Canadian clown, actor, teacher, director Joe De Paul has performed in various productions across North America and Europe, ranging from classical theatre to new works, receiving the META award for Best Actor for Head À Tëte. Joe has appeared on screen in projects such as Bonnano, A God Father Story, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Sirens, Space Cases, Sublet, Frankenstein and Me, Are you afraid of the Dark?, Clutch, Indoors, and Vendetta: The New mafia. In 1999 Joe really did run away with the circus and began his career as a clown performing in numerous Cirque du Soleil productions, including his debut in the North American tour and in the Emmy award winning film version of Dralion. Joe’s unique physical comedy has brought him critical acclaim in various circuses and cabarets in North America and Europe including Salto Natale in Zurich, Palazzo in Germany, and Cirque Zanzibar in France. Joe has toured from Spain to Finland with Los Galindos circus. Joe co-founded the “Collectif Clown International de Marseille” for the research and development of new works. He has taught at the Geneva Circus School, National Theatre School of Canada, L’École National du Cirque and Concordia University. He has directed clowns for Cirque du Soleil’s Ama Luna, Ka, Drawn to Life and directed and starred in over 15 productions of Teatro Zinzanni in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago. Joe has authored and toured internationally two full length productions, Placebo and Thank God for Tim and Joe. Joe was a proud member of the world premiere for Water for Elephants at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in the Spring of 2023.