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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
After reading another thread, I noticed that the magicians mainly booked up for Halloween dress as a Wizard. Christmas shows can sometimes see the entertainer dressed as an Elf. I know we have several popular magicians on this site dressed as pirates, clowns and cowboys.
I had a Pirate themed show once, but after a year of advertising it on my website, I removed it because it didn’t bring in a single booking and just made the site look cluttered. I currently have a Wizard based show for Halloween and would like to market it as such for other festivals and events. But the question remains, does a theme show bring in any more work than your regular Birthday party show? So did the client request the themed show because they saw that you offered it, but you would have got the job even if they didn’t know about it? Does having a page of the various themed shows you offer on a website help bring in the business? Also, let’s say you have 4 shows at a weekend, but one of those shows wants it themed to pirates. You cannot change at the venue and then change back for the next show, and carrying a round two shows of tricks etc. is a problem also. How would you handle having to change shows and costume 4 times a day? Steve P.S. educational based shows for school have a market, I know. But very very limited in some parts of the world. And I know Library shows have a set theme that helps sell yourself. But for general parties around the UK for instance, does theme make the difference? |
kimmo Inner circle Sheffield 1193 Posts |
Sounds like a faff and a half to me - messing about switching from one theme and character to the next! I offer no variations in package or theme - just a one hour show - and I choose the content, giving the client no options whatsoever.
I think a long list of choices can just scare the client away sometimes. The only exception is that I do offer a reading show for schools and libraries.
VISIT MY ONLINE STORE!: www.kimmomagicshop.com
NEW LECTURE NOTES - SHOW US YOUR TRIX NOW AVAILABLE AS AN INSTANT DIGITAL DOWNLOAD! Kimmo DVD available Now! Watch the promo here! Order your copy NOW! CLICK HERE! ENTERTAINER,MAGICIAN AND VENTRILOQUIST'S BLOG - DON'T READ THIS... |
magicone Veteran user Doylestown, PA 351 Posts |
I've always had a "Birthday Show", "Holiday Show" and created a "Nursery Rhyme Show" this last year.
Coming in January I will add a "Pirate Show", "Safari Show" and "Farmyard Show" in hopes of attracting more business. I have always been busy with the Birthday Show and only booked the existing themes a few times. I've had calls for the Pirate show already and have lost the business because I didn't have a themed show so I expect this show to be used. The way I will address the additional effort to prepare and present a themed show will be in adding cost to the bottom line. It definitely will involve me rotating out my props and a costume change. Oh and my "Holiday Show" is changing to a "Christmas Show" because I'm tired of being politically correct all the time I've not been able to find nice silks that say "Happy Holidays" with all the different religions represented so now when I hold up my "Merry Christmas" silk I will actually be saying that! I have no ill feelings toward other religions but my show is full of Santa Claus, Rudolph, and the like and this year I'll be adding a vent mask calling him "Buddy the Elf" and we'll have a dialog about the North Pole and Santa. I'll be interested in hearing more on this topic thanks for starting it Steve! |
alexa Veteran user NJ 393 Posts |
David,
My father and I being Jewish magicians we've run into that. It sounds like you were already doing a xmas show in which case it is not a holiday show. Channukah is a minor Jewish holiday and the entire theory of the "holiday season" "happy holidays" gift-giving, trees, santa, etc being secular is untrue and at times offensive. I think you are being MORE politically correct by calling what you offer by the correct name. Alexa |
magicman1 Inner circle 1183 Posts |
Thanks for that info. Alexa
Makes a lot of sense. Don |
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
I offerer customized shows based on some themes.
This is done easily with a change in a vent routine, song or prop. Example I wrote on the Café a month or so ago, was use of paper cups instead of traditional "cups and balls". The whole show is not themed, just 2 or 3 bits within the show. My consumers seem to appreciated the effort. I can not please or book every call, but this seems to add to a closing. Harris still too old to know everything.
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
I offer a variation on my primary character: Comedy magic, Harry Potter Magic and Mad Science. All three are still my Happy Dan character with the addition of a wizard's robe and hat or a white lab coat. Each show has its own Lefler Table packed and ready to go. My Honda Element can easily transport all three tables along with my sound, staging and lighting, if needed.
You have to look at what is hot with children in your market. I have effects that I've modified to include Dora the Explorer, Cars, Transformers, Spiderman, Harry Potter and so on. If a client has a particular party theme in mind, I can usually accommodate it with a little tweaking. Think outside of the box with new approaches to themes. Make it easy on yourself. For example, if I were to offer a pirate-themed show, I suspect I would approach it as the Potter-style professor presenting a comedy and magical "lecture" on pirates. A novel approach that might require a simple outer wardrobe addition and deviates from the competition in my area.
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Costumizing and themes also make it more fun for this theatrically based entertainer. The cups mentioned above were from the party section at Walmart. A wonderful member of the Café kindly reminded me of Party Shops that have even a broader selection of items.
Hats, wigs and vest (worn by me) also can create interesting "bits". "Mother Magic" (new avatar) is just one of my characters that I put on during a program. I arrive in a neutral..and add / subtract to create characters. Pat Fraley's Greatest Cartoon Voices may be helpful to those wanting to add bits to their program. Harris
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
RJE Inner circle 1848 Posts |
We offer some specific themed shows and offer to customize any show for clients should they request it.
Our pirate themed show, while it is not our most often performed show, is one of our more popular themed shows. We book shows because of it. In fact, on an upcoming performance of it, I offered the client another show that I thought might be more suitable to her circumstances. She insisted that she contacted us because of the pirate show and that is what she wanted, period. The pirate show has its own pirate ship backdrop and the entire show is done in pirate dialogue and costume. Each routine is related to a pirate as well. To keep in mind, not only might clients come looking for a themed show, but there are ready markets to tap for your shows. We have done a number of Pirate Festivals/Days because of our pirate show too. Doing theme shows should not be a burden. You look at what effects you can do in your regular show. You create your themed character. Now, perform the effects the way that your character would including speach, mannerisms, routines and bits. Once you're creating the show while in the character's role, it should come easily. You can check out out promo video to see a sample of some of the different characters or themes that we present http://www.evansandevans.ca/video.htm (the pirate show is not on the video, but pictures and description are on the web site). |
TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
I'm with Kimmo - I offer an hour of solid magic, which I choose. I give them my show, not a different show.
However I will often tailor the show for special occasions. I am getting a lot of requests for pirate shows, because one of my colleagues here in Cork does a good pirate act. I am new to the market here, and if someone asks for a pirate I will give them a pirate. My costume changes, but my act remains the same. For halloween I have some great costumes, but again the show remains the same (patter will be altered in places to reflect the season, but that's as far as I go).
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
JamesinLA Inner circle Los Angeles 3400 Posts |
I have themed shows for the holidays and they add to my bottom line. I have just my summer fun show, then my Halloween show, which I just wrapped up. Next is my winter show. This is a truly secular celebration because, especially where I live, there are so many religions that I don't want any kid feeling left out and it also makes business sense because there is a wider market.
Jim
Oh, my friend we're older but no wiser, for in our hearts the dreams are still the same...
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ColinDymond Special user Gloucestershire, England 675 Posts |
I booked more Wizard shows this year than any other. It looks like Halloween is getting bigger every year in the UK.
I normally charge extra for my wizard costume as it's an extra expence and time.
Colin Dymond
www.aceofdiamonds.co.uk |
magicone Veteran user Doylestown, PA 351 Posts |
It's interesting to see all who offer Pirate shows, and Skips ideas on the commercial characters. I've personally stayed away from the commercial characters (Dora, Diego, Mickey, Batman, etc) just out of fear of doing something wrong with copyrights.
I like the idea of a "Winter Show" James. My area (NY, NJ, PA tri-state) has so many religions represented, Jewish, Christian, Islam, Hindu, etc, that my "Holiday Show" with all the icons most often times viewed as secular seemed to not fit the title. Maybe some of our silk/magic manufactures could capitalize on this need for magic diversity.... hint, hint |
Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
I'm thinking the way to go is to combine the 'themed' shows with the educational shows. Most of those are on weekdays which have less running about between shows and are usually all at schools so less having to change between shows.
Off course Birthday Parties can have the themed characters but it will be the show that has an educational theme (although it would be underplayed in the party). Another problem you get with themed shows is website space. You don't want a site that looks cluttered and has far too much to read and absorb. For that reason, combining packages looks like the best way to go in this instance. |
Tod Todson Inner circle USA 1296 Posts |
Author Malcolm Gladwell speaks about this in his "spaghetti story".
If correlations can be made to all human thinking, than offering different themes may in fact matter. Check thee his talk out: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=......4659254# Best, Tod
Mystifier, Youth Speaker
<BR><BR> |
Mindpro Eternal Order 10587 Posts |
But do these shows bring in any more money?
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Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
I have put a lot of resources and time into creating over 20 pirate shows. Because I have a "niche", I am asked to perform all over the UK. Though there are many magicians who offer a "pirate show", there are none (that I'm aware of) who have pirate shows for every specific age, as well as family and adult shows.
Even so, this weekend I have four shows, and all are within a 2 mile radius! The most important thing when considering a themed character is your acting ability. In my opinion, it is a real challenge to offer a selection of characters, because you will always be switching from one character to another, requiring multiple costumes, accents, attitudes, effects, backdrops, sound tracks, etc. Better to develop one character fully, than to offer a selection of badly developed themes. Potty |
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Potty,
Yes it takes more than an eye patch to make a "pirate". Just as much as it takes more than a red nose to make a clown. Harris laughologist, and nearly normal actor......
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
A Birthday Magician Regular user 191 Posts |
I too only have a standard non themed magic show...but it keeps me very busy because I market it and it is a good show. I have thought about themed shows but where do you stop...pirate, cowboy, alien, monster, santa, Harry Potter and the list goes on...I prefer to market to kids/families that want a 'magic' show, get a good sales pitch and nail your market...thats what I try to do.
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
I specialize in themed performances and in fact find it more difficult these days to do a straight non themed magic act.
There are certain benefits to doing themed shows. First, you can charge more as you're offering something no one else is doing. Back when Harry Potter was all the rage I got a lot of work simply because I was the only one in my area that offered a full themed show instead of a regular show withe the word "Harry Potter" thrown in from time to time. Many of the clients I worked for threw extremely lavish parties where everyone was dressed in costume and much money had been spent on decorations. A magician coming in dressed as a clown or in a brightly coloured realtor's jacket performing standard kids magic would have been inappropriate. Another benefit is repeat customers. I do several Scouting events a year. Many of these are repeat appearances. Instead of having to keep a log of which tricks I did in which year for which group so as not to repeat the same show for the same audience. I only have to ask what theme they had the year before and which one they would like this year. thus they get a "new" show in every year which keeps them booking me instead of moving on to another entertainer. Currently I have a half dozen shows of which three, Harry Potter, the Cowboy, and the Renaissance are my most requested. I tend to build a new show each year based on whatever the current library summer reading program theme is. Sometimes these shows will get added to the repertoire, sometimes not. I built the Flea Circus for the library with hopes that it would be a big seller. Unfortunately this hasn't been the case. But then I haven't really been pitching it that hard anyway.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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