siness
FAR LEFT
The JCC gang at the
Giggle Gang show.
LEFT
This is one angry
Emperor.
BELOW
JCC camper Zara
Magavarczld can't
believe it!
STEVE STEIN STAFF WRITER
At Oakland Mall's
peror (Mr. Martin), clad in
red underwear and black
socks, is chasing his new
"tailor" around the stage
after he realizes his new
"Giggle Gang" shows,
clothes do not exist at all.
At times, the children's
voices drown out the shop-
the laughter of children
ping noises.
Trying to entertain
young children in the mid-
merges with the jingle
dle of a busy mall isn't the
easiest task, but through
experience, Mr. Martin
has
developed a sound
of cash registers.
strategy.
"First, what you need to
do is pick out a story from
classical literature be-
t's noon on a Wednesday in
early August at Oakland cause parents decide if their chil-
Mall. Back-to-school shop- dren are going to see a play," Mr.
pers are causing a buzz all Martin said after the perfor-
around Center Court, where mance. "If the parents know the
Henry Martin and his Chil- story, they'll feel comfortable tak-
dren's Entertainment Com- ing their children.
"It's our company's responsi-
pany are on stage presenting
bility
to make the show fun, ex-
The Emperor's New Clothes.
In attendance at the mall's citing and colorful. The show must
summer "Giggle Gang" program be visual and relatively short be-
are about 150 kindergartners and cause there's a lot competing for
first-graders along with 30 staff a child's attention at a mall. It's
members from the Maple/Drake not like sitting in a theater.
"It's also important to involve
Jewish Community Center Sum-
the children in the play at a few
mer Camp.
The JCC kids, who came from points. Kids tend to watch more
West Bloomfield to the Troy mall closely, for example, when they
in three buses, make up about see a couple of children perform
half the audience for the 20- on stage, like they did during the
Emperor's New Clothes."
minute show.
On earlier Wednesdays, the
It appears they're enjoying the
play. They're leading the scream- Children's Entertainment Com-
ing during a scene where the Em- pany presented Snow White and
I
Rumpelstiltskin at Oakland Mall. word got out about our perfor-
It was the first time Mr. Martin's mances.
troupe appeared at the 14 Mile
"You know, having entertain-
and John R shopping center, and ment in a marketplace isn't a new
the results were encouraging for idea. It's been done for hundreds
mall officials.
of years to try to get people to
Mall marketing director Shel- shop for goods and services."
ley Darmetko says about 400 at-
Mr. Martin said the laughter
tended most of the seven shows, of children doesn't hurt a mall's
substantially more than in pre- ambiance.
vious years, when other groups
"No matter where you are, it
performed. The result was extra gives you a good feeling when you
business for mall merchants.
hear that," he said.
Two new marketing strategies
The Children's Entertainment
for the Giggle Gang increased at- Company has performed during
tendance, Ms. Darmetko believes. the summer at the Maple/Drake
Direct-mail postcards were sent JCC for six years. It will present
Cinderella at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17
and 24.
About 400 attended
The Entertainment Company
is an offshoot of the Birmingham-
the shows at
based Martin & Rosenberg
Group headed by Mr. Martin and
Oakland Mall.
Eugene Rosenberg, who met
while they were teachers at De-
to families who rent strollers at troit's Northern High School.
the mall and free lunches were
Mr. Martin and Mr. Rosen-
offered to children wearing Gig- berg, who have been in business
gle Gang buttons on performance together for about 20 years since
days at four mall restaurants.
leaving the teaching profession,
"As I walked around the mall also promote and produce shows
on the Giggle Gang Wednesdays, of all types throughout the Unit-
I noticed the crowds were bigger ed States and Canada and act as
than normal and many people consultants in the preparation of
were carrying shopping bags, so presentations for business meet-
they were buying," Ms. Darmetko ings.
said.
This fall, the Martin & Rosen-
"Yes, the plays were well-mar- berg Group will be promoting ap-
keted," Mr. Martin said. "Parents pearances by the Royal Winnipeg
are always looking for something Ballet at the Macomb Center for
to do with their children during the Performing Arts, sponsored
the summer, and obviously the by Audi. 0