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Educational Tips
 I Never Thought
of Until I Met You

       (Part 2)

                 Jackie Newton                                 get away with is your own. As a clown, I often
                                                               act broken. This is okay. I am clumsy, goofy, not
    Until I met all of you and watched and                     the sharpest tool in the shed, but never bring an
 listened and studied others in clowning,                      audience member’s faults to light. Make them feel
                                                               good about themselves. Never create laughter at
    I never knew the things I know now,                        their expense.
      so I decided to create a list for you
    of the greatest things I’ve learned in                15. Safety first in all things that you do with an
  clown skills, antics, performances and                       audience. Be aware of where they are sitting, be
                                                               aware of safety at all times.
            expression. Here’s the list:
                                                          16. Know when to go to Plan B. Always have a plan
11. Know your audience, who are they, where do they            B and maybe even plan C. Example: I was hired
     come from, how many will be there? This is for            to work at a waterpark this summer. They wanted
     your sake and theirs.                                     me to do a magic show. I told them that a magic
                                                               show would never work with kids at a pool…
12. Try not to have shows through a lunch hour or              no one would listen. So, I bring two walkaround
     dinner hour unless it is a dinner show, hangry is         magic things to do with certain individuals, then
     not pretty.                                               had to find waterproof tattoos for the kids and I
                                                               make balloons that will hold up to water. I have
13. Never feel discouraged if your audience isn’t              also gone to venues that were totally not what the
     quite with the flow. Several things can affect your       client explained at first. I always have a backup
     show. Climate, outside interruptions and overall          plan or backup service just in case. I have shown
     environment can make or break a show, but keep
     going.

14. NEVER think that comedy is at the expense of an
     audience member. I do kiss bald heads, but never
     insult bald heads. The only depreciation you can

22 MAGAZINE
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