Help me, help me! I am a 64 yr. old clown wanting to put together some solo clown programs. I want to do Christian clowning in Church, programs on subjects like safety, smoking, drugs and alcohol in schools, programs for pre-schoolers, for reunions, retirements whatever! I cannot afford a lot of books, maybe if used and CHEAP! I know there must be ideas out there which would help. I am not going to come into your territory unless you are in Washington County, Marietta Ohio!
Thanks in advance. As Red Skeleton said: May God Bless .....

You have a very wide dream in front of you. A couple of things to think about: 1) Start small. (a) Choose one or two skills to start working on and don't worry about the rest until later. (b) Choose one type of venue to concentrate on first, and "don't worry about the rest until later." 2) Educational and/or charity type events do not need (and often should not be) free. You have plenty of expenses associated with your clowning. Without charging for your services you are undervaluing yourself and your contributions to these events. Not to mention emptying your bank account.
For educational purposes there are many websites with information. First read through the archieves here on the Forum. Second try www.clown-ministry.com (http://www.clown-ministry.com) and www.webclowns.com (http://www.webclowns.com) both of these have a great deal of information to get you started. Go to the library and read the clown books, the magic books, and joke books. Check to see if there is a local alley. Make friends with other entertainers in your area. check the alley's library to see what is available.

Okay, I just read you introduction (nothing like starting backwards is there?) It sounds like you do have a good base to start from you are mainly chaning directions with your clowning. Ralph Dewey has a line of little books that run in the $5 and $6 range that have a lot of good information. www.gospelmagic.com (http://www.gospelmagic.com) (If that doesn't work Google "Doc Haley magic") not only carry Dewey's books but a number of others in that price range that are useful.

When planning a solo show you have to structure the show a little tighter than you might when working off the cuff with a partner. Your interaction will now come from the audience itself and your props instead of your partner. Think about how you might be able to engage your audience. For example: I wanted my audience to realize I was a fun, slightly "confused" character without taking time away from my show and I also wanted to do something for the audience while I was setting up and getting ready to start. Serendipity struck. I bought an aluminim framed director's chair for the children to sit in when I am face painting them, It just so happens to be just wide enough for my show box to sit on the seat. Now I don't need a table and I don't need to bend over to get in the trunk. As I'm setting up I talk to the audience a little bit and I place something on top of my case. Well withoug looking I open the lid and what ever is on top slides out the back of the chair. I pause confused and then see what fell. I now pick it up and "place" it behind my box while I look inside. The first time it falls on the floor everyone thinks it is an accident, by the third or fourth time plenty of people are laughing talking to me. Now I am ready to begin the show and my audience is already warmed up and ready to participate as my new "partner."

You can also try your local library for books,tapes etc. on clowning.
Magic, puppets, face painting etc. Also, next May, they will be having Clown Town, in Newark Ohio. I went last year and its very educational and helpful. They have different people to help training, plus a parade in the town on Sat. A few of the very well know clowns always attend, and its not to expensive. I'm in cleveland!!!
"A day without laughter, if a day wasted!"
Terrie Perriwinkle

bubba has a lot of low cost but very good items for clown ministry the potatoe chip can is great pattter is included keep it simple have fun and they will enjoy you and get your message

If you are looking for a inexpensive convention before next spring, coming up in about two weeks Oct 2-7 is the Midwest Round-Up in Indianapolis. www.midwestclowns.net (http://www.midwestclowns.net) has all the details.

Are you looking for solo performance or need some assistance? I was doing a performance at Mcd's one night, and invited the local police to talk about bike safety. It was a big hit! If you want some advice, talk to the experts who know about the subjects (drugs, safty, fire,and health). After all, the government is funding for the education- so take benefit of it. Keep it short, simple and make fun of it!

Good advise LP to bad that we haven't heard anything from RSVP lately.

I've pm her. I'm still supposed to email her the 10 commandments, computer problems have stalled me. Hope all went well.

Hi-de-ho good neighbors! Sorry been awhile. Had some server problems, we get free service through Marietta College (husband works there) and while it is wonderful, we are at college whims.
I appreciate all the information. I have followed up on the sites mentioned. As for the fire and police depts., we are a small community and every school and even the two deptartments themselves have pretty much saturated teir programs over the area to point of turning kids off. Our police dept no longer offers McGruff (nobody wants to do it).
I haven't found to much for a lone clown. There are nbo magicians in the area that I am aware of. Clowning around here pretty much consista of walking around and handing out balloons or doing simple balloon art and face painting. That soon grows old. I am looking for something different and fresh. I see lots of things out there but with hefty prices (to much for my SS and my husbands little college job).
I am still looking though. I did decide to record the story part of a skit I found which allows me to use the recording and then do the pantomine part. It is a church skit. So I have one so far. That's 5 min. Ha-Ha. I hope to find some chalk talks and perhaps something easy in sign language to music so that my program will not just consist of skit after skit after skit. I think I can type out the suckers on the line and make my phone and find a parishioner and hand her/him the can and the card and then string the cord theough the congregation and then get the parishioner to help me with that one, that might work. I think I can take a picture of JESUS CHRIST and set it draped on an easel and then come out and talk a little about how I got interested in clowning and that it was somebody right there in their own church who finally convinced me to clown for JESUS. Perhaps get them looking around and wondering who it is that got me interested in my craft. Then finally to reveal the picture of JESUS CHRIST. Think that might work, perhaps as an opening. That gets a little about me and why I do what I do out right off the bat. Waht you think? Have to think about the patter.
Talking about how I liked to clown in parades and do picnics and face painting etc. at picnic's etc. and how I wondered how JESUS Christ would feel about using my craft to teach about HIM. And how I got support and encouragement from this person in this church to go forward. That JESUS CHRIST loves us and wants us to be happy and happiness includes laughter and happy feelings and that is what a clown does. How the makeup on our faces represent the death (White makeup) and how the color(s) represent his coming back to life! Some things like that. What do you all think of that? Any suggestions?
I want to check eBay to see if there any clowning books there.
Well this getting way to long, sorry ......
Thank you again for your help. I do appreciate it all.
Linda aka RSVP Clown

You can tell any kind of Bible story with or without props. The kids will be attentive because you are a clown!!!!!

Yes, I think you are right about doing anything and getting the children's attention just because of clown attire. I do plan on using my clown coloring book, I've used it at birthday parties etc. and it is effective. Think I can relate giving all the children magic colors and letting them blow the color's from their hands onto the coloring book, and telling them hoe GOD created all the color's of the sky and the grass and even the color of their clothes etc. Working on it.

I appreciate your advice, surely do ned all I can get from you pro's, because ..... of all the things I've lost in my 64 years, I miss my mind the most! Dimples the RSVP Clown

(RSVP, in case some may not know, stands for Retired Senior Volunteer Program. It is part of our Senior Citizen group.) My clown name is Dimples, my grandson named me because .... well you guessed it, I have a chubby face (body too!:-( ) and Dimples!

Janet Tucker has written a couple of clown ministry books as has Janet Sutherland, Sitherland?. I think that is her proper name. One I have just started is "Fool of the Kingdom" by Philip D. Noble. Ralph has a number of inexpensive booklets on Chalk art, as well as spiritual skits and balloons.

I recently went to a Steve Kissell lecture and it inspired me to go to Party City where they have all kinds of animal noses. You can even get some adults involved with it and who knows what they come up with. Have them put the animal noses on, and you start "OLD McNOAH HAD AN ARK". Have them make the noises by directing them individually throughout the song and have a grand finalie with them doing it in unison their assigned charector, all holding hands....

I got my noses from Steve. I've had a lot of fun with them and I agree, put them on the adults, kids and adult alike have more fun, esp. if you can get the preacher/pastor to put on one too.

Do any of you use a magic prop called Stratosphere?

with the right patter it can be a powerful demonstration of how God is always in our lives and the devil can not stand between us and him if we believe, even through his death and resurrection he is STILL with us, all this can be shown with this one prop.

Yup! I have one. I've never used it. I got it in Indianapolis when I was at the Midwest Roundup, the first part of October. I wasn't sure how the story was supposed to go for a Christian usage, but that sounds good. Right now, I'm mostly concentrating in keeping it all together. I've lost the balls that go with it twice. I just want to keep it all together, nice and neat in it's little suitcase so I don't lose the stuff ever again!!

Thanks for the input. Maybe one of these days I'll get it out again. I suppose it would lose the effect if I tied the balls to the stratosphere thingy with string, huh? It certainly was NOT cheap, but the way Harry Allen demonstrated it, I just HAD TO HAVE IT! He's good ... very very good!

AND I'M A REAL PUSHOVER!!

Well Nettie the first and only time I did it it was totally off the cuff about 11 years ago, I just had time to learn the mechanics the night before. It was for my nieces birthday party, WHY I went with a Christian patter I have no idea but at the beginning of my magic show the parents were in the kitchen by time I was halfway through the Stratosphere there were on the couch with the kids LOL.

Here it is how I remeber it, BUT the order could be wrong follow your Stratosphere instructions for the routine.

Basic Idea was starting out with Jesus always being in the church we go to for worship, Mine had 2 yellow balls (Jesus) one Red (Devil), Blue (People) So Yellow ball followed by Blue people coming to church, red ball Devil following the people or people bringing there troubles with them.

Next round yellow Ball Jesus in the Church, Red Ball Devil trying to get to church before the people, Blue ball People coming to church Lift WALLAH! God is still First.

(This step I THINK could be removed for time constraints) Next round Red Ball first devil trying to sneak into church before Jesus to tempt the People, People enter looking for Jesus, Yellow Ball Jesus shows up to comfort them Lift WALLAH! he was there first all the time.

Next round have a patter about the crucification and put Jesus in the Tomb (the Break away box) Devil goes to church first, People come in to find Jesus missing and start to pray, (Maybe have the kids say a little prayer now) Do that nifty move to show the break away box is empty Lift the TUBE and WALLAH!! a miracle of resurrection Jesus is First with his people again.

Practice the mechanics till its easy and smooth then build a patter around this (Suggested) setup and you are sure to wow your Kids AND the grown ups. If not blame me and have them send all hate mail to me :-)
If this was useful let me know.
If anyone see mistakes I made please feel free to correct me.


Fast Eddie

I made this up and it gets some good laughs especially if played up real big...I took a piece of heavy cardboard and wrote the word faith on it with the definition. I then ask for a volunteer and tell them they have to have alot of faith...of course everyone thinks they do and I usually try to get an adult for this one...the Pastor is a really good volunteer. I take 2 cups that are not see thru but are white inside and I put gel power in one. I then have someone pou water into the cup out of a bottle of water and have them hold it up high while pouring so all can see the water being poured..then play it up and ask things such as "did you shower today" and "O man, whats that smell". Play that up several times saying things like well you wont smell for long..you are about to get a shower..thanks for volunteering..i was wanting someone who didnt shower etc. and then pick the cup up off the persons head and put the cardboard over top of the cup and turn it upside down over the persons head..being sure to hold it above it for all to see...the say so do you have faith? and have the audience count till they get there shower and pull the cardboard off...even the adults wanna know where the water went. Thank your volunteer and tell them there faith is great. Make sure you practice this a few times to get enough gel powder because once I did it and the water wasnt thick enough and the gel went on someones head. it was sooooo gross...God bless you!