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subject: When can you say you have an act? [print this page]

Most novices and even professionals do not fully understand what makes

an act different from a performance. They may have what they consider or

call an act but really they are just a string of unrelated jokes or

unconnected activities aimed to keep the audience amused. A clown or

puppeteer for example telling meaningless jokes and gags doesn't

constitute as an act it is merely a performer stating humorous tales,

facts, etc. A balloon worker transforming balloons to animals for an hour

or a face painter painting tattoos onto somebody's face or body cannot

constitute as acts and the person cannot be classed as Childrens

Entertainers as they are only participating/performing an activity.

Activities however cannot be classed as not entertaining but can still

not be known as an act. A magician that performs a series of magical

tricks/allusions without identifying a theme or a story cannot call

their performance an act as there is no meaning or story told in their

actions. Identifying this story or theme sets the performer apart from

other walk-arounds or strolling activities (like the ones you see at

fairs and fun day). This isn't to say that the strolling acts can not be

classified as humorous but they are not an official act.

The word 'act' is often misused to mean show. These terms are often used

interchangeably. A childrens show should have a start, middle and end

such like a story. This story (told using jokes and gags) should consist

of several segments inside the main structure of the show. The Childrens

Party Entertainers should have already planned the structure of the show before

their act had begun to ensure the story and act is of the highest

possible quality. This pre-planned/memorized factor of the show makes

your performance an act unlike a balloon workers or puppeteers

performance, which consists of ad-lib or random recitation of jokes.

Entertainer whos performance consists of mainly ad-lib like balloon

contortionists present a short show centered around balloons, filing the

rest of the time up with group activities and taking requests from their

audience. Their show is usually started by a five-minute group

participation warm-up then followed by a 10-15 minute show. The rest of

this time is probably consumed by Childrens requests for balloon-shaped

animals, although this is an effective party entertainment piece the

format is rarely followed and can not constitute as an act.

Some parents do hire entertainers for entertainment pieces and not for

the act that they have trained for. These situations are not bad but the

childrens entertainer should make clear that painting faces, making

balloon animals, playing games, etc is not an act. Generally the parent

who has employed a childrens entertainer wants their child to be

entertained and is paying the entertainer to be the life and soul of the

party; telling jokes, gags and involving people in the fun.

When can you say you have an act?

By: Charles Manford

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