Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada

Prologue: Flash back… Flash waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back to the spring of 1990. I had just completed a two month contract at the Hana Haku Flower Expo in Osaka, Japan and my re-entry into performing in North America took the form of a contract at the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival. This is where I first met Robin Chestnut who describes his memory of the event like this –

“My first recollections were meeting you at the 1990 Winnipeg International Children’s Festival when I’d first partnered up with Tawny Ross, some may know him as Aytahn now. I remember the checkered outfit, that you had a lot of energy and you juggled 7 balls. And you were kind enough to come yak with us young punks in the workshop area. But it wasn’t until later on at the CAMP program that we started to get to know each other better.”

When we first met Robin was just getting started as a juggler, but I’ve been nothing but impressed by not only how hard he’s worked to become and excellent technical juggler, but also how his show and performance character has evolved over the years… It’s also a hoot going out to his place in Teulon, Manitoba to ride horses… Good guy! Good fun!

STATS

Name: Robin Chestnut
Birthday: April 27, 1974
Place of Birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: Started performing at age 12 doing local gigs, competitions, and didn’t go to work full time until near the end of university in 1997 and officially started the business Jan. 1st, 1998. B.A. English, Psychology.
Disciplin: Comedy Juggling
Website: www.robnut.com
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88XVhPU66Kk
Venues Worked: Highlights include Premiere Cruiselines, Saudi Arabia, China, Fairs and Festivals in Canada, some Street Festivals, but mainly corporate and school gigs. A highlight has also been doing the world famous CAMP program here in Manitoba. I’d love to see Australia/New Zealand at some point.

Hot 10 Questions:

1. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Vanilla is the short answer. There’s a part of me that wants you (the reader) to think I’m something exotic, mysterious, special like Tiger-Tiger, but I’m Vanilla. Of course I include the potential for all flavours, but in most situations, and most of the time I’m plain ole’ Vanilla. And more and more, I want to be just plain old Vanilla.
2. Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • Usual Suspects, Shawshank Redemption, V for Vendetta. Good Will Hunting is up there too.
3. What was your favorite toy from childhood? • Lego, hours and hours of Lego.
4. Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • The 1986 IJA competition VHS tape. I’d watch it daily for hours. It included Dan Bennett, Larry Merlo, Dan Menendez, Jerome Ellis, Benji Hill, Scott Burton, Anthony Gatto, and possibly one more that escapes me. I also liked The Passing Zone and Raspini Brothers from that tape. Later I’d spend varying amounts of time with all of them save Jerome Ellis. When I was 17 I got to be in the editing room for the making of Anthony’s video, To Be the Best. Benji Hill was my coach, and I worked on the cruise ships with him. We haven’t spoken since ’94.
5. From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Probably the main character in Antz, what was his name? (His name was ‘Z’ and he was voiced by Woody Allen)
6. Name something that scares you. • Bungee Jumping and not reaching my potential, whatever that is.
7. Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Turkey Poult Delivery Driver.
8. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • SCUBA Diving, and Bee Keeping, the latter will likely happen this year, I’ve done ‘SCBA Walking, and even ‘SCBA cut-a-hole-in-the-roof-of-that-burning-building‘ with our fire dept here in Teulon, but would love to add the underwater part. I hear one of the best places in the world is off the west coast of Vancouver Island, lots of ship wrecks to explore.
9. What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Being away from the farm, my wife, my community, and trading time/skill for money, and the promoting, I could improve my promoting/marketing skills.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • I’d like to look him in the eye in a long extended expressionless stare, then at the exact same moment we’d both wink, his left eye, my right. Then a grin would creep across our face, and we go have a yak about the whole thing, a debrief if you will.

The Nugget:

Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.

“It’s about the people. When I look back what I remember most are the relationships with all great folks I’ve met along the way.“

–Robin Chestnut