Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Butler.
Hi Megan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve had this constant dream of auditioning to perform as a Disney princess ever since I shared my love of all things princess, while teaching a princess dance camp back in 2020. At the time, there were several limiting factors to auditioning: A) Covid, B) I had a full-time job and an established home in town, and C) Disney’s princess performers aren’t exactly my age. After much encouragement from the dancers’ parents and their repeated observations of my real-life “likeness” to Princess Anna, I decided to find a way to bring Disney to the Triad. And who would have thought it was a thing? After much research, there’s a whole princess performer community worldwide and a booming business that even Covid couldn’t beat. Through many low-cost virtual visits meant to shine a light during Covid to community events, multi-princess parties, and even a princess ball in Charlotte, I’m in awe of how much the Princess Pals team has learned and accomplished in two years. My faith is instrumental in the process, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t give God credit for allowing me to show young princesses what a little magic can look like in their everyday lives.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Princessing isn’t nearly as easy as I thought it would be – sure, wave at a few kids, give a few hugs and smile for the camera. Easy, right? What if the birthday girl is too starstruck to speak? Or what if the speaker won’t connect to Bluetooth in the middle of a party, and there’s no one to help you maintain the magic? (Usually, the mythical creature from a character’s story happens to supply the “strange magic” of a music device if an assistant isn’t present). Then there’s time management for getting ready and traveling. Wig maintenance (holy moly – wigs cost a lot, and you’re better off learning to restyle them yourself than to ship them to a pro!), quality costume research, marketing, recruiting, marketing some more, and that’s my job alone, without the performing. The greatest challenge has been finding consistent performers and assistants who I’m confident will be able to cover events if we were able to book more than we currently manage. Yet we’ve always made a booking work, and I’m so grateful for the parents who continue entrusting us with the magic of their child’s big day.
We’ve been impressed with Meg’s Princess Pals, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Meg’s Princess Pals is officially known as a character entertainment company. However, that’s a highbrow way of saying we’re grown performers with an inner-child trained to meet your child’s greatest wish: receiving a visit from a real-life princess (and more characters, as they’re requested!) Our performers wear quality apparel, follow researched make-up routines to fit parks-style visits, and study their characters to offer accurate mannerisms, movements, and moments of entertainment. All you have to do is book a package through our website, and we run the show for the allotted time you’ve booked, commanding the room of children with an interactive story, sing-along, and other character-specific activities / a coronation ceremony depending on the package. It’s no secret there are other magic-makers out there, but our flexibility is hard to beat. When you’re running up on a last-minute party, and you’re three weeks out, most companies have already booked their high-quality performers and costume sets. Though it’s never a guarantee, we almost always find a way to accommodate your timeline, and we even strive to accommodate your needs during the party – we’re meant to make your life easier, after all! Booking a performance from one of our princesses is an experience that ensures all party requests are met, not just a checked box. We want you to feel like you’ve met someone straight out of your favorite fairytale for just a moment.
What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Finding performers of color to portray princesses of color accurately is a constant conversation among character entertainment companies, and we all want to do right by making princess magic accessible to all children in a healthy way. What’s astonishing to me is how much companies have grown over the past couple of years – Covid seemed to be a catalyst, which makes sense, given our thirst for something good and wholesome. We’re currently seeing a huge need for Encanto characters, which we don’t currently offer as we haven’t had the right performers audition for those roles. We’re also seeing more travel-companies visit areas and use local casts to bring a “princess ball” experience to larger regions like Raleigh. I’d like to see this for our area because there’s a potential audience for those events that hasn’t been tapped yet.
Pricing:
- 30-minute Meet & Greet ($150)
- 60-minute Coronation Prep ($250)
- 90-minute Royal Ball ($300)
- $75+ per additional character
- Travel fee (mileage dependent)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.megsprincesspals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megs_princess_pals/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megsprincesspals
Image Credits
Megan Butler
