source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Pizza Show

Spectacular evening show for children and youth groups in which a pair of candidates have a chance at the main prize at the end such as an invitation to the local pizzeria instead of eating in camp.

The pizza show is closely connected to the "Million Dollar Show" which was shown on TV many years ago. This is a version adapted for camps with respect to the games, the sequence of play and the prizes.

Basic idea

At least 3 but a maximum of 10 candidate pairs (made up of 1 girl and 1 boy) play against each other. The pairs have to perform well in different games (skill, courage, thinking and stamina etc.) to make it to the next round – until they make it into the final where only one pair can win the battle for the pizza. All of the other candidates are eliminated one after the other. At the end of the show, the last pair of candidates has gained so many fans among the spectators that even the eliminated pairs are cheering them on and the final pair is awarded the prize. The compare keeps the excitement going and increases the tension up until the last game!

Mechanism

10 cylinders (glass water bottles) are presented at the beginning of the show – each is provided with a different 10 digit code combination. An extra code, which is also found on three film pots, is in each cylinder. There is a little key in each film pot of which only one fits into the treasury (money cassette) - where the pizza voucher is found. Only the compare knows which cylinder contains the right key. The aim of the pizza show is for the candidates to eliminate the incorrect cylinders (nine if possible) in order to increase the chances of finding the right cylinder. However, before the final pair can eliminate the cylinders, they must play against the other pairs in a variety of spectacular games. One pair is eliminated in each round: 3-10 pairs play against each other on the big obstacle course at first. The first, second and third placed pairs remain in the game. After 4 games, another pair is eliminated and after another 2 games, the next pair is out leaving just one final pair. The eliminated contestants can win a consolation prize which is more valuable the longer they manage to stay in the game (a bag of sweets after one round, an ice-cream in the second round etc.).

Show sequence

Presentation of all candidate pairs

Explanation of the game rules and presentation of the 10 cylinders

Beginning of the show games (the following games are just examples and can be adapted to suit. The most important thing is the fairness of the system for awarding points)

Game: obstacle course (condition, speed)

Large outdoor obstacle course with benches, tables, wheel barrows etc; the finishing line is a car (which can be climbed into through the open boot) by pressing the horn; both candidates making a pair run the obstacle course one by one and the overall time counts

Points awarded: fastest pair 5000 points, second fastest 4000 points, third fastest 3000 points; only three pairs make it to the next round
Game: dragging the leader (strength)

Leaders weighing different amounts are dragged through the sand from A to B

Points awarded: depending on the weight, each leader has the number of points on his/her forehead
Game: jellyfish pool (courage)

Approx. 20 jellyfish are on a ground sheet. The boys secretly vote on how many of the girls (all of them, two, one or none) will roll around in the pool in their bathing suit and they bet a number of points against their vote; the girls are now led one by one to the sheet and asked if they want to roll in the jellyfish or not (do not apply any pressure – a „no“ is a brave decision as well)

Points awarded: bets are awarded with points: credit of debit of the points per team
Game: blind football (skill)

Within 3 minutes: the players are turned around 5 times while blindfolded then they run through a short obstacle course before shooting the ball into the goal: the left post is fixed in place and there are 3 different distances for the right post

Points awarded: large goal: 250 points, medium goal: 500, small door: 750
Game: mental arithmetic (thinking)

All 6 candidates are given 7 simple sums. Anyone who knows the answer grabs their partner, forms a wheel barrow (the front person on their hands and the other person holding their legs) runs to the bell, rings it and shouts out the answer. Example of a sum (written large on a sheet of paper): 6 x 5 +14 – 16 = ?

Points awarded: there are 1000 points for each correct answer, 500 points for the other pairs if the answer is wrong.
Elimination game: balloon bursting (luck)

The pair with the least points is eliminated. 5 balloons are hanging on a rail with 4 consolation prizes inside and 1 rivet. The pairs choose a balloon and burst it and are then allowed to keep the prize. There are only two pairs in the game now.
Recognising feet (estimation, general education)

The pairs should assess themselves: how many feet can they match up with 15 players? The 15 volunteers sit behind a curtain. The candidate pairs then pit themselves against each other: pair 1 claims to be able to match up 3 pairs of feet, pair 2 says they will manage 4 etc. The ones who have given the highest bets play against each other.

Points awarded: if the pair manages their bet, there are 2500 point to be won, if not, the other pair receives 1000 points.
Game: memory wall (memory, concentration)

16 fields are hanging on the wall with answers on the reverse side, the numbers 1 to 16 are on the front. The candidates have 2 minutes to remember the answers then the cards are turned around. The compare then asks a question such as “who is the oldest girl in the camp?” The right answer would be: “3” because the answer “Sonja” is behind field 3.

Points awarded: the pair receives 1000 points for each correct guess; the other team receives 500 points if the answer is wrong. In addition, the compare writes 1 letter of the 16 letter solution word for each correct answer. Anyone who guesses the solution word correctly (guess is only possible after giving a correct answer) receives another 2500 points and the game is over.
Elimination game: bursting water bombs (luck)

The pair with the least points is eliminated. There are 5 water bombs on a bar with 4 consolation prizes and a rivet inside. The pair is allowed to burst the balloon (piggy back with the top person wearing a hat with a pin to burst the bombs and get wet) and keep the prize. Now there is only one pair left in the game.
Finale game:

there is a total of 7 minutes for all 3 finale games. The games should be organised so that it is very difficult to complete all three games within the given time.
Finale games 1 and 2 (speed and skill etc.):

The games should be thought up with lots of action in mind e.g. an obstacle course with a shopping trolley, answering questions while spinning around etc. Be creative...

Points awarded: 2 wrong cylinders disappear per solved finale game 1 and 2.
Finale game 3: hot wire (skill)

An over-sized conducting wire should be followed with a conducting loop (from A to an insulated at B and then to C). If the loop is allowed to touch the wire, the electrical circuit is activated and a light illuminates (make this yourself!) and you have to start from the beginning (or B if the player has reached B).

Points awarded: 2 wrong cylinders disappear for managing to make it across the full wire and 1 disappears if point B is reached.
Last chance game (knowledge, time pressure)

In an ideal case, there should only be 4 cylinders left over and there are 3 questions for which the candidate pair has 30 seconds to answer (e.g. „say 3 of the leader’s surnames backwards.“ „Name six rivers in Germany“). The candidates must take turns to answer! Points awarded: one cylinder is eliminated for each task managed.
Solution

The pair now has to choose between the remaining cylinders. The chosen glass bottle is smashed spectacularly with a hammer while wearing protective goggles and the piece of paper with the code is shown. One of the other two film pots is opened first and the key is tried out. Another glass bottle is smashed to prove that different codes are in each bottle.
Important notes:

As much tension as possible should be built up throughout the pizza show. This is achieved through the compare, with information on the number of points collected and mainly through the tight games.

The aim should be to have more than one cylinder left at the end (so make sure that the games are not TOO easy to manage).
Cheat:

due to the fact that only two glass bottles are smashed at the end, you should decide whether you should just have the ONE right solution you claim to have or whether there are several right codes that the kids don’t know about?!