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Herr Brian Tabor Special user Oklahoma City 729 Posts |
I am getting ready, for the first time, to start doing magic professionally. I've done magic since I was 6, I am 26 now. I get offers all the time to do shows, but never take them. I am a college student, and both of my knees are bad, so regular jobs are very difficult for me. My wife wants me to pursue this too, so I'm going to. However, I'm wondering what you guys think about using your real name versus a stage name? My real name is Brian Tabor. I have thought that I want a name that will be easy to remember, and I don't want to be another "magic steve" so to speak. I want a name that can be remembered, so that repeat bookings are easier, etc. My wife and I played around quite a bit with ideas, and decided to play on the fact that I'm bald. (I shave my head). It started as cueball, then cue, then Q. Q the magician. The idea here is that it plays for adults and children shows alike. Q is easy to remember, and sounds mysterious, or magician-like to me. On the other hand, there was a rather popular character on a TV show called Q once. What do you guys think?
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Herr Brian Tabor Special user Oklahoma City 729 Posts |
By the way, I want honesty If you like it, tell me, if you don't, tell me. I'm not going to take offense, I need honest feed back.
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curtgunz Special user Only 99% of users have more than 784 Posts |
Tell us a little more about your act.
I lean toward just using your real name. Your magic is what will "brand" you and get you noticed. But, keep in mind, this is coming from a guy named "Professor QB" when performing. So, it depends on your act. Also, I'm wondering why you say, "I get offers all the time to do shows, but never take them." Most people who get bit my the magic bug are doing a lot of shows before they go pro. More than a name, I'd advise you to start doing as many shows as you can. Perform all you can so you can see if you even like it or feel that it is right for you. I would bet that 99% of the people here started doing shows for fun (even if they were paid a little) before they decided to "go pro" so that kind-a seems the path to go. Also, I think you'll find that even though full time performing is a blast, one the most fun ways to make a living, it will be every bit as demanding physically as any other job. I only say this because you mention bad knees making other jobs difficult. We have performers here on the forum who are doing great professionally and yet have physical challenges. But from what I've seen, they are doing magic because they love it and it is their passion, not as a fall back position because other jobs would be too difficult. I don't want this to sound preachy. I want you to succeed wildly and be part of this fun, exciting fellowship of performers. You do need to think about all these things and if it is where your heart is full steam ahead. Please remember all us little people when you have your own Vegas show. And seriously, good luck!
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Herr Brian Tabor Special user Oklahoma City 729 Posts |
You don't sound preachy at all, no worries. The reason I haven't done the shows is I never really had one put together. I perform frequently, but usually it is nothing more than a 10-15 minute act. I am often asked to perform by my professors something relevant to the class material, for example. I never took the longer paying gigs because I wasn't prepared, I never had built a show for longer times, and I didn't have the equipment to carry and set up either (tables and cases) for a longer show. I have more recently gotten a lot of these ducks in a row so to speak. As far as the knees go, I am fine for the most part, I just can't usually stand for 8 hours straight, and most of the jobs in my area require this.
Describing my adult show would be hard, especially since I'm not done building it. When I normally perform I have some comedy, and there is a lot of light-heartedness, though I wouldn't consider my show true "comedy magic". I've been told I present my magic with an "intelligent feel" by one of my professors, if that makes sense. As far as kid shows go, it's pretty standard silly stuff. My hope though is to move into the corporate realm, performing more for adults than children, but I'm not going to turn down children's shows because experience is experience. Not to mention children's shows are fun to do! As far as the name goes, it's also a desire to have something universally marketable. It's easy to remember, even if a client lost my card. I plan on doing adult, children, and renaissance fair* shows (*i have a few friends who are seriously into the SCA and similar organizations who want to to try it). And Q works for all of these. Q for adults is more intelligent, Q for children is silly, and Q for ren-fairs is almost a mix of the two. Essentially, Q is what my wife now calls the personality that manifests as soon as I start performing. It's not a character I'm working on, it's who I already am when I perform. I'm just trying to find a name that suits that, if my own doesn't work. It's just an idea though, I haven't made up my mind all the way yet. I just don't want to be another "magic steve" or "amazing bob" |
Herr Brian Tabor Special user Oklahoma City 729 Posts |
I should also mention that most everyone mispronounces my last name and misspells my first name. They spell it "bryan" and call it "tahboar" instead of "tayber" and this is quite annoying after a while lol.
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DutchFrank Special user Has a fence with 541 Posts |
Brian Q. Ball! The bald and the beautiful
Forgive me any language mistakes.
I'm Dutch. |
Herr Brian Tabor Special user Oklahoma City 729 Posts |
Haha!
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DutchFrank Special user Has a fence with 541 Posts |
Baldicue
Baldi-Q ?
Forgive me any language mistakes.
I'm Dutch. |
mr shiney Loyal user 266 Posts |
Not just me then
For me it is great to have a name associated was the way I look so I've never needed a costum that people remember ( the one in the spotted suit) It's (the one with the bald head) |
Philip Busk Loyal user 229 Posts |
The Magic Q Bald
Philip Busk
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KC Cameron Inner circle Raleigh, North Carolina 1944 Posts |
Mr. Q
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