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 A FEW POINTERS FOR NEWBIES! |
| I received an e-mail recently from a clown wanna be. Nothing thrills me more than to help someone in this area. So where DO you start when you want to begin? 1. Contact other clowns in your area. Look in the yellow pages under clowns or entertainment. If perhaps the clown you have contacted isn't too thrilled to help then keep calling until you find someone who will. It is sad to say that some feel threatened by newbies, but mostly all are glad to lend a hand! You might ask: A, How long they have been in the profession B. What kind of schooling/training they have had C. What kind of clowning they participate in (for hire, shrine, etc) D. Is there an alley you can join I haven't met a clown yet who was shy at devulging personal clown history! Most can talk your ear off. Use this to your advantage. If you feel comfortable you might ask to meet with them, hopefully at their home where they can show you what they use, make-up, tricks etc. Use discretion in this area, after all clown or not, you can't be too careful now a days I am sad to say. Before doing this you might want to call several numbers and see what they say about each other. Use your judgement. Go to your local library. You may be lucky enough to find actual clowning books. Look also under balloon twisting, paper cutting, storytelling, or magic tricks. You can have books shipped in from other libraries to yours. Some titles I recommend: *Captain Visual's Big Book of Balloon Art *Strutter's Complete Guide to Clown MakeUp *Anything by Ralph Dewey *Richard Snowberg has excellent books on clowning and caring (hospital) clowning especially Join the clown organization: Clowns of America New Members send $25 to: Clowns of America, Int, Inc Lee's Summit, MO 64064-6468 Be sure to send your clown name as well as your address! Source's for Clown supplies and magic, balloons etc.: LaRock's Fun and Magic Outlet 1-800-473-3425 It may take you a few calls to get a catalog. Their qualatex balloons are only $5.40/gross! I get all my make-up, facepaints, magic, and balloons from here, they have free s+h for orders over $65 plus discounts on bulk items ordered. Maybe you could place on order with a new clown friend! |
| What do I buy? |
| It is so hard to decide what to invest in when you are just starting out. I want to share some things that have worked for me from LaRock's: For Walk Arounds, great for pocket hiding places: 1.Eye Glider Ball $2 get a set of them (always looks up when you slide it around, good for rolling your eyes, keeping an eye on someone, proof that you really do have your mother's eyes!) 2. Jumbo fork and knife $4 (keep hidden and surpise them with the size, tell them you are really hungry!) 3. Jumbo scissors $2 and Jumbo comb $1.50 (offer to give free haircuts and toenail trims!) 4. Clown Stickers $8 for a roll of 800 (6 choices) 5. Jumbo sun glasses $2 ( I punch out the lenses and use them for reading glasses!) For your first magic tricks: These basically require no tricky moves! 1. Magic Coloring Book $8 children help draw and color magically 2. Nesting Wands $27.50 watch one giant wand become many more 3. Change bag with zipper $35, I can't say enough about this trick, there is no end to what you can do with it! 4. Tote bag $14-$16.50 basically a change bag without a handle, good for walk arounds 5. Production Box $15 very cute trick A few good catalogs from websites: T. Myers Magic a good source for balloons, stickers and magic, you will need a balloon pump most likely, and this would be a great place to get it! Remember you usually get what you pay for. A pump is not cheap, but it is worth the initial cost. You've never seen a line form so quickly as when you start twisting balloons, so be prepared! http://www.tmyers.com The Complete Clown Catalog costumes, magic...need I say more? www.mooseburger.com Clown Supplies, Inc. www.clownsupplies.com Oriental Trading Company, Inc. Great for give a ways of all kinds www.oriental.com |
| You will want to decide which type of clown character you want to become. You can be an Auguste, Whiteface, Hobo, or perhaps a character clown. From there you will know what kind of make-up to invest it. You can also get these from any of the above catalogs. Your name will usually come before anything, you will be surprised at how easy this part usually is! SO: 1. Get informed by going to your library, ordering books or borrowing them from other clowns 2. Join Clowns of America and get their magazine automatically 3. How about Fun Technician's magazine? 4. Call around, see if you can hook up with someone who can help you and find out if there is a clown alley in your area 5. Get some free catalogs 6. Costumes need not be pricey but they must be neat, clean and coordinated! 7. Decide on your name, clown character and make-up design. Use other clowns, as well as your own face contours to accomplish this HUGE task! There is rhyme and reason to clown faces so inform yourself! 8. Invest a little at a time. A few magic tricks here and there, a few walk arounds at a time. Can't afford a wig, how about a fun hat? Make your own and personalize it to fit your character! Hot glue buttons, ribbons, plastic animals on large colorful shoes! How about a fun pair of slippers? 9. Get your balloons, pump and face paints and practice, practice practice! 10. I recommend starting out doing nursing homes, friend's and relatives before diving in and taking parties from established clowns in town. As your experience and confidence grows keep your rates competive with other clowns. May God be with you on your new adventure, you will never be the same! WHO IS JOYFUL AND WHAT IS SHE DOING NOW? My real name is Jennifer Sosinski, I am from central Wisconsin and have been pro clowning (clowning for pay) for about 4 years now. It doesn't seem like it has been that long! I get asked alot how I got started. Well, I started the same way I am telling you to! I was lucky enough to have an incredible established clown working in my area. She was instrumental in my clown "birth." She showed me the ropes, gave me suggestions, showed me new balloon twists, encouraged me and became my very good friend. One thing I did was ask her if I could watch her do a show at a birthday party. She welcomed me with open arms. I learned so much that day! In fact every show I do has a little of her in it. When she was done that day, I shared with her how embarresed I was to show her how I did my costume and make up. That was when she reached into her pocket and pulled out a photo of herself when she first started! I was amazed. She looked as scary as I know I did! What made all the difference was going to clown camp in LaCrosse WI, and learning how to do things the right way, the way that works and looks the best. That is why I can't say enough about getting training. Especially if you are going to do parties for a fee. Your experience will outweigh in information and experience what it will cost you in dollars and cents, plus it is a tax deduction! I was able to have my face designed by a famous circus clown for only $20. I would now be where I am today in clowning without that experience. I am hoping to go back again next year. But what if you CAN'T afford it, or are unable to go to something like clown camp? There are many little mini weekend clown camps, usually put on by churches. If you subscribe to a clown magazine or can log onto the website of laughmakers or clowns of america you can find out this info. Go to your library, or order some books from a clown supply magazine. Don't worry about the cost. If you compare it to clown camp, you are getting a bargain! The more you know, the better you will be at what you do! I am the mother of a 7 year old, she clowns with me. We are currently having her 2nd clown outfit made by a lady in town here where we live. She outgrew her first one! She named herself "Squirty the clown" when she was 3, and I thought that was an awesome clown name! She sometimes clowns with me. We are in the 2nd year of homeschooling. I run alot of my acts and new jokes by her. She is an excellent critic, and an invaluable source of encouragement! My clown life consists of occasional singing telegrams, which I charge the same price for as a show because it takes me as long to prepare for. I had a customer e-mail me some songs about being old, sung to the tunes of children's songs. They are hysterically funny! I have had many requests for the words, which I have at the end of this page. I do parties, and I do company jobs which are my favorite for pay, but my favorite for life fun is a birthday party! I can't wait until the phone rings and I can get to be a part of the memories of a little one who will probably never forget me! Out of my outfit I do nursing home visits, Bible reading and singing hymns and songs. I do prison outreaches and lead the singing with ministry I learned about over the internet. My husband, daughter and I go to Mexico on outreaches where Joyful is a hit even though she doesn't speak a word of spanish, except for sorry, bathroom, and Jesus loves you! I did hospital visits, but I had a baby nephew who passed away at home, I was there when heaven reached down and took him home. After that it was too painful, and I needed time to heal. I hope to get back up there, because no one in our area does that in our hospital. It was a joy to do. In closing, I will share with you my first appearance as Joyful. This was a pre-camp experience. I was scary looking, not a great face, not a great outfit. But my heart was so full of love for my audience and I wanted the children to laugh and have fun and I was SO nervous! My church was having a halloween alternative, with games and prizes and costumes. I went and did balloons and I was scheduled for a show at the end. I think it is worse when you clown in front of people you know for the first time, it was for me. My parents were there, and my friends. A pre teen girl had brought about 5 friends to the event, and I was pleased to see them there, since it was an outreach to tell the children about God's love and salvation through Jesus Christ. I did my show, and I juggled and did magic, and everyone laughed and clapped and it was a success. Later I heard my very skeptical mother tell my father , "She is good!" And my dad replied, "Of course she is!" I was able to pray with the children and several of them, including the pre teen friends of that girl prayed with me. I went home and was on cloud nine all through that week. About one week later I got a phone call from my mom , she was crying. She had just learned that one of the girls who had been there that night was killed in a car accident with 3 of her family members, and a friend. I was one of the last people in her life, and I was the person who prayed with her before the tragic accident. I can't tell you what I felt, to this day it brings tears to my eyes. In that moment I knew the "Call", and it is a call on each person's life who enters into this profession. Don't let anyone belittle you, or discourage you. You will change the world around you with the gift of your life, the gift of your character, the gift of you! So good luck, and God be with you. He is with you, you know. He loves to talk to clowns. He made us you know! Laughter comes from heaven, when it is pure and not off color and comes not at another person's expense. I hope you can get something helpful out of my experiences, something that can help and encourage you. Write if you need me! Joyfully Yours, Jennifer List of Songs for singing telegrams: (Please don't take offense, I love the elderly and respect them very much!!!) (Sung to the tune of row, row, row your boat) Old, Old, Old you're old, older every day. Your skin has sagged your chin now drags, your hair is turning grey. Old, old, old you're old, old in every way. Teeth are missing, so's your mind looks like they're gone away! (Sung to the tune of I've been working on the railroad) You've been shuffling in your walker, all the live long day. You've been shuffling in your walker just to pass the time away. You can't hear the whistle blowing, you can't get up in the morn. You can't hear the reaper calling, "Bugler blow your horn!" You are getting old, you are getting old, you are getting really old, old, old. You are getting old, really, really old, you are getting really old! (Sung to the tune of Tie a Yellow Ribbon) Tie a yellow bandaid round your old trick knee, and you'll wear your age for the world to see. Bifocals and cheap toupee and hearing aid in place, cannot hide your toothless grin or the wrinkles on your face. Tie a yellow bandaid round your old trick knee, you are old my friend and your life will be aching joints and muscle pains and leaky bladder too, you will need a cane to walk in your orthopedic shoes! (Sung to the tune of Achey Breaky Heart) We can hear your parts, your achey breaky parts, creak and crackle when you walk. We can see your skin, underneath your chin, droop and wiggle to and fro. We can see your teeth, your yellowed dentured teeth, slip and rattle when you talk. We suspect your mind will soon be left behind, and you will be the last to know. (Sung to the tune of This Old Man) Sing their name...is an old man, is as bald as he can be, with a dentured grin and a double, double chin and 2 eyes that cannot see. Sing their name...the old man used to laugh and run and play, how he hobbles about if he ever gets out but prefers to nap all day! Hymns for the aged: Precious Lord Take my hand (And help me get up) It is well with my soul (But my back hurts) Nobody Knows the trouble I have seeing, Amazing Grace (Considering my age) Just a Slower walk with Thee, Count Your many birthdays name them one by one, Go tell it on the Mountain (And Speak Up) Give Me that Old timers Rel. Blessed Insurance, Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah (I've forgotten where I parked) |
 joyful@wi-net.com |
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