Opening Night: "Smile: A Clown’s Ascension" at Asilomar in Pacific Grove

Announcing the United States premiere of SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension: Adapted from Henry Miller’s "The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder."

A Historic Premiere in Julia Morgan’s Chapel

On October 15, 2025, history will be made. For the first time in the United States, Henry Miller’s luminous parable The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder comes to life on stage in a bold new adaptation: SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension.

The world premiere takes place in the Grace Dodge Chapel at the Asilomar Conference Center, designed by Julia Morgan, California’s first licensed female architect and one of America’s great visionaries. Morgan’s architecture and Miller’s imagination share a common aim: to give form to the human spirit. That their legacies now meet in this premiere is a cultural moment worth celebrating.

An Event to Remember

This is not just another play — it is a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of literature and theater. It is a threshold where architecture shelters imagination, where laughter deepens into joy. Years from now, the question will be asked: Were you there at the premiere?

Click the dates below to be taken to the ticketing page.

October 15 – at Asilomar, Pacific Grove (7:30 pm)

October 16 - Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)

October 17 - Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)

October 18 - Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (2:00 pm)

October 18 - Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)

October 19 - Closing performance at Henry Miller Memorial Library, Big Sur (7:30 pm)

Presented, not coincidentally, during the international symposium Henry Miller in the 21st Century — already described by one writer as “Live Aid for Miller aficionados.”

About the Play

At the center of SMILE: A Clown's Ascension is Auguste, a world-famous circus clown known for his smile of mystic bliss. Yet fame leaves him unsatisfied. He yearns to give audiences more than laughter — he longs to offer them nothing less than everlasting joy. What could be more fitting, or more impossible, for a clown?

Where pantomime, music (courtesy Philip Glass!), and performance merge into one luminous gesture. Inspired by the cubist painter Fernand Léger — whose postwar circus imagery inspired and accompanied Miller’s fable, reinforcing its parable-like quality — this adaptation reimagines a modern fable as a living parable for our times.

The Creative Team

• Dennis Leroy Kangalee — Actor/Writer, starring as Auguste. A celebrated radical artist known for his uncompromising passion and truth.
• Magus Magnus* — Co-Writer & Director. Poet, playwright, and visionary of Poets Theater with a record of staging works in groundbreaking spaces.
• Justine Stock — Producer (J. Stock Productions). A seasoned producer and arts advocate bringing over 20 years of theatrical experience. She is the managing director and co-founder of New Canon Theatre Co.

Don’t Miss This Moment

This premiere is more than a play. It is the beginning of something that may resonate for years to come: a unique collaboration, a meeting of artistic giants, and a cultural landmark of lasting importance.

Seating is limited. History will only be made once.

Welcome!

Content Disclosure:

SMILE: A Clown's Ascension is appropriate for ages 14 & up. It contains thoughts of suicide, strong language, violence, racism, and loud bang that may be distressing to some audience members.
* Magus Magnus is not to be confused with HMML Director Magnus Tor´´en! (-:

Support "SMILE: A Clown's Ascension."

Bringing theatre to life is always a leap of faith — especially a production as daring and imaginative as this adaptation of Henry Miller’s The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder.

Ticket sales alone can’t cover the true costs of creating art at this scale. Sets, costumes, rehearsal space, stipends for actors and crew — every element requires resources.

If you believe, as we do, that Miller’s timeless fable deserves to be shared with today’s audiences, please consider making a donation in addition to purchasing your ticket. Your support will go directly toward giving our artists the freedom and tools they need to bring Auguste the clown’s quest for “a lasting joy” to the stage.

Theatre is difficult to pull off financially. With your help, we can ensure this production is not only possible but extraordinary. Every gift — large or small — helps us build something lasting for our community and beyond.

To donate, please scan the QR code below or click this link.

Thank you for standing with us and for believing in the power of art to uplift, provoke, and inspire!

Host or Publisher Henry Miller Memorial Library