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Skeptic New user Holland MI 46 Posts |
I did my first(and only) kids event a while back. I was asked by a local bookstore to do magic for the midnight release party for the latest Harry Potter book. I still have mixed feelings about how the event went.
First there were more people there than anyone expected. I arrived at about 10:00PM and there were 100's of people at the store. This store is a tiny little place. most every one was gathered around outside. Lot's of kids. Secondly, there was no room to perform. I was hired to do strolling magic. The story was elbow to elbow. the outside was poorly lit. only the street light. I was in a costume that I own. I go to Renn. fairs so I just reused that outfit. I had a number of tricks with me that I had repurposed in a Harry Potter patter. I used the Haunted key, scotch and soda, ESP cards, Tarot Cards, and a few others. I wowed the store owner and son before hitting the crowd. It helped to relax me. The I worked the crowd. WOW. Kids are tough. especially 12 year old girls in packs unsupervised by any adults. I did a few tricks for them and then when I moved on to find some new groups they followed me and would not leave me alone. It was a fun at first but it degenerated into an non-stop talking and questioning thing then came the grabbing..... Needless to say it was a long night. Any one have any tips for a situation like this. Is strolling close up not a good thing for this chaotic of an event? What would you have done? |
magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
It is certainly a tough situation to be in. I do strolling type of magic at the fairs I perform at and do them between my main stage shows.
What tends to work for me is that I find a spot and I perform a short 10 min type of a show. The people gather around to watch and I attract the crowd in various ways. Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. I make sure that I project and perform to everyone around me and not just a select group of people. After the 10 mins I say my ending comments, talk about my stage show and I move on to a new spot. It usually works pretty well and I find I have better success with it and can control situations better. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
rsummer27 Loyal user South Carolina 225 Posts |
If you are working an event and you are the only thing to entertain the people there then you will have that problem. If it gets to be really bad as you described then I would go back to my car, sit for 10 minutes or so, then come back set up and preform a bigger show.
Start setting up and wait for the crowd to build, then work it like you would a street corner. Have a solid beginning middle and end then pack up and take another break. Then you have a bigger crowd and you are futher from the ones you are performing for. It also appears to have a structure to it. It keeps people from running up to you and saying, "Mister, do the sponge ball thingy again."
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
I agree with rsummer. If you make it into smaller shows and treat it as such, you tend to gain a bit more control.
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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