I’m putting together a stage manipulation act that will cover all four seasons. I start with spring doing some flower productions and a kind of endless rose thing. That leads into summer where I’ll do a small parasol production routine with a salt pour but using sand instead of salt and then end it with multiplying bubbles. I know I want the big finish to be winter with a snowstorm effect, but I can’t think of anything for fall!

I need some ideas for manipulation magic related to fall. Color changing leafs…maybe….? I also wanted to do a wilting flower thing as a transition into winter. The whole thing is to a chopped up version of Vivaldi's four seasons, and there’s byplay with a child assistant around age 5 or 6 so it has sort of a comedic tone to it if that helps.

Any ideas?

Hi, you could do some card manipulation with the leaves B.P. ,some fan productions ,ect.. The shape and texture of the leaves might be work against you ,but not to much I would imagine.

Some ideas for the leaves ...

* Color Changing Leaves
* Leaves Productions
* Diminishing Leaves
* Enlarging Leaves
* Floating Leaf

Hope this helps.

Produce a pumpkin! Maybe even zombie it around?
-Daniel

You know, that pumpkin idea gets me thinking that maybe I can somehow toss some candle magic into the fall section, with jackolanterns. Maybe a multiplying candle effect as I try to place a candle in a lantern and keep getting more and more candles.

I think that might work. Thanks!

Fruit productions. Grape, apples, pears, etc.

Best,

Soleil

There is a wonderful children's story by Chris Van Allsburg (author of _The Polar Express_) called "The Stranger" in which the Stranger breathes on a green leaf and it turns to orange. You could probably make a paddle-type leaf to do this. (If you've never read _The Stranger_, you should check it out at a library. In some ways I like it a lot more than _The Polar Express_.)

P&A has a blendo bag that transforms into a large snowman silk, which would be great for winter.

I think there's also a silk routine where the kids throw colors at a 36" black and white flower silk in a change bag and it becomes first a mismade (miscolored) silk and then is transformed to a properly colored silk. Can't remember who the manufacturer is.

A beach pail could be used for a summer Midas Dream routine.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

This is a good idea. The fruits will look colorful when they are produced or used in conjunction with different effects.

You said you were going to have a child assistant. How about introducing the child in the autumn segment dressed up in some back to school clothes carrying school books. You could do some book tricks like the coloring book. In know that’s not manipulation but it might add some comic relief to you routine as you wanted. Maybe even float the child in the “windy” fall weather.

Other ideas:

Spring—Birds and rabbits
Summer—Change of costume into short sleeves. Possibly a stage size cups and balls with fruit. Fire and water tricks also
Winter—Your right, the snow storm is a natural!

Perhaps for the summer routine you are "dressed down" into shorts or a lighter shirt or something. then you notice a chill in the air as it turns to fall, and the leaf effects start, so you put on a coat (this would be a great context to effect any prop steals as well). this will make the audience's mind clear that a change has occured.

Michael P. Lair has a very interesting zombie style effect with a mini beach ball. Might be worth looking into.

C