My Performance Story from Last Night

RickEverhart

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Sep 14, 2008
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My principal who I work for asked if I would do a Free 25 minute show during our fifth grade Rock-A-Thon last night. I said sure no problem but I have never done stage. I normally just do close up or occasionally some parlor type effects. Audience was 50 fifth graders and 7 adult teachers.

I opened with a joke about me always being short and getting picked on as a child and so I had come up with a way to scare away bullies. I used the Spiral Optical Illusion that makes your head grow after they stare into it for the 30 seconds.
The kids were way back from me so apparently they said my head was enormous.
Great laugh and went over well.

I followed that up with calling 2 students up on stage for a gum pulling contest where I gave them "free selection -- yah right" of dubble bubble gum pieces as I proceeded to unwrap mine which held the gum pull that looks just like pink bubble gum. The first kids chewed and then proceeded to pull his gum about a foot and a half out. The audience laughed. The next girl pulled hers out about 2 feet long and did a nice job. Everyone clapped. I then followed her up by very dramatically and comically pulling mine out 25 foot long and draped it over their arms and continued pulling as I walked the distance of the stage. HILARIOUS. The place went nuts.

Next up I talked about all the diet crazes that are out there and that I had found a way to diet by eating light weight objects such as balloons. I had my balloons prepped to do the balloon swallow only all three that I had prepped "failed on me and popped as I was pumping them" Rats...the show was going well up until then. I promised them I would attempt the balloon swallow at recess on monday.

Up next was Stratosphere with the three balls that continually switch positions inside the clear tube when covered. This went over awesome as it always does.

I then did a sponge ball routine with a spectator on stage and concluded it with the last ball turning into the red square. Put it on the kids head and said "Look, a block head." The kids all laughed and so did the child. I know these kids so I knew who I could pick for this and not cause issues.

Next up...Invisible deck routine into the crowd with the typical humor and tossing it back to me. This stunned them because with my reveal of the card, I do it Sankey style with their card being the only one with a big black X on it because I have them draw the X on it with their imaginary black sharpie. Utter Silence when I revealed. YOu could hear a pin in the gymnasium and then gasps. Ha Ha.

My finale was Daniel Garcia's Fraud. This was the best part of the night because when I finished making the Letter D move to the other side of the dollar...I let the child take it out into the audience and pass it around for examination. People were going nuts. Only downfall is I should have used an ELMO "opaque projector" to shoot this one onto a big screen. People couldn't see when I was moving the letter on the dollar.

Here is the kicker: My principal pulls me aside after I say my thank you's and good night and says, "Mr. Everhart....you do realize that out of every child in the gym, you chose the girl for Fraud, whose father is a police office and an FBI undercover agent. I was like, "OH CRAP". That girl took the dollar home to him signed with her name on it. Ha Ha. I bet he is going to be looking that thing over very closely. See you all in jail...I'm sure he will take it well.

All in all it was a great night. It gets your adrenaline reved up. I couldn't sleep for over 3 hours because it went so well. Hope everyone enjoyed reading this.
 
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Awesome man. Sounds like you had a great show. That was cool you did this. See you in jail man. :)

-Doug
 

RickEverhart

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Thanks for the compliments guys. I will try to post some pics from the evening once my principal emails them to me at school.
 
Aug 31, 2007
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NIICE REV.
Your performance sounded pretty awesome. I enjoyed reading it, and usually I hate reading because somehow people like to drag out stories so much. Yours was straight and to the point. -awesomeness.

If that girl's fathers says anything to you, just tell him DannyT said it was ok.

I'm secret agent 00T. - code word - the lion is in it's den.
He'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Great story Rev, I'm looking forward to the pics.
 

RickEverhart

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Thanks Danny T. I'm sure he'll know who agent 00T is...ha ha.

Oh for the comment about me knowing all of these kids pretty well, I chose this girl for FRAUD because she was a new girl and was quiet and shy. Some of the other teachers in the gym were pointing at her from behind the crowd. That is why I chose her...not knowing her father was an FBI / police officer. I think it is funny.

Oh..I did learn one thing because I had never done stage before. That handling a microphone and props at the same time is difficult. Do most people use those microphone things that go around your neck? Or...are there cool looking mics that then go wireless to a speaker box. Any info would be appreciated. I am going to be performing for some 60 year olds and think they might be a little hard of hearing. It is a month away and I'm trying to get ideas for what I can use as a mic and have my hands free. Obviously not just a mic stand.
 
Jan 18, 2009
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That was really a great read man, nothing drug out and sounds like you did a great job with everything and the invisible deck routine is exactly how I do mine.
Keep up the good work because I really want to hear more and btw you just made my night because the super bowl sucks (teams that is).

Mics that hook on to your jacket or shirt are usually used and fairly cheap depending on where you live and the store.

Drew
 

RickEverhart

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Sep 14, 2008
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Louisville, OH
Here are two pictures from my performance.
Spiral illusion and the gum pull. I thought my principal had others but they came out blurry.
 
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