School Programs

Proposal for School Programs 2020

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: The History of Funky music

 

Description: Featuring an array of songs from James Brown, to the more contemporary, Will Smith, and bands like Kool and the Gang, this musical odyssey performed by our very realistic African American puppets highlights the important role that African Americans have had on American music. Not only did their songs cross over into other cultures and the mainstream charts, but their work brought people of all races together to dance, sing, and celebrate our unique talents and abilities. 

 

Many of those who were early pioneers of “funky music” had to suffer the indignity of eating at “colored only” restaurants or staying at “colored only” motels. Their suffering is part of the reason this music is so rich and soulful. 

 

Kids will love the way various puppets will pop up and start singing when Spice the MC says the name of the song. Especially since Spice sets himself up for this organized silliness by instructing his puppet friends to sing whenever he says the name of a song. 

 

So you can imagine what happens when Spice says … “I feel good to be here today.” 

And then later …. *I’m so Excited     *Happy      *Miami      *Celebrate     *I like to move it *Who let the dogs out?     *Can’t touch this     *Everybody dance now

 

*Features 2 performers: One behind the stage and one out in front of the stage

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Puppet Stage

*A variety of different male and female African American puppets

 

Cost: $350

Length of program: 35 - 40 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

VALENTINE’S DAY PROGRAM

 

Title: Love is in the Hare

 

Description:

 

Everybunny needs somebunny to love. And Spice, the Silly Magician loves his adorable fuzzy friend, Peanut Butter.

 

This presentation highlights how love is not just a snuggly feeling all over. Love is best represented by our actions. Taking good care of his adorable rabbit with lots of healthy food, a wonderful place to run around, and lots of bunny petting is a great way for kids to see what it means to really love  “somebunny.”

 

Show Includes:

~Lots of bunny magic

   ~Funny bunny stories

   ~Live dancing rabbit

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

EARTH DAY PROGRAM

 

Title: Don’t Taste Toxic Tony 

 

Description: 

 

One of the most amazing puppets, Toxic Tony lives in a drum with his favorite things to eat and drink, namely, dangerous chemical waste and a never ending spaghetti dish of plastic and pesticides, to top it off. Any of you kids want to try it?  Of course not!

 

But this stuff can get into our water supply and even our food, if we are not careful. Kids will learn what is happening to our beautiful earth because some people don’t carefully consider the effect of what they eat and drink. Or maybe they just don’t realize what is happening to some of our water supplies. 

 

But just look at Toxic Tony. Not only does he not feel very well most of the time, he can no longer fly south to be with his family for the winter.

 

Show Includes:

 

~ Ventriloquist acts with Spice

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PROGRAM

 

Title: Bear Your Brother’s Burdens 

 

Description:  Featuring our adorable Honey Bear who not only loves to eat, but needs a healthy habitat in order to fatten up so he can hibernate in the winter. Kids learn all about how Bears in the wild need humans to give them space and why we must bare responsibility for their continued protection. This plump animal loves to walk around on his “bare feet” with barely any clothes on, except for his fur coat. 

 

Kids will learn how bears are living in a shrinking habitat and how humans often get too close. This of course makes humans unbearable.

 

But even though Honey Bear thinks Spice, the Silly Magician looks really delicious, he agrees to eat something that doesn’t taste .. so “funny.”

 

Show Includes:

 

~ Ventriloquist acts and story-telling with Spice

~ Magic … where things disappear, just like various animals are disappearing

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $300

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

OLDER AMERICANS’ MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: Grandpa “What” and Grandma “Where” Work Wonders

 

Description: We can learn so much from those who have lived longer than ourselves, especially when they love what they do and don’t want to stop doing it.  

 

The kids will get to meet Grandpa “What” who has poor hearing, and his lovely wife, Grandma “Where” who has poor eyesight. Between the two of them they accomplish great things because they have learned to rely on each other. Just like we should all learn to work together, these two love birds are able to sing, tell stories, and make magic that would even amaze the young. 

 

Yes, Grandpa’s most common question is “What?”  But he can see when his lovely lady needs help finding her glasses. And yes, Grandma is always asking, “Where am I?”  But her ears are so good she can hear Grandpa’s stomach growl from the other room, which happens to be quite often. But they love to perform for kids, and nothing is going to stop them from continuing to do what they love. Just wait till you hear Grandpa “What” sing … “Get down on it” and Grandma “Where” respond with “Let’s get loud!”

 

 

 

*Features 2 performers: one behind the stage and one out in front

*PA sound system and wireless microphone                                      

*Professional Puppet Stage

 

Cost: $350

Length of program: 35 - 40  minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

MOTHER’S DAY PROGRAM

 

Title: Baby Bunny’s Mommy

 

Description: The kids will meet Baby Bunny, an adorable bunny that keeps popping out of a magic hat and just won’t stop. But there is a good reason. Baby Bunny is looking for his Mommy. She was with him earlier but now she is nowhere to be found. This makes Baby Bunny very scared. How does it feel to be little and lost? How will Spice the Silly Magician be able to comfort Baby Bunny? Has anyone seen his Mommy? 

 

This presentation also includes a full-body bunny character that walks out and starts looking for her baby. But while the kids see the Mommy Bunny, Baby Bunny does not see his Mommy. 

 

Of course, Spice does not see the Mommy Bunny either. Naturally, the kids will be screaming and pointing at the Mommy Bunny standing behind Spice and Baby Bunny.

 

This presentation includes stories of Moms in the animal kingdom who have done exceptional things for their children.

 

Talking points include: 

~ How much does your mother mean to you?

~ Have you ever been lost?  

~ Who do you call when you get a boo boo?

~ My mother was the best cook

 

*Features 2 performers...one doing the presentation and the other in the Bunny Costume

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $350

Length of program: 35 - 40 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

HEALTH AND FITNESS PROGRAM

 

 Title: Food Fight

 

Description: Spice, the Silly magician is trying to get into shape. But he can’t help himself when it comes to eating lots of pizza. Fortunately, Peter Pizza, who Spice has with him, refuses to be eaten by Spice. Instead, Peter Pizza wants to eat Spice. With this hilarious prop, kids will be highly entertained as Peter Pizza enters an enthusiastic discussion with his predator, Spice. Who will eat who is up in the air. But Peter Pizza warns Spice that too much cheese is not good for his cholesterol. It soon becomes very clear that Spice is better off eating a salad. 

 

Later, when Spice brings out Danny Donut, he gets an earful about how donuts are filled with sugar and can cause obesity. Having to argue with all this food only solidifies Spice’s commitment to eat foods that are not only good for him, but ...

they also don’t talk back.

 

This show features food stories that highlight the importance of proper diet and exercise. 

 

Show Includes:

 

~ Ventriloquist acts with Spice

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM

 

Title: The Need to Read 

 

 

Description:  Meet Barry Book. He has a lot going on inside. Sometimes people judge Barry unfairly because of how he looks. Barry is a “square.” People would tease him as they walked by his home at the local library. “You have funny eyes,” some of the kids would shout out. Others would comment on the book marker that jotted out of his head.

 

But no one knew that Barry Book had a really interesting and powerful story to tell. He knew the secrets to many amazing magic tricks: how to make peanut butter hidden under a round cylinder switch magically with jelly that was hidden under a second cylinder, and how to make a flower move without touching it.

 

For years his secrets went undiscovered. Then one day a little boy named Ron took Barry home from the library. And Barry opened up to Ron, spilling his many secrets. Ron learned all about the world of magic. He learned that Barry was filled with things that Ron loved learning about. The wonderful art of magic was now part of Ron’s life. And Ron would go on to perform magic for kids all over the world. This also made Barry very happy and so instead of feeling very sad and being closed to the world, Barry turned over a new leaf, entered a new chapter in his life, and started feeling good about being a very special book.

 

In this presentation, kids will be inspired to read, to learn, to gain insight and understanding through the amazing world of reading. They may even discover a passion that unlocks their special talents.

 

Most importantly, kids will realize that they should first look at what’s inside a book, instead of just judging it by its cover.

 

Show Includes:

 

~Several magic tricks

~Puppet song … Read It

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: Sugar Works Her Magic

 

Description: Spice, the clown thinks he is better at everything than his best friend, Sugar and wants to prove it to all the kids. For example, he thinks that boys are better than girls at doing magic. But things don’t go quite as smoothly as he intends. So when he tries to make a bunny rabbit appear by saying the magic words … nothing happens. When Sugar, the clown says abracadabra, poof … a real bunny appears. So Spice moves on to making a hanky disappear. But the kids see where he hides it. His friend, Sugar really makes the hanky disappear. And on and on this goes. How can Sugar be so good at this? Well, apparently, just because Sugar is a girl, doesn’t mean she is inferior. 

In this presentation the kids will be exposed to how women were made to feel that they could not do certain things in the past. Whatever others felt the women could not do, it turns out, that indeed women can do. And did. From Rosa Parks, who was brave enough to stand up to racism, to Amelia Earhart, who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, women have been proving that, given a fair chance to work their magic, they can do great things too. 

Show Includes: 

~Several magic tricks performed by Sugar and Spice
~Funny skits with Sugar and Spice
~Lots of clowning around

 

*Features 2 performers professionally dressed as clowns

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $350

Length of program: 35 - 40 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: Can You Imagine?

 

Description: In this program we challenge children to imagine the world of poetry as being a way to express themselves more effectively. Imagine that others will understand what they really want to say by thinking more carefully about how to creatively say it. By choosing words that rhyme or by choosing sentences with their own unique rhythm, poetry can be a tool for sharing your deepest feelings in order to help others understand your world.

 

After reading some examples of published poetry to the children,

Spice and his friend, Doe Doe Bird work on creating a poem together. 

 

The problem is Doe Doe Bird pronounces every word that has 

a “p” with the sound of a “d”.

So when Spice reads a poem called “puppy dog,” his friend Doe Doe Bird keeps saying “duddy dog.” And wait till you hear what it sounds like when Doe Doe Bird  tries to say 

“The plump pig put on his pretty pajamas.”

It will be pleasantly poetic!

Spice will ask kids questions like … 

“What do you really feel passionate about?” and 

“What would you like others to know about how you feel?” 

These questions are presented so the kids can think about creating a poem of their own. Then we will create a poem together. Using the “Mad Libs” method, volunteers will be asked to share a noun, adverb, verb, or adjective to create a really fun and unique poem. This will then be read back for everyone to enjoy. So don’t be surprised if the created poem reads …

“My puppy dog loves bark and shout

And wag his big toe all about.” 

 

Show Includes: 

~Let’s create a poem together time
~Doe Doe Bird
 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 5 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

SEASONAL SPRING PROGRAM

 

Title: Don’t Sit Down … Spring Up 

 

Description: Did you know that flowers make a big comeback every year? Just when you think they are gone for good, flowers reappear ... magically. The first Spring flowers are typically lilacs, irises, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and dandelions.  

 

In this presentation, Spice, the silly magician uses several flowers to demonstrate how flowers are so resilient and how they are on the move when Spring arrives. Spice’s friend, Charlie Chimpanzee thinks that when a flower hears the word Spring  … it moves. And though Spice argues that is absolutely impossible, because flowers don’t have ears, every time Spice says “Spring,” ...his magical flower moves. This of course is guaranteed to get the kids yelling … “the flower is moving!”

But Spice is not going to realize this. Everytime he looks at the flower ... it is back to normal.

 

Eventually, flowers start coming out of nowhere and everywhere, just like they do in Spring. If only Spice would believe his very eyes, he would know that when Spring arrives, there is magic in the air.  

 

Hey, maybe when we hear Spring is coming, we should all start moving. And according to “fact retriever” children actually grow faster in the Spring than during other times of the year. So maybe when kids hear the word Spring, they automatically start moving...Upward. 

 

“Anybody here feel like they are growing right now?”

 

Show Includes: 

~PA sound system with wireless microphone
~Several flower magic tricks
~A great moving game … In the river on the bank 

 

*Features 1 performer

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $250

Length of program: 30 - 35 minutes

Recommended ages: 2 - 10

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

HAITIAN HERITAGE MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: Haitian Heritage Soup

 

Description: The word heritage speaks of that which is handed down from the past, as a tradition. For example, things like recipes for various dishes.

 

Food is a very important part of Haitian culture. Haitians are excellent at taking food that can be quite bland and spicing it up so it tastes delicious. 

 

Haitian cuisine was influenced by the French, African, Spanish, and Taino people, as well as by those from Creole cultures across the Latin Caribbean. This melting pot of dishes is a reflection of a history of incorporating other people’s styles of cooking and creating a unique mixture of their own.

 

In this presentation, Spice announces that he plans to cook Haitian Heritage Soup. Similar to the people of Haiti who have passed down recipes from generation to generation, while adding their own special touch, Spice will incorporate what others have done, while adding some of his own customized tasty spices, so he can come up with something unique and delicious. 

 

Of course, things are going to get a bit “Spicy” when Sugar, Spice’s sous chef, mistakenly goes over to the wrong shopping bag. Instead of going to the “brown” bag, Sugar goes over to the “clown” bag. And while all the kids see Sugar doing this, Spice does not. So when Spice tells Sugar to put a green “banana” in the pot, she reaches in and pulls out a green “bandana.” 

 

A cup of “Mountain Dew” becomes a “clown shoe.”

 

“Whole Rye” is now a  “bow tie.” and, last but not least,

 

“Pig hocks” becomes “big socks.”  

 

When Spice mixes everything together and gets a giant spoon to taste his special concoction, well, it tastes “Funny.” And every time he tries the soup, he finds that he can’t stop laughing. 

 

“Why does this soup make me laugh?” he wonders out loud. He walks over to the “brown” bag and discovers that all the ingredients for his special Haitian Heritage soup are still there. 

 

“Oh noooo!! Sugar, you were using the items in the “clown” bag instead of the “brown” bag. The “clown” bag had a lot of funny stuff in it. That’s why the soup is making me laugh. We just made a big pot of “Funny Soup.”

 

Later, when Spice brings out his empty Square cylinder and adds some salt, pepper, thyme, green onions, and magic dust … out comes a really tasty plantain, breadfruit, and a whole fried fish. Now that’s some good food!

 

Other lessons that will be taught are:

~ More about the history of Haiti

~ Always respect other cultures

~ Don’t be afraid to mix things up

 

Fun Fact: The Haitian flavor base known as épice forms the foundation of many dishes, comprising green onions, thyme, parsley, peppers and garlic. The national dish is riz collé aux pois (rice with kidney beans), which is often served with red snapper and sauce. 

 

*Features 2 performers professionally dressed as clowns

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $350

Length of program: 35 - 40 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations

 

ASIAN PACIFIC MONTH PROGRAM

 

Title: Making Music Together

 

Description: China, Mesopotamia ancient Egypt, ancient India are regarded as the home of the drum. As a traditional percussion instrument, the drum occupies a prominent place in Chinese culture. According to the ancient literature, it might be as old as Chinese history itself.

 

The existing earliest documentation of its application occurs in Oracle Inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty (1600BC-1100BC). As an old and wonderful form of art, the drum has been employed in almost every aspect of Chinese social life, including sacrificial and worshiping ceremonies, farming, and warfare.

 

For this presentation, Spice will be bringing parts of a drum set to showcase his ability to play several rhythm instruments, highlighting the need for rhythm and timing when utilizing these amazing instruments. 

 

Additionally, students from the audience will be invited on stage to hit a pair of cymbals and play an authentic drum from China while music of China from Smithsonian Folkways will be played in the background.

 

Afterward, Spice introduces his newly arrived sidekick, from China, Paula Panda. 

 

Spice explains that Paula Panda is going to help him demonstrate how to play the drums with perfect rhythm and timing. In order for Paula Panda to do this, Spice explains to the kids that he will instruct Paula Panda to only hit the drum when he says two words:

HIT IT. 

 

This leads to the following hilarious sequence.

“Okay, Paula Panda, are your ready?” 

Paula Panda nods yes. 

“Good, remember, you can only bang on the drum when I say the two words HIT IT.”

At this point, Paula Panda bangs the drum. 

“Hey Paula Panda, why did you just HIT IT?” 

Paula Panda bangs on the drum again. 

“You HIT IT again!” Spice shouts quizzingly.

Paula Panda bangs the drum. 

Puzzled, Spice scratches his head and looks to the kids. “Why did she HIT IT?” 

Again and again, Spice keeps saying the two words HIT IT and Paula Panda keeps doing exactly what he says.

Spice will use this opportunity to talk about this very interesting animal. 

 

For example …

• Giant pandas are good at climbing trees and can also swim

• Pandas go from pink to white and black (or brown)

• An adult panda can eat 12–38 kilos of bamboo per day

• A panda can poop 28 kilos per day

 

*Features 2 performers...one doing the presentation and the other in the Panda costume

*PA sound system and wireless microphone

*Professional Looking Stage Setup

 

Cost: $300

Length of program: 35 - 40 minutes

Recommended ages: 3 - 12

Maximum attendees : Up to 300

Will go anywhere / No travel limitations