Gale LaJoye grew up and lives in Marquette, Michigan. It is here that LaJoye began and continues to study how people respond to situations and each other. Over time, LaJoye has learned how to integrate his observations into funny and poignant stories without words – stories that turn sorrow into joy and inspire us to embrace life.
LaJoye has worked to make a difference in the lives of others his entire life. In college he enrolled in pre-law. When required to take a humanities or theatre course, LaJoye chose theatre. Soon after, he shifted his focus from pre-law to theatre, when he discovered how plays can change people’s lives. His initial dramatic roles were in Chekov’s “Three Sisters” and as the lead, Randle McMurphy in “One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Early on, LaJoye developed a reputation for portraying complex characters – characters that rely on physical humor and non-verbal communication. After college, LaJoye immersed himself in pantomime and the Japanese art of Kabuki.
In 1973, LaJoye ran off to Florida to be with the greatest show on earth – Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. While with the circus, he mastered the art of gesture, silent communication, and poignant short story telling. Within four years, LaJoye became “Boss Clown” – one of the highest honors in the circus tradition.
In 1979 fate dealt Gale LaJoye a crushing blow. After a car accident, his doctors advised him “he would never walk again.” Driven to be a performer, LaJoye immediately began rebuilding his body and using humor to heal his mind and soul.
Today, you would never imagine LaJoye was once paralyzed.
After regaining his balance and the ability to perform physical stunts in the early 1980’s, LaJoye produced the critically acclaimed and much loved “Too Foolish for Words.” After touring this silent comedy around the globe, LaJoye set to work to produce “Snowflake.”
After premiering Snowflake in 1990, LaJoye embarked on a global tour. LaJoye’s Snowflake has toured throughout Asia, South America, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the United States. Hailed by critics and audiences alike as “a must see,” LaJoye has performed Snowflake thousands of time. In Japan alone he toured Snowflake to 300 cities.
When not on tour with Snowflake, LaJoye is developing his next tour de force. His next production is slated to premiere after this Encore Tour of Snowflake ends. Like no other, Gale LaJoye weaves different schools of theatre into funny and poignant stories that help adults and children turn sorrow into joy.