Hello everyone!
I'm just now returning to the magic scene after a hiatus of about 25 years because of my son.
He's interested in magic and would like to perform at next year's local Fringe Festival as a busker (it's easy to get a buskers license there, they're very generous with them).
We saw two guys last year that built themselves a sort of 'rolling jukebox' where they stand inside, someone comes along and turns a handle to whatever kind of song they want, Happy, Sad, or Wild Card and then they put a coin in the slot. The coin hits a little bell and they open the curtain, interact with the crowd (they usually draw a pretty big crowd) and play some music.
My son suggested that this sort of thing would be cool to do.
I'm envisioning something as simple as a box on wheels as the table, with an integral seat for him and some upright posts to put a curtain around the back (not the front, I just want to keep people behind him from seeing the effects).

Do you think this is doable/practical? My wife is quite the artist and was going to paint it up to look "Gypsy-ish" in reds and gold.
Comments? Suggestions?

This might also get better responses in the "Step Right Up" Forum.
Good luck to you out there sir. Anything that brings you closer to your
son is a worthy investment.

This venture will leave an indelible impression in him, for a lifetime!
P.s. 25 years eh? that's a whole lot of IBM and SAM dues.

Someone did that in NYC many many years ago. She had a fridge box with doors cut in and a panel on the right with a set of wooden buttons each one next to a song. When you put a coin into the slot and pushed a button, she would come out in an appropriate outfit and play a couple of bars of the song. The only one I can remember (we're talking pre-'84 here) was "Tomorrow" from Annie. When you selected it, she came out in a wild red wig with white circles over her eyes and played a couple of bars of "Tomorrow."

Are you looking to adapt the idea to magic? Listing tricks? "Linking Rings, 25cents"? If so, acouple of thoughts...

- People know the songs...and what they like. They may not identify with trick names ("Gee mommy, whats 20th centruy silk?") Also, you'd have to change some (Hey, I wonder what this trick "Card thru Glass" is about?) to the point you'd have "Card Trick" listed,
- With music you can play a few bars for a quarter...then stop and ask for more. Hard to stop in middle of cups and balls..."Beofre my final load" I'd like you to deposit aother 25 cents.
- Leads us to pricing...are you going to peform for a quarter? two? Have a bill slot? Hat them those that didn't pay after you do the trick?
- There's a wider variety of music (heck, you can play the same song as country, pop, metal, classical, etc) So that can spark audience interest by seeing if musician can play a favorite tune, and it allows them to mix things up. How many tricks would you list? How long would it keep audience interest?

Given all the above, you could incorpate the idea into an act. Gather a crowd, do and opening trick. Then anounce you will allow the audience to select the next trick...and you could bring out a "juke box" and have a volunteer select a trick. Heck, make them put in a quarter...get them use to idea of giving you money, might make the hatting easier. Do the trick they select...then a finale, then hat. You could do it as father/son act. You do the opening, then point to box...have volunteer select trick, then your son peforms it. Then you do finale together.

Or, you could use something similar to build a crowd. Make a giant "iPod" out of cardboard...have a list of tricks on it. At your pitch, as people walk by, offer them chance to select a trick...might be enough to get their curiousity up enough to stop.

Just a few insominia fueled thoughts....

There used to be a musician (homeless) who played trumpet while in a box. Same idea. People tipped, he'd open a trapdoor, poke his horn out and play.

I remember this because he died recently and there was coverage about him and his life story in the news.

Sounds like an interesting concept if it suits you.

Seen a few people dress up zoltar the fortune teller from the film big. You could build a box from plastic pipe so its light to carry. I have also wondered about having a set of boxes or draws. each are numbered 1-6. Then someone pays roll a dice and what ever number comes up you open the box and do the effect. curistoy box