I'm in the process of getting into the Georgia Library Association's Performer's Showcase and have recently booked my first show at the local library. I was asked to send them a contract. I'm familiar with invoicing for products/services. But, I've never created a contract for a live show. I don't want to appear unprofessional. What does a typical contract look like?

Well a contract would need to state your fee, dates booked and where, and any special requirements you have. That is the short version. For something like this I think you should try and keep it as simple as possible.  One other thing often added in a contract or agreement is how payment of your fee is handled.  Do you require a % up front of the fee?  If so that should be included. If you do is that % refundable if the cancel.  If is refundable how much lead time is needed for them to get the down payment back. You don't want them to book and then cancel the day of the show.  Means you may loose income if another company had wanted to book you on the same day. While this is not for puppetry, it is an example of a pretty simple contract for bands. http://bluegrasstoday.com/show-contracts-for-dummies/  Maybe based on that we can come up with a really good template for puppet shows!  I would be willing to convert anything we come up with to PDF form and host it here. 

Cool. Thanks Shawn. I'll take a look at this and get back to you with what I come up with.  I think hosting a template would be a great idea.