Clowning Around: Toots Caboose begins second year with Amtrak Cascades Character Clown Corps

Toots Caboose, the alter ego of designer and author Jeff Fisher - the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives has started his second season as a member of the Amtrak Cascades Character Clown Corps for the Portland Rose Festival. Last year Toots emerged from clown school and made quite an impression at official Rose Festival events.

Toots Caboose in front of SP 4449 - “World's Most Famous Steam Locomotive.”

In some 2010 pre-festival duties Toots assisted in recruiting new members of the Clown Corps with appearances on KGW Newschannel 8 at Sunrise with Drewbo (KGW reporter Drew Carney) and a gaggle of Clown Corps pals; and KATU's AM Northwest program with Bango (KATU reporter Janice Bangs), Dolly, and Angel.

Al Baker, of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, with Toots and Portland's National Train Day event.

Once again, Toots Caboose and members of the Character Clown Corps livened things up at the recent National Train Day festivities at Portland's historic Union Station. At the request of Amtrak Cascades officials, Toots was an official tour guide on their custom-built Talgo train.

Toots, with with Judy Hall of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, hard at work giving Talgo train tours.

There are sure to be upcoming sightings of Toots Caboose and the Character Clown Corp troupe at the upcoming events:

• Fred Meyer Junior Rose Parade: The oldest and largest children's parade in the United States will be held on Wednesday, June 9th.

• Key Bank Grand Floral Parade: The Grand Floral Parade is Saturday, June 12th. In 2009, nearly 500,000 people lined the streets of downtown Portland to view the event.

For more photos of the 2010 Amtrak Cascades Character Clown Corp activities, check out this gallery of images

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Toots Caboose and Rose Festival Character Clown Corps pals clown around on KATU's AM Northwest

Last spring I had the pleasure of being accepted to Clown School for the Portland Rose Festival Amtrak Cascades Character Clown Corps. In the intense three-day workshop I created the identity of my clown alter-ego Toots Caboose, designed signature make-up, coordinated a train engineer costume, created a physical persona for the character and learned how to play well with other clowns.

My participation in the 2009 Character Clown Corps was an incredible experience, with public appearances at National Train Day at historic Union Station, the Fred Meyer Junior Rose Parade and the KeyBank Grand Floral Parade as major highlights. Walking the Grand Floral Parade route, with an estimated 500,000 viewers lining the downtown Portland streets, was a bit overwhelming.

Earlier this week, I got an email from Boss Clown Angel Ocasio asking that Toots Caboose participate in a Character Clown Corps effort to recruit members of the clown class of 2010 with an appearance on KATU's AM Northwest show. At the Portland Rose Festival office, Angel, clown pal Dolly and I were met by AM Northwest producer/reporter Janice Bangs - and "Cameraman Bob."

Cameraman Bob, Dolly, Toots Caboose, Bango and Boss Clown Angel after taping the Portland Rose Festival Amtrak Cascades Character Clown Corps recruiting segment for AM Northwest

Out of costume, Dolly (Michele) and I joined Angel in judging the possible new recruit's clown school audition (video above - top). After Bangs nailed her try-out, Angel coordinated the makeup and costume that transformed the reporter into Bango - while clowns Dolly and Toots Caboose evolved in the background. Our AM Northwest segment taping came to an end with Angel, Dolly and Toots Caboose assisting Bango with her first clown trick. It was a fun afternoon of clowning around.

The Portland Rose Festival Character Clown Corps is currently seeking applicants, age 14 years and older, for its 2010 clown workshop class. If interested, applications must be received by Monday, March 1, 2010. Additional information, and a downloadable application form, are available on the Character Clown Corps website.

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives