School of Busking

[Mario Morris]

On the 19th to 21st of June 2009 Gazzo and Mario Morris will be presenting a three day innovative busking course, suitable for the part time hobbyist to the full time professional. It will be held in Cardiff UK

The course will focus on street performing - with work on the psychology of attracting an audience, entertaining an audience, keeping your audience, opening and closing pitches, hat lines, passing the hat, travelling, life styles and all your questions answered.

Gazzo will be teaching his world famous cups and ball routine and Mario will be teaching how to make it yours and looking at other finale’s - from a strait jacket escape to circus skills. Bring your own props cups tables strait Jacket chains and ideas of a show and both Gazzo and Mario will be at hand to help you develop your own unique show.

More info www.bizzareshows.com
All contact mario@bizzareshows.com

[gav]

Most of us probably know Gazzos qualifications for this role, but what's yours ?
and....
why would you want to close a pitch ?

[Mario Morris]

So I take it your interested in enrolling.

[Mario Morris]

Hear are some qwotes from my previous students.

Quotes from students,

"Excellent course last weekend under the guidance of Mario. Great bunch of people who signed up for this.

Mario is the perfect person to lead such a course. He knows how to take pupil's initial ideas and transform them into something which works on the street.

After the Friday evening talk and demonstration, the participants were kept focussed on developing their own ideas and rehearsing for 'Sunday Showdown' on the streets of Cardiff.

He seems a popular figure of Cardiff. On taking us a to a pub on Friday night we were all promptly invited upstairs to friend's party! On the Saturday we were all given a 20% discount at his favourite curry house!

Mario is very committed to the cause of delivering an excellent product. Very noble in this age of the 'fast buck'.

He has so many lines at his disposal. He could take any trick and mould it into a street presentation. This of course the product of many years as a craftsman of his trade.

I was on first on Sunday afternoon which was great! Got my show done and could relax and watch the others. Mario was on hand to offer odd tips and guidance throughout the afternoon. He finished with his own street show which was great to watch.
Marks out of ten? Definitely ten!"
Thanks Mario.
Kevin


"It was Brilliant!!!!"

"I had the opportunity to include what I had learnt from Mario’s workshop….It Rocked!


Thanks for a Fantastic time, Mario."

Colin



"When I turned up at the course knew very little about street performing...I didn't even have a show. But over the weekend this changed, I learnt soooo much.

After the first night of 'theory' my head was overflowing with all the information and ideas presented to us. On the Saturday we began to put the ideas of building a crowd, entertaining a crowd and passing the hat together into shows, under Mario's guidance. On the Saturday I went from having no show at all to having a complete show (though it still needs ALOT of work).


On the Sunday, after a run through of the performances, we headed out onto the streets to perform. It was such a buzz! And it is thanks to Mario that I got out there and did it, not sure that I ever would without his help (thanks Mario).
Overall it was a very enjoyable weekend
Thanks again Mario ( and everyone else!)"
Aidan

Mario was incredibly helpful with suggestions for what would work and what wouldn't, and generous with hat lines and ideas for crowd pulling. Without him, I don't think I'd have dared to go out on the street on Sunday. True, I messed up a couple of things and my hat was somewhat pitiful, but it was great to have done it and I think I have the foundation for something."



“Mario is a top guy and obviously a very experienced street performer with a lot of great advice to give over the 3 day course. There was a great sense of camaraderie when we all went on the streets of Cardiff .” Jasper

[Mario Morris]

Good news, I have managed to secure rooms in a hostal for Ł20 pounds a night, not only that it includes breakfast, over looking the Cardiff river taff, right next to Cardiff Castle, 15 min walk to the workshop space. You will share with three other students from the course, no strangers. This means all the fun of the day will run into the night. Your Ł20 includes:

• FREE Breakfast
• FREE Tea and Coffee all day
• FREE Bed Linen and Duvets use (we make your bed for you, perhaps Gazzo)
• FREE City Map On Arrival
• FREE Use of Lockers
• FREE Wireless Broadband
• FREE DVD Hire
• Laundry Facility
• Luggage Storage
• Towl Hire
• Iron and Hair dryer hire
• No curfew
• Fully Equipped Kitchen
• Individual Bathrooms - No Cubicles
• Cosy Lounge With Wii, DVDs, Books and a 42 inch LCD TV
• Blooming Garden

What more can I say, if you prefer to sort out your own accomodation Gazzo and myself will not be offended by any means in fact we are at hand to find you your perfect pad/hotel.

On arrival you just check in and make your payment to the hostal direct and job done.
These rooms are limited, I like to give these as a priority to overseas students to help keep their cost down but it has to be first come first served. Please email/pm ASAP. For those who have already booked your place contact me just to confirm that you’re happy with this arrangment.
This course is getting better and better, I am very excited.
Mario

Back to top

[Butterfly Man]

Greed Between The Spines

• FREE Bed Linen and Duvets use (we make your bed for you, perhaps Gazzo)

Gazzo has made his bed ... now he has to lie in it.

[Butterfly Man]

your character is your destiny

Thought you might be able to use this... it's a workshop handout that I wrote a long time ago ...




The Art of Street Performing



1.THE RIGHT STUFF- combining all your skills.
a) physical...things you can do ... eg., Murph the Physical comedian.
b) mental ......what you think about before and after a show ... keeping a positive attitude.
c) emotional ..how you feel about what you do ...care and feeding of your audience.
d) theatrical...who you are or can be...impersonations / dialects.

2. MATERIAL- do what works for you.
a) “street” is not the “stage”...break the 4th wall.
b) the family show....appealing to the masses.
c) joke mentality... everybody gets it.
d) the “L” factor...”Likability”...how much they like you. *
e) character & personal style...be unique... you are: who?
f) technique...master your craft.
g) K.I.S.S....keep it simple stupid.
h) standard lines, tired bits....mistakes are stepping stones to failure.
i) ripping off... give credit where credit is due.
j) Houdini’s Rule: involve the senses...sight and sound together , +smell, + touch
k) the hat line...unique to the street...they pay you because they like you.*

3. DESIGN - your choice.
a) set...the look of your stage...banner / showtime sign.
b) props...and proud of it! ...your prop case display.
c) costume....neat & clean & durable ...“nice vest”.
d) sound systems.... how much is too much ... current best equipment

4.SAFETY - think!
a) personal...if it hurts, don’t do it!
b) audience... “...ever hit a little boy in the face with a knife?...our client has...”
c) fire... shake those torches! OSHA approved containers...to ask or not to ask?
d) security....out of sight..out of mind!
e) travel... carry-on restrictions... Customs & I.N.S.

5. THE SHOW - made up of bits.
a) packing...prop case + casters... weight & size limitations.
b) structure....put it all together.
1. set-up, warm up...pre show.
2. crowd gathering...whistles, bells, yells...make a spectacle of yourself.
3. intro., hat line ...who you are... funny is money.
4. bit...usually one prop or skit about 2-3 minutes long.
5. transition...segué...time between bits.
6. etc....create tension...relax tension.
7. Big Trick set up....what I’m gonna do ...
8. hat line...what you’re gonna do for me....$
9. Big Trick...finale´resolution ...WoW!
10. hat pass...laughter turns their money into yours.
11. benediction....thank you..thank you...both of you.
12. cool down, reset...turn around time.

6. CONDITIONAL PROBLEMS - beyond your control.
a) site selection... high traffic flow (people)...sight lines.
b) surfaces & sun... “the sun was in my eyes!...I stepped on a rock! ...it was the wind!”
c) pollutants: fumes, noise...construction, cars, children. (& the occasional fountain)
d) legality...Stephen Baird...learn the rules then break some.
e) weather... it affects the audience.
Butterfly’s Rule: too hot.....too cold ......duh.
f) safety first again... reread 4. ... this time, everything’s wet.

7. HECKLERS - friend or foe?
a) analysis ... listen to what they say.
b) action ...use what they say ... comeback lines a free copy of"Read Between the Lines" to serious students.
c) resolution...it’s all part of the act!

8. FOREIGN LANDS - your backyard.
a) people...loving the differences.
b) places...Waldo says: ”buy a ticket.”
c) things...border crossings, money woes, the best spots, Visa’s

9. SHOW BUSINESS - 10% show 90% business
a) professionalism ...presentation is 90 percent of your act.
b) corporate identity...you, on paper ... your video/website!
c) public relations ...give them more than they expect...make those calls!
d) moneymoneymoneymoney...satisfy yourself, make a lot then use it to help others. e) the future... don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

10. HORROR STORIES -don’t get me started!




NOTE: Many people who have taken this street performing workshop in the past have asked for a copy of this handout.

This forum was founded in 1987 to strengthen
the art of street performing. Not a job for the faint hearted, street offers the chance to fail gloriously, live dangerously and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

Armed with a strong show... the world is your stage.

-Laura Green, The Juggling Queen
&
-Robert Nelson, The Butterfly Man

[jeep caillouet]

B. Man What's the 1st. 2nd. and 3rd. wall?

[Butterfly Man]

your wall is my mall

J,
The "4th wall" is the imaginary wall between you and the audience ..it is a term usually used by actors when they speak directly to the audience...if an actor does this he is "breaking the fourth wall" ...

so, in your case:

#1,2 & 3 walls are Will Soto, another fuckin' juggler and the sun setting in the Atlantic Ocean ... clear enough?

[jeep caillouet]

I didn't know that!

B. man Thanks for letting me know about the forth wall.I'm so use to just working every day I really never thought about a 4th wall. As for the 1st 2nd 3rd wall my vary first circle act was I did a spoof of every body's act on the pier Juggler, mimes, love 22, balancing, sword swallowing (I swallowed a 260 balloon) Etc. you get the idea, ...I taught my dog to do Will Soto's show, and speaking of just another fuckin' juggler man we got these new kids on the pier now And I want every body to know these kids are really good. There in the 16 year old range,and there is a lot of good competition between them. I'm glad to see them out there and I help them and encourage them as much as I can. They do like 7 clubs and balls and such . They've been working Mallory about 5 years now.Oh and last night We had 9 jugglers out of 17 spots on Mallory, you know what I mean by just another fuckin' juggler. You know what Sonny Holiday told me, And last the sun sets in the gulf of Mexico looking from Key West! Toodleloo

[Mario Morris]

Thanks B Man
They are great pointers.
Mario

[Mario Morris]

The School of Busking is now full.
Thanks
Mario Morris

https://www.schoolofbusking.com