Pete Geist - Visual Comedian - The Wacky Waiter

Growing up in Lancaster, PA, Pete Geistt, who was always a bit of a class clown, had a life altering epiphany when he was about 9 years old. Geist ventured into a magic shop at the local mall; there he encountered a magician who performed tricks in the back of the shop. "I saw this guy do a trick with a sponge ball and something inside me just clicked," Geist said. Geist thought to himself "this is something that I can do."

Pete Geist's comedic training began with his father. "My dad is a real joke teller. He's a pretty funny guy," said Geist, who remembers watching old variety shows, like "Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts", with his father. This laid the foundation for Geist's future career.

When he was 14, Pete Geist got a summer job at a local amusement park picking up trash and cleaning toilets. The real bonus came when he was able to perform his act on weekends at the park. He worked about 30 hours picking up trash, doing heavy work, sweating and getting dirty, and when he got his first paycheck, it was about $60. For one Saturday show, he earned $100 and he was doing what he loved. That is how Geist got started in the business.

For the next few summers, Geist continued to work at the amusement park honing his skills. After graduation from high school, he toured the country for 18 months with a fellow entertainer, who performed a ventriloquist act. Having gained a wealth of experience, Geist began to market his act, known professionally as "GEIST", and found steady employment appearing at schools, business functions and various performing arts centers around the country. Geist's performance is mirrored after European clowns who rely on physical humor and not the typical American clown who sports the big red hair and floppy shoes.

Pete Geist is married to Mary Geist, who is employed at The Horst Group in Lancaster, PA. The couple recently moved to into a larger home where Pete has a custom office. The walls are covered with movie posters and the shelves are lined with books and video tapes featuring classic and modern-day comedians, such as, The Three Stooges, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, his personal favorite. A specially built closet, "The Prop Room" contains Geist's comedy props and costumes.

"Kids like this stuff because it's silly. It's visual. They can listen with their eyes instead of their ears," Geist said. "But this is not just a 'kiddie show,' this show is for everyone."

What People Are Saying

"Buster Keaton, Red Skelton and Bill Irwin all rolled into one barrel of laughs!"
-- Jeffrey Gabel, Executive Director, Majestic Theater, Gettysburg, PA

"Geist has been a guest artist for our Theatre Series since 2002 and never fails to deliver a zany, wild, crazy fun-filled show of mime, magic and juggling the likes of which no one has seen since the heyday of Vaudeville! He comes to the venue prepared and ready for action, arrives on time, carries his whole show with him, does his set-ups with a minimum of outside requirements and proceeds to perform a well thought out and professional show."
-- Larry Frenock - Managing Director, Stamford Theatre Works, CT

"Geist's program fully engaged each age group in attendance and left the audience begging for more. Our sides still hurt from laughing!"
-- Paula Gilbert - Director of Children & Youth Services, York Co Library System, PA

"Three times we've presented Geist and many times I've watched his video and every time he still makes me laugh out loud. Thanks for the great show for the community and the master class with the theatre students of the MD Summer Center for the Arts."
-- Davina Grace Hill - Executive Director, Salisbury Wimico Arts Council, MD

"What great entertainment! We received many compliments on you performances indicating what a unique art from it is! Your talent makes the KidsFest area extra special!"
-- Rockie Johnston - KidsFest Coordinator, Jubilee CityFest, AL

"We were thrilled that the Geist show brought a sold-out audience and the positive response was overwhelming. Audience members raved as they left the theatre that they had never laughed so hard!"
-- Susan Thornton - Performing Arts Coordinator, Carroll Arts Center, MD

"The Wacky Waiter was great! Stupendous!"
-- Leonard Maltin - Film Critic, Los Angeles, CA

"Geist was absolutely a breath of fresh air, adding a highly unique level of audience interaction. It was great to see our Family Pavilion filled with an audience that was so thoroughly enjoying themselves! Personally, I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard!
-- Karen M. Keast - Assistant Director, Town of Dewitt, NY

"His use of the audience as prop and performer was innovative and refreshing."
-- J. Daniel Johnson - Program Director, Walt Whitman Cultural Center, NJ

"A talented, gifted comedian and master of his craft. Funny! Funny! Funny!"
-- Roslyn A. Smith - Special Event Manager, Brooklyn Children's Museum, NY

"This is our 5th year bringing Geist back and he never ceases to amaze audiences of all ages."
-- Catherine Rodan - Special Events Director, Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, NJ

Credits

Jubilee CityFest
Chandler Center for the Arts
John Anson Ford Amphitheater
The Lincoln Center
Sangre de Cristo Arts Center
Union Colony Civic Center
Bethlehem Fair
Stamford Theatre Works
Levitt Pavilion
Bethany Beach Family Series
First Night Dover
Rehoboth Bandstand
Bethany Bandstand
The Tift Theatre
Red River Revel Arts Festival
Artscape
Columbia Mall
Columbia Festival of Arts
Wine in the Woods
Sweet Pea Festival
Mirage Hotel & Casino
The Music Hall
Monmouth Fair
Cape May Kids Playhouse
Appel Farms Arts & Music Center
Walt Whitman Cultural Center
Seton Hall University Day
Puttin on the Ritz Theatre
Heritage Days
William Mount-Burke Theatre
First Night Ocean County
Camden Events
Buskers Fare
Goodwill Games
Canal Day Festival
Chapin Rainbow Theatre
Bendheim Performing Arts Center
Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center
Welcome Back to Brooklyn
Earlville Opera House
Ulster Performing Arts Center
A Fools Festival
Spiegel World
Huntington Arts Fest
Cincinnati Playhouse
The Macungie Institute
Parents Source Give for Kids Expo
American Music Theatre
Sellersville Theatre
Penns Landing 4th of July
Manayunk Main Street Stroll
First Night Carlisle
Fulton Opera House
Fox Kidsfest
Mayfair Festival of the Arts
Whitaker Center
The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center
Musikfest
State Theater, State College
Majestic Theater, Gettysburg
Gretna Theatre
Kiawah Island Resort
Tenesseee Performing Arts Series
Pepsi KidAround
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Fairfax Fall Fest
International Children's Festival
Chautauqua Arts Fest
Fairfax Fair
Celebrate Fairfax
National Theatre Family Series
The Kennedy Center
Int. Child Art
Milwaukee World Festival
Summerfest
The Marcus Center