of wonder, the charm, the story line, the mime an...
2020-11-2448 min
Rumble StripCatastrophe and Grace Rob Mermin had a career as a mime clown for forty years, then in 1987 he started a circus company here in Vermont called Circus Smirkus. Three years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
This is a story about movement, the loss of control of movement…catastrophe and grace.
About Rob
Rob Mermin trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau and has performed in European circus, theater, TV and film for forty years. He is an author, director, university lecturer, former Dean of Ringling Bros. Clown College, and founder of th...
2017-10-1622 min
Interview Radio ShowThe Magical Mystery Tour Jun 10 2016 Helping A Friend Die on His Own Terms-Rob Mermin & Bill MorancyThe Magical Mystery Tour Jun 10 2016 Helping A Friend Die on His Own Terms-Rob Mermin & Bill Morancy by Tonio
2016-06-101h 30Rumble StripLast Chapter
Rob Mermin and Bill Morancy lived in neighboring apartments in Montpelier, Vermont. They were best friends. And when Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he asked his best friend to help him die.
In 2013, Vermont passed the The Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act, or Act 39…our version of Death with Dignity. The legislation allows eligible Vermonters with terminal diseases the option to be prescribed medication that will hasten the end of their life. In 2015, Bill elected to use Act 39 to end his life, and he asked Rob to help him...
2016-06-0923 min
HIDEAWAYEpisode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus SmirkusSubscribe: iTunes | RSS | Stitcher | Audioboom On this episode we call up the extraordinary Rob Mermin. Rob trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau, performed as a clown in various European before founding the award-winning international company Circus Smirkus. If you enjoy the episode please share it with your friends! You can also email us comments and questions to hello@hideawaycircus.com • [06:02] - Rob’s first interaction with circus • [08:05] - A hitchhiking trip leads to Rob’s first job • [16:29] - Rob sets a 20 year goal • [18:43] - Marcel Marceau and learning how to mime • [24:10] - Rob on creating circus acts • [29:54] - Instilling a culture of circ...
2016-06-051h 04
HIDEAWAYEpisode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus SmirkusShow Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes Episode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus Smirkus On this episode we call up the extraordinary Rob Mermin. Rob trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau, performed as a clown in various European before founding the award-winning international company Circus Smirkus. If you enjoy the episode please share it with your friends! You can also email us comments and questions to hello@hideawaycircus.com. Show Notes: • [06:02] - Rob’s first interaction with circus • [08:05] - A hitchhiking trip leads to Rob’s first job • [1...
2016-06-051h 04
Hideaway Circus PodcastEpisode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus SmirkusShow Notes: HIDEAWAY Podcast Show Notes Episode 8- Rob Mermin, founder of Circus Smirkus On this episode we call up the extraordinary Rob Mermin. Rob trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau, performed as a clown in various European before founding the award-winning international company Circus Smirkus. If you enjoy the episode please share it with your friends! You can also email us comments and questions to hello@hideawaycircus.com. Show Notes: • [06:02] - Rob’s first interaction with circus • [08:05] - A hitchhiking trip leads to Rob’s first jo...
2016-06-051h 04