Page 20 - WCA-2023-09
P. 20
Educational
Tips I Never
Thought of Until
I Met You
Jackie Newton
Until I met all of you and watched and 4. Beginnings and endings are
listened and studied others in clowning, the most important part of
your presentation. As a 45
I never knew the things I know now, year veteran teacher of public
so I decided to create a list for you speaking and education courses,
of the greatest things I’ve learned in I can tell you that beginnings and
clown skills, antics, performances and endings are what impresses on
your audience’s minds the most.
expression. Here’s the list: Make sure your introduction to
your show is big, lasting for the
1. Watch others, take notes, don’t steal but do expand mind and make sure that your
ideas endings are the same, along with
a specific conclusion. Does your
2. Expression in clowning is almost everything. audience know that this is the end
How is your body moving, how does your voice of the skit? The show? They should,
sound, what does your face look like, how are you it should be obvious. If you are
positioned on stage? Have someone video what you going to go over rules or something
do and watch it. Take notes, change things. before a show, have someone else
do that. You are the performer,
3. What worked? As a past stand up comedian, the clown, the entertainer. Give
musician, front person, actor and clown performer… someone else the rules and
what worked? If my audience didn’t “quite” get it disclaimers…then the show begins
two or three times, then it’s time to change what I big and fun and colorful.
am doing. Does the entire skit work until the end?
Change the ending. 5. Learn skills even if poorly. I juggle
scarves and plastic bags only, it
20 MAGAZINE makes for a colorful moment in my
shows. I was never apt at catching
balls and batons, but I am a master
scarf juggler. I am a medal winning
face painter, but it took me a while
to learn. I am a very average balloon
artist, but I make money at it. Keep
practicing, keep learning, keep
listening.
David Hyde Pierce (Niles on the show Frasier)
