Performers with kids.

[jester]

As my kids get older, I have learned that parenting will not become easier. I can relate to Peter in that I have siblings with health problems and depression is a terrible thing to see as a brother, I'm sure as a parent it is a million times worse.

I remember one awful christmas where one member of the family was not with us, everybody felt desperate, worried and uncertain whether this would ever get better. We just immersed ourselves in the Simpsons periodicly for a bit of releif and then sat there staring at the presents, our hearts not at all in it...

...and then a couple of years on it was a lot better. It'll never be bliss, but it got better and we learned to live with it, and watched massive improvements, like our prayers had been answered.

How a parent could cope, knowing that their child was refusing help, refusing treatment, living on the street, periodicly wandering off abroad for months at a time with no contact, often being exploited, usually in very poor physical health.

And then somebody befriends them and persuades them to get help... and in the space of a few weeks things get much much better.. It's miraculous.

I just say this because I know lots of people go through this, and I want them to know that there is hope... As a parent I really do not want to go there myself.

That's a very touching story Peter and it is a beautiful painting.

[firegirl]

Originally posted by Cybele
A premise descended from the heavens, and landed smack dab in the Renaissance Festival...

which ren faire?

that's a cool concept. we had a teenage boy helper (eric) one year at the so. cal/no. cal ren pleasure faire... the son of a dear friend. we decided just to call him "boy" and say we had bought him from a band of wandering gypsies. we made fun of him on stage... A LOT. one of the guys who i shared the stage with made fun of him in a really harsh way. though, boy got some of the best laughs in the show, was really helpful in hawking the show. he was quick as a rabbit, really smart and a big asset to the show. we finally had to write him in an "offical" part - because, (this is when i was doing a mostly singing show - just learning fire) he'd sit on stage behind us and just say things under his breath the whole time until one of us stopped and said: "yes boy? you have something to say?" so, we gave him the opportunity to do a couple of jokes... some prat falls & a spit take. he was golden & our tips went up... so i started paying him 10% a show. (there was one weekend - memorial day, i believe - where we made a grand & he nearly shit himself when i handed him $100... he became the king of the bling-bling on site... heh!)

i believe thought of us as his "older, cooler aunties..." stayed with me & cj on site during the run of the show... which really cut into my social life. he bugged me A LOT to teach him fire eating... and, i always said no... caught him playing with my props a couple of times & bragging to his friends that i'd taught him to do a tongue transfer (which was a lie) but, i let him get away with it because he was 14, skinny and needed to look cool in front of the 16 year old boobie wenches... you know?

i hear now he's started busking in the streets of some cali faires - juggling and doing silly stuff for tips. he's a born performer. i'm sure we'll all hear about him one of these days... he's gonna be big.

[Magrat2005]

Frisbee

I've got a niece, can I talk about her, and I never said I didnt want kids

[Lynneski]

I've been in the performing biz since 1980, though only the first 5 years were on the performing side ...

I've got two girls, now 12 and 8. They've spent their whole lives surrounded by artists of one sort or another. Some of the good things:

-they spotted a suitcase in the living room (borrowed and returned by a neighbour) and their first question was "Ok, mum. Who's staying *tonight*?"
-they both have "festival ears" which allow them to be in green rooms without repeating anything they hear, or acquiring any new vocabulary
-they both honour creativity and allow themselves permission to try, and sometimes fail because they understand the work that goes into making the beauty
-they wield sarcasm as a tool, regularly and often
-they think for themselves (which I will appreciate more a decade or so down the road)
-they "get" the person behind the performer
-mum's often home for them during the school months
-they get to have long phone chats with Auntie Shelley and Crazy Uncle Catfish
-one's a pianist who's breaking age barriers with her grades and who knows that "rockstar" is within her attainable job titles
-one carries dog-eared copies of Shel Silverstein everywhere she goes, and has spent a month or two deciphering what *she* thinks Jabberwocky is all about
-they know that everything looks better when it's mostly dark and farther away
-they both have excellent taste in variety arts


Some of the not-so-good things:
-summer holidays don't exist
-at least one of the girls is fearlessly daring (yeah, she's gonna get car keys at 16. feh.)
-mum is away for 1-2 weeks out of every warm month
-mum & dad don't always get along after mum's been working a lot
-mum doesn't always have work, and is hard to live with when she's idle

Well, that last list can kind of go on. In fact, the negative parts of working in the arts, of being self-employed and always having to pimp yourself, of not knowing where or when the next job is coming, spending so much time away from family ... I've made a big leap and taken a "straight" job for a while. I'm gonna keep my fingers in a few pies (like Windsor), but I'll see how the other half lives for a while.

I'm working as an art framer, so still I am surrounded by artists and their creations.

Peter, I'm in the process of framing the giclee, of that very piece you're showing, that you and Bev so generously gifted me. What a heart-rending story to go with it. I promise to send you pictures when it's done. I've just finished a piece that Ulla did (the hand, remember Bev?) and I must say it turned out gorgeous.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Karl's Sam, and even seeing her work at one of my festivals. She's a brave, creative and sassy girl, and the best tribute there can be to the one who's been her bedrock.

Greg, thanks for opening this conversation. I'm very touched by many of these posts.

[Busteroo]

I don't know if I qualify but I have been performing for five years. I have just begun to do it on the street. I taught my daughter,14, to do balloons, some magic, and how to read and treat people. We are currently putting together an act for the street this summer. We haven't been on the road yet. I have applied for some permits and we plan to try. The one thing that I will say is that just by this effort many people have noticed some positive changes in her. She is more personable and treats others better. So I would have to say that it has been positive so far. Wish us luck on the streets this summer!

[jester]

Is it a good thing for a child to weild sarcasm at all let alone regularly and often? I would say that my childrens experience with artists has led to them being far more articulate and fun.

However, I meet lots of kids with really good dry wit and irony. I think this must be what you mean.

[firegirl]

Re: ahhh my son

Originally posted by Frisbee
taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa duh!"

oh my. that is just TOO precious for words!

so - he's walking like a pro now, eh? too cool!

PETER: that is a truly moving story. my twin suffers from mental illness which onset when he was 15 - so, i empathise with your di's story. and, that pavement art is amazing...

[Magrat2005]

I worked with my niece, Alexa, yesterday, she's only 3, she'll be 4 next month, and it was her friends birthday, and she had a party, as most kiddies do when their that age, and I did some balloon moddleing, and my friend does all sorts of stuff, and he lets her join in, but not in every single act of his show, and it went great, I dont mind talking Alexa if Richard is there, cuz then we both can keep an eye on her, she's a little terror we it comes to working with me, but I let her cuz she enjoys it and I enjoy her being there

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Originally posted by Lynneski
I've had the pleasure of knowing Karl's Sam, and even seeing her work at one of my festivals. She's a brave, creative and sassy girl, and the best tribute there can be to the one who's been her bedrock.

Gracias, Signorita. I'm telling her you said that.

I remember you cruising down here with your kids in tow for one of the strange gatherings we had here. They were notably angst-free and together, especially after the 77 hour car ride, and nobody got in a knife fight or anything. Hope it happens again soon.

Our own Martin is a closet dad, by the way, and I've seen him apply intelligent parenting to beautiful effect. He is a source of peace in the home up on the hill, and has forever won the affection of Isaac, smallest of the three lads he lives with. Check out a couple of his children's stories.

http://www.antigravitytheatre.com/childrenstales/childrenstales.html

[Butterfly Man]

... he's got a little catipillar tattooed on his head

I have a son ... somewhere.

[gav]

it's me daddy

It's me, I'm your son, and I want all that money that you've been stashing away with your little tax scam !!!

[Butterfly Man]

Gary Osborne Jr.

My address is:

106 Pearl St. Apt. #3
Ft. Meyers Bch., FL
33931


My phone:
617-304-6759


Come home, son!

[gav]

awww daddy

If that really is gazzos address, you should probably take it down before he gets more stalkers!
I for one have already written it down and intend to go round to his place next time I'm in the states(probably never).
Keeping on subject though, I have a step daughter who's 5.5 and she is really into doing acro balance with me. She's a natural born performer who loves to sing and dance and generaly be the centre of attention. At the moment she can stand on my hands, feet and shoulders, she's also working on her headstand. I wish she had the patience to learn to juggle, but you can't have everything. She wants to be in my show this summer.
So far she hasn't really held me back from doing any gigs, but I can see in the future that once she starts school, going away to Australia for the summer could become difficult for long periods.
Kids help you re learn the art of play, and that is something that can benefit anybody, especially a performer.
I went to the local juggling night here for the first time after being here for a year, and discovered they have a fantastic venue. It's a theater with all stage rigging, plus they have rigging over the entire space, perfect for aerial work and the back wall is set up like a photo studio.
I kicked myself for not going earlier.
I'm thinking that this town could do with a circus school as it's something just taking off here, and that space is perfect for it.

[jester]

As performers it is tempting to be very proud of the "talent" our kids have in performing. Some people think that by being close on the inside of the industry, our children will have some kind of advantage in later life.

I don't agree. I take great pride in the more "civilian" aspects of my childrens life. They go to a nice school and are both doing well in a balanced and healthy way. I like the fact that they don't know how all the magic tricks are done, that they take great joy at watching even the most basic entertainers, that their disbelief is suspended easily.

My daughter does a bit of circus skills but she's far keener on the violin and any form of dancing (she's in several classes) and harbours ambitions to become a school teacher. Yes, she thinks that entertaining is a rather ordinary job (so many of us do it) and that teaching is really really special. She often changes her mind about what she's going to be.. it shows that a variety of things are inspiring her.

I think it's brilliant every time my kids show any form of prowess in any kind of performing, but I'm very conscious that when they grow up they should be able to chose exactly what it is they want to do.

My father was in the army and he made sure that I didn't simply follow in his footsteps (as many of my friends did) but had a bit of a life in the real world first.

Both of my kids can wield politeness effectively as a tool and practice it regularly and often. I try to keep them away from green rooms because I think kids are often a pain in the arse backstage and I don't want them there.

Especially out with the circus. Backstage can be dangerous and I get really cross with performers who think their kids are special and its all right if they touch my fire stuff because they know how to handle it (I'm not joking, there are some really stupid parents in this business) and they wonder why I'm swearing at them when I find their kids are throwing my juggling stuff around in the green room.

Kids are great and one of the great things about this job is we can take them to work with us. But I feel sorry for kids who spend half their life hanging around their parents place of work. Yes it's special, but it can have disadvantages too. I know several youngsters who hate anything to do with entertainment because they resent being dragged away from their normal life for 8 months every year. As one kid I know says:

"Yeah, we went to Italy, we spent 6 weeks either in a field or in the van. I never saw Italy, it could have been anywhere. I only knew I was abroad when I went to hospital and I didn't understand the nurses and they didn't understand me."

Just wanted to check some of the romance that gushing up in this thread.

[Peter Voice]

Just to follow-up on my last post here

Diana just finished this solo picture at Melbourne's Southbank on Saturday.

There is a renewed interest in "Dr. Who" here in Oz and the pic just caught the moment. Hope you like it.

I've moved the picture to http://www.performers.net/forums/sho...6186#post26186 so as not to clutter this thread with another big attachment.