PORTRAIT OF A CLOWN

Tommy Watkins applied white-face after defining his eyes and mouth line with a grease pencil.

Tommy Watkins

Everett Scharenborg is giving Tommy Watkins makeup tips: Use lots of powder, go easy on the black liner and keep the lips large.

Scharenborg holds up a box of cotton swabs. "These are a godsend," he tells Watkins.

Watkins needs the advice: As the newest member of the Cape Girardeau Shrine Club Clowns, he's putting on the white face and red rubber nose for the first time.

Watkins is one of about 10 men in the clown troupe, which had been inactive for several years.

Last fall, several local Shriners started kicking around the idea of reviving the clown troupe, said Larry Ream, whose clown name is Rocco. The troupe was officially reinstated on Jan. 1.

The local Shriners Club used to have a very active clown unit, said Eddie Schreiner. But over the years, the clowns got older and the tradition slacked off.

Louis Picou, whose clown name is Lippy, was one of the local club's original clowns. He is one of about three of the original clowns who have become active again.

"We're trying to give this thing a rebirth," Picou said.

The latest crop of clowns all like the job description: Putting on funny clothes and making children -- and quite often, their parents -- laugh.

"Everybody will laugh, smile and wave at you when you're clowning," Schreiner said.

But becoming a clown isn't as easy as putting on an orange wig and oversized shoes. There are traditions in behavior, dress and makeup to be followed, and that takes research, Ream said.

"What we've basically done is gone out and purchased books and stuff and read," Ream said.

There are three basic types of clowns: The white-faced clown, who often appears in a colorful wig and hat with bright lips and the rubber nose; the tramp clown, popularized by Emmett Kelly and Red Skelton; and the auguste, the jokester in flesh-toned makeup.

And for people who spend much of their day piling into cars and tying balloons into animal shapes, clowns have to follow a lot of rules, Schreiner said.

"There's things we can do and things we can't do," he said. Clowns aren't supposed to use profanity or drink liquor in the presence of children or otherwise set a bad example.

"We try to be the front end of the horse," Schreiner said.

Every clown also tries to be an individual and not copy another clown's makeup or costume, said Picou.

And Shrine Club clowns don't throw candy when they perform in parades, Schreiner said.

So how do you learn to be a clown?

"Act natural," cracked George Peo, known as "Train Man" when he's in full costume.

Peo, a longtime volunteer with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway in Jackson, based his costume on his love of trains.

"The thing with my costume is, most people that know me recognize me," Peo said.

That's not the case for the other clowns.

"One day I walked out of the bathroom in my costume and my dog growled at me," said Dave Bilyeu, whose "Officer Red" character is dressed like a Keystone Kop.

"Nobody ever recognizes me," Scharenborg said.

As Watkins gets ready to try out the makeup, the atmosphere is a little like a pajama party: Almost everyone has brought their makeup kit and is ready with advice.

Scharenborg guides him through the process, first outlining his eyes and lips with a white pencil, then showing him how to blend the white grease paint over his skin.

Watkins experiments with orange grease paint for his lips and cheeks. When it's time for a wig, Ream volunteers the tramp wig he uses as Rocco.

Watkins surveys the results uncertainly. "Do I look more funny or scary?" he asks.

Scharenborg lends him one of his two red rubber noses, and shows him how to apply the adhesive to keep the nose on.

Watkins borrows a hat, an oversized tie and a loud jacket and the transformation is complete: A clown is born.

"You look good," somebody calls to him.

Every clown has his own method for putting on the makeup. Peo uses stencils to outline his mouth and eyes. Scharenborg thins his eyebrows so they don't show through the grease paint.

Using talcum powder -- the cheaper the better -- after every layer of grease paint keeps it from running, Schreiner said.

Getting the makeup, wig and costume on can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.

And the best way to get the makeup off is with baby oil, Peo said.

Ream said the troupe is trying to decide whether to add motor scooters or mini-cars to the act, and members are working on their balloon-tying skills.

But making someone laugh is still the key to success.

"It's really funny, just being in your car in your costume and you go up the road and hit a red light," Ream said. "And then kids pull up and see you."

"If you can make one kid laugh, it's worth all the time to put the face on," Picou said. "That's what it's all about. You can see the glow in their faces."