Hi,

I've booked a stage performance for an estimated 400 children. I am scrambling to gear up for stage performance. Most of my magic and props are geared for close-up performances. I don't have lot of $$$ to invest in props so I have to get innovative.

I am planning a bit where I get tangled in my coat and suspenders, sort of in the manner of George Carl, with my own twists. This is definitely a sight gag.

I was considering doing a bit I have seen a couple of variations on wherein the clown encourages the crowd to applaud and appears to be collecting the applause in a box. Then the clown opens the box and shuts it, expecting to listen to the applause he collected. When I have seen this performed it was with mixed audiences of adults and kids.

My question is: Would this work with an audience made up primarily of children? Would they get what to do and participate?

Any other suggestions for sight gags and things that don't require large props would be appreciated.

I'd build up and settle down the applause a couple of time before putting it on a box. If they don't quite get it, put your finger in front of your mouth, loudly SHHHHHHHush, then point to the box. Quickly open it and let it out for them to get uproarious again.

I read the title too fast and thought you were trying to collect applesauce in a box. Mine normally comes in a jar.

My answer is: Yes. BUT it would depend on the type of audience you get (it might not work that well for toddlers and kids who think they are too old for clowns) and mostly on your performing skills.

good luck!!!

That's cute. I like it.

Thank you Pinkberry for taking the time to write a reply to my post.

I have about a month and a half to get my act together (pun intended). It is an outdoor venue with a sound system provided (wireless mic if I want). The event will be a multiple concert event. I will be performing while local bands are on stage in other parts of the venue (a local fair grounds). I discovered yesterday the audience will undoubtedly include parents as well as kids. The performance is an hour long.

My experience includes stage performances for kids at church as characters, not as a clown. I've done a French Chef for the children at church and a drill instructor routine. I have done an hour long magic and gags show for about 35 children before. I know I can do an hour long show. I can improv in a tight situation, if I have to, but am not foolish enough to think I can rely on that by any means.

I knew when I bid the gig I would have to rely more on visual comedy than I ever have, and probably need to take a prat fall or get hit in the noggin' a couple of times to appeal to some of the younger children. I can handle that.

It is my intention to be well planned and well rehearsed. Having just signed the contract yesterday, I have about a third of my show planned on index cards taped to the wall. I am hoping to have a rough plan for the full show by Monday. From there I will start practicing the parts of the show, and will refine as I go.

My greatest challenge is going to be coming up with material that fits my character. My clown doesn't really "know" how to do magic. He does stuff and somehow magic happens. Sometimes its because his props are magic. Some times he tries magic and it doesn't work the way he intends (sometimes magic happens anyway, and other times it isn't magic at all). Other times he's as surprised when magic happens as his audience. It is a challenge I wrote into the character, because it fit the character. So far, I have managed to take a number of common magic tricks and create banter and presentation that fits the character. This is going to make my current task even tougher. I am not complaining though. No regrets. The best part of this character aspect is I have an easy out to the question "How'd you do that?" My answer is almost always starting off like I am going to explain something, stopping short, and admitting I don't know.

I've been wanting to get into stage clowning, and this is my chance. I don't intend to blow it.

Best of the luck Mr. Snaggletooth.
We know you can pull it off.

That's cute. I like it.

Thanks again for your input, Pinkberry. Very helpful.

The church I attended ate together twice a month after services. The spot I was doing in the service was called a "children's sermon." It was typical to have the children in the service for worship music and then sending them off to Sunday school classes before the pastor began his sermon for the morning. Between music and sending the children to Sunday school classes various adults, on a volunteer basis, would present these "children's sermons." Mine were always over-the-top. My drill instructor character was frequently requested by adults as well as children.

I timed my French Chef performance for a Sunday in which we were dining together after service. I based my performance on the passage of the New Testament that speaks of the fruits of the Spirit, and thus my dish was fruit of the Spirit fruit salad. I got the music director to give me a big intro, as if I were a real chef from France.

When I got on stage I realized I had forgotten my notes. I had to do everything from memory.

I started with a story of my first day in cooking school, and how I followed another student whom I had heard had been at the school a long time. The student made a horrible salad of canned spinich, sardines, vinegar, onion skins, hot sauce, and baking soda (which made the whole horrible concoction foam). As I told the story I recreated the rather unappetizing salad. In my story, when my instructor returned to taste our salads, she rebuked me for following the other student. She told me the other student had been at the school a long time because he did not understand the ingredients nor did he follow the recipe.

I chose two children from the audience. One was my sous chef, who read my passage from the Bible. The other child was my chef-de-gard-manze (the cold chef). I did 15 minutes without breaking character or accent once. We made fruit salad on-stage. I did not spend a long time on the fruit salad, nor the traits the fruits represented. I touched on each briefly.

My goal was to make the children mindful of who they were following. In the end I contrasted the disgusting salad with our fresh fruit salad, and suggested if the children followed the wrong kind of person, their lives might turn out like the stinky salad, but by following the instruction of God their lives would turn out like the sweet fruit salad. This was inspired by an experience I had with my children following the wrong children in the neighborhood, and having to teach them to think through what is being suggested to them as a "good idea."

It was experiences like this that made me consider that I might actually make it as a clown. I was told months later that my message was still remembered by folks that had seen it.

I think I am going to scan through some of the books to which I have access to see if I have instructions on the cut and restore newspaper, and what ever else I might have available in that vane.

That's cute. I like it.

Good luck from me, too! I'm guessing that's what Pinkberry means, anyway, since I never took French.

You act sound wonderful. I hope it turns out just as well as you planned!

The show is done. Preparing for the show explains why I have been less active here on Clown Forum.

How It Went: Despite my preparations it did not go perfectly. I still forgot a few non-essential items during the show. The turn out was much less than expected. I started with less than 20 in the audience and ended with maybe 50 or so. I am very disappointed by the turn out. I still got a lot of laughs and some inquiries about how to contact me to bid future gigs. All in all, I feel it was mixed success. I did have a lot of fun with it, and I think my audience did too.

Most of all this was a learning experience. I definitely learned a lot about putting together a stage show. I feel I will be better prepared for the next one.

Thanks for all of your support.