Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver in the morning, Prince Rupert joining the Serenade of the Seas in the afternoon
So lets say you’ve worked for a specific client or in a specific market a number of times… How do you keep the interest up in continuing to bring you back again? Why not create a brand new show. I’ve done this on a number of different occasions. In part to challenge myself artistically, but also to ensure that I get to work for certain clients repeatedly.
Likely the best example I can give is the relationship I’ve had with the Edmonton Street Performers Festival over the years. I first got to the event in 1989 with the show I’d been doing for years. I had a blast and attempted to get myself back to the event for a number of years. Finally in 1995 armed with a new finale and some other new material I was brought back to perform at the Festival again.
Flash forward to 1997, I contact the Festival Producer with an idea for one of the Late Night Madness Performances. These theatre shows were made up of cast members from the festival who were asked to do something new or different on stage. I pitched an entire theme for the show and offered to direct it and boom, I was asked back to the festival again and a once in a lifetime opportunity to craft a show that started off with a version of The Dating Game and ended with my wife and I getting married by The Butterfly Man.
The year is 2000… I have a crazy idea to retell the story of King Kong using audience members to play the parts in the story and directing them as an ‘on the scenes reporter.’ The show starts off with a crazy Banana Relay Race and end with a mini-Kong puppet being launched up to the top of the Empire State Building (which I’m wearing) with a teeter board. Huge thanks to Richard Berg for joining me on that little adventure…
2002 I team up with Iori Mikumo from Yokohama, Japan and John Ullyatt to form “The Executives” a three man show where grown men got to play with toys… We had a blast!
2006 I team up with Geoff Cobb to create the ‘Juggling Sherpas’ and play the festival yet again.
By creating new works on a regular basis and by having a festival so willing to take a chance on me playing with a new idea or a new partner or both, I was not only given the chance to spread my wings artistically, I was also given the opportunity to return to one of the best Street Performers Festivals in North America repeatedly and have a blast hanging with some of the best in the business.
It’s not always easy to push yourself into the unknown on these new projects and adventures, but I can state whole heartedly that these experiments have made my adventure as a performer so much richer and have taught me an enormous amount about who I am and how I get my best work done.
So… Got an idea floating around in your head for something new? Perhaps it’s time to contact one of your favorite clients and see if they’d be willing to take a chance on it.
