Mark Hayward: Yo-yos, Tricks, Comedy

"I was especially impressed by your ability to engage the audience, regardless of age, into a well-choreographed routine of holding their breath in anticipation, followed immediately by laughter. You have mastered mixing excitement and hilarity. Maintaining consistency between each of your shows is a quality I appreciate greatly. As a programmer and manager of a family-friendly series, I quickly realized that I can trust you to deliver the same high-quality performance every time.

You are obviously well-practiced and have learned what works and what doesn’t. You are closely tuned in to the audiences’ reactions and tweak your performance appropriately and immediately. It was fantastic to speak with you about how carefully you pay attention to the families and adjust your act to suit each group. I was even more pleased to see that these small changes did not alter the even tone or routine of your show since it can be a nightmare for someone in my position to have no idea of what is coming next!

Obviously… you are the real deal. It was a great pleasure to meet and work with you. You are absolutely in a league of your own."
- Meryn Daly, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison WI

As a baby Mark Hayward was lost while on a safari with his parents through Zaire in central Africa. At some unknown point Mark fell out of the vehicle and could not be found. He was raised by chimpanzees until the age of 14 when he was miraculously reunited with his birth parents. Mark still sometimes tells stories of his adopted parents Coochie and Bobo from his days in the rain forest. Some people feel that this early experience was instrumental to his becoming a performer and funny guy.

Mark for real:

Mark Hayward is a World Yo-yo Champion, a member of a World Champion Juggling Team, and a Spin-top Champion. He has appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Late Show with David Letterman (twice), America's Got Talent, and the NBC and CBS news. Mark has used his skills and humor to captivate audiences since 1989 in cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Melbourne, Stockholm and Shanghai. Juggle Magazine called Mark’s brain “a national treasure”. Mark lives in Madison WI.

STAGING & TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Stage:
- A clean solid surface, at least 16 ft. wide by 10 ft. deep, and 16 ft. from stage to ceiling. Mark can perform with less space, but may have to leave out some tricks or routines.
- Parts of Mark’s show are impossible in high winds. If the performance cannot be shielded from wind, Mark can adapt his performance if notified in advance.
- Ideally, the stage is raised 3 to 4 feet, or the audience is raked, or a combination of the two. However, a floor performance area is acceptable.
Audience:
- Please arrange seating so that the audience is close to the stage, facing the stage and viewing the show mostly from the front.
- At least one set of stairs from the audience to the front of the stage is recommended for audience participation.
Sound:
Please provide a sound system, and one wireless headset microphone. Mark can provide his own microphone if needed. Electrical outlet and XLR inputs to the PA must be on stage or very close. Mark can provide a small PA system if he is driving to your location.
Lighting:
Please provide general stage lighting (enough light so it looks like a show).
Set up and Rehearsal:
Mark needs 45-60 minutes to load in and set up. Load-out: 30 minutes.