This Week June 13, 1990. Page M5 TOP STORY Continued from Page 3 His act, part scripted and part impro- visation, has been created to teach children the importance of humor and of persistence. Major Flapps tries to fly but repeatedly, and comically, fails. At the end of each show, he succeeds. “Clowns teach us to deal with the slings and arrows of life,” says Nem- tin, who has shows scheduled through September and estimates that, each year, 90, 000 children watch his act. Putting a message into each per- formance isn’t unusual for children’s entertainers. A recent Kernel Pop- corn performance, for example, fo- cussed upon recycling — a newspaper was shredded and then, magically, made whole again. Pat Carfra’s (the Lullaby Lady) career started because she wanted to inform people that they were in dan- ger of losing the traditional lullaby song. When she began recording lullabys, her concern turned into a gold record (50,000 copies were sold in Canada), _ frequent two-month tours and Ameri- can record distribution. She volun- teers her Mondays to UVic’s daycare but she’s also touring Finland and the USSR, as part of the Canadian Am- bassadors for Peace (a segment of B.C. Youth) and organizing children’s performers to sing a song of unity (on the CBC Morningside program) be- fore the Meech Lake Accord D-day. Already renowned for her recordings, which appeal to very young kids and to parents who want to accustom themselves to singing to their off- spring, Carfra is pushing into a TV career. A recently completed pilot for a pre-school series has the Lullaby La- dy hosting a half hour show; if re- sponse is good, Carfra becomes (like local Paul Hann) the drawing card for a nationally syndicated production. But she did a lot of thinking before deciding on TV. Opposed to the “com- mercial schlock” which so often pass- es as children’s entertainment, she hesitated to take the Lullaby Lady’s charms to the blue screen. “These days we have to be convinc- ing our children they’re creative, that not only special people are born with the ability to be musicians, artists and writers,” she offers, explaining why she wrote the TV script. “If I can do that, and get that message out, itll be exciting.” Pointing out that children’s enter- tainers have no benefits or job securi- ty and that short shows (which hold young attentions) cost as much to mount as longer ones (halls must still be rented and musicians paid), she says that “doing the circuit’ is proba- bly not a way to riches. But she adds that the children’s entertainment in- dustry — which started in Canada and is spreading to the States — is growing. Certainly, it’s growing on Vancouv- BABES AND BEASTS flock to the Lulla- by Lady: maybe that’s why she called her second album Babes, Beasts & Birds. The album won the American Library Association Award. (Photo by ROB DESTRUBE) er Island. Whether they do birthday parties or record best-selling records, our home-grown entertainers are finding niches. And moving from the local niche to a national focus is often a matter of appearing on Paul Hann and Friends, a syndicated YTV show hosted by local Paul Hann. A musician, Hann epitomizes the possibilities of chil- dren’s entertainment: he entertains, educates, and he earns a living. Other performers look to him as inspiration for what may happen. Hann, interviewed over the phone because he’s in the middle of a tour, realistically assesses the back-to-the- basics of child entertainment. 2 “Tm up against the Saturday morn- ing cartoons” he laughs. But he adds that, while the market doesn’t create many rich performers, there’s a big market for children’s performances: baby boomers want their children exposed to art and culture and chil- dren’s festivals dot the country like popcorn in a movie theatre. “If the desire is there, so is the opportunity,” says Kernel Popcorn. “Mr. Dress-up, the Friendly Giant .. . who’s in line to take their place?” And then he laughs. It’s an energetic laugh but it’s also hopeful, deter- mined. “There’s a need for somebody,” he ays. It may be somebody from this area. ‘LEGAL ACTION : @ =. f fe MORAHAN BARRISTERS — & “DON 7990 CLASSES ARE FILLING UP FAST! - EASY! AFFORDABLE! Sailing School Sailtrend is proud to offer affordable, internationally recognized courses, certified by >. the Canadian Yachting Assoc. Whether you're a beginner or looking to upgrade your skills, we've designed our courses to accommodate your needs. Don't let another summer slip away. 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