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To: "VOCALIST" <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Nursing Home Performances.
Date sent: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 14:12:32 -0700
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Hello Kyle. I do a great deal of performing in:
1. retirement communties (older folks, quite alert but retired)
2. assisted living (people who need some help with activities of daily
living & at times, they are not quite so alert.
3. Nursing or Long Term Care Facilities (people who cannot do activities of
daily living and are often quite ill)
I love all of this. It gives me a chance to try songs, perform for
audiences, get over stage fright and it is a ministry/service to this
audience & the benefits are returned to me.
Yes, contact the activities director. As in all professions, the quality
and enthusiasm of the director can vary. Some places will pay you,
especially well to do retirement homes but doing it for no monetary fee has
many rewards.

I do not take an accompanist since I cannot afford that & most places will
not pay the fee for an accompanist. But I use really good taped
accompaniment and I take my own sound system which is quite good. I always
prepare and dress for these performances just as I would for a gala event.
It makes me feel good and it is a compliment to the audience. I encourage
you to do this but realize audiences vary. Just know you are bringing
enormous joy where there can sometimes be a lack of stimulation for days on
end.

Take hand-outs or business cards with you, especially at the retirement
facilities and let them know you are available for anniversaries, weddings,
birthdays, holiday celebrations, grandchildren parties, musical events, etc.
Also take "Comment" sheets to give to the staff and, if appropriate, to
residents (retirement facilites) & have them fill in a comment about you and
ask them to write down whether you can use the comment with their name. You
have to be sure this is an alert audience so that you are not handing out
info that the facility does not want. But, the staff will probably be happy
to fill this out for you. Then use these comments, names as you promote
yourself to other audiences. And, another thing (sorry this is so long), be
sure to put a little pizazz in your show, even a dance.
Best of luck to you. Nora

-----Original Message-----
From: Kyle Richardson
To: vocalist <vocalist>
Date: Saturday, January 08, 2000 12:57 PM
Subject: Nursing Home Performances.


>Hello,
>
> I was interested in performing for some nursing homes in the area. I was
>wondering if someone could tell me how I should approach the homes about
>performing for them. Also, I wouldn't have an accompanyist, they wouldn't
>provide one, would they?
>
>______________________________________________________
>
>