Help! Preschool children

Discuss the art of Children's Entertainment with your fellow performers.
opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 10th, 2009, 1:36 pm

Points taken, Mark, but I prefer short performances for kids; anything over 30 minutes is twice the time off your longevity.

So, where is the Letter Routine?

opie

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 10th, 2009, 3:14 pm

For some reason when I am on the Genii Forum my computer goes very slow. Until the problem is resolved there will be no letter Routine.

opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 10th, 2009, 5:28 pm

Yeah, I have heard all the stories, including "The dog at mine"...tsk tsk....

opie

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 10th, 2009, 6:00 pm

I shall try another computer.

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 10th, 2009, 6:12 pm

I wrote this thirty years ago. I am only posting part of it. If you want more I shall need to see more enthusiastic begging.
.................................................

THE LETTER

This is probably the finest bit of business I have come across for childrens entertainment. It is I think best used as an opening item although it can be used at any point in the programme.

Simply get an old letter and put it in your pocket or some accessible place. The letter is blank on one side, writing on the other and is in an unsealed envelope.

Start by removing the letter and say Thats funny, theres a letter here

Place it absent mindedly under your right armpit and continue I wonder why Ive got a letter, has anybody here sent me a letter? Shall I see what it says? Now look round with a puzzled gaze and say Thats funny, what did I do with the letter?

Naturally the kids will shout its under your arm! You lift up your LEFT arm and say, looking puzzled Under my arm? They will yell Your other arm! You reply still puzzled Your other arm? Oh you mean YOUR other arm! They will scream No! YOUR arm! You say Thats what I said-YOUR arm!

At this point the little angels will point out your error in one of the following ways:

1. They will call you names.
2. They will scream the place down.
3. They will trample you underfoot.

As a variation of number 3 they may also attempt to amputate your arm in a most unmedical manner.

The answer to the above bedlam is as follows:

1. Mercy killing
2. Barbed wire across the performing area.
3. Cream buns filled with arsenic.

If the above measures fail you have two alternatives:

A. Take up card tricks
B. Take a priest along with you to give you the last rites.

To get back to business, sometimes a bright juvenile will pipe up My arm! He, she or it (especially it) will preen smugly at the other brats as if to defy you to get out of THAT one. You then demonstrate your adult superiority by saying triumphantly There. Thats what I said. Under your arm!

opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 10th, 2009, 11:23 pm

Is there any way we can delete that and get the whole thing?....Come on, Mark....I have never known you to be
someone who backs out on a promise.....Give it all or take it off....

Hey, I really love your material, but only sharing PART of the real YOU is not YOU.....

opie

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 11th, 2009, 6:58 am

The rest will be forthcoming when I see more enthusastic begging.
Or you can all buy my most wondrous "Wit and Wisdom" book which has a more abbreviated description which was written more recently.. Go to the "For Magicians Only" section of www.marklewisentertainment.com

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 11th, 2009, 4:04 pm

Despite the lack of begging I am going to post the rest anyway. Actually it was nothing to do with the begging that has deterred me but computer problems. My computer does not like the Genii Foruum for some reason and everything slows down when it gets there.
Anyway here it is.
...................................................

After playing this up for an hour and a half or so you then say Oh, under MY arm! You then look under the lower part of your arm still keeping your upper arm to your side. Theres nothing there! you protest. If they say higher up you look heavenword and say where? They may shout lift your arm up! If they do you react by lifting your LEFT arm up or by just lifting the lower part of your right arm.

Eventually feel around the area where the letter is but making sure the missing object is not seen from the front. Sooner or later the herd will scream Its at the back! You now turn your back to the audience, placing your left hand behind you feeling your back. You shout above the racket on my back?

I must warn you that this is a dangerous part of the routine. On the same principle that lion tamers never turn their backs on the animals you also stand a fifty-fifty chance of being eaten alive if you turn your back for too long.

Anyhow you obviate the possibility of an early cremation by swiftly turning to the front and hear the horde utter remarks to the effect that the letter is at the back of your arm. Turn round again and push the letter to the front of your arm saying, Theres nothing at the back of my arm! Turn front again and the letter will be plainly visible to everybody. Just look ahead not noticing it and listen to the clamour.

When you do this look straight ahead so that you do not see the letter fall. You now look under your arm and find nothing there. Eventually you say, Shall I lift my arm up? You do so and let the letter fall to the floor. When you do this look straight ahead so that you dont notice the letter fall. You now look under your arm and find nothing there. Through the uproar you will hear some little termite bellow, Its on the floor! Naturally you mishear this and start a minute inspection of the nearest door. Eventually you are prevailed upon to look in a downward direction but somehow you look everywhere except the correct spot. You further complicate matters by somehow managing to stand with both feet together right on the poor downtrodden letter! As you can imagine you will be informed by the assembled volcano that you are standing on it! You retort by saying, Of course Im standing on the floor but wheres the letter gone? They will scream, Youre standing on the letter! You now take a step or two forward and expostulate, Im standing on the letter? Look down and continue, Im not standing on the letter They will scream, Behind you! You look in the air behind you and fail to find the letter.

Finally you look on the floor and say. Oh there it is! Youve found it at last! Look at the kids and say, Why didnt you tell me the letter was on the floor? They will shout, we did! You retort, Oh no you didnt! I need hardly tell you what happens now!

Actually I do. After all there may be North Americans reading this who will not realise that in the UK the kids will all reply in unison, Oh yes we did! This is purely a United Kingdom thing since it is a feature of traditional British pantomine where the kids have been trained to react in this manner.

Stroll over to the letter bending down to pick it up. As you do so you groan in an ailing voice, Oooh, its a long way down! As you straighten up say, Oooh its a long way up! You continue, Shall I see what the letter says? Open up the letter and read the blank side. You are now holding the letter writing side outwards in the left hand, your right hand holding the envelope.

Say, Thats funny! Theres nothing on the letter! The kids will yell, On the other side! You thereupon look in the direction of your ribs and make remarks that there are no letters to be found on your other side. You will now hear an agonized spluttering of infants thus: The other side of the paper! You react by looking at the SIDE of the paper or by searching desperately on both sides of the ENVELOPE. Of course after a while you eventually discover the writing. Now say, Thats funny, its in Chinese! Oh sorry-its upside down!

From this point on you can carry on how you want. I usually say, Well it says here that before we do any magic I have to show you the fireworks book. I then perform the well-known childrens routine Fireworks by Wilfred Tyler.

Anyway thats it. I hope you have as much fun with this routine as I have.

Mark Collier
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark Collier » December 11th, 2009, 4:56 pm

Thanks for posting that.

Once in a while, it's good to be reminded why I don't perform for young children. I have no doubt that this plays well for a young audience but I HATE this kind of humor. Oh, turn it around. Oh, turn it over ad nauseum. The kids love it but I hate it. This kind of humor is appropriate for young children and it reminds me that I am not.

I don't perform for children until they are old enough to insult and the parents will think it's funny.

opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 11th, 2009, 7:18 pm

Mark C:....I think this letter bit would play great for the local magic group....We do get into child-like heckling, when cued. A
finish for the bit might be to walk over to the President, when
it's done, reach out your hand, and receive a ten dollar bill. Then say, "I told you I could get them to act like a peanut gallery."

The Pres, of course, is in on the bit....I have more than enough
kids to have gained a dislike for all but my own, so i can see your point. I do love to make kids out of adults, however....

Thanks Mark L:....Good job....go back to sleep....tsk tsk...

opie

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 11th, 2009, 8:23 pm

The point made by Mr Collier is a good one. Children love this kind of nonsense and if he is not capable of entertaining children then he should keep well away from them.

But you can also use this approach for the older children too. By old I mean up to nine years old. They are still children after all.

A good children's entertainer should be able to entertain any age of child from 4 years old up to 12 years. The kids that are aged from 9 to 12 you can use a different type of show. The difficulty arises when you have a mixed age group. Contrary to the standard wisdom that on this occasion you should work to the older kids I believe the reverse. It is the younger kids who will make the most noise and give the illusion that you are going over great. In any event the older kids are just children anyway even if they think they aren't. Stick something in the show for them but in the main work to the younger kids unless the older ones are really in the obvious majority.

opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 11th, 2009, 10:22 pm

Mark....I am convinced that magic makes kids out of everybody....

For years, I did the same show for seniors that I did for kids....I just asked the seniors to recall how they
felt the first time they saw a snowflake, a magician, a movie,
read a book, etc.....After that, we were just kids having fun
with me showing off....tsk tsk...

You can bring THE MIXED-AGE GROUPS together by doing just what
I mention above....I did it for years....hell decades....

...Do you want to have some fun with your holiday parties? Go to a Dollar Tree and buy a dozen or so hand puppets (different animals)....Hand one to each person as he/she arrives and tell
all that they will be doing a stand-up one-to-two minute bit with the hand puppets....MOVING LIPS OKAY....It is a hoot; the kids usually show everybody up....

...MAGIC MAKES KIDS OUT OF EVERYBODY.....Hell, you know that! You and I will never grow up....

opie

Jeff Haas
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Jeff Haas » December 12th, 2009, 3:24 am

Opie, can you go into a bit more detail about what you did with the hand puppets? You hand them out to about a dozen people, tell them they're going to do a short bit...and then what? You help them out? You let them do what they want in front of the group?

This sounds like a gem of an idea but some detail is missing from your description.

opie
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby opie » December 12th, 2009, 7:40 am

Jeff, these are family and friend parties and I buy enough puppets for everybody, for a buck each at Dollar Tree....

On Christmas or before birthday presents, everyone has been alerted about the fact that they will be a short part of the "open mike".

For the few years I have been doing this, there have only been a
couple of people who just did not care to do it...but some of
my friends and relatives really get into it....Most of them seem
to enjoy taking the puppets home with them....A few leave theres
for the next party...

I usually kick things off with my "Bear" bit that goes something like this:

"Well, hello Bear; where you been?"

"I've been out in the woods"

"What have you been doing in the woods?"

"I'm not going to say; this is a nice party."

"You know, I once went to an Indian Reservation and told them I wanted to go hunting bear, but they made me wear a blanket."

(Groan from bear).

"Hey, that was supposed to be a joke."

"Well, it wasn't very funny, and your lips are moving."

"So are yours."

"Yeah but I have a reason."

"What is that?"

"Your mouth would move too, if somebody had his hand up your butt."

"Hey, don't be crude; everybody is going to be coming up here to do a short bit like this and we don't want them doing anything like the The Aristocrats....or anything like that."

"Well, then you better keep your clothes on.....Who's on first?"

"No, we are not going to do that; we did it last year."

"No, who's on first?"

"Oh, I thought we would get (whoever) to start the skits."

"Will he/she keep his/her clothes on?"

"Of course, what kind of parties have you been attending?"

"Bear parties.."

"Okay, that's it for you; I can't bear any more.....Let's bring on Susie, who just got those nice implants and give her a big bear hug."

Jeff, just do standard bits with the puppet. Don't make a big deal of trying to vent/toss the voice; just talk for both yourself and the puppet....It's a funny bit....and most of your guests will get into it..Of course, they can always do a magic trick, if the puppet thing is not their thing...

If you have kids there, the bit must be clean and slightly different, of course, and you will find that the kids really get into the skits, especially if you get somebody up early to do a good one....

Try to keep them short, so that everybody has a minute at least...If you have some prepared certificates, you can hand those out to the kids who participate. With a camera, you can get a shot of them to be added to the certificate...when you send out thank you cards.

I am looking for short vent bits for the parties, using the hand puppets. If you happen to see any around on the net, please let me know....

opie

Jeff Haas
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Jeff Haas » December 13th, 2009, 1:23 pm

Thanks for the info! I see where you're going with this, it sounds like a lot of fun.

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Jolly Roger
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Jolly Roger » December 13th, 2009, 3:38 pm

I am almost as upset with Mr Lewis for posting the letter as I am with Mr. Stinett for calling me a wanker. However, because of my kindly nature, both are forgiven! JR
www.ComicMagician.com
www.Magician.US.com
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Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 13th, 2009, 5:29 pm

I wonder where Dustin, an American picked up profanity used mainly by the British lower classes.

Jeff Haas
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Jeff Haas » December 14th, 2009, 2:38 am

There's this invention called "television." But it became popular after 1954, so you might not know about it.

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 14th, 2009, 7:50 am

I know all about television. After all I have appeared on it many times. I was the first magician to appear on colour television in the UK. Not that I am the type to brag of course. And I am quite sure that I didn't use the type of language referred to. In those days standards were higher. I am afraid television has become very working class nowadays. Quite disgraceful.

Besides televison was invented BEFORE 1954. Come to think of it was invented even before I was invented and that was rather a long time ago. And it was invented by a fellow Scotsman I am pleased to say.

Umpa Duze
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Umpa Duze » December 15th, 2009, 1:22 am

I wonder if the writing on the letter could end up being the prediction you mailed to yourself before the child made his or her selection? Could be colors, animals, whatever. This would motivate the letter, make your discomfort in not finding it more reasonable, and ultimately tie up all the loose ends. Just a thought.

Umpa
Cheers,
Umpa Duze

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 15th, 2009, 6:58 am

A fleeting thought, I hope. And the more fleeting the better.

Umpa Duze
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Umpa Duze » December 16th, 2009, 1:22 am

Mark, Please explain your objection.

I am interested in finding a middle ground between the mindless nonsense that has the kids screaming and trying to create a performance that feels like magic. For example, in Silly Billy's vanishing handkerchief for the younger crowd, he drops the handkerchief several times without apparently noticing. This gets the kids excited and laughing/screaming, but for me it is not conducive to creating the sense of magic because it is so unbelievable. It is somewhat more clownish than magical. I do not mean to suggest that this approach is not successful, and I have gained a great deal from David's book, but I feel the experience could be stronger.

Instead of dropping the handkerchief by pushing through my hand, I create a couple of circumstances in which accidentally losing the handkerchief is rational and somewhat believable. I still get the kids happily excited, but at the same time what they are watching makes sense.

For me this has been a winning combination.
Cheers,

Umpa Duze

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 16th, 2009, 7:32 am

Dearie me. I honestly thought that your idea of mailing a prediction was a joke. I didn't know you were being serious. However, now that I have looked at your post more carefully I see that I read it incorrectly and I do owe you an apology.

At first I thought you were suggesting some long winded mentalism as a joke but now that I have looked more carefully I see you have a valid idea. And yet I am still not keen on it.

Magicians often try to have a "reason" or "motivation" for what they do. Somtimes this is a good idea but just as often it is a
complete waste of time and effort. Sometimes the best "motivation" is no motivation at all. Note that I said "sometimes". Not always but sometimes.

And when working for children it is usually not necessary at all. Kids don't want "motivation" they want FUN! Sure, give them a bit of magic and "wonder" if you believe in that sort of thing.
But it really isn't compulsory. Or necessary. But do it if you want. Nobody is stopping you.

British children's entertainers learned a hell of a long time ago that it isn't the magic that that enthralls the kids but the fun and laughter. The British style of children's entertainment is completely different from the American style and I remember Silly Billy noted this once in a magazine article, probably in Genii itself. I have noted myself that Silly Billy has been wise enough to incorporate some of the British stlye into his own performances
And this is probably why British kid show magicians can do a 45 minute or hour show while Americans usually only are capable of 30 minutes before the kids get bored and out of control.

We British have been brought up on the pantomine tradition and British children (and in fact ANY children),LOVE "mindless nonsense". In fact they will often love the mindless nonsense better than the most amazing illusion. Providing you don't overdo it of course. You don't wan't the kids screaming and shouting all the time. You need to turn them on and off like a tap and they should always be under your subtle control all the time.

Silly Billy is doing the right thing with the handkerchief. Stuff the "sense of magic" and instead promote the sense of fun.
And don't worry about "making sense" The little bastards don't deserve it anyway.

Umpa Duze
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Umpa Duze » December 18th, 2009, 3:29 am

Hi Mark,
No apology necessary, I am just new to this and I was curious as to why you reacted the way you did. In the limited time I have been doing this for elementary school audiences I have noted the joy of nonsense for nonsense sake, but for me it seems as if the story should flow reasonably even if the little bastards do not deserve it! Perhaps I am guilty of doing magic for myself rather than the audience. I hope not.
Cheers,

Umpa Duze

Mark.Lewis
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Mark.Lewis » December 18th, 2009, 12:58 pm

Emphasise the nonsense, especially if you are performing for elementary schools. When the kids get to nine years old or over then they are more inclined to the wonders of magic but they still like the nonsense.

Another reason to emphasise the nonsense is a commercial one. The more noise and especially laughter that ensues the more an illusion is created to the adults, who may or may not be paying attention to the show, that the kids love you. Since it is the adults who are paying you, it is them that you must scam into thinking that you are any good. And by creating this enthusiastic response you will create happy bookers.

I would recommend you beg, borrow or steal a British book called "Open Sesame" which naturally was published before 1954. (1947 in actual fact) The opening chapter is all you need to read although the rest of the book may or may not be useful to you. That opening chapter is pure gold and tells you what you really need to know about entertaining children. The advice is just as valid now as it was in 1947.

I went into a Chinese restaurant alone with only that book for company. At the time I knew nothing whatever about the entertainment of children. I hadn't even done one kid show yet or practiced with one single prop. I read the opening chapter while I ate. When I came out of that restaurant I was a fully fledged children's entertainer. A week later I did my first show and it went sensationally well. From that moment on I never looked back.

"Open Sesame" is the open sesame to you becoming a successful children's entertainer. It is written by Eric Lewis (father of Martin Lewis) and Wilfrid Tyler and I believe it is obtainable from Magic Books by Post in England.

You need this book.

Umpa Duze
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Re: Help! Preschool children

Postby Umpa Duze » December 21st, 2009, 10:08 pm

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the recommendation, I was fortunate enough to pick up a copy of Open Sesame last year. It is a great book, I learned a lot from it. I wish I had made as quick progress as you did after reading it!

Cheers,
Umpa
Cheers,

Umpa Duze


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