Strange as it sounds, circus clown honed humor in military

It was as a senior in high school that April Vollm realized she had a knack for being funny onstage.

Bitten by the acting bug, she settled on a performing career. She got a degree in theater. She landed a coveted internship with an Atlanta theater.

And then, in 2005, the Las Vegas resident did something that seems completely at odds with entertainment: she joined the Air Force.

Now a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Vollm says it was the best thing she ever did for her career. The military taught her a lot about comedic timing and being funny. That was the point of joining.

“Whenever I told people that ... they looked at me like I was crazy,” says Vollm, who has called Las Vegas home for the past 12 years.

She’s always been fascinated with the military, ever since she was a kid growing up in Missouri. While she is proud to have served her country, patriotism was only part of the reason she signed up.

Her goal all along was to become a member of Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s touring performance ensemble, Vollm says. For 60 years, active duty members have been selected through auditions to join the group.

But auditions are invitation-only. And you can’t join the Air Force and serve your entire enlistment singing, dancing and entertaining the troops. First, you must serve for two years in an Air Force job. Only then can you submit a talent video. From those, Tops in Blue commanders invite airmen to an in-person audition.

For two years, Vollm worked as a load master on a C-130 airplane. She was based in Kuwait for several months and flew missions into Iraq every other day.

Vollm says she loved her job, knowing she was a vital part of an important mission. And she worked hard at it, knowing that eventually, she would get the chance to try out for Tops in Blue.

“It almost backfired,” Vollm remembers. “I was too good of an airman, my commander didn’t want to let me go.”

For her final two years of enlistment, Vollm did two world tours with Tops in Blue, traveling to dozens of countries. As part of the 35-member team, she helped with all aspects of a show, from setting up stages and equipment to tearing it down. It’s tough to get that kind of performing experience in such a short amount of time as a civilian, says Vollm, 34.

“I’ve been able to leap ahead, thanks to Air Force entertainment,” she says.

Once she left the military, she worked with her husband, Christian the Magician, who owns two magic shops and performs at a Colorado theme park. When she saw an ad for Ringling auditions, Vollm realized it would provide a great opportunity to learn new things while practicing her comedy skills.

“Who doesn’t deserve a chance to run away with the circus at least once in their lifetime?” Vollm says. “I had no idea the skills I was learning could be applied and used in Ringling.”

After a few weeks at clown college, Vollm joined the circus as a character clown. Guests can interact with her during the preshow.

“I absolutely love it, love it, love it,” Vollm says. “Being a clown, you’re open, innocent and you’re there to have fun.”

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal. com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.