The Tailgate Entertainer | Performers | Performance Business | Creatives | Artists | Talent Buyers

Kicking off season three of Tailgate Entertainer and what the exciting lineup looks like.  (NOTE:  All recordings were done pre-pandemic)

In this episode, twelve professionals in the fair industry talk about their experience of living through the destruction that Covid 19 has caused.  What has happened to our industry and what needs to happen to get things back on track.  Great stories, wisdom and insight.  

Creating a concrete platform in a saturated market is no easy task. In order to do so, you have to be innovative and original, two characteristics that perfectly describe Robert Smith. Robert Smith is a magician and creative content speaker who struggled to find his way into the fair industry until doing exactly the opposite of everyone else, staying inside the box. Robert Smith is most recognized for his fortune-telling act, which has come to be known as the Conjurer Fortune Machine. Check out this episode of Tailgate Entertainer with Alan Bruess and Eric Haines if you're interested in learning how to adapt and expand your own creative career. 

Show Highlights:

• Starting street magic
• Recognizing the pivot point in a career
• Figuring out how to live with a disease
• The importance of reaching out
• Getting buyers attention
• Becoming the conjurer
• Creating a unique way to perform in a saturated market
• Trusting the audience
• Organically developing an act
• Explaining a nontraditional career to others
• Training people in your profession
• Expanding a personal act and avoiding stealing ideas
• Only working jobs that fit your brand
• Building relationships
• Changing how you perceive no
• The drive behind creating content and marketing
• Using social media to provide value
• Building equity with the community

Resources:

Art To Market

All social media handles: @meetrobertsmith

Podcast: Fair Game

Meet Robert Smith

Robert Smith Presents

Finding your passion can be difficult especially if it isn't a traditional path but Greg Frisbee always knew he wanted to perform. Overcoming his shyness and fear of failure, Greg took a leap of faith and has become an incredible juggler and comedian. He has performed in all 50 states, over 30 countries, and does over 300 shows a year. His show is fun, goofy, and creates a family-friendly environment for everyone to enjoy. Tune into this episode of Tailgate Entertainer with Alan Bruess and Eric Haines to hear more about how Greg utilized obstacles to establish his career.

Show Highlights:

• Taking the plunge as a full-time performer
• Marketing to fairs
• Breaking news to close family
• The journey of establishing a show
• Struggles with putting a show together
• Trial and error
• The importance of treating others with respect
• How a performance can be a form of meditation
• Being present in the moment
• Struggling with being insecure as a performer
• Alternative pursuits if performing fails
• Creating healthy relationships with fair managers
• Not taking work personally
• Being in tune with the crowd and creating a magical atmosphere
• Finding human connection through travel
• Accepting people for who they are
• Utilizing skills from worldly experiences
• How performing effects those closest to you

Resources:

Bring Your Art To Market

The Rubber Chicken Show

Frisbee Show

The fair industry has some jaw-dropping and mind baffling acts but some acts set the bar higher than others. Marco Landín and Heather Hyde de Landin are creative and talented performers. From costumes to technique, this power couple has raised the bar for all stilt walkers and performers. Their acts are exotic and bring a sense of newness through their full fire performances and stilt creatures. They have perfected the art of embodying whimsical characters and creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Join Alan Bruess and Eric Haines in this episode of Tailgate Entertainer to learn more about creating a magical world. 

Show Highlights:

• Being introduced to variety entertainment 
• Sharing the miracle of newness 
• Bringing something new to the table 
• Creating art to be proud of 
• Being an influencer through personal art 
• Creating opportunities for others 
• Finding ways to speak without words 
• Design techniques and creating unique shows 
• Creating blueprints and refining details 
• Finding balance 
• How passion pushes you forward 
• Building a bubble of wonder 

Resources:

Dream City Vegas

Macro Landin

Art To Market

Alex Zerbe has been performing for more than 15 years. He is a master of physical comedy, juggling, and magic. Alex is known as "The Zaniac" which was an idea from his wife. Many love his high energy throughout his performances and his super kind soul, and intelligence. He is a two-time Guinness World Record holder who was voted Seattle's Funniest Prop Comic. He performs in fairs, schools and special events. He is a fantastic entertainer and loves his job as an entertainer.

More in this episode:

• Physical issues that can be challenging in his performances in the future.
• The First Fair that he worked at.
• Lessons that he learned during his first fair job.
• Advice he would give about working in the fair industry.
• How has his marriage dealt with all the traveling associated with performing?
• How much he loves his job and performing.
• He would love to mentor and help other entertainers
• Where he goes for mentoring and guidance?
• When and how he began performing.
• Some of his beats!

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Art To Market

Tailgate Entertainer Podcast

1,001 Tips on Practicing, Perfecting and Performing Your Act: For Jugglers and other Variety Artists Entertainers by Daniel Holzman

Alex Zerbe

The Zaniac

For many performers, the circus has been a way of life for as long as they can remember. Ivan España is a fifth-generation circus performer and is currently creating and performing in shows with his wife Allison. They both have a heart and passion for the industry and dedicate a surplus of hard work and time to each and every show. Tune into this episode of Tailgate Entertainer to hear more about their journey and their current production, The Great Mr. Swindles Peculiarity.

The Great Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium and Drink-Ory Garden is an original production by Salto Entertainment of Englewood, an entertainment group with a decade of live family entertainment production experience. Salto Entertainment's production and performance credits include the motorcycle madness of Moto Maniacs, the aerial antics and death-defying stunts of the steampunk-themed production FLIPPIN, and co-producers of CIRQUESA – Dream Quest, a journey of self-discovery as told through circus artistry. Salto Entertainment is owned and operated by Allison Blei and Ivan España, whose family was recently inducted to the Circus 'Ring of Fame' in Sarasota's St. Armand's circle marking their significant contributions to the art and culture of circus amongst many other incredible icons such as P.T. Barnum and The Ringling Bros.

Show Highlights:

• Growing up in a family of entertainers
• Acrobatics and the skywheel
• Giving people memorable performances
• Challenges with bringing an entire circus act to a fairground
• Motivating factors
• Creating shows you create
• Transitioning from conventions to the fair
• Word of mouth marketing
• Individualism and putting in your entire heart
• Fears and difficult circumstances
• Tips for going the circus direction
• Love for entertaining the audience

Resources Mentioned:

bringyourarttomarket.com

saltoent.com

Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium

Building and creating a unique act is a major accomplishment but it is even more valuable when you get to perform with a close friend. Illusionist Adam The Great and Tyzen The Comedy Hypnotist, also known as the Show Bros™, are two close friends who have established a remarkable show together and continue to create innovative material.

Combining two great talents with amazing shows on their own, they have created an amazing new show, called The Show Bros™, which highlights the best of both shows. In this episode, we go behind the scenes and find out the origins of this synergistic show.  The unique thing about this show is that Tyzen and Adam actually perform together - this combination of talents is compelling entertainment! The show is still very new, but is already getting rave reviews and is destined to be one of the greats!

Show Highlights:

• Making connections through the fair
• Being a role model for children
• Maintaining a friendship through working together
• The challenges of marketing for a theatre
• Issues behind the scenes - it's not all roses!
• Getting advice from close advisors
• Fine tuning productions
• Setting boundaries and legal parameters
• Getting started in magic
• Transitioning into a full-time fair career
• Being innovative and coming up with new acts
• Being patient
• Having fun with your own work
• Plagiarism within the industry
• Learning to write originally
• Performing your best for every crowd
• Charging what you're worth
• Discovering careers outside of the entertainment industry

Resources Mentioned:

Pacific Animal Productions

Adam the Great

Tyzen

There is a surplus of talent, acts, and shows in the fair industry. Many of the performances have been around for hundreds of years, but some of them recently have sprung and become popular over the last few decades.

Tom Sailor has invented and innovated multiple aspects of the fair industry and currently works with Winter Set Concert Events. He has years of experience and insight on the fair industry that is unique to his creative perspective. Tune into this episode of Tailgate Entertainer with your hosts, Alan Bruess and Eric Haines, if you're interested in how to break through the industry and taking risks.

• How life led Tom into the fair industry
• Belly Bucking
• The birth of male strippers
• Women's mud wrestling
• Taking mud wrestling to fairs
• Creating a bungee diving show
• The biggest competition in the fair industry
• What the industry is missing
• Thinking outside of the box
• Areas that lack talent and room for opportunity
• The importance of a personal relationship
• Breaking through into the industry
• Not comparing your act to others
• Always putting on your best show

Links:

Art To Market

Anyone can be a performer, but only hard-working and dedicated individuals become a great performer. It takes many years and lots of practice to establish a name and create a timeless act, which is why not many people make it as a full-time entertainer. Todd Victor has been a full-time entertainer for over 30 years and has created beautiful stages to host various acts, he coaches entertainers, and has established a successful mentoring program to boost other performers. Tune into this episode of Tailgate Entertainer with Alan Bruess and Eric Haines to see how you can bring your art to market and take the next steps to improve your performance. 

Show Highlights:

• Moments that led up to being in the fair industry 
• Giving advice to yourself in the past 
• Taking care of yourself and being innovative 
• Adjusting the show to fit where you're at in life 
• Reducing wear on your body 
• What needs the fair-grounds can provide for performers
• Pros and cons of working with your spouse
• How unique makeup affects business 
• Formula for traveling 
• How to adapt shows to stay relevant 
• Bringing art to a marketplace and making a living off it 
• Taking classes for various skills 
• Hiring advisors to direct and critique acts 
• Practicing to fine tune skills 
• Emphasizing being a great performer 
• Finding the balance between work and home life 
• Getting the most out of your time and making connections 
• Working hard to maintain trust and make others shows successful 

Resources:

Arttomarket.info