"Toto" Johnson Clown from Davenport, IA

“Toto” began clowning in 1977 at the age of 10 in his hometown of Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA. At 14 he formed “The Colossal Clowns” and performed at birthday parties, festivals, and other events around Connecticut. In 1985, at the age of 18, “Toto” graduated from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus' Clown College and spent the next 4 years on tour with “The Greatest Show on Earth”. He returned to Clown College in 1988 as a stiltwalking and clowning instructor. “Toto” renamed his company “Colossal Clowns International” in 1990 when he embarked on his first overseas clowning adventure. Since then clowning has directly or indirectly taken him to 48 states and over 20 countries (India, England, China, Monaco, Sweden, Portugal, Holland, Finland, Canada, Japan, etc). In addition to performing, “Toto” also holds workshops on the local, national, and international levels. He has won numerous awards over the years…including being the only American ever honored with the title “Fellow of Clowns International”… and is a columnist for “The Joey” magazine based in England. While specializing in stage and circus clowning, “Toto” has never forgotten his roots in “meet and greet”, magic, juggling, and balloon sculpting. A few highlights from “Toto's” career include performing at the National Cultural Festival of Japan, the first international clown festival ever held in China (plus several others), the second international clown festival held in India, Cirkus Olympia in Sweden, several international clown festivals in England, and being the first and only American to clown at “Festiclown de Monte-Carlo” as an honored guest of Princess Stephanie of Monaco.