Birthday Party Shows

"Charles and his puppet -- the best friends a kid could ever have." - Valley Magazine

Charles begins the program as an ordinary, everyday man (except for the red pants and colorful shirt). After discussing costumes with the children, he starts to become a clown. Everything goes wrong! He loses track of the powder puff which ends up resting on top of his head. The kids try to tell him, but he can't seem to find it. The jacket goes on backwards, he thinks the wig is a beard ... but eventually, Charles manages to get the costume on correctly. Bones the Dog Puppet drops by to congratulate the birthday person, and to try to guess their age. He thinks you do this by counting teeth! With the birthday child's assistance, Charles makes a giant balloon animal (dog, swan, and dinosaur). Charles adjusts each show to fit the needs of the audience. He adds comedy, puppet routines, magic tricks, stories and more, to make the show just right for your guests.

This is a very interactive show, filled with opportunities for kids to be a part of the action. After the performance, Charles and Bones the Dog hold "informal" time, making balloon animals and talking with the kids. For the older kids, Charles holds a mini balloon workshop, teaching them how to make their very own animals.

Library Performances

"No wonder you're appearing everywhere this summer ... our children's room was packed with close to 300 children and parents ... I was warned by my staff about the parents who could be less attentive than their youngsters, but your entertaining program kept everyone captivated throughout.. - Children's Librarian, Los Angeles, CA

Using books right off the branch shelves, Charles' reading programs highlight the joys and usefulness of books and the library in a hilarious comedy performance.

Lots of opportunities for the audience to interact. He performs current library themes, writing new shows to meet the needs of the libraries. Each summer he tours with several original programs, visiting libraries in different systems. Shows generally run about 40 minutes.

Show description:
All of Charles' shows are formatted to fit library themes. Charles uses clown and costume books right off the branch shelves as guides while he attempts to transform himself into a clown. In this hilarious routine, everything gets 'mixed-up.' He gets tangled in his suspenders, the powder puff is on his head and he can't find it (until the kids tell him where it is), the costume is inside out, the wig gives a speech before Charles gets it in place ' The show, staring Charles, Biscuit the Dog Puppet, the kids in the audience, and the library, is performed entirely in the funniest comic rhyme since the days of Ogden Nash.

Length: 45 minutes
Space: indoors or out
Availability: mornings, afternoons, evenings -- all year
Audience age recommendation: preschool, elementary school and families
Publicity: performance video, press kit, hard copy color photographs available

"We have really enjoyed your clowning presentations and the gentle way you introduce children to your clown persona. I can still hear the laughter floating out of the meeting room. Hope to see you again." -Youth Librarian, Olympia, WA

Some Library References:
Los Angeles Public Library System - Heather Sells (818) 368-5687
Seattle Public Libraries - Kalee Shearer (206) 362-8860
Timberland Regional Library System, WA - Kathy Dunham (360) 491-3860

Hospital Shows

"Charles' ability to capture and hold the attention of his young audiences is unprecedented in my experience"
-Catherine Picha, CTRS, Recreation Therapy, Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Seattle

Charles regularly visits young patients at Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, and at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma. He also has appeared at many California hospitals. In his capacity as a hospital performer, Charles was profiled on "The Change Machine," which aired on all KidStar radio stations. When Charles performs at the hospital, he visits kids in their rooms after the show where he performs magic tricks for older kids and teens and clown comedy for younger patients.

Charles performs dozens of complimentary hospital shows each year. In addition, companies such as Costco and Technical Glass Products, foundations such as the Starlight Starbright Foundation of Washington, and individuals, have sponsored Charles at the hospital. If you would like more information about underwriting these appearances, please contact our office.

Elementary Schools

"We have been overwhelmed with the response from the students and parents who attended the event .. your performances were exactly what we had hoped for and were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone ... We would be happy to be a reference for you at any time and feel very lucky to have had you perform."
- JoAnn H., Co-1st Vice President, Echo Lake Elementary PTA, Shoreline, Washington

Clown shows, magic shows .... comedy shows ... each designed to fit your program and educational needs. Whether you are after individual classroom presentations [for example, Charles presented his self esteem/drug abuse prevention program to all K-3 classes in the Yosemite School District], an assembly show [just for fun, or perhaps one of his shows celebrating reading or friendship], a PTA event that entertains children and parents [with lots of audience participation ... not just from kids ... not just from parents ... but from entire families!] ' Charles is able to present a show that will hold the attention of the entire audience ... and while he's got their attention ... he'll give them a wonderful program.

"Charles The Clown fascinated and delighted the K-3rd grade children with his zany patter, balloon tricks, and his little puppet Bones The Dog, while he alternated this entertainment with serious messages that reinforced the children's understanding of the importance of saying "No" to cigarettes, alcohol and drugs... He did 14 presentations of 30 minutes each, and in addition, he gave 15 minute talks to the upper grades on the subject of being a clown as a profession, at the request of the principals of two schools... his style is hilariously funny and perfectly timed, and the children loved it. When he makes a serious point, he is clear and direct..."
- Mariposa Guide, Mariposa California

Charles The Magician -- Teen Show/Workshop

Charles is fast, funny, and flexible ' three essentials when working with teens. Because he is a sleight-of-hand expert, there are no trick boxes or marked decks.

The first thing Charles does is to earn the respect and attention of his audience by making coins, cards, pens and other small items, vanish, appear, change color, change place ' all this set to his opening patter.

"When I was a kid ... I'm talking 5 or 6 years old ... my dad bought me a magic trick set."

He tells the story of how he became a magician, and why learning the art helped him in school.

"This is the plan .. I'm going to show you some great tricks ... and, if you are interested, I'm going to teach you some great tricks. By the time you leave here, I'm going to reveal the secret of memorizing just about anything. Instantly!"

Charles has performed thousands of shows. In a 2005 story about Charles' performance for immigrant teenagers at a low income housing development, the Seattle Post Intelligencer said, ''he kept his audience enthralled."

Every audience is different, so Charles adjusts his show to fit each group. If people want to help, he finds something important for everyone to do. If they want funny stories about Charles' career, or just want to watch an amazing assortment of tricks, Charles responds accordingly.

As he demonstrates for the audience, anyone can learn to remember a long list of items, concepts, numbers, or names. After Charles demonstrates, he shows just how quickly the skills can be acquired by getting kids in the audience to remember a list.

This is more than a performance. It is an opportunity for teens to find out they have lots of abilities inside their own minds - just waiting to be discovered.

Carolina Huete Lehman, MFT, Psychotherapist in private practice in Glendale, California, said the following:
"Charles connected with the adolescents in my group in a very meaningful way. The kids were excited and amazed."