And asked if I was still interested in travelling in his show. Honestly, I am very interested, but my family is worried about me handling being thrown into such a different situation. Besides missing me, blah, blah blah...

Has anyone traveled with this or similar shows? What should I expect? (living arrangements, travel, food, transportation, privacy, whats involved in the job in general, days off, pay etc) obviously, I have to talk more with him, but I was wondering if any of you have experience with this kinda stuff. I just want to know what to tell my family so they wont worry about me getting hooked on drugs or being killed and thrown in a ditch, or have to hitch hike, or something... they tend to freak out...

DON'T DO IT!!!..Long Hours, Hard work, Low pay, Harsh Conditions, Stay in School or you'll turn out like me!! I played Montana Fair '06 thru '08 my suggestion "Get a Higley!" and 40 mile it!...or..Tattoo "Carny" on yer fore-arms and play Clubs!..

So, I have got one guy that said he'd do it again in a heartbeat, and one that says never again. I would hate to pass on an opportunity to learn more and get lots more experience performing and traveling... I know it's hard, but I'm not sure what my next step should be as far as my entertainment career. I'd love to travel full time and this seems like a good opportunity... What would be your suggestion as an alternative?

Kameron, I play 10 weeks of county fairs in KY-Oh, but I'm mostly a 40 miler. But unless you like camping, taking showers in a bath house, real hard work, no family around it is very tough. My idea of roughing it is no room service at the holiday inn, but depends on your age. Tim is a great guy, but that road life takes it's toll, call me if you like, email me for my #, markmagic@aol.com
good luck!

Do it,,,but make sure you have a return ticket home in your pouch.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life is full of opportunities, take them with both hands and live a little.

Ken.

I play almost 40 weeks..from Florida to Arizona to Wisconsin to Kentucky to Texas and everything in between and I'm sayin get a Higley! or play Clubs tatted-up!..the testomonials of Lots-O-Cash, BIG,BIG,Prizes are all-over the Café'... Why would you even think of becoming a Showman on a Carnival? Dude trust me...The happenin scene is at Flea-mkts, Theme Bars, w/ a few Birthday party's and Bar Mitvah's sprinkled in..Sideshow Historian is even better! the Carnival is for losers!...Really..

One thing the Curator is NOT kidding about is long hours and hard work. Outdoor show business is not easy work. And of course the living conditions aren't like being at home. I don't know Tim (his show looks like a quality operation from what I've seen), but I know the Curator and Rick West and a couple of others in the business, and they are among the best people I know anywhere. There are bad people everywhere, including on a show lot, but mostly they are hard working professionals from whom you can learn much. One thing I think you'll learn though is that your "craft" isn't as important as your willingness to be generally useful in this kind of show. If I were an unattached young person, I would seriously consider a season with a professional outfit like Tim's or the Curator's or Ward Hall's. But you can reassure your family Kameron, that you'll be fine. Their fears are unfounded. As long as you don't work for John Strong.

I'm not sure what is tongue in cheek with the Curator anymore! lol. Thanks for the advice, guys. Im still contemplating it. I would hope that if I hate it enough I could go without making Tim mad. I am also wondering if it is worth it in the end as far as gfetting performance experience. ONe of the worried family members is wondering what the purpose of this is. What do I gain long term out of this? Is this going to further my magic/sideshow career? is doing a lot of shows in a small period of time going to make me a better performer, or going to make me hate it? What do you think I would take away from this?

Also, I am uninitiated... what does "Get a Higley! and 40 mile it!" mean?

Do it and find out for yourself, that way you will know the truth of it all.Don`t ask here because we will all lie to you in order to get cheap labour.

Don't do it!...Last time this conversation came up everybody here said it was "Hard work under lousy living conditions for little pay", I disagreed, and got ridiculed! This time I say what they all said, and I get ridiculed!..do whatever you think is Best!...I'll tell you what I'm not doin tho!...and that's gettin a Higley, stayin 40 miles close to home, gettin tatted or performin ina Club!...even if it means possibly gettin addicted to Drugs or being found dead in a Ditch! for lil' pay under harsh conditions!...and Blackguyver..wanna buy a used thumb-tip?...

Cheap is relative. How much are we talking? I am not making a ton now, so it wouldnt be hard to match what I am making doing something I like(even if it is harder than what I do now) Im thinking I can learn some more skills and get some good experience performing. As far as "hard work" From what I gather, there will be set up, tear down, ticket taking, performing... what am I missing?

All that while on Drugs and fighting off potential Killers while listening to Blackguyver telling you he could do it, He just chooses not to, cause the Sideshow is anywhere someone sticks a Nippy nail in a Orifice...which I aggree, I just stay cause I get off on the Harsh conditions and abuse...There aint no room service @ the BCS Hilton...

If you do it with a return ticket in hand and the opinion "if I don't like it I'll just go home and hope the owner isn't mad at me", then I think you shouldn't do it. You're already set up to leave.
If its all you can think about at night and you can say, I'm going to do this and stick it out and at the end of the season say "I did it!" even if you never do it again, THEN do it.

You'll work long hours for what will probably end up being minimum wage or less. You'll learn performance habits that don't work in almost any other type of venue, which will be difficult to unlearn. The probability of making connections into other work environments is minimal. And all of the above.

And if you do it, your ego will be able to say "I did it". And you might have some money left.

Bubbles said..
"If you do it with a return ticket in hand and the opinion if I don't like it I'll just go home and hope the owner isn't mad at me"...

All a Show Owner will say is "I'll never hire that guy ...unless I need him!!"...

Harley said..
"You'll work long hours for what will probably end up being minimum wage or less. You'll learn performance habits that don't work in almost any other type of venue, which will be difficult to unlearn. The probability of making connections into other work environments is minimal. And all of the above."

The Curator said..
"The only ones makin $$$ this season are those w/ a Higley (or a paid Act) combined w/ a GOOD Day Job!!! OR those Midway Showman that have surplus junk to sell and get them some of dat John Strong Inheritence money!!!...(The Heats been brutal out here this year)...

"

Before jumping on any traveling show id suggest finding ex performers of it and see what they have to say. If theres more bad then good you do the math.

Jim
why are you scaring everyone off the midway? Ive been at your show and see how you guys just sit around and collect money......... the glamorous life of a showman hmmmmmm...... hey you got BIG tractors on the BCS to do all the work while you and MR Vitka facebook all day!!!! haha well I hope to see you next week! save me a spot in that tent for my air mattress!

As a musician I would say going on tour really does make you a better performer and makes you better at handling acrowd and dealing with different situations. But not being an experianced Sideshow performer I don't know whether the experiances are different....sound the same though..........bad accomodation, low pay, long hours bad food

but memories you wont forget GOOD and BAD!!

But will those memories pay the bills ?