(Close Window) Topic: HELP! My first show - School Talent Show
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 8, 2012 3:13am)
I have auditions in a week. I need as many tips possible. This will be my first proper show. Any tips on what tricks/methods/jokes to use? There will be other magicians and I want to stand out. Thanks,
Djbmagic101
Message: Posted by: yin_howe (Feb 8, 2012 5:05am)
A week is kinda short to come up with a show.
My suggestion now is to do the effects that you do best.
Message: Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Feb 8, 2012 9:24am)
I agree! Pick out your most practiced magic, construct a routine and rehearse as much as possible...
Message: Posted by: Ed_Millis (Feb 8, 2012 10:23am)
Auditions are not the whole show. Just do what you do best. Remember to play big, look up at people, slow down and breathe!!

After the auditions, sit down with a tall glass of iced tea (my personal preference) and write out our impressions of being on that stage. Then use that knowlege to help you plan what you're going to do for your show. When you see a potential issue with the magic you have and performing at that venue, write that down. After you fininsh the draft outline of your show, go back over the issues and brainstorm how to overcome them. If you need help, we are always here for you!

Ed
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 8, 2012 11:11am)
I'll let you know how I get on. Any other tips will be welcome.
Message: Posted by: jimhlou (Feb 8, 2012 5:05pm)
What magic do you do now? How much time do you get?

Jim
Message: Posted by: bowers (Feb 9, 2012 1:04am)
Just like the rest above said. do the tricks that you perform best. go over you routiens good.perform a show just as if you had a audience in from of you.and practice practice practice.. you will do just fine.
todd
Message: Posted by: Bob1Dog (Feb 9, 2012 1:09am)
What is your best stuff?

How long is your audition time? Hone your best stuff to your audition time.

A couple of warmups before the magic always helps break the ice:

How many of you can hear me? How many can not? (groaner)
Good morning goys and birls, how bout some mabulous fagic today? (groaner) you get the idea.....groaners break the ice

Finger clap always works! Tell the audience to take their first finger and strike them together, illustrating with a clapping motion; then do it with the index finger; then with the ring finger; then with the pinky finger. On the pinky finger you'll have them clapping.....Thank you! Thank you very much!!! THINK about it. You get the audience clapping for you before you've done a trick....always works.

Good luck!
Message: Posted by: yin_howe (Feb 9, 2012 6:05am)
Quote:

On 2012-02-09 01:09, Bob1Dog wrote:

Finger clap always works! Tell the audience to take their first finger and strike them together, illustrating with a clapping motion; then do it with the index finger; then with the ring finger; then with the pinky finger. On the pinky finger you'll have them clapping.....Thank you! Thank you very much!!! THINK about it. You get the audience clapping for you before you've done a trick....always works.

Good luck!


This the first time I'm hearing this, Is this an old gag?
Message: Posted by: Bob1Dog (Feb 9, 2012 12:07pm)
Don't know. A magician friend taught it to me.
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 9, 2012 12:12pm)
I'll be doing card tricks in front of a few judges and if I get through, it'll be in front of a crowd. Auditions are 5 mins, Any good things I can do for full audience participation?
Message: Posted by: jimhlou (Feb 9, 2012 2:42pm)
Anything but card tricks.
Message: Posted by: Lash (Feb 9, 2012 4:43pm)
A good rope routine would get you through five minutes. It's also a perfect opportunity for audience participation and comedy. Jim is right-- stay away from card tricks at all cost. Not only is it cliched and unoriginal, but will not play well to a big audience.
Message: Posted by: EXTREMENINJA1 (Feb 10, 2012 5:54am)
I must say Lash that card tricks are not bad because they are unoriginal. I do agree though that they do not work with a big audience (People at the back may not be able to see ect). In the right setting card tricks are great but for this audition (And the audience part) a coin or rope effect would be best I think. Possibly "coins across". Or even the sponge balls (If you can do them well).
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 10:44am)
The audition is on Monday so I'll do my best card trick and hopefully will get through and I'll have until march to think for the live shows... I'll look into using ropes for the live show... Now that I know ill be doing card tricks for 3/4 judges, what tricks should I do?
Everyone's been so much help to me, Thanks so much! :)
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 2:24pm)
Ill do a twit cam at 3pm EST, if at least 1 person promises to be there. Then people can help me with my audition... I'm @danielbingham99, will post link asap
Message: Posted by: jimhlou (Feb 10, 2012 2:34pm)
I would do "Out of this World" and finish with card to wallet or the invisible deck.

Jim
Message: Posted by: EXTREMENINJA1 (Feb 10, 2012 2:39pm)
673 King street is a good card trick to do (If performed well). Missing the aces or maxi twist are also great effects. Or just use your own tricks, create a few new ones by applying sleights that you know.
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 2:47pm)
Will any of yous watch my twitcam to help me??? Itll be at 3pm est and link up soon
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 3:03pm)
Sorry 3.15 est now cuz no one came... please support me!
Message: Posted by: donny (Feb 10, 2012 3:07pm)
Great advice here above. I'll just add some Card Tricks that can play well on Parlor/Stage:

-Jeopardy is designed for this venue. A monkey could do it, I do. Use a HOT volunteer if you don't have it down pat and are a little nervous, this can help. Green's
-In a Flash(If Flash Paper is permitted, maybe not). Select a card and "whoosh"! Impossible object. Sankey's
-Out of Body Experience. Selected card "appears" between two indiff cards. Daryl 6
-Mental 3 card Monte. Giobbi Card College Lighter part 2
-Homing Card or Impostors. Daryl or Sankey
-Ten Peeks. Lose ten cards and produce them in skill/magic way! So overlooked and so much better than an ACRs in this venue. Skinner's
-Frog Prince. Story, humor, visual...Magic! Close Worker's
-Color Change Routine. TeBe Change. Pirouette Change. Snap Change. Fan Cover. Paint Brush Change. Fan Color Change. Flip Flop Change. Color change bottom card via McBride and many other effects from his ACM series. Produce a colored silk from "empty" hands, after you remove and pocket the Jokers, as effect introduction--Adds variety and lightens the card focus.

*I realize any of these take years to perfect and become comfortable with in presentation. I don't hold you; djbmagic101, to these standards, and I'm not advocating that you "expose" either. I do realize that a young Magician can "rote-memorize" sleights and perform them adequately. If you can also attend to the presentation and any unforeseen's, you may well come off with a smash and further your study in a craft that I also hold dear.

All the Best,

Donny

*Let us know
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 3:21pm)
http://twitcam.livestream.com/8kqhz please watch and help me! Everyones been great!
Message: Posted by: donny (Feb 10, 2012 4:51pm)
Nice Control on the second trick! You're easily a top card guy for your age. Hey, just don't forget us that helped you get there.

GJ, Donny
Message: Posted by: 55Hudson (Feb 10, 2012 5:45pm)
Sorry I missed you live, but did watch the saved video.

For my money, I'd go with one card trick - Red Hot Chicago Mama (that 's the name I learrned it by), your final trick. This is a stunner for laypeople and you do it well. You will leave the judges with mouths hanging open if you do this one trick and they will beg you to be in the show. Have backup tricks ready, but done well that one will get you in.

Now here's my advice, but first with a question: do you want to be viewed as a skilled card manipulator or as magical? When showing tricks to other magicians, we want to show how skilled we are, but with laypeople, you want them to walk away thinking, "that was impossible - how did he ever change a red card blue?". When you use "special deck" (ghost deck, others) or do fancy shuffles then they think you are very skilled and must have somehow made a switch or had a trick deck. But when you have a regular looking deck (what ever is typical where you live - I use Bicycle) and normal looking shuffle / cuts then the slights you do are not suspected. All of a sudden it was magic, not a trick deck or some fancy move.

You've got all the sills. My only suggestion is to work on the story you tell. Speak clearly and loudly. Work on the rhythm of your speaking. Make it very clear what you are doing and then the surprise that the card has changed color.

A great trick for 3 or 4 people won't play well for ths show. Do you know Professor's Nightmare/Equal-Unequal? This will go well at you show. Also Fibre Optics (Richard Sanders). Perhaps some other rope or silk routine that will show up well on a stage.

Keep it up, you have some great skills at an early age.

Good luck!

Hudson
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 10, 2012 6:12pm)
Thanks for your great opinions on the tricks, made my day! :)
Message: Posted by: 55Hudson (Feb 13, 2012 6:41pm)
So how did the audition go?

Hudson.
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Feb 16, 2012 2:17am)
The audition went great and they were amazed. I seemed to stand out. The bad thing is they changed the live show date one week later and I'll be on holiday. :-(
It was still a great experience and its encouraged me to do more shows. Everyone helped so much!
Thanks,
djbmagic101
Message: Posted by: 55Hudson (Feb 16, 2012 6:32am)
Well done! But no surprise to The Café members who saw your "per-audition". I'm sure you will have an opportunity to do a show while on your holiday.

Now is the time to add tricks that will play well for the next school show that comes up. Cards are great for small groups, but not so good for bigger groups like a school show. I like ropes, but there are many other classics fields of magic that can complement your budding card skills: cups and balls, silks, ball manipulation ...

Keep us updated on your progress.

Cheers,

Hudson
Message: Posted by: Dougini (Feb 29, 2012 3:54pm)
Here is something I wanted to share with new magicians, and this thread seems to be the place to put it. Watch Latimer's mannerisms, expressions and reactions to his effects:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJN1iMOfgAc&feature=related

This, to me, really adds to his act! He is kind of "surprised" at each step, and this shows you how you can fit your personality to your performance. He does not come across as egotistical or haughty. A lot of performers suffer from such, and it is a real detriment to magic in general. This is especially true when another magician applies for a gig after a performer has ruined his own act.

Very few can get away with the "wise guy" act today. Some can, that's a given, but we really need to pay attention to the image we give when performing. Gosh, I wish someone had grabbed me back in the 70's, and drilled this into my head.

If you are a new performer, one book I HIGHLY recommend is "Tales Of Enchantment: The Art Of Magic":

http://www.leapinglizardsmagic.com/tales_of_enchantment.htm

And, yes, Walt Anthony is my friend, but that's not the reason I suggest you buy the book! :) If you take magic performing seriously, this is the best advice I can give! Well worth $35!

Doug
Message: Posted by: 204rags (Mar 1, 2012 11:48am)
My suggestion goes along with the first answer above .............that is a week is rather short in time to come up with an act .........look over the magic you do and pick out the ones that you do best, that you liken and audiences like ............this would be whered I would start............than practice, practice, practice ..........that is make yourself do the tricks over and over and over and over at least 5-10 times a day..........get someone else to watch you and make critical comments.

Magically, Bill Ragsdale
Message: Posted by: jofish999 (Mar 4, 2012 4:06pm)
My tip is to just relax and be your self.
Message: Posted by: djbmagic101 (Mar 17, 2012 7:06am)
Thanks again everyone... I had got through until they changed the date. It's on the night I go away, so I knew another person who started into magic after I showed tricks in school, so hopefully there will still be a bit of magic in the show.
Thanks for all your helpful comments, djbmagic101