Accommodating a very young audience
A common issue for me as a puppeteer is when I have the opportunity to book a show but the audience has to include children under the age of 3. (Common in pre-schools) We KNOW that two year olds will not focus on a story for more that a few minutes. So here's what I have begun doing that usually makes everyone happy:
I arrange to invite the ones UNDER the age of 3 for a "pre-show glimpse" of about 10 to 15 minutes. (I play this by ear) They toddle in and sit down with their grown ups and I put on my mic and speak slowly in a near-whisper. I do a sort of quiet "show and tell" of the characters and a few main points of the story and then announce that they all live happily ever after. I am usually visible for this so I can look at them. They clap and I bow. "Quiet and gentle" holds their attention way better than loud and fast. (REALLY!!) I usually don't charge extra for this. It is worth it to me because I'd rather not have two year olds in my audience for 45 minutes!
I arrange to invite the ones UNDER the age of 3 for a "pre-show glimpse" of about 10 to 15 minutes. (I play this by ear) They toddle in and sit down with their grown ups and I put on my mic and speak slowly in a near-whisper. I do a sort of quiet "show and tell" of the characters and a few main points of the story and then announce that they all live happily ever after. I am usually visible for this so I can look at them. They clap and I bow. "Quiet and gentle" holds their attention way better than loud and fast. (REALLY!!) I usually don't charge extra for this. It is worth it to me because I'd rather not have two year olds in my audience for 45 minutes!
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