akais an artist and accessories designer by trade and the fearless, obsessive ring-leader behind the 313 Clinton Avenue Halloween productions.  She is also the proprietor of the Chat Noir parlor sales.  In addition to coordinating the Halloween efforts, Janna's inventive costumes have won "best in show" awards at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on five separate occasions, including the "Judges Choice" for 16 costumes in 2007.  In 2003, she was published in Country Living's "Halloween Happenings."  A transplant from Florida, Janna has been a Clinton Hill resident since 1985.

(script writer) is an American director of theater, opera and film.  Her work has received many accolades from critics for her films Frida, Titus, and Across the Universe.  She has earned two Tony Awards for her direction and costumes for Broadway's long-running The Lion King, in addition to a Drama Desk Award, an Emmy Award and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.  No wait a minute, that's Julie Taymor's biography...

akawas one of the original Halloween Fab Four at 313 Clinton Avenue way back in 1994.  In the service of his Horror High Priestess, Janna, he has built skeletons, carved gargoyles, buried tombstones, erected pirate ships, fired cannons, lugged coffins, broken into houses, hung effigies in second floor windows, splattered paint onto canvas, squirted blood onto costumes and hurled candy at neighborhood children.  He is also an illustrator, graphic designer and writer, having just completed a full-length novel that will be published next year, if he can get an agent to return his calls.

I drove a red English double decker bus from Jacksonville, Florida to Denver when I was 15.  My first time in Prague in 1991, I plugged in a hairdryer and blew the circuit of a friend's flat.  It took 3 weeks to get the power back (it was just after the Velvet Revolution).  Ashamed I've never used one since.  My parents wanted me to go to art school, I went to med school.  I feel that one of the best machines ever constructed is the hand.  I often stare at it in wonderment.  When I answer a question it takes me an absurd amount of time to finish, but if you pull a chair and eat a sandwich it eventually comes full circle.  Sometimes.  I got in to the film business because I could not pay my bar tab.  I like the number 7 not for its value but for its shape.  I met a dog, then the person who fed and housed her, on a beach in Vieques, PR.  We've been good friends for 10 years.  I built a studio by myself in the backyard of the mob near the Gowanus canal.  When it was done they said they sold the building.  I moved below the apartment of the person who had the Puerto Rican dog.  I've painted most of my life but never became a doctor.  I do carry some band aids in my back pack.  Because of that last house move I've been an active member of the Halloween collective and could not be happier.

aka
Marc has been building the tombstones for as long as Ms. Kennedy's Halloween Bash has been going, some 12 years.  But that's just the construction.  As for the epitaphs, that is a group brain storm usually between Janna Kennedy, Claudia Howard, Andrew Watts and himself, and whomever else happens to be in the room eating Doritos.  They have great fun bashing both those political, or otherwise famous, who deserve it.  But sometimes they are heart-felt, as in last year's case of Tim Russert.  Sometimes we'd like to see them dead, sometimes we're sad that they're gone.

Marc is a visual artist, an actor, a percussionist and has lived in Ft. Greene for the last 24 years.  And he once played "Hail to the Chief" for then-President Gerald Ford.  To date this is the closest he has come to being in the Secret Service.  Knock on wood.

was a lost and wayward soul until the loving clan of 313 Clinton took him in and gave him an opportunity to be a "Pirate of the Scaribbean" in 2003.  That is when he found purpose in his life and that is to scare revellers on Halloween.  Since realizing his calling John has become a well adjusted, productive member of society...  Well almost, but he does still enjoy scaring kids of all ages.

akaofficially joined the ranks of Halloween 313 in 2008 as Production Manager.  Without her organizational efforts and creative ideas, the zombies would have overrun the entire neighborhood.  She has been a resident of Clinton Hill since 2004.

Master wood craftsman, painter, builder of alien spaceships, big eyeballs, and pirate ships.  Our "go to" man for designing, building, conquering feats of magic on 313's front lawn.  Larry has enthusiastically created the most talked about prop to land in Brooklyn since Hailey's comet.  He'll no doubt be on board to help Halloween reach astronomical success once again.

is the founder and editor of Clinton Hill Blog.  She has also been tap dancing for more than 25 years, and has been acting choreographer for Halloween at 313 for the last two years.

Carpenter Extraordinaire, musician, guitar collector, spaceship construction.  Robert lives across the street from 313 and is coerced into Halloween against his will year after year.  His contribution is always enjoyed by the group.

akajoined the Halloween 313 cast and crew in 2007.  She wandered in off the street and has refused to leave.  Her vocal stylings were featured in the "High School Music-Ghoul" where she appeared as "Rotten Renee."  Other talents include squeezing creative juices and barking orders.  Do NOT let her use power tools.  Beth is a graduate of Mason School of the Arts and officially became a Clinton Hill resident in 2008.

Purveyor of Halloween shenanigans, procrastinator, graphic artiste, teller of tales, mad cap, abuser of guitars, cat owner.

Resident of 320 Clinton Avenue...  Turtle by nature, beware all hares!  Has had his stage debut at 313 Clinton Avenue as pirate, alien, school house zombie.  Is, to his mother's absolute and utter amazement, willing to do anything for the Halloween Team @ 313.  His mother is hoping they can get him a job, as she needs to retire soon perhaps to a place where there is no candy and therefore, sadly, no Halloween.  He might not allow this.  This year he's ready with skateboard to do, well just about anything.

is president of a small country where Halloween is a National Holiday, and black manicures are mandatory.  When not busy running the country, she works as graphic designer and lives in the Brooklyn countryside.

is a tradesman - painting, plastering & wallpapering; a photographer - large format portraits.  I've been documenting The Mermaid Parade in Coney Island for 16 years using a 4x5 speed graphic camera.

Mild-mannered IT administrator at a secret supervillain hideout, he waits in coiled readiness to unleash his formidable hidden talent on the neighborhood.  As soon as we figure out what that talent is, we'll let you know.  Seen at times operating giant eyeballs sticking out of saucers, rockin' like Dead Elvis, and making trayf sing & dance as Lobster Boy.

hails from Wilmington, DE.  His life as a fire dancer stared a long 8 years ago, the first 5 of wich were self-taught.  From his solitary fire play, has has come into own and is now known to produce some of the wildest fire props of the scene.  Other fire artists come to him for design and constructing new props.  His background in puppetry and community theater have also helped shape his object manipulation obsession.  He has a style of his own, which he's displayed at numerous fireworks displays, summer camps, and New Year's Eve celebrations.  He is now promoting art and creativity through Barrel of Fun and can't wait to perform at the Carnival of Carnage!

comes up from Delawhere?  Yeah, that's what she said.  Since she was 3, she's been flipping upside down and walking on her hands.  At age 12, her gymnastics team performed at the US pavilion at the 1992 World's Fair in Spain.  Then she started setting up jump ropes and other fire props on fire in 2006, learning from a professional fire troupe from Richmond, VA.  After only a short 6 months, she was performing with them at her first gig at the BMX Action Sports Tour.  She amazed the crowd with splits and bridges while holding dangling fireballs.  She performed around Virginia for another year and a half at events such as the Richmond Marathon, Amelia County Fair, and for the Leukemia Foundation to name a few.  Now she's been back in Delaware with Barrel of Fun looking to please audiences and expand fire performance art.

, coming from the remote forests of Connecticut, has been fire playing for 3 years now.  His favorite prop is the fire dart where he mimics the moves of Shaolin monks of ancient China.  Also bitten by the creative bug, his additional trade craft is flame projection devices and structure design.  Inspired by Camp Barrel of Fun, he always jumps at a chance to encourage art expression and participation.

, the newest member to be absorbed by the Barrel of Fun crew, joins us from NYC.  She has been awed and inspired by Smokey's performances over the past few years and finally decided it was time to jump right into the world of poi herself.  Being a ballet dancer adds a touch of grace to her expression of the art, whether she is performing with fire poi or fans.  Dedication and love for performing is what keeps her yearning for an ever-expanding repertoire.  Give her a challenge and she'll come back in full force -- and then some, keeping friends on their toes.  She says "relating to people through art, especially through any form of muted expression, is one of the strongest forms of communication.  And that excites me so much, it makes me thrive for more."