Michael Moschen

Moschen was a classmate of Penn Jillette's at Greenfield High School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, class of 1973. The two worked together developing juggling performances immediately after high school.{{cite magazine | title = A couple of Eccentric Guys | last = Trillin | first = Calvin | magazine = The New Yorker | date = May 15, 1989 | url = http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1989/05/15/1989_05_15_058_TNY_CARDS_000353087 | access-date = November 4, 2011 | archive-date = January 14, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140114172838/http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1989/05/15/1989_05_15_058_TNY_CARDS_000353087 | url-status = live }}

In 1977, Moschen performed in the first season of the Big Apple Circus.{{Cite news |last=Blau |first=Eleanor |date=1977-07-22 |title=Big Apple Circus Pitches for Permanence |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/22/archives/big-apple-circus-pitches-for-permanence.html |access-date=2023-11-26 |issn=0362-4331}}

Moschen is particularly known for crystal ball manipulation. In the 1986 film Labyrinth, the crystal ball manipulations seen to be performed by David Bowie's character were actually done by Moschen, who stood behind Bowie during filming. Since Moschen could not see the objects he was juggling, it took many takes to film the scenes with the crystal balls.{{Citation|last=The Jim Henson Company|title=Inside the Labyrinth: Crystals|date=2010-02-03|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U8fTAHxjdo|accessdate=2017-01-17}}

He received a fellowship from the MacArthur Foundation (the Genius Grant) in 1990.{{cite web |last1=Moschen |first1=Michael |title=Macarthur Foundation |url=https://www.macfound.org/grantee/moschen-michael-22645/ |website=www.macfound.org/ |publisher=www.macfound.org/ |access-date=12 August 2024 |ref=Macarthur Fellows}}

In 1991, an episode of Great Performances entitled "In Motion with Michael Moschen" focused on his creative process and showed several of his innovative juggling routines, featuring an original music score by David Van Tieghem. Moschen's television appearances also include An Evening at the Pops (with the Boston Pops Orchestra), Maury Povich, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, The Tonight Show, Jerry Lewis's MDA Telethon, The Montreal International Comedy Festival (Just for Laughs) on Showtime, Ricky Jay's Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women, Sesame Street, The David Letterman Show and PBS's Alive from Off-Center. Moschen is featured on the recent A&E documentary The Mystery of Genius and made his television dramatic acting debut on L.A. Law. He has also appeared on TV in England, Spain, Italy, Chile and Argentina. In 2001, Moschen was named one of Dance Magazine{{'}}s "25 to Watch".{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelmoschen.com/bio.html|title=Michael Moschen Online|access-date=2011-12-03|archive-date=2012-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204160622/http://www.michaelmoschen.com/bio.html|url-status=live}}{{better source needed|date=June 2023}}

Moschen's 2002 talk for the TED Conference describes some of his thought processes.{{cite web |url=http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/260 |title=Michael Moschen juggles rhythm and motion |date=March 2002 |publisher=TED.com |accessdate=February 22, 2011 |archive-date=June 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612100006/http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/260 |url-status=live }}

Cirque du Soleil commissioned Moschen{{when|date=June 2023}} to create a new work for their permanent theatrical circus in Las Vegas, Nevada.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

• List of jugglers

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.michaelmoschen.com/ Official Web Site]
• {{IMDb name|0608304|Michael Moschen}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U8fTAHxjdo "Labyrinth: Behind the Scenes (Crystal Balls)"]

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Category:Jugglers

Category:Living people

Category:MacArthur Fellows

Category:Contact juggling

Category:People from Greenfield, Massachusetts

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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