bio

PETER’s curiousity got piqued about juggling at the age of 9. Soon after he discovered clowning, acting, visual arts, and as he grew up more and more he came to identify himself as a creative individual. This creative indentity has lead him into many wonderful experiences and adventures through his professional life.

After graduating from his formal schooling at Sarah Lawrence College, he became a clown in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (“The Greatest Show on Earth!”). His comedy antics have taken him across America and as far away as Japan, and have been featured on television’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and “Live with Regis & Kathie Lee.” He appeared regularly as The Amazing Steve in David Lindsay-Abaire’s long-running serial comedy “Cliffs of Des Paires” at Dance Theatre Workshop. As a sketch comedian, he holds up the rear-half of the comedy duo, Dapo & Straus, appearing together all around New York City and on Royal Carribean cruise ships. On a community level, for several years Peter has laughed with patients, families and staff in hospitals as a clown-doctor with New York’s “Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit”. As a stage actor, he has worked at such joints as the Denver Center Theatre Company, The North Shore Music Theatre and most recently as The White Rabbit at The National Theatre of Norway. He has performed extensively at the Metropolitan Opera—his favorite role is one created as "Pierrot" in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. He has recently been touring his new solo comedy show, “BiG TiME” in Norway. He is also the lead in a stage adaptation of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s “The First Shlemiel”, with music by Elizabeth Swados,which is currently in development in New York.

As a creative mind, he has lent his experience as the “slapstick konsulent” to the National Theatre of Norway’s production of Alice i Eventryland. He created and directed the theatrical family comedy show, “Dill og Diger,” which will begin touring Norway in the Fall of 2006, and it is currently in development as a televsion program. Peter also teaches physical comedy, with students ranging from interested teens to the seasoned actors of the National Theatre of Norway.

Wearing a very different hat, Peter is also a published author. He is the illustrator-designer and co-author of “MenOpop”, the world’s first menopause pop-up and activity book. (Yes. It’s true. Click here to see it.) It has been featured on CNN, ABC World News, in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Dave Barry’s Gift Guide, and Maxim magazine.

Peter is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, The British American Drama Academy, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.