Playing With Others…

Working on the road at fairs allows me two work with all sorts of acts. Last week I worked with Scotty and Rich and Orion. They are all variety acts and with very different styles!

One of the great things is chatting ideas with these different acts. Everyone comes at it with a different background and preferences as to how a show should be done. Talking to other acts and getting feedback often will show you things in your show you didn’t see or thing of.

If you work with other acts, talk to them and use them to help you grow!
-Louie

Hoop and Glass Trick

One of the tricks that I do in my show is the Hoop and Glass juggling stunt, I don’t know it’s official name. Last week on my facebook page I posted a gif that I made of pics by John Cornicello that he took at the Moisture Festival.

I had a several performers contact me asking me where to get the hoop. I called my “hoop guy” and had got some extra ones and making them available. You get a hoop and a (plastic) glass for $75 with USA shipping included!

Click here to order the Hoop and Glass props! currently unavailable

If you’re unfamiliar with the Hoop and Glass juggling trick, it’s a classic juggling trick and it’s been in my show for over a decade! The trick is you balance a glass of water on a wooden hoop and then you shake it, spin it and throw it in the air…all without spilling any water.

What I love about this trick is that it plays really big, however the props since it’s a hoop and glass (which are hollow), they don’t take up much space in my case. It’s also a nice break from the magic in my show.

-Louie

Watching Acts…

One of the great things about performing at fairs is you get to work with all sorts of acts. Not just various styles of acts, but act all from different points or their careers. Sometimes you’ll get a newer local act, and huge, international headliners and sometimes you’ll get an amazing act that’s retired, but lives in town and that’s the one gig a year they do…and everything in between.

When I’m at the fair, I try to watch everyone’s show. There’s so much to learn from the any act you watch.

  • I’ve written about this before, but I got reminded of why having a “high” show is important and why you need to keep all the action in your show (in most venues) above your belly button.
  • The importance of having some sort of music in the background (in most routines).
  • Why to keep backups of props that could break…because they will!
  • And finally to play every gig like it’s a sold out show…even if it’s raining and the bleachers are uncovered and virtually empty.

All four of these things are things that I already know, but it’s a good reminder to see them and having them moved to the front of my brain!
-Louie

The Moisture Festival Podcast – David Aiken

The Moisture Festival is joined over Zoom by the amazing comic daredevil David Aiken a.k.a the Checkerboard guy. David is a unique talent that has traveled the globe with his show and shares with us some amazing stories of his travels.

He also tells us about  the origins of the checkerboard theme in his show, his love of unusual cars and we gain some unique insights on why someone would gravitate towards becoming a professional juggler. We also learn about David’s new passion of brewing beer and his goal of opening a nano brewery on Vancouver Island. It was great to catch up with one of the funniest and kindest people in the performing world. You are going to love it.

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Iman Lizarazu

The Moisture Festival is on location in Berkeley California where they are joined by festival favorite and award winning clown Iman Lizarazu. Iman discusses a few of her many passions including wine, designing clown noses and most importantly being creative.

We hear some funny stories about growing up in the Basqu region of France, how people respond to her accent and what it’s like performing on  the back of a flat bed truck. A fantastic conversation with an amazing performer. If you love Iman’s work, you are going to love this interview. 

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Scotty and Katrine

This week, the Moisture Festival Podcast hits the road and travels to Berkley California where they are joined by Scotty Meltzer and Katrine Spang-Hanssen of Comedy Industries.

In this episode, Matt and Louie get into the nuts and bolts of comedy and discuss how custom script writing was the tool that would allow Scotty and Katrine to carve out their 30 year career in the entertainment industry, how they select jokes to put in their show, and the best heckler story ever. This is a fun interview we know you will love.

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Mark Hayward

The Moisture Festival Podcast is pleased to have the multi talented Mark Hayward join us over the phone. Mark is a smorgasbord of quirky talents. He is a world champion yo yo player, a Guinness World Record Holder, Artist and self proclaimed “Cool Guy”. In our conversation we discuss his progression from playing yo-yo as a kid and how that took him all around the globe including appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman (twice) and being a featured speaker at Ted X. We also learn about the spinning top, the world of juggling and get into a complex discussion on cheese. A great conversation with one of our favorite performers in the world. 

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Cate Great

In this episode of the Moisture Festival Podcast we have an “over the phone interview” with the fantastic Cate Great. Thanks to the powers of technology, we get to hear Cate tell us about what it’s like to run away from the water ski team and join a circus school.

In this episode, Cate also tells us about her vast array of super amazing skills, the role that great character development played in developing a successful street show, and what it’s like to have a roommate who is a magician. Don’t miss this fun and interesting conversation with one of the premier street performers in the world. 

The Moisture Festival Podcast – Patrick McGuire

This week on the Moisture Festival Podcast we have award winning juggler and Cirque du Soleil performer Patrick McGuire! In this episode we chat about how he got into performing with Cirque du Soleil, learning from the legendary Michael Moschen, and juggling being a father and a professional juggler!

the moisture festival podcast with patrick mcguire

As promised in the podcast, here’s video of Patrick McGuire performing while taking his clothes :

Play With Others…

Quite often I’ll be performing at an event with other acts. We’re all booked at the same venue, quite often we’re all doing separate things. A couple weeks ago there was a ton of great entertainers at a fair I was performing at. I decided to get everyone together and put on a variety show! … Continue reading “Play With Others…”

Quite often I’ll be performing at an event with other acts. We’re all booked at the same venue, quite often we’re all doing separate things. A couple weeks ago there was a ton of great entertainers at a fair I was performing at. I decided to get everyone together and put on a variety show!


This was a real “fly by the seat of our pants” kinda show, but it was a ton of fun for the performers and the audience!

After doing this, I’m amazed that more fairs don’t have a variety show, or split bill show. It’s great for an audience to watch, and it’s something different. It also breaks up the “monotony” of doing your show three times a day. If you work with other acts, I highly recommend putting together a variety show!