Every time I blog about a show at either the Portland or Lewiston Root Cellar ministries, I always talk about the wonderful work that goes on their: dental clinics, Thanksgiving meals for entire neighborhoods, youth groups, everything that you'd expect at an excellent inner city mission.  Of all the venues I've missed visiting during this pandemic, these two are some that I miss the most.  That made my show in Portland all the more special on the day after Easter.  While most schools were in session, ours was closed for "Easter Monday".  This worked out perfectly, as the Root Cellar has added being an off site learning center for neighborhood kids who can't do their remote learning days from home. 

Understandably, this being a service in conjunction with the city's public schools, I could not do overtly Gospel routines.  I'm fine with this because: A.  I was supporting a ministry that I am very familiar with, and who I know will continue to reach out to their neighbors both practically and spiritually. B.  These are just elementary kids who wouldn't really grasp deep religious concepts at first hearing, and C. As Tomie DePaula wrote in "The Clown Of God" "When you give happiness to people, you give glory to God as well."

While I have maintained something of a schedule during this time, (specials at church, chapels at school, videos for youtube, etc) I have not done a lot of full length shows, so I loved having this open door.  I have been working on improving my show during covid-19, and I tried out new  and nearly new stuff.  I did my goldfish production for maybe the fourth time, but Portland was the furthest I've ever brought them from home.  They made it there and back safely, which has encouraged me as I look ahead to shows a bit further up I95.  I also included my devil's triangle, a three sided devil stick.  I've included it briefly in other shows as part of my devil stick routine, but it has gotten so much more consistent, and this improvement carried over into this performance.  In my diabolo routine, I included grinding with a series of 180's for the first time ever, and I also added a double over-the-shoulder throw in my three ball juggling routine for the first time in years.Also, I performed a "high tech card prediction" comedy routine for the third or fourth time ever, and it got a big laugh.

One of my favorite things about Portland, Maine is how diverse the population is, especially when you get into the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. And, as I gave happiness to people - mostly kids - from a wide range of racial, religious and economic backgrounds, I trust I gave glory to God as well.