What do you do for children’s birthdays?
We'd like to work with you to make your child's birthday
extra special. If you have some idea of what you'd
like us to do, let us know.
If, like many parents, you
simply want a fun show for the kids -- and perhaps the
adults, too -- we have developed a program that has proved very
popular with both parents and kids. It consists of two parts,
a comedy magic show, followed by balloon sculpture show
or workshop.
In the first part of the show, I do magic and
comedy while my accompanist plays a keyboard,
makes sound effects, and generally adds to the comedy.
The tricks depend on the ages of the children, and other conditions. But there
is always lots of audience participation, involving all
the children. The birthday child (age permitting), gets
to be the magician’s helper and even gets to do some
of the magic. At the end of this portion of the show,
the children are given magic wands and use them to help
make a rabbit appear by magic!
In the second part of the show,
Pam and I make
balloon sculpture for the kids. We do not merely hand
out the balloons, the children actually get to see us make the balloon sculpture,
and there are jokes and gags. It’s quite a show by
itself. Or, I can teach the kids (from about eight-years
up) to make their own balloon animals.
Of course, if this is not what you want or need, we will
be glad to work with you in putting together another
program.
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Did you say a live rabbit?
Yes. And, yes, all the kids get to pet the rabbit. And,
yes, you can take a picture of your child holding the
rabbit in a top hat.
Photo by Pam Bliss.  |
The children might even make a rabbit appear by magic.
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Do we get to keep the rabbit?
No.
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What about those magic wands?
Yes, the children keep the wands. The magic wands are rolled-up pieces of paper,
approximately 8 1/2" by 14".
When they are unrolled, one side becomes a certificate
showing that the child is an official 'junior
magician.' The other side teaches some tricks the
junior magicians can learn to do with everyday objects.
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How long is your
show?
The length of our kids' the show depends on the number of
children. For up to 15 children, an hour is sufficient
for us to present a half-hour comedy magic show with lots of
audience participation and still be able to make balloon figures for all the children. For 16 or more children,
additional time may be needed to accommodate all the
children.
For walk-around magic (or
strolling magic or table hopping) each "show"
is only a few minutes long, but you can book us for an
hour, or several hours, depending on your needs.
For adult stage or parlor
shows, we usually recommend a half-hour to forty-five
minutes, depending on what other activities and
presentations there will be, but we can present a longer show
if that is what you want.
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Do you wear costumes?
Yes! We’d like to say 'of course,' but there
are many magicians out there these days who don’t wear
special costumes. We think that costumes add to the
fun of the occasion. We arrive at your location in
costume. For the younger crowd, I usually dress in a tail coat and colorful pants, vest,
and an old-fashioned tie.
I often wear the same costume for shows for
older children and even adults. If you prefer, however,
I can wear a tasteful tuxedo or even white tie and
tails.
The accompanist's costumes
complement mine.
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How much space do you need?
How much space do you have? We can work in an area as
small as four feet by eight feet, with the closest
audience members about two foot away. A little more
space, however, is better. We often do shows for fifteen
or more kids in a living room.
For stage shows, the amount of
space we need depends on the size of the show.
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What do I need to provide?
An audience, a space to work in, and,
for children's shows, at least one adult. We bring all the necessary props
and provide all the supplies we need for the show. The
keyboard is battery powered, so there is usually no need
for an AC outlet for small indoor shows. For outdoor shows,
where the acoustics are bad, and large indoor shows
(malls, auditoriums, school
gymnasiums, and the like) one AC outlet, to power
our sound system, will help everyone hear the
show better. (It would be really neat if you could also run a heavy-duty extension cord from the outlet to the
place where you would like for us to perform; however,
we also bring our own extension cords, which we can use, if needed.)
Also, for outdoor shows, in warm or hot weather, we need
some shade in which to make the balloon animals.
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Parents of the guests or adult relatives of the birthday child
will be there. Will they enjoy the show?
Yes. Frankly, we think that adults get twice the
enjoyment. They enjoy the show and enjoy watching the
kids enjoy the show. In fact, many -- although not all
-- of the tricks in our children's shows are the same
tricks we do for adults. Some of the jokes are aimed at the
grown-ups. (These are not in any way 'blue' or 'X-rated.') Of course
some of the jokes that the kids think are hilarious, may
get groans from the adults.
Return to List of Questions
How much is all this -- the comedy magic show, the balloon
show, the live music, the balloons, the wands, the
junior magician certificates, the instruction sheets, the
wonderful memories -- going to cost me?
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The most important part of a successful party
Organizing an event, whether it’s a birthday party for your child and a few
guests, or a corporate event for thousands, is a difficult, stressful, and often
thankless job. There are so many details that must be attended to.
Perhaps the most important task, and the most stressful
one, is hiring the entertainer. When is the last time you remembered the dinner
you had at an event? When did the decorations or centerpieces make the event
memorable and successful? Probably never. More than any other factor, the overall success of your event will depend on the quality of the
entertainer.
Overpay for an entertainer who delivers a poor
performance and your event will be less successful than it could have been. Hire
a bargain-basement entertainer who does not -- perhaps cannot -- deliver and no
one will care how little you paid. Hire someone who offends members of your
audience and it is your reputation on the line.
Thom Bliss and his performing partners, musician-comedienne
Pam Bliss and Trixie the Wonder Rabbit, have entertained thousands of kids and
adults in living rooms and backyards, schools and churches, community rooms and
parks, offices and restaurants. They present comedy magic shows that are full of
wonder and laughter and that are appropriate for the age group in attendance.
When you invite Thom Bliss to entertain at your event,
you can be sure that you are getting a great show at a fair price. That the
magic and the humor is age-appropriate. That there will be no scatological or
ethnic humor. And that your guests will be thoroughly entertained.
Because Thom's best trick is that he creates magical
memories that last a lifetime.
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Less than you might think. Currently, the base price for
an hour show for children is only $195; and each additional quarter
hour is only $30. We believe that this is one of the
lowest fees in the area for a quality program such as
ours. We do know that many performers charge more for
less.
This 'base price' is
for shows within 35 miles of our Garden Grove
home; if the show location is further away,
there may be an additional fee for the increased travel
time, gasoline, and such. We charge 50 cents per mile for each mile over 35, each way.
So, for example, if the party is 46 miles from our home-office, the travel fee
would be $11.
Return to List of Questions
Are there any additional fees?
Probably not. We know that some performers will charge extra for balloons or other supplies. We don't count the balloons (or the wands) that we give out at the shows.
We are too busy keeping the kids happily entertained! The only additional charge to our base fees, would be for extra performance time
(for example, if you have more than 16 guests), extra
travel time and expense (if the show is more than 35
miles away) and other unusual expenses (if you we have to take a ferry
to get to the site, pay for parking or theme-park admission,
or something like that), or if you want us to customize
the show for you.
Return to List of Questions
Do you do shows for adults?
Yes. Click
here for more information.
Return to List of Questions
There may be some kids at our adult show.
Is that a problem?
Not with me! You might be surprised to learn how many "adult only" shows
I've done where children were present. There is nothing in any of my shows
that should embarrass anybody if children are present.
But the kids might not enjoy the show as much as they would one aimed at their age group.
Child-Safe
Adult Shows
Although
some of Thom's programs are intended for adults, all of his programs are
child-safe.
If you are looking for a magic show with
half-naked women jumping out of boxes, you should look elsewhere. If you
want a program with vulgar language, this is not the program for you.
But if what you want is a program with magic and humor
that is more sophisticated than that of the average kiddy show, that
amazes your guests without embarrassing them, that is funny without being
crude or vulgar, this might be just what you are looking for.
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Return to List of Questions
Why
don't you have some half-naked women in your
adult shows?
My wife won't let me!
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How
much do you charge for adult shows?
Less than you might think. Currently, the base price for
an hour show of close-up magic is only $195; and each additional half
hour is only $60. We believe that this is one of the
lowest fees in the area for a quality program such as
ours. We do know that many performers charge more for
less.
This 'base price' is
for shows within 35 miles of our Garden Grove
home; if the show location is further away,
there may be an additional fee for the increased travel
time, gasoline, and such. We charge 50 cents per mile for each mile over 35, each way.
So, for example, if the party is 46 miles from our home-office, the travel fee
would be $11.
Return to List of Questions
Do
I need to give you a deposit?
No, not for our regular
shows.
Return to List of Questions
What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash and checks. Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards or ATM cards at this time.
Return to List of Questions
How far ahead do I need
to book the show?
I wish I knew! We aren't an agency. We do all our shows, so
if a time is taken, it's taken. Some dates and times
are booked months in advance. But usually, if you
contact us a month or so before your party, there's a good
change that we can find a time that's good for both of
us. Of course, sometimes we can
accommodate you if you contact us a few days before the
party. I should repeat here what I also say in my
Party
Planning Guide: It's a good idea to make
arrangements with whoever will be entertaining at your
party before you send out
invitations. Sometimes a slight adjustment in the
time will work out well for everyone.
Return to List of Questions
How do I know you're any good?
You don't. Let me say this, however. I'm not one of those guys who got a magic kit for Christmas
and was "The Great Whatever"
by New Years Day. I have been doing magic for many, many
years, the last several as a full-time professional. I try my best to determine what you want and need,
and to refer you to someone else if I can't exceed your expectations. And many of my
past clients think I was pretty good -- that's why they call me back and refer their friends
(at least I hope it's their friends they're referring). Finally, if you aren't happy
with the show --
if your guest aren't amazed, the kids and adults don't laugh,
people don't have a good time -- then you pay me nothing.
Return to List of Questions
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Don't
miss the MAGIC! Don't miss the
FUN!
To schedule a show, or for more information, call us at
(714) 539-4259
or
click here to send an e-mail.
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Thom Bliss is a member of the Orange County Magic Club
Website designed by William Thomblison.
Entire contents of this website copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006 by Thom Bliss
MagiComedy. All rights reserved. Photographs by Rev. Judy Secor copyright © by
Goldenwest Area Christian Fellowship, Huntington Beach, CA. All rights
reserved.
This page created or revised 12/27/06
"Thom Bliss," "Thom Bliss MagiComedy,"
"Thom Bliss & Trixie," "Thom Bliss & Pam,"
"Good News MagiComedy," "Southern California's Family
Entertainer," and "Wonder & Laughter for the Whole
Family" are trademarks of Thom Bliss MagiComedy. The magician & rabbit
figure is a trademark of Thom Bliss MagiComedy. Home
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