Dear all,

I have recently been performing magic again publicly, after years of simple one-off tricks for friends and family. I have also been attending the local IBM ring, and each week a member is given the opportunity to do 15 minutes for the group. I have, inscrutably, been asked to present at the next meeting (in less than four weeks!) and I am DAUNTED. I do not expect to "fool" anyone, but would like to entertain best I can.

I do mostly close-up classics—cards and coins—and would love your input. As fellow magicians, what do you want to see? What do you NOT want to see? How would you prepare for a performance of this sort? What are special considerations for performing for co-conjurers?

I want to treat this opportunity seriously, and I have the advantage of considering an audience I have special access to. What are your thoughts?

Do the things you are good with and comfortable doing. To do otherwise is neither fair for yourself or your audience.
By doing the things you are already comfortable doing, you can focus on presentation.

Assuming that you have already faced up to your 'daunting' fears and performed for your fellow IBMers, could you perhaps let us here on the Café know which effects you decided to perform and in general how things went? I ask, because I frequently face similar jitters and would love to hear how you handled yours.

Deckstacker,

Thank you for asking. I was pleased with how the act went. I was less nervous than I have been in a performance setting, thanks, I believe, to a lot of practice and rehearsal, and the fact of performing for magicians. Wravyn's advice was helpful.

I performed Doc Daley's Last Trick with a presentation I wrote for that occasion. Then, I performed Twisting the Aces with a story I wrote about the saints (also largely for that occasion). Harry Lorayne's 4 of a Kind. I did a short coin bit, not a routine, just two tricks smushed together. Closed with a card sandwich trick I forget the name of, but I believe is from Tarbell 7. Random sleight-of-hand scattered throughout.

In fifteen minutes, I think I performed perhaps too many effects. I need to slow down in general.

In any artistic practice, it is confounding that one's taste always outpaces ability. Looking back, though I was thrilled with how it went and received great feedback, my standards have now commensurately jumped once again, and I can't help but pick apart what I might have done differently.

Jsbosco,

Sounds like you prepared very well and had a commensurately enjoyable and highly educational experience because of that. Congratulations!

It's interesting how various clubs have differing approaches to performances by members. In our Ring, new members are required to audition but all they need to perform is a single effect. Then, about 6 months out of the year are performance nights, an opportunity for members to perform. Those nights typically have a theme. For instance, our June theme is Mentalism. Members may perform a non mentalism routine if they like, but I think members include how well the performer stuck to the theme in their voting decision.

On performance nights, members vote for their favorite performer. The member with the most votes earns Performer of the Month bragging rights and a $20 Amazon gift card. The performance night votes are tabulated for the year and, at our annual Installation Banquet, the member with the most votes earns an Entertainer of the Year plaque.

The best part is the club meetings are a very "safe" place to perform. Members are very understanding and kind, even when something goes wrong.

Mark