Hi,

I was wondering if any of you have or have built a flea circus and could give me some pointers or tricks I could use to build my own? I want to build one out of a suitcase like one I've seen but I have some ideas that I don't think I will find unless I build it. Plus I like to build stuff anyway. So if you can help me, PM me or post here.

Thanks

I hope they post here...I'm interested in flea circuses too, but have no idea where to find one or how to go about building one.

Regards,
Brett

Hi Guys...

I've been performing a trained flea show for years...a good place to start would be a booklet by Tom Palmer, that may still be available from Magic, Inc. out of Chicago, IL.

I also have some helpful info available at my site:
http://www.docdazzal.com

Best Regards,
Doc Dazzal
Dazzal's Entertainment Co., Inc.

Here another website about flea circus:
http://home.pe.net/~magical/flea/

Regards,

Budi Ha Ha

PS: Please check The Workshop area about this thread also.

I have read Doc Dazzal Medicine show and have to tell you, it was a waste of $29.00. Not a total waste, I did get some ideas, but his material is lacking. It is easier to go to Magic Inc and buy the 3 books on the subject. 15.00 there you go.

His does include a two page section on the Flea Circus, which I did not care for and found to be lacking. If anyone buys his Flea Circus PDF, let me know what you think of it, I would love to know.

--Side bar issue, I do think the concept is nice and doable. His promoitional ideas are solid, and the ready-made flyers are good! I do not wish to say it is all a waste, as I did get something out of it.

If anyone has Tom's booklet, would like know what they think about it.
REST

Rest,

Magic Inc? Got a site address on that?

Thanks,
Brett

http://www.magicinc.net

Hi Guys...

You can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time...Sorry you were not 100% pleased with my Medicine Show Manual, Rest...if you would like your money back please PM me and I'll make sure you get a 100% refund.

The contact info for Magic, Inc is (at least when I last contacted them this was the contact info):


Magic, Inc
5082 North Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625-2622

Phone: 773.334.2855
Fax: 773.344.7605

Best Regards,
Doc Dazzal

Very Kind of you Docc, but I did get something out of it and as you said, you can't please everyone and it has given me some ideas, I view it like a magic effect, I paid for the secret, now what I do with it is up to me.

I would have much prefered a Word verison, so I could use the marketing material. If you do not have Adobe the full verison, then the material is useless (well not useless harder to use), so I will have to go to the trouble of converting it, something you may wish to consider, and offer.

Thanks for the offer of a refund, but I will keep it as I have read it.

Rest

Restlessplots,

Tell us what you really think..

Sorry... Couldn't resist.

Gambit242

Doc,

Awesome marketing job! I like the vintage Medicine show angle!

Good luck with everything.
Gambit242

Greetings One & All...

Thank you Gambit242...and thanks to all of you have either sent an email, called, or visited my Web site, with your great messages, positive comments, and support.

Continued success to you all...and may all the good things of the Universe come to you and yours.

Best Wishes,
Doc Dazzal

I just performed my "Thomas Traveling Flea Circus" for the first time last weekend. Big birthday party for my grandson, and I thought it would be a perfect time to get my feet wet doing this performance. I did a few magic tricks, then the Circus. It was GREAT!

Being the first time, I really wasn't sure what to expect from my audience. I suspected the older adults would think it was cute, but wasn't really sure what reaction I would get from the kids. Kids today don't even know what a flea is. After a brief introduction and explanation of what they were going to see, I performed the show.

The kids were really amazed. I had to fight to keep them from getting too close. After the show they all wanted to get a closer look at the fleas. They wanted to see "Bullet Head Bennie", my cannon ball flea,and "Dino" who did the dive of death into a water tank. They seemed really excited about what they had just seen.

This effect was a considerable investment, but I got a glimpse of it's potential last weekend. Now I have to put together a marketing plan, practice a little more, and get going. I was very pleased.

If you are looking for something really different as a grand finale to your show, this could be the ticket.

I'm glad you are enjoying the circus. It's great to hear of your success! May it provide you with decades of great fun!
Coldthorn

Thank you very much.

One of the neat things about performing the Flea Circus is the "FUN" it seems to generate. I have fun performing it and the kids, and adults, have fun watching it. It seems to generate a contagiously fun atmosphere where everyone is having a good time. I haven't seen many other effects where the adults will crowd up with the kids to get a better look. Yea, they want to see too, ........ pretty neat stuff.

I am in the process of building mine. I got plans from Walt... I can't remember his last name now. I will get his site info up soon as I find the info. It was quite involved. I enjoy vaudeville and am looking forward to incorporating this into my show. I plan to preview it at a NW Indiana business conference in February.

I recently got the Flea Circus Kit from Hank Lee's. It is a well done instructional kit on how to build a flea circus using a suitcase like you described. Now all I have to do is find the time to build one. If the following link doesn't work just go to Han Lee's and search Flea Circus. It sells for $50.

http://hanklee.org/xcart/customer/produc......p;page=1

Good luck!

I made a flea circus over 20 years ago using a wooden cigar box. It packs small and shows big. Two plywood panels packed in the box make a sideshow 10 in 1 banner on each side of the cigar box. I have not seen the new advertised one. The following acts were performed by my performing fleas.
1. Tight rope walker
2. Cannon Ball shot Used a cap snapper for the noise
3. High platform diver into water
4. Strong man He rotated a stack of dice
5. Card magician. He turned over a selected card.
Oh my god! The card was too heavy!!!
6. The teeter totter twins.
7. The electric man. Hand buzzer
Lets give them all a big hand. OH NOOOOOOOO
I have a tape of calliope music which played in the background.

I showed it at a magic contest in Dallas around the late 1970s and was a little embarassed of doing such a silly thing and won first prize!

I only found "Famous Flea Act" at Magic, Inc. What are the other two?

Nothing against Hank Lee, but if you are going to buy the flea circus plans anyway, pay the money to the originator of the plans Walt Noon. You can find a link to buy the plans through paypal at the bottom of the page here:

http://www.pe.net/~magical/flea/plans.htm

Martin