Rev. Barbara Ann Michaels, known as the Jester of the Peace, is a performance artist and interfaith minister whose work blends humor, art, and love to promote wellness, connection, and healing on a global scale. A visionary in the field of humor for humanitarian aims, she founded HumorVille, an immersive pop-up town of interactive experiences designed to empower individuals and communities through self-expression and celebration.

Her performances, installations, and workshops create spaces where people feel seen, heard, celebrated, and connected. Internationally acclaimed, Rev. Michaels integrates humor as a human right and life path, helping individuals and communities realign with themselves and each other during times of loneliness and uncertainty.

Rev. Michaels’ HumorVille performances include:

• Marry Your Self (wed any part of yourself)
• #IVote4U (be voted President of what you value)
• #IDanceLikeU (a dance team mirrors your moves)
• Love Letter Lounge (write a letter to anyone or anything)
• AND NOW: WOMAN and AND NOW: HUMAN (group self-expression salons)
• Clown Curious (try a clown nose in public to evoke joy)

Her multidisciplinary career spans corporate training, academic lectures, community events, and cultural performances. She has partnered with organizations such as the Newark Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and The Peace Train, and has delivered academic talks at Brown University, Claremont College, and University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

As an award-winning wedding officiant, Rev. Michaels has performed over 560 weddings, including costume and helicopter ceremonies, and was among the first officiants of legal same-sex marriages in New York State. She also serves as an Ambassador of the Global Play Brigade and a member of the World Experience Organization, furthering her mission to make humor a core component of wellness and connection. Learn more here.