I need some ideas for performance routines!

[Brian Kendig]

I have a Muppet Whatnot named Wendell. Every other Sunday morning, I bring him to breakfast at Give Kids The World (a charity resort here in Orlando for kids with life-threatening conditions), and I go around the tables interacting with kids and bringing them smiles.

He's a BIG hit, but I'm an amateur performer and I am looking for some ideas on how to improve my act!

Here's the setup. The small buffet restaurant has several kid-height tables. Families help themselves to waffles, donuts, French toast, bananas, cereal, that sort of thing - it's all free to guests. I bring Wendell from table to table without hiding myself or trying to be a ventriloquist; think Avenue Q style. I wear dark clothing and Wendell is all oranges and reds and yellows, and I always look at him when I'm doing his voice, so it's easy for the kids to forget about me and focus on the puppet. They love him because he looks similar to what they know from Sesame Street. (Photos of Wendell are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/45858042@N00/3286150287/in/set-72157613984207504/ - that's when I first got him, before I gave him a haircut and repositioned his pupils slightly!) I perform him as friendly and cheerful and interested but easily confused.

I usually go to each table and introduce myself ("Hello, I'm Wendell!"), ask their names, where they're from, what park they're going to. Sometimes I'll start in with "Hello, I'm Wendell, and I'm hungry! May I have some of your breakfast? Those fruit loops look awfully good!" and that sort of thing, and that gets a good response, but I'm not really comfortable playing a puppet as a beggar. I want to think of a better reason that Wendell would be going from table to table (so it's not like "Hi, I'm here to interact with you!"). One I've tried is: "Can I be your waiter? I'm good at waiting! Here, look, wait wait wait... *looks around at the ceiling* See, I'm a good waiter!" But that doesn't really work since this restaurant doesn't HAVE waiters.

I am looking for suggestions and ideas for simple fun routines I could use to interact with kids between the ages of 3 and 18. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

(Also, I'm looking to buy some more Muppet-style puppets to perform with! Any recommendations?)

 

[Gonzo's Hobbit]

Have you tried talking back to him? I do that every now and then with some of my puppets. They do most of the talking and I try to stay out. But talking to them every now and then brings up new topics.

Just one thing off the top of my head, Wendell at first glance kinda strikes me as a skater. You ever thing of something like he wants to show someone a new skateboard trip but maybe it's not appropriate for a brunch area so it's rather akward or out of place?

 

[crazy chris]

he looks a bit like a rebel/trouble maker... id play that angle... like he's very mischevious...and you can be the voice of reason ...and let the kids know that he's a rascal...

example

wendell: "hey kid... whatcha eatin there...fruit loops?... i double dog dare ya to stick one up your nose and hum the national anthem"

you: wendell....STOP THAT!!...fruit loops are for eating...

wendell: well he can eat it when he's done!

you: WENDELLL!!!!!!!

lol...sorry im a bit crass ...lol... but you get the idea

cc