Date: August 4th 2010

 
August 2010

Variety in Your Clowning

I received a very interesting email question the other day from a customer fairly new to clowning. She had one costume and really needed a spare, so she had a new idea. Then she hesitated and said “I would like your thoughts on establishing one costume with my character as opposed to having two different ones.” That is a very good question, Jackie. I will give you my opinion, but remember it is just my opinion. I have personally watched many individual clowns develop over the past 30 years. The ones who seem to have the most fun are the ones who are open to change, all kinds of change. That can mean a costume, a make-up style, or wig color. It also means taking a risk and changing your performance style by learning a new skill, or trying to clown in a totally different venue like going to a nursing home, putting together a library show, or doing a magic trick.

As far as costumes go, I like the idea of variety. When I performed on the circus I changed my costumes 13 times on one show! When I went to work at Disneyland as a clown for a special event called “The Circus at Disneyland” I came up with a western themed costume when I worked in Frontierland. A stint doing company picnics in southern California called for an old fashioned bathing suit. When I painted faces on Halloween as a clown, I created a funny candy corn witch. All this costume changing really was fun and it helped me develop my character. We all have different clothing styles as REAL people depending on the occasion. So why not as clowns? My original Pricilla Mooseburger costume has changed over the years as well, and I am glad it did. When I clown for clowns at conventions and for special occasions I wear my best dress! It has changed over the years as I switch my colors around, find a new fabric I love, or just want to update my style.

A Moose Camp alumnus named Uncle Bubbles is always showing up with some hilarious version of his clown self. Sometimes it is a chef, or goofy guy in a leisure suit, but I have seen him grow in his clowning because of it. There may be occasions where you need a vest or an apron or a jacket. In different types of weather a hot weather alternative is a must. Never be afraid that your fans will not recognize you if you make a change. Give them and yourself more credit than that. You will be surprised how they follow you even with a wig or make-up change. The reason is your audience falls in love with your personality as a clown. The costume and make-up is a bonus.

So getting back to Jackie’s original question -- should she have more than one costume? I say it is something to explore. You have to feel funny in any costume piece that you choose. It has to work with your character. Go with your gut. If you like it, that is what counts.

The sawdust and confetti has barely settled from this year’s Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp! A BIG thank you goes out to all my educational staff, and home staff family and friends who have put in countless hours to make Mooseburger Camp a terrific success for all of us.

Planning for Moose Camp 2011 and 2012 has already begun! Why not join the fun??? Sign up for Moose Camp 2011 in August and receive a $50.00 Early Bird Discount! You can even set up a monthly payment plan – it’s a budget’s best friend! See more info below in “Moose Camp Newz!”


In love and Laughter!
Pricilla

P.S. If you are in the Florida area, or are coming in early for the Southeast Clown Assoc. convention, take a look at my teaching schedule at the end of this newsletter. You may be interested in signing up for the “Weekend with Pricilla Mooseburger” workshop hosted by God’s Clods in Homosassa, FL. Join us for a bunch of classes and labs, a fun clown show, fellowship, and shopping!



Tip of the Month

Sometimes the hot weather makes it difficult to keep a nose on. Your sweat reacts with the water-soluble glue and well -- you can imagine, yup -- before you know it, your nose is running, off your face, and down the sidewalk! What is a clown to do???

Here are some simple tips:

-- Follow the instructions on the glue bottle! Sounds simple, but you would be surprised how few people do. Some glue requires you apply them directly to your skin on order for them to work properly. That means you need to take off the makeup first.

-- Wash your hands ands wipe your own real nose with alcohol first to remove any oil. Always have clean hands when putting on or taking off your nose -- don’t be sloppy! The less your have to clean your nose, the longer it will last.

-- Is your latex-based glue not sticking like it should? Try this alternative method: Shake bottle well, and then apply some glue on the inside of your clown nose, put on your face, and then remove. Set the nose aside to dry (about 3 – 5 minutes), then put a little extra glue on your finger and rub it on your nose. Let it dry (about 3 – 5 minutes). Stick it in place.

-- Keep a small bottle of glue in a zip-lock bag in your pocket for emergency quick fixes.

-- OK, so you sweat like crazy and can’t keep a nose on with regular glue? Here is my secret weapon: Skin Bond adhesive. It is a medical-strength adhesive meant for skin. It is used to hold on medical appliances like colostomy bags. Heaven knows you wouldn’t want one of those coming loose!!! But be warned: the glue is very sticky. We recommend the solvent wipes to get any extra glue off your skin.

-- A back-up nose on a string is a terrific solution for those days when your nose just won’t stick. All it takes is some invisible fishing line, a bead to keep the line from pulling through the nose, and a piece of elastic for the back to provide a stretchy custom fit (did your elastic break unexpectedly? Use a balloon – it works!). Be sure to put your nose on before your wig. Not only will the wig cover the sight of the elastic, but it will also help the nose stay in place. Also, having a spare nose on a string is great for when you have a cold or allergies and need to blow/wipe your nose frequently.

-- If the glue instructions allow it, paint a red dot on the tip of your nose (on your real skin, underneath the clown nose). Not handy at painting a circle? Use the Jumbo Mehron pro pencil for a template! Put make-up on the edge of the pencil cap and make the round mark on your nose. Then just fill it in. This way, if your clown nose gets knocked off, at least you’ll still have a red nose underneath!



Another Happy Customer!

(we have TWO for this newsletter!)

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for expediting my order for the nose and skull cap so quickly. It arrived right at the perfect time, when we needed it most. Thanks so much. Perfection! I really appreciate it.

~ Robin Shaw ~

Hey, Trish!
Here it is!!! Thanks again for doing such a great job on my costume. Your design and fabric choices were perfect. I wore it both days at the Cheese Curd Festival this past weekend and loved it. It feels very "pickley."

See you soon!
~ Beth “Pickles” Cedarholm ~





MOOSE CAMP NEWS!

July 19 – 24, 2011

Special Guest Star:

KAREN HOYER

Ever since she landed in Chicago, Karen “Dots” Hoyer has been using mime and movement theatre as her creative launching pad. Highlights of her career to date include co-founding Partners in Mime, teaching at Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Clown College Workshops, creating her one-woman show “Apparent Appearances,” trapeze/bungee flying in the Opera, and being Chief Bonehead for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program.

Her areas of expertise include mime, movement, hospital clowning, and puppetry. We are so excited to have this amazing and talented gal join us on staff as our “Special Guest Star” for 2011. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and we just know you’ll love her!!

Check her out online at dots-all-folks.com and on Facebook

Register during the month of AUGUST and receive a $50 DISCOUNT!

August 2nd is the official date to open registrations to the public. For those of you who like your privacy, you should know that there are only a few private rooms left (additional $250 fee). Otherwise, the rest of the lodging is double-beds.

You can sign up online by clicking here, or download a mail-in registration form by clicking here, or register over the phone call calling 800-973-6277 (or 320-963-6277 for our International friends). Remember to ask for the $50 Early Bird Discount!!

If you would like to find out more about Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp, please send a request to info@mooseburger.com. We will email you a letter outlining every possible scrap of information you could possibly want to know. And if that letter DOESN’T answer your questions, please call us and let us know what we forgot to put in the letter – we want to make sure you are 120% prepared for the best week of your life!

EASY PAYMENT PLAN:

“Your Budget’s Best Friend!”

After you pay the minimum down-payment, we will divide your remaining balance into equal monthly payments. Your credit card will be automatically charged for the amount on the 15th of each month. No interest accrues! Campers have told us that they found this plan to be the easiest way to pay off the balance, and that they never could have afforded Moose Camp if it hadn’t been for our payment plan.

Example: You register for the Complete Package and add the Refund Insurance, so you get a $50 discount, making your total $850. You pay the $200 minimum down-payment and the $25 Refund Insurance up front, so your remaining balance is $625.00. Divided by ten, that ends up being a monthly payment of $62.50. Pretty painless when it’s put like that, right? So, don’t delay! Sign up today and let’s get you started on our easy payment plan this month!

$350 SCHOLARSHIP

Due to the generosity of our campers this year, the Ralph Pounder Memorial Scholarship Auction raised enough funds to provide a dozen campers with scholarships for Moose Camp 2011! We’d like to shout a big THANK YOU to all our campers and staff who donated and bid – your hearts are so big! If you or someone you know would like to apply for a $350 scholarship, click here to download an application. Fill it out and send it back with a photo of yourself in clown makeup by February 1st. We’ll notify the winners by April 1st.

TERMS and CONDITIONS

Each package is priced per person. Must be at least 17 to attend. A $200 down-payment will hold your spot. Balance must be paid by June 1st. No more than one discount code or scholarship can be used; discounts are not retroactive. You can add Refund Insurance (non-refundable $25 fee) only at the time of registration -- this guarantees a 100% refund if you need to cancel by June 1st (no refunds after that). Otherwise, there will be absolutely NO REFUNDS if you decide to cancel.



Sales!

MOOSE CAMP SHIRTS

Moose Camp may be over for the year, but that doesn’t mean the fun is over!

FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING

When you add an in-stock Moose Camp Shirt to your order!

Sizes are limited, so order early! We have four great styles to choose from.

PURPLE -- NEW design by Zoe! The front features the Moose Camp logo, and the back has the quote “You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm!” Both sides are circled in the words “Learning, Laughing, Playing, Reaching”

BLUE -- Three images of clowns (Hobo, Whiteface, Auguste) are shown on the front with the words “Live, Laugh, Learn”

RED -- Hooded Sweatshirt with the Moose Camp logo on the front. Has kangaroo pouch pocket.

GREEN -- The front has wackiest kazoo instrument you’ve ever seen with the words “Pricilla Mooseburger’s Kazoo Band”

Details

Go online to order: www.mooseburger.com

Call in your order: 800-973-6277 (or 320-963-6277 for our international friends)

Fax your order: 320-963-6692

Terms and Conditions of Sales:

  1. Free S&H offer is good on orders being shipped to Canada and the US only. Order will be shipped by U.S. Parcel Post or First Class.
  2. Supplies are limited. Free Shipping & Handling offer is good only on the IN-STOCK items in your order. Please note: Just because the item is displayed online does not mean it is in stock – all products are displayed online regardless of immediate availability. We try to update it everyday, but the site is not always 100% up to date with current stock. If you have any concerns, then call us before you place your order: 800-973-6277 or 320-963-6277. Click here for our Sales Page.
  3. Good on phone-in, mail-in, fax-in, or online orders. Order must be placed during the month of August. This offer is not retroactive.
  4. The Shipping & Handling will still show up on your online order confirmation; sorry, we cannot control that application online. However, rest assured that the Shipping & Handling will be deducted from your total before we process it. You will get an email titled “New Order from PMO” with your correct total.





Where in the World is Pricilla?

Join me at the great events listed below – stop by my booth and say “HI!” You can also keep track of my travel schedule online here. See you on the road!

September 3 - 4, 2010

A Weekend with Pricilla Mooseburger

Location: God’s Clods in Homosassa, FL

Contact: Iris Whitaker iwkcf@keytrainingcenter.org

September 8 – 12, 2010
South East Clown Association Convention
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Website: www.southeastclownassoc.org


September 13 - 19, 2010

Clownfest
Location: Seaside Heights, NJ
Website: http://www.clownfest.com


September 29 - October 3, 2010
Midwest Clown Round-up
Location: LaPort, IN
Website: www.midwestclowns.net

Have any questions? Suggestions? Comments? Email us at katie@mooseburger.com
 

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Out with the old and in with the new! We are doing a great new upgrade at Pricilla Mooseburger Originals and Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp. We thought we would start with a new format for the newsletter. I hope you like it! I am very excited about all the new things happening in Mooseburgerland. We have new ideas for the Mooseburger Newz!

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