My advice? Ignore all the advice given here, go out and do the show, have fun with the kids, then come back and read the posts full of advice and have a good laugh. You'll learn more by doing the show and learning from your audience than you will by paying attention to these posts. Not that there is anything wrong with the advice given in the posts, but it will make more sense to you after you have the experience of working with 9 year olds.

Hi Dan,

thanks again for your answer and for clarifying your posting. I will give it a try - let´s see what will happen. I have already spoken with the mother and have explained what I do - "story magic". She liked the idea, and I also explained that my experience is not that big. So I hope there won´t be too many problems. The only thing now is to find a nice effect for the birthday child....

Magixx

Go for it Calexa.
The kids reactions will teach you what works and problems you may have to think about to make a better act.

Luck,

Hi Calexa:

Now you're getting some good advice - from Dan, Spellbinder, and Jaz! I really have to chuckle at how a couple of guys here get themselves so worked up about your situation: doing some tricks for free for the birthday party of a friend.

Please know that most folks here really do have the spirit of "magicians helping magicians." Have fun at this show - you may find that performing for this age groups comes easily and naturally to you.

Good luck.

Sincerely,

Ron Reid

Most folks on here don't have a clue what they're talking about, and that's a fact. Why do you think so many of the full time Professional magicians left this forum and started another, (which is highly succesfull I might add) and has been going now for about six months. It's because they were sick and tired of seeing so much crap being posted here.

Yes there are also many first class post's on the Café, from some very good professional entertainers, but unfortunatly, you have to look through the rubbish to find them.

This forum has a lot of good in it, A LOT. A crap forum is one like the penguin forum.

Sorry, Billy Whizz, but that is your opinion - not a fact. I won't be responding to anymore of your posts as I don't want to hijack Calexa's request for assistance.

I don't know why you've come back to this forum full of members who post crap (your choice of words); please feel free to leave. Just one question before you go: Are all the members of the other forum as angry and mean-spirited as you?

Good bye.

Ron Reid

Maube not hte way you've put it Ron, but they feel there is a lot of crap being posted too, why do you think they left. And as I said in my previous post, there are a lot of good professional posts on here as well. If you go back through the archives, you and I have never seen eye to eye. You have your opinions and I have mine. I wouldn't be petty enough to say I won't reply to anything you say because I don't agree with it though.

All I want to know, Billy, is why I haven't been invited?

- Donald

Sorry Donald, If it was up to me, I would invite you.

That's ok, Billy. I still like you.

Calexa, because this is your first show for children, I would offer 3 pieces of advice (beyond some of the wise advice that was already offered):

1) Do a short show, perhaps 20 minutes. Don't attempt 30 minutes, or longer. Better to have 20 minutes of stronger material, than 30 minutes of weaker material. Do your best, and ONLY your best. It is ok to stand your ground and tell the customer you will do less, because this is your first show. Don't be pressured into doing more than you can handle.

Remember, because you have accepted this engagement, this birthday mom is now a customer, whether you are being paid or not. Treat this performance as if you were going to do a paid show, for a customer. Think about that relationship, and expectations, and remember to act accordingly with those FACTS. Don't think of this as just a performance I'll be giving for a friend of a friend.

2) Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Know your material inside and out. Don't attempt to wing it. Have your program written out, and properly structured.

- Here is a post on the KidAbra forum, w...... a show.

- In this post, John Cooper suggests a s......outline.

I recall seeing a beginner once do a show at a childcare centre I worked at (one of my former professions). Unfortunately, I arranged to have him do the show, and he just wasn't prepared. As a result, he made me look bad, as well as himself. He did a 10 minute show, but had promised to do 30 minutes. At the finale, he produced a dove pan of candy, and threw it into the audience. Kids scrambled for it, and were crying because of having their hands stepped on, etc. He had not rehearsed enough, and had not thought through the consequences of certain choices he made during his show.

So, again, think through everything and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

3) Buy a copy of David Fiscus' "The Birthday Magicians Handbook" (I think it is published by Lee Jacobs, and was recently re-edited and re-released, even though I don't own one of the newer versions). The best thing that I gained from that book, many years ago, was learning about the differences in the age groups and what worked best for them. Older kids especially want to see some magic that demonstrates skill, such as linking rings, etc. They also respond to a different sort of comedy than younger children.

Hope that this helps.

- Donald

[quote]On 2005-08-20 13:38, Ron Reid wrote:


I am certainly not, I am a veritable fount of sunshine and light. I also find Billy to be an even tempered bloke as well.

Best,

Dan-