this is really advise
to my fellow
small show performers
sidewalk/doorway/half circle acts....[close up to parlor].
this is probably the hardest lesson i ever learned.....i payed dearly for it i assure the reader.
my teacher told me a long time ago, "make your OWN standard."
i started out doing circle shows, long big, and big money. i felt uncomfortable with them because it felt like it was a long stall, build, and constant begging for money.
another thing i felt is that they had had enough of jimmy talksalot after 20 mins.
i just didn't feel like it was theater like some of my friends who did brilliant, entertaining 45 mins. circle shows....there out there and their great.
i felt like i was turning into one of those stall and extort 45 mins. shows that plague so many streets out there calling themselves buskers.
then i started finding myself loving the 10 min. close up sidewalk/doorway acts, after mastering this i would always look enviously at the circle show acts around me.
so i would try and do large half circle shows and then tryed going back and relearning circle shows, but on my terms.
so i did that...
anyway the whole time i felt like i was betraying what i was born to do.
i watched some of my friends who usually do circle shows trying to do sidewalks with the same feelings...they wished they were doing circles instead, you know what THEY were born to do.
so since i have been doing my sidewalks and half circle shows life has gotten better for me, i am making better money and my show has improved.
granted i'm not making the big bucks like i did with the circles......but as my teacher has always said, "do what you love and the money will follow."
i say if you were born to do circle shows do them!
if you were born to do smaller shows, then do them, but remember the moment you start venturing where you don't belong there will be suffering.
suffering can be good it makes you stronger and wiser and gives you a few things under your belt....but hindsight is pretty important too...know what i mean?
one last bit of business, if you do sidewalks or door way acts.......stay away from the circle show acts.
they need a lot of room and money,
alot of them can't just pick up and move like you,
and if the walkers are a slow trickle, those circle guys are gonna be grumpy that your making money while they arn't.
another thing, don't let your mind get all wrapped up in, how much money the other guys are doin,
or because you think they are getting all the rock star fame because of the size of thier show.
if he's a statue and he's makin less don't judge him, or if he's a circle and makin more, i wouldn't judge that either, because your, WORKING WITH YOUR OWN STANDARD.
a lot of these circle show guys will try and make fun of you for working so hard for so little of money, they will try and recruit you into doing it "their way".
...well i can't tell you how many nights i had to pay hotel bills for my circle show buddies, because we were inna town that wouldn't let circle shows work....i was the only one workin,
the recruiters took the day off that week.........
once i actually had a circle guy tell me, "you know jimmy you shouldn't sell yourself short with those little shows." heh, it remeinded me of the time another guy told me,
"don't worry jimmy i got us a job driven a truck so you don't have to do that magic trick stuff anymore."
neither one of em got it....
it should be understood that i may do a circle show every day, but it just turns into that, i did not go out there with intent to do a circle show, nor do i want to.
i like to think of myself on a journey with no set destination, if the people are into it, i'll stay longer, if not i'll end with my quick alternative ending and get out.
but this is the point.
what type of show did you design?
was it because you loved it or was it because some dvd told you it would make money?
anyway....do what you love and the money will follow....AND.....make your OWN standard.
some may think my standard is pretty rich....well i don't think it is.
others make think my standard is bum, well they arn't livin my life, I AM and it's my standard.
i'm happy, my families happy, and my audience is happy...are yours?
just thinkin out loud.
your pal jimmy.
