Connecting With Your Fellow Man

Look Outside the Bubble

As individuals, we get so wrapped up in our own life. Bills to pay, children to feed. Sometimes you forget that there is more to life than your own personal agenda.

Networking is an essential skill in any profession, and it's a skill that isn't too hard to master. A willingness to take interest in others is the most important requirement.

Rediscovering St. Lucia

Traveling, traveling, traveling. After fifteen years on the road, it's easy to take the lifestyle for granted. And often Marlo and I do, which is a shame. But not last week...it was time to rediscover St. Lucia!!

Cruise to Bermuda (That Wasn't)...the Remainder

So, we all woke up the next day to ever-strengthening winds, and sheets of rain that obscured the shoreline just a quarter-mile away. You'd think that everyone would be in a foul mood. Personally, it felt like a typical late-autumn day in Ohio to me...in other words - miserable weather that makes you happy just to be able to stay warm and dry inside.

The Voyage to Bermuda (That Wasn't)

Day One

So, there we were, getting ready to depart on a 6-day cruise to Bermuda. Walk up to the counter; get the Seapass card that “dings” you onto the ship, then grab your first of many meals aboard a luxury liner. What could go wrong? Well, as many Americans found out last week, one thing…one very big, windy, POWERFUL thing. Yes, Hurricane Sandy was coming.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

I didn’t start out providing corporate entertainment to Fortune 500 companies. No one ever does. There were a lot of steps between my first performance at the Cochocton County Fair and the clients I work for today. But with each performance came invaluable knowledge that helped with every step that followed.

Learn to Communicate With Your Audience

Every time you step in front of an audience, it’s an opportunity to learn about people.  You can have anywhere between 2 and 2,000 in a crowd – that’s a lot of chances to learn about how people think, react, and INTERACT with one another! I consider the theater to be the world’s most exciting social laboratory, with a chance to change the variables each time…sometimes adding an extra moment’s pause after a joke, or getting two audience members to work together onstage…in order to reach my goal of maximizing everyone’s enjoyment of the show.

Different Strokes

There’s a reason the phrase “Know Your Audience” exists…because if you have that knowledge, you can “plug in” to the necessary wavelength instantaneously. If you are doing a show for a State Fair, the demographic you design a show for can be quite different than one for a cancer fundraiser. Deciding on what kind of messaging and style will be easy if you know what the tastes and attitudes of those in the audience are. The only way to know the differences, though, is through experience. Speaking of which…

Party On!

Whether it be a corporate event, or just a holiday gathering at your house, if there’s a party, get in there! No, I’m not suggesting you pull a “Wedding Crashers”  (though I am guilty of doing that once), but I am saying that you should put yourself in front of all kinds of crowds. It’s the quickest, most rewarding, and FUN way to shake things up. As an entertainer/speaker/presenter, you get to do what you love to do, so SHARE IT! It’s the greatest gift you can give to the world, while satisfying your own passion at the same time.

How to Travel Worry-Free

Traveling can be a blast. In fact, it’s one of the biggest reasons I got into performing.  New places, new faces, and getting out of the daily routine at home make hitting the road a great experience.

There are those days, though, where all of your travel plans go awry. Keeping sane in some cases can be more than a mortal can do, but like with so many things in life, it’s all about making the best of a bad situation.  Coming back from the last gig falls into this category. 

How to Plan the Best Holiday or Christmas Party Ever

When it comes to Christmas parties, it's never too early to start planning.

So, it's September, and you've just put away your camping gear for another year. Walking through your local shopping center, you hear the first Christmas carol of 2012 over the PA system. What? Isn't it waaaaaaay too early to be thinking of the Holidays? Not really, no...especially if you are going to be (or already have been) tapped to plan a celebration this year.

Six Travel Tips That Save Time, Money, and Headaches

Traveling today, more than ever, can be a real nightmare. Baggage fees, delayed flights, and lines longer than the Nile can contribute to a day that can't be saved... even with the usual two martinis. However, as with anything painful, you can always do SOME things to make the best of an unpleasant situation.

Why Entertainers Should Get Return On Their Investment

Performers have a passion...a passion for their art. PROFESSIONAL performers need to get paid for their art and the time they've invested in order to acquire their level of expertise. Sure, both put in a ton of time to learn their craft, but if one expects more than just self-satisfaction for their efforts, there are things that need to be done to get there.

Travel Out of Your Comfort Zone

In talking with various folks of my nation, I’ve noticed something that a great many have in common; namely, an aversion to traveling outside of their own country. Yes, there are numerous places to see and things to do within our own 50 states, but there are some great reasons to get a passport, and step over the international border -

The Professional Mindset and Success That Follows

Being a Professional...  What is a "professional"? Often, the term is thought of as just "someone who gets paid for what he does". But I see it as being a bit deeper than that.

Being a professional is a state of mind.

Tips on Preparing for an Effective Training Session

Have you heard ads for those "5 minute workouts", where you'll look like you spent HOURS in the gym, without actually having to make that kind of time investment? Sure you have. Do you believe them? Of course not! You know that in order accomplish anything of value, it takes actual effort - there's no shortcut. But, you CAN make the most of the time you do spend conditioning your body, learning the perfect golf swing, or even writing your first screenplay! Here are the steps that I've found to help keep me focused and productive from beginning to end.

Bridging the Gap

I've had a couple of conversations recently with fellow professional performers that might interest the aspiring performer greatly. The subject was showmanship. When it's not there, it shows.

When you are practicing, there's no pressure to perform. You can spend entire days immersed in your art. Trust me, I know the feeling, and it's terrific! It's great that when you get into your groove, everything else melts away - it's just you and your passion. But, if you have an audience to entertain, you need to "open the bay doors", and let them in to your fortress of fun.

The Next Generation

Last week I was privileged to witness a show I'm glad that I could see first-hand. Well, actually, it was more than one show.

First, Cameron (my oldest nephew) performed in his first-ever talent show.

I remember the first talent show that I performed in, and it made me a nervous wreck! Cameron, I'm happy to say, didn't seem to have that problem. He did drop once, but kept going and didn't let it affect the rest of his performance. That kind of maturity really impressed me, and the rest of the family there to cheer him on. Equally impressive is the skill level of this kid. He's only really been practicing for the last year or so, and already he's juggling four balls, and doing tricks with 3 clubs/balls. He is sponging it up at a rate that is really kind of mind-blowing. Way to go, Cameron!

Idle Hands...Are Something I Don't Have

What a crazy week it's been. It started at the end...the weekend, that is. Marlo and I left on Thursday night for a trip to Montreal to see an old friend from high school, Matt Secaur. Hi Matt! We had been planning on seeing the new Cirque du Soleil (I hope I'm spelling that right. Who can, other than the French?) show for nearly half a year. Ama Luna did not disappoint. Aside from one or two acts that were relatively flat, it had all of the energy you'd expect from a Cirque show.

Ciao, Italia!

What a week! I just got back from an engagement in Italy. Talk about exciting - on top of getting to see all the sights of Rome, I had the chance to perform for a large audience that was a mix of Italian/English speakers, which is always tricky.

A Whole New World

Welcome to blog entry number one! Who needs Facebook anyway? Oh, yeah...I've got that too...but then, who doesn't? I'm super stoked to launch my new promotional plan. This site, which you have so graciously visited, is but one facet of it.

After years and years at sea, it's great to finally great to get out of my comfort zone and forge a new path into realms unknown, which (in case you didn't know) is what we are here on Planet Earth to do...to find out just how far we can push ourselves, and how big we can dream!

I hope that you will continue to check in with me, so that we can take this journey together!