August 22-25, 2018
Pigeon Forge, TN
What an amazing 2018! Stay tuned as the Puzzle Pieces unfold on a living breathing piece of Art: KIDabra 2019!
Come Early,
See The Shows!
Pigeon Forge is filled with a stunning selection of Shows and Attractions!
Optional Pre-Conference Amazing Stuff To Do!
Wednesday August 22, 2018 Optional WorkshopsOptional Biz Builders
Registration Opens 8:30 AM
Optional Pre-Conference Event
ShowSkills: The KIDabra How To Workshops
ShowSkills are a remarkable series of Workshops that harken back to the beloved KIDabra Breakouts. Designed for you to experience them all in depth, one at a time! Come be inspired, motivated, and enlightened to the possibilities of our performing/show world.
Be sure and add this Optional Workshop Event to your Registration.
9:00 AM
Carisa
Ths Sparks Workshop
Carisa's extensive show catalog, and well defined characters are seemingly endless! With Sparks, step inside of her mind and way of thinking with a wildly creative ShowSkills workshop with a mix of fun bits you can put into your KIDshow immediately along with the background knowledge on how those bits were created.
Sparks will help you break out of your creative rut, discover the systems that professional writers use to stave off writer's block and learn the ABCs of character creation.
HOW TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE WITH BALLOONS
The Workshop that teaches Variety performers how to use the power of balloons to entertain people, with a plethora of gags, tricks, bits of business, and even full routines that Buster has spent years studying and collecting, as well as many original pieces that Buster has created himself in his spare time when he was not busy writing run-on sentences.
Whether you are working a birthday party, or a restaurant, or performing on stage, Buster will give you powerful tools to entertain and enchant people with balloons, EVEN IF YOU CAN’T TWIST!
Sign up now and we will include a complete set of Ginsu Knives AND a Pocket Fisherman for FREE! (Ginsu Knives and Pocket Fisherman not included)
10:30 AM
Buster Balloon
Noon
Lunch Choices Available in the Conference Center and around the area.
1:30 PM
Gene Cordova and Steve Petra
Join the Teaching Super Duo of Gene and Steve sharing effective tools and techniques for you to use creating audience pleasing puppet performances. So if you’re using a puppet, thinking about using a puppet, or terrified of using a puppet you won’t want to miss this unique workshop conducted by two of the best KIDshow performers around!
3:00 PM
Max Howard and Terry Evanswood
The ShowSkills Sessions
Join Max Howard in a rare conference appearance with Terry Evanswood and go behind the scenes for a look at the complex genius, focus, and detail oriented work that goes into Terry's routines and shows.
For 22 Years in Pigeon Forge, Terry has honed his art and craft to the highest levels as consistently one of the top family attractions in a tourist area with tons of activities to choose from!
The Emmy Award Winning Max Howard has for many years quietly been friend, often consultant, and sometimes director to Terry's vision. Experience the passion, and the drive as these two continuously strive to do great work!
Wednesday Evening, August 22: KIDabra Conference Begins!
5:00 PM
Registration Opens
7:00 PM
The Special Welcome Ceremony
and then
The 24th Annual Kid Show Magic Auction Auctioneered by Gary Shelton!
Our legendary auction with tons of great buys! (You must be registered for the convention to participate as a buyer or a seller.)
Auction info and guidelines here.
Thursday, August 23
9:00 AM Welcome to KIDabra International Conference.
Registration Opens
Dealers Open
Your Host for the Day is Joe Selph
10:00 AM
Scott Green
Handle Tough Audiences
Do Junior High groups give you nightmares?
Do you fear Blue & Gold dinners?
Do 12th birthday parties make you break into a cold sweat?
Fear not! Scott Green doesn’t just tame these audiences, he loves performing for them. Learn the secrets to keeping these groups under your control and some of Scott’s amazing, simple-to-perform routines that baffle and engage. You’ll also learn how to respond to all the different types of “I know that one” this group can throw at you. So instead of worrying about these shows, you may finally look forward to them!
11:00 AM
Barry Mitchell
Barry with his 27th consecutive NEW and ORIGINAL KIDabra/KAX presentation!
Noon
Lunch Choices Available in the Hotel and area.
1:30 PM
Steve Axtell
The Great Frazzle Chicken Adventure
Join Steve and Pigeon Forge Theater Impresario David Fee for a behind the scenes look at one of the biggest projects in Axtell history: Transforming a restaurant into a family entertainment destination!
3:30 PM
Tom Hughes
Kids think he's really funny and for all we know he's James Bond! Tom Hughes/ Professor Whizzpop has kayaked down Everest, been kidnapped in Kashmir (by the Taliban), trekked with maoists in Nepal, visited Shangri La in Tibet and explored Peru's off-limits "red zone". He now makes his living as a children's performer and street entertainer in Western North Carolina: mostly libraries, festivals and strange events which he doesn't really understand in Asheville. Tom's next High Adventure beckons at KIDabra with his First Feature Lecture!
5:30 PM
Dinner
Thursday Evening, August 23
7:00 PM
A Very Special Evening Event
Buster Balloon, Christopher T. Magician along with Especially Spooky and Friendly Guests!
9:00 PM
Dealers Minute Show
followed by Visiting and Shopping in The Dealers Room!
Midnight
The Legendary
Late Night Jam hosted by Clark Sides
Thursday, August 8
Thursday, August 8
Thursday, August 8
Friday, August 24
8:00 AM WOW Senior Show Morning Jam
9:00 AM KIDabra International Conference Continues:
Registration Opens
Networking Time
Your Host for the Day is Jim Austin
9:30 AM
Annie Banannie
Storytelling with Balloons
Vivacious, and creative, Annie Banannie takes her audiences on unique Balloon Storytelling Adventures in her shows! At KIDabra she dares to share her fresh approach with you in her First KIDabra Feature Lecture!
10:30 AM
Christopher T. Magician
Noon
Lunch Choices Available in the Conference Center
1:30 PM
Steve Petra
PETRAfied Show & Tell
You'll see Steve perform segments of his show and he'll teach you the ‘Show Function‘ of each piece. How he sets up his audience for all that comes after and elevates the entertainment experience for them.
Show & Tell teaches you the specific concepts and techniques that truly make every performance an unforgettable event for the entire audience!
3:00pm
Yasu Ishida: The Magic of Story
Yasu Ishida beautifully incorporate story into magic and origami. He’ll share with you original story routines, the different uses of story in a show, and how to use magic to intertwine with story.
Originally form Ube, Japan, Yasu holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre for Young Audiences and is a Chavez Studio of Magic graduate.You’ll love spending time with Yasu!
5:30 PM
Dinner
Friday Evening, August 24
An Evening with Tommy James
We're Thrilled to Welcome Tommy James in Shockingly his
FIRST Ever Conference Feature Lecture Appearance Anywhere on Earth! Seriously, this is huge!
He'll share with you many of the props and routines he uses in his own shows! Tommy teaches ideas you'll love using, routines you can make, mixed with World Premiere Releases, and a Rare Tommy James Magic booth in the Dealers Room!
KIDabra is going to be Tommyrrific!
7:00 PM
10:30 PM
A Very Special Late Night Jam
The Power of The Puppet
Hosted by Joe Selph
Joe Selph and his Special Guests give you a delightful glimpse of one of the most loved events at KAX! Prepare to Get your Puppet On!
Saturday, August 25
9:00 AM KIDabra International Conference
Continues:
Registration and Dealer's Opens
Networking Time
Your Host for the Day is John Bobik
8:00 AM
Santa Morning Jam!
Calling all Santas, Mrs. Claus" and Elves
for a post breakfast visit.
9:30am
KID Talks
One of the highest interest workshops presented at KIDabra is Bubble Magic! Two years ago Carisa presented her Bubble workshop during ShowSkills to much acclaim! She returns this year full session with Bubble University.
With lots of NEW "Bubble Stuff" she'll delve into the Science, Cool Bubble Tricks, Bubble Solutions, and beyond, that makes bubbles so irresistible to kids of all ages! Whether you want to add a Bubble routine or an entire show this is Bubbletastic!
11:00am
Carisa
Bubble University
Noon
Lunch Choices Available in the Conference Center and the Area
1:30pm
Buster Balloon
Egg, Bag, and Beyond
We don’t really know how to describe this lecture. It is about egg bags, in all of their many shapes and forms, as well as new and innovative presentations for this classic effect. But it is also an in depth exploration of creativity techniques like Mind Mapping and Creativity Matrixes, as well as how to develop new material. And it’s… ya know what, just come to the session and find out.
It’s Buster, after all, so if nothing else you know it will be entertaining!
3:00 PM
KIDabra Dealers Open for Final Shoping
The Annual KIDabra Drawing takes place in the dealers room this year! Don't Miss It!
Dinner out and about, but hurry back for The Gala :)
HOT
8:00 PM
The KIDabra Gala Show
with Master of Ceremonies: TBA
Tickets avaialble at the door for friends and family. You're Registration badge is your ticket.
More Info Here
