Have you considered a simple ending like the "Thank You" banner from Mark Wilsons book? You could give a closing thought or poem and have your final message appear on the banner. It is more af a personality piece, but definitely brings closure to a show.

A simple "thank you" or a "thank you banner" could work nicely.
I always set up my shows with a nice ending effect. In most of the kids shows I perform, this is the chair suspension with the floating of the b-day child. But, I also then bring the child up front and allow him/her to receive all the appluase. I then do a simple follow-up message thanking them for being a great audience and for having me there that day.

I always end each show by saying: "I hope I have amazed you... I hope I have amused you.. but most of all... I hope I put a smile on each of your faces. It is a smile that is the real magic. Take care and may all your days be filled with magic."

This is a simple little verse that really allows me to thank them and builds closure to the performance.

I also do a personality piece (mentioned above) in the early part of my show. This allows the audience to relate better to me early on and usually ends up in better performances.

You could tie your "thank you banner" unto the end of a ribbon fountain.

Another nice ending effect is to start reciting your last ending comments and pick up your cane you may have opened your show with. Then at the end, simply vanish the cane into a very nice 36 inch "Thank You" silk. It really looks great and adds some magic to your ending remarks. Just an idea.

I end on a rabbit production as my kid's show is ALL about making a rabbit appear. It ties the show up nicely and kids know the show is done. It works well.

I think the climax should:

a) signal the end of the show:
It sounds obvious but kids should know that the show is about to end and then when it has ended.

b) Link back to the start of the show:
Tie everything together in a neat package and give the act a sense of completion. You might use a prop you introduced when you first began or try and do a trick that you failed earlier. I know a juggler who stuffed up the same trick three times then at the very end of the show he stopped the show and said "I'm going to get this right" and DID the trick. The crowd went wild! (The next night he did EXACTLY the same thing).

c)Involve the birthday child.
They don't have to be the helper, in fact it's probably better to NOT use a helper for the last trick so you can finish the show quickly and easily and not be left with someone standing. If you end on a big effect (suspension etc.) you might like to do a GOODBYE silk production etc.

I have also ended my show with a sponge ball routine with the birthday child. At the end of the routine the b-day child gets a huge round of applause and everyone has been told that its the last trick, and it has finality to it.

Recently, I have also added the vanishing cane to the show and end with it changing to two silks. I also start the show with the cane, so it comes full circle.

These are great ideas that are being posted--they've got my imagination going.

Regarding "personality pieces," I've enjoyed the way the late Red Skelton used to end his stage performances. He spends the whole show in some wonderful comedy bits, but chooses not to use comedy as his last impression with the audience.

Instead, he gets very sentimental, and thanks them for the privilege of being with them, mentions how it feels good to be able to do comedy without using four-letter words, and ends by saying how important it was for him to put a smile on their faces.

The people leave the auditorium thinking, "He wasn't just a very funny clown/comedian, he was also a very wonderful person!"

Now, that's what I call a "personality piece."

Brian

Josh, IManythingbutHO, If you are doing P,B,&J right you really want to close with it. The kids get so worked up shouting to you that personally I figure its near impossilbe to do another trick.



I'm sorry Mr. Jones but have you even actually performed this trick?

Yes if you use a small child say 5 or under you will "scares them".

You said " they will try and get up half way through … this will cause the balance to shift and the rig to tip often the kid will just slide to the floor like a kiddies slide,

…However once in a blue moon the gimmick will disengage then you could have a very bad injury."

I'm sorry. But YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.

No really If you having this problem, good lord man, pull the effect out of your show.

BUT, after 18 years of using this trick I've never had the "gimmick" disengage, never had the “rig to tip”, never had the kid slide to the floor and never anything close to an injury.

Please, Please, Please don't do this trick again until you have read the instructions.

- Ron Calhoun email pitchman01@yahoo.com





Yes Sir, The Chair Suspension is a better show stopper followed by a better finishing effect.



I disagree.

HI Ron,
No the chair suspension is not in my act for the very reasons you state, I did perform it for a while but dropped it because of kids crying on it and wanting to get off. I am glad it has never tipped for you, but it IS a risk it is a known risk not just me saying so, I know of several magicians where this has happened, magic dealer Ron gilbert came up with the idea of an removable extension pillow which attached to the head end this added several advantages, it adds a level of comfort but most importantly it puts the helper further up the plank thus the body is more balanced greatly reducing any chance of tipping, however it does make the person look as if they could be balanced on the chair.
Phillip

On Ken Scott's video, he uses PB&J without using the sandwich. When I first saw this, I initially thought it wouldn't be good without the messy peanut butter and jam sandwich. I actually use a change bag (idea from Wellington) for my finale. However, Ken does the trick very fast w/o the sandwich ending and it is funny.

As a filler and part of one's show, this may be good to use w/o the sandwich and less stuff to bring in and out. Just a thought.

I use a dove pan to make candy for my closer. While I know some object because tossing candy to the kids isn't the best in audience control, it really is an entertaining trick with a delicious finish!