Mom finds her fairy tale job
Oct, 15-2009 2:42 pm
By STEVE PRISAMENT
Staff Writer
ABSECON – In January, with her youngest child approaching a year old, Jennifer Auer figured it was time to get back to work.
She found the perfect opportunity through a friend of a friend – a Cape May County woman looking to sell her business, which uses costumed characters to bring alive make believe for children’s parties and special events.
Fitness Playhouse became Fairytale Entertainment, and Auer’s three sons, Nicholas, 5, Zachary, 3 and Matthew, now 15 months, became models for face painting – a favorite feature at Fairytale parties.
“The previous owner focused on females,” Auer said in an interview at her home office Sunday, Oct. 11. “I’ve introduced boys: Superman, Batman and Spider-Man.”
She said the business of arranging and hosting events was ideal for her.
“I had been doing special events since ’92, either as a volunteer or working full-time,” Auer said. “I worked lots of places, mostly nonprofits – setting up events, doing PR or managing volunteers.”
Auer said she was a Girl Scout leader for eight years.
“I like what Girl Scouting stands for,” she said. “Now some of my former Scouts work for me.”
She said she met her husband, Absecon native Gary Auer, an engineer, in 1991 when she was a freshman at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
“I lived in Old Bridge but I kept coming back here,” she said. “I worked in the casinos.”
May was a big month for Auer’s fledgling business.
“We had a Name the Princess Contest,” she said. “We came up with our own signature princess, Princess Victoria. The girl who named the princess actually created her: Lanie Baldino, 9, of Galloway Township. Princess Victoria had brown hair and hazel eyes and she loved horses.”
Jenny Carpenter, 17, of Galloway Township already worked for Fairytale Entertainment and was perfect for the part, Auer said.
“We had about 20 or 30 entries,” Auer said. “People went online to vote.”
Victoria made her debut at a party held as a prize for the creator – a summer barbecue – where she showed off her equestrian ribbons.
Auer said there are three main facets to her business.
“Parents can hire a character to make an appearance at a party or special event,” she said. “We can run games and activities and I do face painting. And we do party planning – we can set up an entire event.”
Seven to 10 young people portray Fairytale’s dozen or so characters. Only two employees remain from the previous ownership.
“Most of the new characters are from requests,” Auer said. “That’s how we got Dora the Explorer and Indiana Jones. We have set themes, but we’re very adaptable to what a parent wants.”
That gives Fairytale a leg up on the competition – typically clowns and magicians who perform at parties, she said.
“They have one package with one price,” Auer said. “And they have one show. With ours, even if we do a second Indiana Jones party in the same neighborhood, it will be a different party. We customize to what the parent and child want.”
Character appearances start at $125 for an hour, Auer said. Activities without characters are $100.
She will be offering Halloween face painting by appointment at her home office 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Cost is $10 for the first child and reduced prices for other children.
Auer said face painting is safer than a mask, more creative and unique, more affordable and opens up options for the children.
“Most masks limit vision. Elastic cords can irritate or choke, and full masks can overheat the wearers,” she said.
“We also plan Mrs. Santa Claus home visits in December, reading bedtime stories,” Auer said. “It will cost around $30 for a 20- to 30-minute visit.”
Auer said she already has a actress lined up to play Princess Tiana – Disney’s first black princess, who will appear in “The Princess and the Frog” in December.
“We’re very community-minded,” she said. “We’ve done Absecon Weeball Day, the Galloway Township National Night Out and the Absecon Downtown Fair. And there are more to come.”
She said it’s easy to get caught up in the magic.
“I truly believe Fairytale Entertainment is where make-believe comes alive,” she said. “When a child comes to our party and sees Snow White, Batman, or another character, they truly believe they are meeting that character. Time stops. This is no longer a character from a storybook or movie. It is real, and the character is there for them.”
Fairytale Entertainment will travel anywhere in Atlantic and Cape May counties.
The website is at www.fairytaleentertainment.websolutionstylist.com. For information or appointments call (609) 634-5140 or email fairtytaleentertainment@comcast.net.
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