Ten West

TEN WEST

Co-Creator, Clown, Comedian, Performer, writer and producer

January 2003 – on-going

Ten West is a clown duo consisting of experienced, professional clowns, Jon Monastero and Stephen Simon, directed by Bryan Coffee. Believing in the universal language of physical comedy and the healing capacity of laughter they have worked together since 2003, creating original work primarily without the use of words.

The team has created six original shows; You Had Me At Vincero, Ten West Presents, Nights Errant I, Nights Errant II, The Understudies and Ineffable. The latter, our opus on death as envisioned and experienced through the eyes of a couple clowns. The show was a nominee for Top of the Fringe, Best Physical Comedy Show and Best Dance and Physical Theatre production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2011-2013. Ineffable also was presented by invitation at Comedy Central Stages in Hollywood, CA in 2011 and 2013.

Ten West has performed to critical and audience acclaim across N. America including NYC, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Bellingham, Portland, Sacramento, the Poconos, Marin, Novato, Carmel, San Diego, and in venues all over Los Angeles including the Disney Concert Hall, Pasadena Playhouse, Ford Amphitheater and Orange County Performing Arts Center - now the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts.

Ten West has also created two arts and education shows; The Fracas Brothers and The Quest for Character. These shows address issues of conflict resolution and character development respectively. Both shows are listed on the Orange County Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts Arts Teach and Santa Clarita Arts and Education rosters.

Stephen Simon and Jon Monastero also performed twice as clowns on stage with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Disney Concert Hall. We played the Pallbearers and clowns in Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead as part of the Toyota Symphonies for Youth concert series. And have collaborated on two short films, The Understudies (by The Kohnen Bros. Matt and Sean) and 10 EZ Steps For Mortician Success (by Bill Fiala and Tibor Skazaly).

Ten West has received standing ovations from sold out audiences at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

The L.A. Weekly gave their most recent production, Nights Errant, a "GO!" Pick and wrote "The two-man clown show is a wacky Dadaist trip.... all very goofy, giddy, funny and executed with infectious charm."

 Backstage West gave it a Critic's Pick and wrote, "...inspired lunatics...absurd practical jokes, wild improvisations, comic deceptions and farcical battles of will...highly endearing...performed with flair and terrific, Saroyanesque charm."