Hi guys~
I'm trying to do magic show for my last year of school talent show.
However, I don't have much money to put into grand illusions that I would like.
So... would you guys help me out to find the places that rent illusions?

By the way, I live in Watsonville in CA.
Thank you so much!

This has been posted before, do a search of the Café.

There was a place in CA that rented illusions.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

Why do you have to do illusions? A few polished stage routines will probably serve you better.

How long to you have to prepare until the show?
How long will your performance be?

If you're still set on illusions (anything you do will take some time to prepare...) I would recommend visiting Andrew Mayne's site: http://www.ShockMagic.com and click on 'Illusion Plans'.

Maybe you could pick an opening and closing illusion from there and fill the middle with stage magic and some audience participation. You won't be in debt at the end, either!

By the time you rent an illusion, pay for the transport, hire help, and all other incidentals you will have paid for 50% of the illusion. Renting them is the least cost effective way.

I agree with Matt. Why do you need to do an illusion show?

If you put together a couple of stage effects, such as a Comedy Cut and Restored rope routine, you can entertain the entire auditorium, involve others such as the principle or a teacher and have a great time in the process.

Then, when it's over and you've saved all that money you'd have spent renting some illusion for a whole lot of money, you could take a couple of the girls out to eat and still have money left over!

If you really want to do some illusions though, get "Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic" book. It will cost you about $20 and can be found in your local (national big box) bookstore.

There is a section in it that covers illusions that you can make at home using card board boxes, etc. You can get them FREE at an appliance store (they get rid of them after unloading washers, dryers, refrigerators and such). These are the same illusions Mark performed for years on television.

Good luck.
Mark.

I would have to agree with the others that have spoken, why illusions? Yes they are cool to do but it’s the ego thing! Even for current magicians that have bigger illusions and they still had to have more thinking that it will make them the "star".

Instead of beating you up about wanting illusions, let me ask you this...what do you do currently in magic? Are you proficient with close up or you do some parlor routines or some stage acts?

Robert

Come on, guys...what would you want to do for your school's talent show: a cut & restored rope trick, or Windshear!

Surely Mark Wilson or somebody could help this lad out with something.

Mark Wilson's video series on illusions has a number of inexpensive illusions you can build, even out of cardboard. On Magic Land of Alakazam they made a lot of the illusions out of cardboard.

There are simple easy to make illusions such as the Arabian Tent, Victory Cartons, etc. that are cheap to make and play well. Mark has some of these in the Complete Course in Magic.

I heard that Andrew Mayne illusions are cheesy and not worth of buying.
Is that true?

Go black art (do a search) a street hip hop scene.

People vanishing, appearing, changing places.

You probably have a stage, a little black velvet, some bright street lights, etc.

Check it out, you go boy. Don't let the others on this thread put you down.

There seems to be an assumption that you do not already have an stand-up act.

Not sure where the folks here got that from???? Someone???

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

I don't know what are you talking about the black art.

Would you explaine about that little bit more? ^^;

Thanks a lot!

If you don't know what black art is you probably aren't ready to do illusions just yet. This isn't a bad thing and I'm not trying to discourage you... You haven't told us anything about your background: What stand-up material to you already have? How long until the talent show? How much time will you have onstage?

I would recommend you read about illusions first: pick up a copy of Gary Darwin's "Inexpensive Illusions," the Paul Osbourne books, I think Andrew Mayne's work is very good.

In my opinion, 'In-your-hands' stage magic and audience participation is the way to go for your show. Maybe finish with an inexpensive illusion (Andrew Mayne, Mark Wilson etc.)

Let us know more about YOU and maybe we can offer some more help.

I acutually know what the black art means,
but I don't think I can do that in my sitution since I have to do on school's stage where I can't control the backdrop, floor, and light.

So far,
the best tricks I have ever performed was subtitution trunk with my assistent.
It cost not much money because one teacher helped with building.

Anyhow, my next talent show will be May 25th on Friday which is about 80 days from now on and I'm thinking to do for about 45 minutes if I can.

Any helpful advice? Thanks a lot

Research a Spirit Cabinet. Costs very little and if done right, can play very large on a stage.

Research on this site and also Tarbell v6.

As far as illusions go, check out Paul Osbourne's Easy-Build illusions, Andrew Mayne's Voodoo Box, Darwin's Inexpensive illusions and Mark Wilson's Course. Close with your Sub-Trunk. I would still recommend filling the middle with some strong 'in-one' stage magic and audience participation.