Make some noise for Gary the Silent Clown Council on Aging show promises to entertain those young and young at heart

Bridging the gap between generations is a goal of the Marshfield Council on Aging, and an event this weekend aims to bring joy to those young and young at heart.

Gary the Silent Crown, a former Ringling Brothers performer, will bring his act to the Marshfield Senior Center this Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m.

"He puts on a fantastic show," said Peg Davis, Presidenf of the COA Boosters. "For the kids, and the adults too, he's so engaging and entertaining. He's an amazing performer."

Gary begins his act by appearing on stage without makeup, which he then applies on stage in front of the audience.

Davis said this has both an educational and comforting effect.

"It shows kids how he does it and that clowns aren't scary," she said. "It's really very effective."

His show includes lots of audience participation, including bringing children on stage and a unique artistic component, stemming from his degree in Fine Arts.

"He'll go out to someone in the audience and have them scribble something on a piece of paper," Davis said. "He'll add a few lines, turn it upside down, and suddenly it's a picture of something else."

Davis, a clown herself, met Gary at a clowning event a few years ago and asked him to do a workshop for her Hanson-based clown club. He also teaches clowning at various schools, including in Scituate.

"He really encourages clowns to stay with their art," she said. "He's really trying to pass his knowledge on to people."

The clown show, Davis said, is an opportunity for the Council on Aging to show that it isn't just a service for the senior community, and isn't just for Marshfield residents.

"We've been trying to do more intergenerational activities," she said. "I had the idea that this would be a great way to have people bring their grandkids and families. We're trying to let people know that the senior center isn't just for seniors, and it isn't just for Marshfield. It's open to anybody."

Davis said many people are turned off by the name "senior center" and assume there aren't services for all.

"It's more of a community center," said Davis. "They think it's just a bunch of people sitting around knitting or doing things old people do. We need to shake people up and realize that it's not just that, we're about many other things."

Admission to show is $5 and can be purchased at the door or reserved by calling Davis at 781-834-3441. The Marshfield Senior Center is located at 230 Webster St.

Follow James Kukstis on Twitter at @MarinerJamesK.