The other day I made a post asking for ideas to perform at a baseball field. J.C. Sum made a suggestion to use a flatbed truck to quickly move a stage illusion on and off the field in a timely fashion. When I first read his response I was only looking at what I needed and his idea killed two birds with one stone. I then began to think about it even more and J.C. has really hit on something here.

These are just some rambling thoughts that might be of benefit to anyone else. Feel free to add your thoughts. Maybe someone here at the Café would really want to use this stuff.

The use of a flatbed truck could be much more than an easy transport for a single event. It could be used much the same as Carnies do today, or like the traveling medicine shows of old. Whether it is a flatbed truck or a 18 wheel trailer with a removable side, this could be a traveling stage.

Think about it, every time you perform your stage would be exactly the same. Most of today’s stages no longer have trap doors and the like that the old masters would use. Your custom portable stage could be made anyway you like allowing you more flexibility in the type of illusions you perform.

If you are the venturist type you could put on your own traveling show like the old traveling circus. Go from town to town, park the stage, get a permit and put on some shows for a week, tear down, move on, repeat as necessary. Even Billy Graham became quite famous starting out with Tent Revivals.

So instead of using trailers to simply haul equipment between venues, think about the trailer itself being the stage for the venue.

With today’s generators you can have a self-contained traveling show with lights, riggings, sound and the whole setup. All of this as a portable, reliable, familiar setting. And think of all that space under the trailer and what could be done with that.

Yes, this does break the traditional method of playing at theatres, but it does bring back a little renaissance to it. I’m not sure if anyone else is currently doing this but it could be a unique way to identify yourself and set yourself apart from other performers. All you need is something a little different. It’s sort of like a strolling magician with stage size illusions.

I don’t know for sure, but it sure seems like the use of a trailer for illusions could be used in some creative, if not retro ways. Thanks for the inspiration J.C.

Thoughts?

Hi Kipp,

Thanks for the comments and for starting this thread.

For the record, the trailer-stage concept has been/ is being used by several magicians. I know Luis De Matos, Dean Hankey and the guy who performs the 'Farmhouse Frolics' festival/ fair show in the US have used one before, where the trailer opens up and converts into a stage.

I'm pretty sure others have done so before - complete with sound, lights and seating. There are probably several other people in the Café who could shed even more light on this.

I personally think the concept is great if you have a touring show in a large domestic market that justifies the cost.

To clarify my original idea, my main intention was to intergrate a b*** with the flatbed of the truck - making the truck the illusion method itself.

Best,

J C

Boy, how hard it is to have an original concept in magic? Is it true that everything has already been done before and all we can do is improve upon old ideas?

Luis De Matos also had a semi trailer that converted into a portable stage.... Don't know if he still uses it, though.

http://www.luisdematos.pt/index2.html
In the site above, go to the 'tour' link, then click on the 'Teatro Movel' link in the text.... in that page is a video of the Mobile Theatre being set up.

It wont let me enter the site for some reason. I click enter but nothing happens.
Nick

A country singer came to the town I live at last fall. I think his name was Tracy Lawrence... anyway, he has two simi trailers that went side by side to form a stage. When they first got here, they looked like two ordinary simi trailers, but then they parked them right next to each other. The they took the sides off and coverted them into the set, then the top raised above the stage by twenty feet with the speakers attached. They played a half stadium show with a stage that set up in less than 2 hours. And that is all the lights, sound, and the other equipment... What I am trying to say is that it could save you a lot of time and money in the long run. You might not have two semi trucks, but hopefully you get the picture..

Dylan

Nick- does your computer have a pop-up blocker? That may be why you can't view it.

I was actually pricing these over the last few years and a basic unit can start at about $40,000 and go as high as $1,000,000. Dean Hankey had his for sale for around $18,000.

Nope, nothing new. Back in the 1980's & early 90's, I used to do a lot of fairs and festivals. Most of the time, my stage was a flatbed truck. It frequently still had risidual hay and manure on the floor!

$1,000,000 just for a stage? You would have to do a few shows to cover that expense!

Hi Guys,

I guess this thing can be summed up this way. DON'T GO WHERE THE PATH MAY LEAD, GO INSTEAD WHERE THERE IS NO PATH AND LEAVE A TRAIL.

You can't steal second and keep your foot on first. I don't know who the author is, but this is some good stuff to think about.

Pax Mentis

Where I live, the city used to rent stage trailers. I've performed on a few of them over the years and the setup is fairly quick - less than half an hour. I think it only has to have hydraulics lift the trailer and one side of the trailer, to form an awning, and then everything has to be locked into place. Then the steps have to be deployed.

Even if it's raining there is a solid roof overhead, on these stages. Blowing rain may present problems, though.

Pax, I am completely lost as to the meaning of your post (as, apparently, is John1964.) What's this got to do with a trailer? Please expand on it.

The City of Houston has several of these -- the ones they purchased in the 1970's were called "showmobiles."

Ah, yes, darn it, it's all been done before. Back in the Middle Ages, theatre groups sponsored by the Church would do touring "mystery plays" on horse-drawn wagons which were essentially stages on trailers.

I also seem to recall reading an article on Chuck Jones & Co., in a magic magazine at one time, that talked about outdoor mall performances they did back in the 70's.

I *think* this was the jist of their idea: Instead on performing on a trailer, they brought their illusions in a cube van, and performed on the roof of the van / truck to the crowds.

Does anyone recall the article, or know from first-hand experience if this was correct?

I could be remembering incorrectly, but it struck me at the time as so unusual that they might perform way up on top of a van / truck roof.

- Donald

Here is a scale model of a possible stage for you

http://legorides.tripod.com/kuvat/misc/magicshow.htm

In one of the Karrell Fox Books he is pictured performing at the auto show on a portable stage set up in the back of a pick-up truck.

Frank Tougas

I like the idea MCM.... lol.

MCM,
that's great. Nice work.
Edd

Just an FYI, it is not my doing, I just remembered seeing it when poking around the web one day.