1st time on stage

[GiGi]

Yes, as usual, GiGi has a question for you guys. I've been offered a job doing an event for the city and I'm terrified. I, for the most part, do bday parties. I do face painting and balloons and a few cute magic tricks if there is time. This will be downtown on a stage with a fairly large audience. I have to fill at least a 20 minute time period on stage and then do face painting and balloons afterwards. The painting and balloons aren't making me nervous. It's the getting on stage and doing an actual show that's putting my stomach in knots. Of course I agreed and will have to come up with this by Sunday at 6pm. Crazy, I know. Any suggestions to fill that 20 minutes would be greatly appreciated. I found some cute skits in some of the books that I have but most involve more than one clown. I know that 20 minutes isn't a very long time but when I was reading thru some of the skits, it seems like an eternity. I'm so scared but at the same time, I really want to do this. I think it's exactly what I need to take my clowning to the next level.

Thanks!

GiGi

[saphireSue]

I'm the opposite, I'd rather be on stage playing to a crowd then a B-party.
Most clown skits are around 5 mins, so you can do more than one. Look at your magic tricks and skits and try to make it flow from one thing to another. EX. I did one on back to school, So I went over subjects, I did the artist skit for art, mutiplying tennis balls for Math, torn heart for SS., sung Old Mac Donald making animals appear from my change bag for music, etc. Jokes and letting the kids tell me their favorite classes or lest favorite. this was planned for a large crowd. this is just to give you an idea.

[Jamz]

May I sugest you just do what you would do at a birthday party just try to expand your magic with longer routines for each trickyou can get 15 min out of the tied in the middle routine or a sponge ball routine

[Scruffy]

I think Jamz is on the right track. Essentially, do what you do for your Birthday parties. However, Afterwards, I'd pick up a few new trciks And switch them out in your party program. If you get bookings from this, you don't want to do the exact same program, they just saw. the kids won't care, but the parents won't forget. It's always good to do at least one audience participation thing. Here's a favorite.
Requirements:
Two brown paper lunch bags. ( the next size up works the best.) Think Medieum size Mc Donalds bag. Use it if you want.)
yellow or white feathers (craft store should have them)
a rubber chicken rolled up tight with a rubber band around it. FWIW, It think it's easiier to roll from beak to feet.

Set up:
Place rolled up rubber chicken in bottom of the bag with a hand full of feathers. Place second bag inside of the other.Trim top of second bag so it is level to the first one. Also you can roll the top down over the first. what you are looking for is the appearance on one single bag.

Story:
And now, Madies and Bethlehem, Er..., Gadies and Lentleman, Sorry, I get confused some time when there's a lot of everybody around. I need you help to to this trick, I've never done a trick like this before, and it requires all of your help. I'm going to make a live chicken appear out of this very ooordinary..... Swimming pool, What do you mean we haven't got a swimming pool? How about a wash tub?Bucket? Glass of water? Hmmm, seems we don't have what we need... Wait a minute, I've got a paper bag! (side note: Patter Works. But, not all patter works for every one. Don't be afraid to adapt patter. But, make sure it's appropriate for the trick you are doing and practice it untill you know it and have the delivery down cold when you are in Character.)
Show bag empty.
Now, I'm going to close the bag and on the count of three I need everybody to say the magic words: Pookie, Pookie, Pookie. Every body got that ? Three times, Pookie, Pookie,Pookie. VVVerrrrry important.
Do the bit. Open the bag, No chicken! WHat happened it was supposed to work! Okay let's try it again but everybody louder this time!
Do the bit open the bad again. No Chicken 8O It still didn't work! Did every body get the memo? The Magic words are Pookie, Pookie, Pookie! ! (asking a little kid in the audience, Are you saying the magic words? Ask them what they are. (Note: you can drag this skit out for a good five-seven minutes With practice, No longer though!) Okay last time I sure hope this works....
Close bag, Okay, One more, this time Every body shout as loud as you can, POOKIE, POOKIE,POOKIE!!! Okay ready, hear we go... Just a minute, walks over to corner and put hands together, closes eyes, (IOW, make like your praying like in the cartoons. Maybe point to the audience and point to the trick)..... Ready... Say words.

Open bag, No Chicken. 8O :evil: :evil:

Ididn't work! that it! I'm just going to blow this paper bag up! I just can't believe it! Blow up bag, Or if you can't tear it. Pop the bag. And then the feathers should come out. Then reach in to the bag pull out the feathers.... and get the band off the rubber chicken. OH No!!!! He was still getting dressed!! and pull out the chicken.

If you think it will scare the kids, I wouldn't worry. Most have seen worse on cartoons. or try this, How about a big round of applause for my pet rubber chicken Stretch!!

Hope this helps. I've done this one before and with practice it's a great skit and can use up time if you need it too.
:wink:
Good luck!

[ashes]

That's a GREAT routine, Scruffy!

Very similar to the one I did years ago, turning a coke bottle
into a "beautiful dove"

I had one rubber coke bottle, and "vanished" it into the paper
bag, Blew up the bag and voila! When I popped the bag out
floated a bunch of feathers.

I cut open an old feather pillow for the source of the feathers.

The biggest difference between Stage work and "Parlor" work is
the size of the props -- The props for on stage need to be
bigger and more visible than those in a living room or parlor.

It really depends on the trick - regular cards can be very
hard to see from the stage. -- Try to use "Jumbo" cards.

Your silks could all be bigger, the changing bag bigger, etc.

But I wouldn't worry about it for one show - not worth the expense!
But it is something to keep in the back of your mind for if you
want to continue on doing stage-sized gatherings.

Our clown troupe does mostly stage work -- presentations to
the elementary school kids in their caffeteria/auditorium.
But we usually have 3 clowns and some other "Characters" - puppets,
Sgt. Safety and Officer David -- to interact with. It is also easier
to do clown skits with more than one clown.

If you can, use helpers from the audience - introduce them and let
them hold your breakaway wand, or use the nesting wands gag.
It will get a laugh and also eat up some time bringing up your assistant
and introducing them. Be sure the audience gives them a round
of applause at the end of that trick.

Like Jamz and Scruffy, I think you can use what you currently use, just try to
think on the "grand" scale for stage work.

You'll do just fine!

Ashes

[PremierSparkles]

I am just like Sue, I do more stage shows & balloons, never face painting. Scruffy & Ashes have great ideas & Jamz is right where I would go with it. I just make my b-day party show larger & longer. I basically use the same props & change the patter accordingly, church event, library (ex:the Holy Bible words on the large Bible can be covered w/ black construction paper & used to promote reading for school or library), b-day, or general stage show. I have colected lots of props / magic tricks & my problem is trying to fit everything into 20 min. I would focus more on magic tricks than routines / skits. I am by no means a magician, can't do thumbs, I call it Comedy / Magic! I always use assistants from the audience. I start with the coloring book, then the change bag (large) then I may go to the Lota bowl, Dove pan, or PB&J & Tube & Bottle is allways fun. I use adults too! Kids love to laugh at mom & dad making a mistake! I allways give credit to the child for accomplishing the trick, the colors appearing, scarves appearing, etc. never making a mistake! This is a confidence booster! Mom & Dad can't anything right! You'll find you can drag a 2 min trick into sometimes 7 or 8 min.
Remember the audience is not hard to impress, YOU are are worst enimie (sp), The audience will love whatever you do, trust me. Use your audience to play off of! And, I always pray for a good audience. When it comes to a clown, they are easy to laugh, all you have to do is show up!

Good luck & let know how it goes!

[GiGi]

Thank you all. I really appreciate all of your great advice and ideas! I'll let you know how it all turns out. My oldest daughter will be taping it for me. I wonder if I can transfer it over to the computer so you could all see it. I'll have to ask my hubby. He's the computer whiz around here.

Thank you again,

GiGi

[GiGi]

Well I survived the stage show. I was sooo nervous! But I have to say, it was alot of fun. With the assistance of my master prop maker/husband we did a really cute show. He made me a old style movie camera ( you know the kind where you crank the handle) and a slate to click and say Take One, a picture of a train on foam core that he painted with a rope on it so the kid can wear it and we had 2 signs that said Hero and Villian with a white cowboy hat and a black cowboy hat and a blonde wig and rope for the damsel in distress and I had a megaphone and wore a beret. Anywho, I had a friend be my MC on the microphone and I was silent with the exception of yelling "Action!" and "Cut!" We had five volunteers come up on stage (4 kids & 1 adult) and be the actors. After showing them what to do and pulling strange things out of my trunk I put the costumes on the kids and showed them what to do. {MC giving verbal directions while I jumped around and showed them.} We had the kid with the slate come out and say "Take One" and then the villain came out and tied the damsel in distress to the RR tracks and she yelled "Help! Help! meanwhile the train was coming. Then came the hero and he said "I'll save you!" Then I yell "Cut, Print, etc" I had to yell "Cut!" in between a few times to help the kids and then we'd start over. It just made it funnier though. Then we had all the kids take a bow. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. After, I painted faces for about an hour or so. It was fun. I got to meet the mayor and the city commissioner. I didn't know who they were at the time. My husband told me afterwards. I'm going to try to attach the pics of my props. If it doesn't work I'll try putting them on the gallery.

Thank you all again for all your help!

GiGi

[ashes]

Good job, GiGi!

Sounds like you were VERY creative and did a great job.

I would have loved to have been there.

If you can get photos of your props, I'd like to see them.

Ashes

[PremierSparkles]

Good job GiGi!! This is a way cool idea! Do you mind if I try it sometime? I love this! I can imagine how funny it was!