Most readers familiar with me know that much of my writing is slanted with a Mentalism bias. This time however my column is slanted toward ANY entertainer. If you wish to be as professional as you can, please read on.

A contract is a very important part of performing. It is an essential part of the business part of show business. First and foremost, it will guarantee that you will get paid once you have been booked. It is also a guarantee to the bookers that you will show up on the agreed upon date. Some of you may be saying “but I have never needed a contract before” but let me tell you that it is also something extra to make you appear more professional and the appearance is half the game. You will look ten times the performer in the eyes of the booker if you have them sign a contract.

It may seem a silly point but it is an important one. The mere appearance of professionalism (even if you are just starting out with paid shows) will automatically place yourself up a notch in the eyes of the booker. While they may know that you are just starting out, they will also have an additional confidence in your act when you handle it in such a professional manner, and the need to have a signed contract between you and them is a big part of that appearance. It also is an excellent way to keep records of shows for tax purposes. All your information is right there for your records making tax time a much easier task.

I have included a simple yet binding contract that you may copy and use for your own purposes. It was drawn up by for me by a lawyer that specializes in contracts and since I have already paid for the legal expertise having this contract drawn up, you are receiving extra value for your subscription dollar if you do use this contract. It is a very simple matter to follow it and fill out the proper places as indicated. Make sure that both parties initial any changes made on any of the pages and initial the tops of any additional pages that you attach to the contract.

Download contract [Word Format|RTF Format]