File puptcrit/puptcrit.0802, message 947


From: "Preston Foerder" <preston-AT-pfpuppetry.com>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:14:10 -0500
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] busking


Since my name was invoked, I have come out of hiding.  I street
performed for 15 years, living almost solely from it for about 3 months
out of the year, performing either magic or puppets or both.  I started
in the Boston area while in college, in Harvard Square (street performer
heaven, at the time) and at Faneuil Hall, and after that spent 12 years
at South Street Seaport in New York City. I started there on the day
they opened. I was never an adventurous street performer, pioneering new
performing areas.  I almost always played established areas where I
could receive a permit or played "private" pedestrian mall areas such as
South St. Seaport and Faneuil Hall (which usually have some kind of
audition and scheduling).

For busking or street performing (depending on the country, and by this
I mean performing for money from the crowd, and not paid street
performances, or unpaid street theatre, etc.) there are three goals: get
the crowd, keep the crowd, and make the crowd give you money. This is
the main difference between performing in a theater and on a street. In
the theater, you have to be really bad to make people get up and walk
out.  On the street, you have to be really good (or at least
interesting) to make them stay. There are two models for making the
money. The first would be to gather a big crowd, attempt to keep them
and build the crowd during the show, and ask them for money at the end.
The second method is where people wander by, watch for a moment and
throw some money into the hat. This is the street musician model. Even
using this method for a show, it's good to try and have the most people
at the end to give you money when you pass the hat. This second
technique accounts for the dramatic structure of Punch and Judy. While
there is a vague story, each of the different scenes can be appreciated
on its own and the story can be entered at any point without too much
explanation. Audience members can feel like they've seen something that
can give you money for even if they haven't seen the whole show
(especially if they have a bottler bugging them for money, though I
never used one).

To gather a crowd you need at least 3 people watching. It seems to be a
rule.  Once you get those initial 3, others will start to show up. You
can gather people by making noise, calling them over, waving big things
around or doing something unusual (i.e. mimes). One way is to set up
your show and people will start watching to see what you are going to
do.  Often it pays to break down your show to some extent each time,
just so you can put it back together again to gather a crowd.

Street show structure is different than theatrical show structure. Your
goal is to have the most people there at the end and not have them leave
before that. There are a few techniques.  In a variety format, never
finish a routine before starting the next one. People are waiting for a
break in the action to leave, so don't give them one.  Announce at the
beginning of the show and several times during the show what big thing
you are going to do at the end of the show, so people will hang around
to see that.  Or make sure they can see something big that's coming up.
For example, if you're doing variety marionettes and you have a big
fancy marionette that is in your finale, have it visibly hanging so
people will stay to see it.

To get them to give you money, you have to ask for it.  Most performers
try to have a unique joke that asks for money, known as a "hat line".
The money you make from a show is known as your "hat" (as in "How was
your hat, today?") even if you don't use a hat.  You should always
mention something about paper, or mention 1, 5, 10, 20 dollar bills,
whatever, or show paper money.  If you don't tell the people what to
give you, they won't give it to you and you'll wind up with change.
There is a technique where you ask for money before your finale, and
refuse to do it until you get enough. It seems to work for some
performers but I never liked it and didn't do it.

Finally, please ask for money. Do not perform for free ("just for the
fun of it")if you are performing in an established street performing
spot.  First of all, you are taking up the place of somebody who could
be making their living there (and there are a few performers who feel
that it is their right to your spot and make sure you know it in no
uncertain terms), and second, if you are giving your show away for free,
its going to be that much harder for the next performer down the way to
get money out of the crowd.

This turned out to be longer than I intended.  Tired now. Back to
lurking.

Preston



-----Original Message-----
From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org
[mailto:puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org] On Behalf Of BNathanson-AT-aol.com
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 7:51 AM
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Has everyone seen this?

Hi Rolande,
     Preston Foerder, who posts here once in a blue moon, performed at
the 
South Street Seaport, as well as many other street locations, and he was
(and 
probably still is) one of the best.   My late friend, Duke Kraus was
considered 
by many to be one of the finest street performers anywhere.   He used to

perform quite a bit in the Philadelphia area, and he just loved
performing in 
Mallory Square in Key West. 
     Bob Nathanson 


**************
Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on 
AOL Living.
      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campo
s-duffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org


_______________________________________________
List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
Archives: http://www.driftline.org

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005