I'm putting together ideas for the next newsletter for Holiday Show ideas with our products. Help me out.

HALLOWEEN

We have an AxTrax "Houdini" routine which is often a Halloween theme.

Also we have a Frankenstein routine for the MDB (not an axtrax).

"Boo! Halloween Safety Show" AxTrax Wide-Open routine for use with any Puppet

Jack-O-Lantern Puppet


THANKSGIVING

Turkey Puppet
Fred the Fried Chicken as a cooked "Thanksgiving Turkey"

CHRISTMAS

Holiday Turkey Puppet
Fred the Fried Chicken as a cooked "Christmas Turkey"
An AxTrax called "I Love Christmas" Wide open for Any Puppet (Gospel)
AxTrax "Jingle Bells" for any puppet wide open.
Another Axtrax for the MDB called "Christmas Magic"
AxTrax for birds called "Christmas Bird"
We have a Santa puppet (Papa from the Fam) fully costumed.
Elf Puppet (Buddy from the Fam) fully costumed
Snowman Puppet

EASTER
"I Love Easter" AxTrax Wide Open (Gospel)

What else.... creative thinking and adaptation welcome!

Ax

Is it on the website somewhere?

Yes Neale if you go to the first page of the Axtell site you can click on Axtrax or his character pages...good luck.

Steve said it wasn't an Axtrax script. I couldn't find it there, but will keep looking.

You could use the Axtell mouth as step 1 in creating your own Frankenstein. But after talking to it, (it's non-stop) you decide to give up on the project.

The plant with the talking mouth could be getting ideas from watching "The Little Shop of Horrors."

The pig puppet prefers celebrating the Jewish holidays, since they don't eat pork.

The cow reminds everyone that turkey is the main dish for holidays.

The bear could be taught what Christmas is all about, since he normally sleeps through it.

The latex faces could do their best to look scary, all scrunched up.

"The pig puppet prefers celebrating the Jewish holidays, since they don't eat pork."
You know..these smiles from your stuff are really appreciated.
By the way, Tony ,I'm well into my researching(robbery) of humour destined for mental depression survivors. I watched the Bi Polar Buddha today and boy the guy was right on the edge of as he wowed the audience of survivors. Funny how when you're on, you can be right on the edge of tears as the audience goes nuts!
Think I'll just print out all my research notes and start assembling a routine.Her'es one I might use..somehow..
"There was a man so imbued with science that he sent two of his kids to Sunday school and kept the other two home as controls."

"There was a man so imbued with science that he sent two of his kids to Sunday school and kept the other two home as controls."

I know that man! He was my childhoold neighbor and the control kids were in my class at school!

"There was a man so imbued with science that he sent two of his kids to Sunday school and kept the other two home as controls."
"I called him Dad."

or "There was a woman so imbued with science that she sent two of her kids to Sunday school and kept the other two home as controls." Her name is Queen Elizabeth.

"There was a man so imbued with science that he sent ONE of his kids to Sunday school and kept the other ONE home as controls." It was Mr. Carter. Jimmy and Billy's daddy.

"There was a man so imbued with science that he sent two of his kids to Sunday school and kept the other two home as controls." He became the nation's strongest advocate for home schooling.

There are more manic depressions in the world than people may think. The planet itself is bi-polar!

If you aren't sure whether you are bi-polar just take a look at your driver's license photo.

You can always tell a bi-polar child. They understand the song: "The people on the bus go up and down, up and down, up and down!"

The manic-depressives' theme song is "You take the high road and I'll take the low road..."

When someone is full of energy and life and has a tendency to make irrational decisions because it makes them happy we call them manic. When someone wants to spend all day in bed, doesn't feel like bathing, and can't quite make it to work we call them our brother-in-law.

My favorite usage for the Magic Drawing Board is to show the kids how easy it is to draw Frosty the Snowman. A circle for each eye (explaining that they can trace around a cup or glass turned upside down). A dot in each eye to represent the lumps of coal. A circle for the button nose, with a few dots for the holes in the button. A line for the mouth with little half circles on each end to make it a smile. A big circle for the head (explaining that they can trace around a plate or pan). And a few more lines for the magic hat that they placed on his head.

(Then the drawing begins to talk.)

Here is the link from the Magic Drawing Board Page.

http://www.axtell.com/mdbhalloween.html

I don't recall seeing this topic in a newsletter? Has anyone?

I was looking at http://www.axtell.com/mop2.html and got another idea for a Christmas magic trick.

Effect: Performer has a silver tube (Crystal Silk Cylinder) that will show how elves are able to produce so many toys for Santa. All it takes is a little magic. Place 3 uninflated balloons and a short piece of white string into the clear cylinder. Place the silver tube over the clear cylinder. Remove the tube and you now have 3 Christmas ornaments (same color as balloons) joined together by a strand of pearls.

Note: This CAN be done one handed if you want to tell a story while doing ventriloquism.

From Tony:

Just a couple of quick thoughts for the Christmas show:

Bear puppet: You have to explain who Santa "Claws" is because the bear has always hibernated this time of year. There is a skit on this forum. I'm off to a show now but will try to repost it here as a reply later after doing a search.

Snowman puppet: Before bringing out Frosty show the audience how to draw Frosty the Snowman using mostly circles and a straight line for the mouth. (With smile corners.) Then the magic drawing board begins to talk! You can buy Instant Snow at many malls now and it works like a magic trick. Pour water from a water bottle through the air into a styrofoam cup as the kids in the audience blow really hard in order to turn the water cold. The snow is formed! I pour it out onto a red or gold plate from a party store for nice contrast.

Appearing pole: Frosty's broomstick.

Here is Mark Pettey with his Axtell Holiday Turkey!

G is for the Grizzly bear. V is for the ventriloquist.

V: Gladly, wake up.
G: Hmmm? Is it time to eat?
V: No. I have a problem.
G: Yes, you do.
V: Santa has a problem.
G: Who is Santa?
V: You know. Santa Claus.
G: Oh! Is he a bear?
V: No. Why would you think he's a bear?
G: You said he has claws.
V: That's his name!
G: Oh! You mean like when they call you toenail?
V: Santa asked a tough question.
G: Have I met him?
V: I don't think so.
G: What does he look like?
V: He has white hair.
G: Where?
V: On the top of his head and all over his face.
G: Oh! He's a polar bear!
V: No! He wears a red and white suit.
G: Does he work for Coca-Cola?
V: No, but that is where the colors for the suit came from!
G: I'm smarter than the average bear. What else does he wear?
V: He has a black belt.
G: Wow! Santa knows karate?
V: He has a big round belly.
G: Just like I do.
V: And he likes to have children sit on his lap.
G: So he can eat them!
V: No!
G: Kids are sweet.
V: They tell him what they want for Christmas.
G: What's Christmas?
V: You don't know what Christmas is?
G: No. When is it?
V: It's Dec. 25th.
G: Oh, that explains it. I'm always hibernating by then. There was one time though...I woke up near the end of December. I had to go to the bathroom. I heard some people singing songs about this Santa guy, right outside the cave.
V: Those are Christmas Carolers.
G: It sounded really nice.
V: So they were good.
G: They were delicious! What else can you tell me about Santa?
V: Well...He wears black boots.
G: What's inside the boots?
V: Warm socks.
G: What's inside the socks?
V: His bare feet.
G: What?
V: His bare feet.
G: See, I told you he was a bear!
V: And he rides in a sleigh, pulled by reindeer.
G: I once saw a reindeer. He had a very shiny nose. You could even say it glows.
V: That would be Rudolph.
G; He made a great light snack.
V: Stop that! You did not eat Rudolph!

Hello All!!
I have been asked to perform a small routine for some little kids at a small Christmas party for my father's work next Sunday. It isn't even really a "Performance," but the people putting it together asked me to bring a few of my magic tricks to entertain the little kids at some point.
In any event, I really want to do a Christmas routine with Vern because I know the kids will think Vern is awesome. The problem is, I found a routine that I love that I am going to work into my regular Christmas show, and I wanted to use it for this performance on Sunday. I realized though that it is to long and the little kids may not get some of the jokes. There will be older kids there too (About my age) but the bit is still to long. Does anyone have any suggestions on about a five minute routine that littler kids will get?
I really appreciate it!
Matt "Newbie" B.

For little kids I highly recommend doing something that is based on a song they know already. You sing it and the puppet keeps interrupting or making mistakes.

For Vern the Bird you would probably tackle something for the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

P for Person and B for Bird

P: We are going to sing a song. It's about the 12 days of Christmas.
B: There is only one day of Christmas.
P: In the song there are 12 days.
B: Wow! That is going to be one giant VISA bill!
P: You can help me sing. The song has a lot of birds in it.
B: I always thought your singing was for the birds.
P: On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
B: A KISS! (kisses you)
P: Stop that!
B: You said it was your true love.
P: Please just stick to the song. Why don't you start it?
B: Okay. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
P: A partridge in a pear tree. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
B: Ummm Ummm A rooster in an orange tree.
P: What?
B: I don't know what you got for Christmas!
P: It's two turtle doves.
B: What?
P: Two turtle doves. Let's try it again. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
B: Two slow pigeons.
P: Two turtle doves!
B: It's the same thing!
P: Okay, you sing the number part and I'll sing the other part.
B: On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
P: Three French hens.
B: Now you're talking! I like French hens. I like French fries too!
P: Now the 4th day.
B: On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
P: Four calling birds.
B: Do birds have cell phones? On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
P: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS!
B: Are those rings on their cell phones?
P: No. Gold rings, like a wedding ring.
B: You got 5 wedding rings? That's crazy!
P: I think we need a different song.
B: You didn't tell your true love what you really wanted for Christmas, did you?
P: No, I didn't.
B: You sing number six and I'll tell them what I really want!
P: Okay. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
B: Six cups of birdseed, FIVE GOLDFISH CRACKERS, four calls from you, three French fries, two birdhouses, and a part of a juniper tree!

Thanks Mr. Borders!

Hey Tony
Your like a great wine....Keep improving with time, I must say I had fun with this post so keep on doing them, they are fun and wonderful I have enjoyed each and everyone... Flattery will get me somewhere...where ever that some where might be.

N J

You may have heard the cute song, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". It just struck me that it would be a good song for the hippo puppets intro.

http://www.axtell.com/hippo.html

Here is Matt's Christmas Greeting on Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ-9FrPo6Kg

Just brainstorming uses for your Green Machine...I like the idea of traveling back in time over 2,000 years ago
when Jesus was born. The production items "produced" could be a Jesus silk handkerchief (Matthew 1:21), a large yellow star (Matthew 2:10), three gift boxes to represent what the wise men brought for Jesus (Matthew 2:11), a large LED candle (John 8:12a), another large LED candle (Matthew 5:14a), even a
foam production Birthday cake (Matthew 1:25). Cue the Happy Birthday Song! Finally, a live dove, for Jesus is known as the Prince of Peace. This story is
not new, however, this story is the greatest story ever told. Merry Christmas and May God Bless. Stephen Schieszer

AX You know I have been involved with this forum for almost 2 years and have never requested to be on your newsletter mail outs I am now so please do me a giant favor and get me on that list...

enter your email address into the form on the webpage to get our newsletter - http://www.axtell.com

Just a reminder that you can search for some holiday words in this forum and find tips from past years. I recall a skit about a puppet thinking that Santa "Claws" was a polar bear since he came from the North Pole. Also several magic trick ideas.

Libraries and some venues don't want "holidays" discussed unless you can hit them all, so here are some other winter tales.

The Ugly Duckling
Frosty the Snowman
King Midas
Elves and the Shoemaker
The animal musicians of Bremen?

other winter "topics" include
mountain climbing
weather
snow
fog
Antarctica
penguins
polar bears

Other winter tales include
Princess and the Pea
Snow Princess
Ice Queen
"Snow" White
Harry Potter spends the winter holiday exploring Hogwarts

Winter songs

Although these songs are typically associated with Christmas they are not Christmas songs. The words would not say anything about Christmas if I remember correctly.

Let it Snow
Winter Wonderland
Jingle Bells
Frosty the Snowman
Good King Wenceslas

Grant Carter had asked, MDB FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR GIGS - ANY IDEAS?

For New Years,
You could draw a baby face on the board and talk about how when a new year comes in it's like a new baby. But as the year progresses it gets older and older (drawing wrinkles and long hair, beard) . So this is Old Mr. 2009.... who's time has come. Now it's New Years Eve and everyone is excited and anticipating the coming of the NEW YEAR 2010!

(eyes on the board start looking around, audience laughing and pointing)

What will the new year be like? Will it be a good year (gesture to the left, board looks left)

or a challenging year? (gesture to the right, board looks right)

(Notice the old guy alive on the board)

YOU - Wow! You're alive!

MDB - Just Barely! (audience will react big so leave some reaction time)

YOU - Oh that's right, you're on your way out aren't you? (start to erase a part of him)

MDB - You don't have to rub it in! At least not so fast! I'm going dagnabbit but you don't have to rush it!

YOU- (stopping) Sorry is there anything you want to say to everyone before we bring in the NEW YEAR?

MDB - Well Duh! I'd like everyone to think about this past year, the good and the bad. Most people never stop and think. They're so darn busy they just let things go in one year and out the other. Do something different this year that will not be just a repeat of last year. Make it good.... Now when I was a kid....

YOU - Sorry we don't have time for that story it's time to go now.... It's almost midnight.

MDB - Well if now is the time....I'm going to go out big. I sing you know... Here's my last song...

(Old man starts singing)

(erasing to of head)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?

(top of head gone)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

(erase ears)
YOU - Okay By now....
MDB - (doesn't hear you and continues, you roll your eyes for a laugh)
(continue to erase everything except the mouth during this next part)

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

(erase mouth completely)
(applause)

MDB - Mmmmmm-mmmm-mmmm

(after applause redraw the mouth)

YOU - Okay he has one more thing to say...

MDB Mouth - Happy New Year!!!