I am going to be performing at a Harry Potter themed birthday party show in July. Currently the only two effects that I have that are strictly Harry Potter themed are:

Harry and The Gypsy's Fortune by Alan Strydom (from Online-Visions)
The Harry Potter Wizard's Hat, where the kid ends up with the plunger on his head.

I have other effects that I am going to be doing, but I was wondering what other effects you would do for a show like this. (I'm planning on dressing up as a generic teacher from the movie.)

Jeff

Consider using the plunger bit on yourself, some kids are embarrased by this and you can't pick them out in a crowd.

As for Harry Potter tricks, many standard tricks can be themed to what ever you want, such as the Professor's Nightmare can be Harry's rope.

Put a new cover on the coloring book and make it from Hogwarts.

There are decks of cards from each Potter film; that alone should give you dozens of ideas.

And the Miser's Dream: produce Potter's money from Gringott's Bank.

A hand made mystical magic wand would also add a flair of Potterism. (Is that a word?) I also agree not to do the plunger deal on the child, perhaps it would be more fitting on an absent-minded Dumbledore, namely you.

You really only need a couple of things since the party itself is themed, they will adore the magic anyway. Now get out there and wow 'em!

Also, please let me know how it went.

Also not all your props have to be Harry Potter themed. You could just present some of your usual tricks with appropriate patter. You could present Professor's Nightmare as a homework assignment from Snape. A zombie would make a good bludger or snitch. There is the scene where only Hermione can make a feather float— any levitation tricks could be based around the kids being able to pronounce vengaurdium leviosa or whatever it is.

If you do balloon models learn how to do 3-headed dogs, owls, broomsticks, even Harry himself.

I've never done ballooning before, but fortunately I have a friend who does, and I am either going to have him show me how to make a balloon wand, or I'm going to have him make me a bunch ahead of time that I can use.

Thanks for the advice everyone ... they have given me some great ideas. Keep them coming!

Jeff

Hi Jeff,
A balloon wand ? That sounds like fun. Alchemy magazine had some good ideas, I think they are on a different thread.

Invisible cloak, the marauder`s map, predicing which sweet will be chosen from the multi flavor packet (I've forgotton the name), any floating spell. Pictures appearing and disappearing from frames. The books are full of ideas !
Eddie

I got a call from an out of town library. They wanted a magical program on June 21, 2003. That is the day that Rowling's new Harry Potter Book is coming out.

As a Nearly Normal Voice-Ician (Ventriloquist and Magician) I told them although I do not do a Harry Potter program that I would be glad to share my Nearly Normal program with them.

I plan on doing a card to envelope which of course will be the Howler Letter.

I will have the envelope do an imitation of a duck. Then I will insert my AFLACK gag where the envelope will do his best imitation of the duck on the insurance commercial.

If you do anything with a candle i.e. appearing or vanishing candle you could make reference to the floating candles in the big hall at Hogwarts.

Be careful of course about copyright violation.

Here are a couple of Harry Potter parody songs that are in the process of revision for the program. (Harry Potter is of course a trade marked item.)

(To the tune of "I've been Working on the Railroad")

I've been riding on the railroad
All the live long day
I've been riding on the railroad
to get to Hogwart's today.

Can't you hear the howler letter shouting
Study hard each day
Can't you hear Hagrid Shouting
First years come forward, I say.

First years come forward,
First years come forward
First years come forward I say, I say!

Someone's in the library with Hermione
Someone's in library I know
Someone's in the library with Hermione
Looking up the Phoenix HO HO.

A singing fe fi fideli i o
fe fi fideli i o o o o
fe fi fideli i oooooo
watching out for you know whoooooo.
(the one that can't be named-V....?????r)
________________________

To the tune of Take Me Out to the Ball Game.

Take me out to the Quiditch Game
Take me out with the crowd

Buy me some Bertie Botts Jelly Beans
Be careful with the boogies
they are the ones that are green

For it's root root root for Harry Potter
If he doesn't win it's a shame
for its one two three grabs for the snitch
and he wins the game.

ALL SONG PARODY RIGHTS RESERVED BY
Nearly Normal Magic/Harris Deutsch

Enjoy for your own personal use.

Any comments or new verses please write me at

harris.deutsch@leesummit.k12.mo.us

or nearlynormalmagic@yahoo.com

Harris

Personally I HATE the idea of doing Harry Potter themed shows.

HP and CO are the creation of Rowling and by using them in a magic show I believe it comes across as unoriginal (bordering on copyright infringement) and cheap.

I believe magicians should create their own characters and themes for their shows instead of piggy backing off the latest craze.

Nicholas, I could not agree more. I am not going to say any more though as the previous Harry Potter thread was removed and I'm not going to waste my time repeating myself (and I was really the only one who agreed in principle with the points made by the person who removed the thread!!)

Tony.

Nicholas Johnson writes: "I believe magicians should create their own characters and themes for their shows instead of piggy backing off the latest craze."

First of all, to do that is simply impossible!

As the late physicist Carl Sagan said, "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you would first have to invent the universe."

To follow your advice, Nicholas, would mean that no children's performer would do ANY fairy-tale material, since that's not original. In fact, no performer would do ANY material that ANYONE has used in the history of the world— because it wouldn't be original!

Secondly, in his original post, Jeff did NOT say he wanted to create a Harry Potter-themed show; he said he was booked for such a party and wanted suggestions as to how to handle it.

There's a BIG difference!

There is big difference between taking inspiration from classic, public domain tales and basing an entire show around a reasonably new series of books.

Sure, we all take inspiration and ideas from the world around us and there is no black and white line we can draw but when it comes to those guys who create an ENTIRE show that uses nothing but the words, characters and ideas of Rowling you certainly become unoriginal in my book.

My thoughts were in no way an attack on Jeff for trying to put a couple of effects in his existing routine but more those guys who jump on the bandwagon with cheap themed routines.

Sorry Jeff.

Nicholas,
Fair enough.

Your point is well taken; there are, indeed, far too many performers who jump on the latest bandwagon with a whole show based on the "flavor of the month". All one has to do is look through the threads in the Café to see what you are talking about: many performers asking for details on the latest "hot item" so they can include it in their shows next week!

When the late Karrell Fox used to go into a magic shop, he'd ask "what's old", rather than "what's new." He knew that some of the best stuff around was the old material that was not being done anymore, for whatever reason. (For example, anyone care to make a mind bet on how long it will be before the Sun and Moon Handkerchief Trick is resurrected— now that it's been mentioned here?)

You stick to your guns Nicholas, as like myself you logged onto the Café not to agree with everything and everyone. I usually sit nodding my head at the postings of Harris, but I am intrigued by the proposal that one can 'parody' the works of others and then claim 'Parody Rights Reserved'. All I would say is try this with Disney on a Public Access Forum!!

OK, the local toy store will capitalise on 'the dish of the day'— whether it be Turtles, Thomas the Tank Engine, Starwars, Harry Potter of whatever. They are in business to market licensed goods at a profit. But if we had used every 'dish of the day' over 25 years my workshop would be full of light sabres, Disney costumes, Turtle shells, Ghostbusters accessories etc.— all sadly looking somewhat 'cheap', worn-out, overplayed and exploited to make a quick buck! As it is I enter and see the results of my own initiatives— twenty or so one-off hand made marionettes, plus quality Supreme and other dealer magical props. Any kid in town can watch a Harry Potter video— but to see what we have to offer, they have to book a party with AceParties.

(As this is an open public forum, the premises of AceParties are heavily alarmed and under the eye of German Shepherds by the way!!)

Cheers, - Tony.

Ace,

It was tongue in Cheek.

Mostly to myself. I had just had a meeting with a company about doing some multiple shows about conservation. They were shopping around for another demonstrator for school programs. They told me they had to come up with a new magic word because the one they had been using was trademarked.

With a smile and wink to myself and others.

I love this forum and all the ideas that are shared. It is great to have a place where we can share, agree and agree to disagree.

I take my work with families very seriously.
On the other hand like the angels I try to take myself more lightly.

You are all appreciated by,

Harris

If you did balloon wands, you could pop them. This would make them disappear really fast.

Peter is right on with his comments!!!!

He usually is.

Thanks everyone, and Peter is right, the main character that I play is not Harry Potter themed. The B-day party I am performing at is a Harry Potter theme (the kid is a fanatic) and I was looking at how to handle it. The character I will be creating is strictly for this party, and unless I am asked to perform as this character at another party, I will go back to my old shtick at my next performance.

Thanks for the input everyone!

Jeff

With older kids (above 9-years old) I've had some success using a book test with the Harry Potter Azkabar book and the "34" force based on "Ahoy There" from Apocalpyse (Max Maven). Usually there is at least one major fan who has read the book and is thrilled to be part of the routine. The first word on p. 34 is "Wand" and on p. 43 is "Beaming". Pretty good revelations for a book test. I use a Piatt envelope to sell either choice. I have had someone say "What was the word on p. 34?" or vice versa after the original word was revealed.

Jim T.