Mark is an entertainer in New Orleans whose been street performing for a number of years. He travels from New Orleans to Key West to Boulder, Co. making his living with a professional juggling and unicycle show.
The Busking Project: You’ve been here for a long time. Can you tell us about what it’s been like busking in New Orleans?
Mark: There used to be a fountain here in the French Quarter, right in front of a grassy hill people used to call Hippy Hill. A lot of people congregated here, a lot of the tourists and what not, because it was a good place to sit. We performed between that fountain and the hill. We worked here for so long that they took the fountain out and built us this amphitheater.
This spot has been the best spot that I’ve found, and I’ve been to 49 states, sixteen countries. We had 18 million tourists last year. We have a melting pot of cultures. We have an open mindedness. It’s a big city as well as a small town. You can go a couple blocks out of the French Quarter and people don’t know anything about the French Quarter. It’s two different worlds.
TBP: How do you protect the spot?
Mark: Well, basically, if someone were to start working, at first we let them try, because this is such a hard spot. They see us with giant crowds and think, ‘Oh, I can do it.’ And then, see, people have a destination in New Orleans in mind. One of those destinations is Cafe Du Monde. When you get to this pitch, you can see Cafe Du Monde from the pitch. So, it’s hard to get people to stop what they’re doing and make them stay, and make them pay. So, we let them try it a few times because there are a hundred other places you can go to make money in the city.
If someone just comes onto the spot and we think they’re not going to be any good, if they’re just going to be rude about it, if they’re just going to try over and over and over, every time they say ‘show time’ I just go at the same time as them. My crowd will get into it. New Orleans audience, they’re different. I can get my audience to get after you, and you’ll leave because you won’t make a dime with my audience screaming for you to get out.
TBP: How many people use this pitch?
Mark: Two.
TBP: Just you and Dragon Master Showcase?
Mark: Yes. Because it’s a hard pitch. You can go to Roll’s Street where you have audiences in your face instantly. Here, you’re begging for people to sit down. It took me thirty minutes today to sit people down. And if we get some people that just don’t get it, if they keep trying and they’re not getting anywhere, we just get security into it. Because, when it comes down to it, French Market Corporation has the last say so. We had to audition for this spot. We have to have insurance. This is a professional spot. It’s not a street spot. A lot of cities require this kind of insurance. Especially for performers like me, I juggle knives and fire. I have audience members helping me in my show. I have people walking by on the street, cars coming. I have people helping me try and keep people off the sidewalk out of the way.
TBP: Ever run into any trouble?
Mark: I got taken to jail here for having people stand in the street. For blocking the sidewalk. After I got out I went to one of the Causeway Commission meetings and talked with the eighth precinct there and after that they knew me, they knew I was cooperative, they knew I was not a New Orlean’s problem, I was part of the fun down here. It really put my foot in the door, and I can never now be pulled off of this pitch because I’m in with the police; I’m in with the market.