Calling all creative minds... I'm doing a magic show as part of a large Christmas production at our church. It is a multi-venue event, where many things will be happening in different areas of the building repeatedly. I will be doing 5 shows beginning every 30 min. The show should be about 15 min in length. The show will be for families with an elementary age emphasis.

My persona for this show will be new to me. I will be a "mad scientist", Doctor A -whos life ambition is to bring snow to life. I've been "busy, busy, busy" working on just the right device. On stage in my labarotory is a life size snow man (that looks fake) that will come to life at the end of the show.

The two elements that I will definitely include are:
1 - Whit Hayden's Teleportation Device - I make a snow flake out of flash paper attach it to the Device, but I describe it as my latest invention. The Snow Invigorator 3, you don't want to ask what happended to the snow invigorator 1 and 2. But this one will work perfectly. I turn the dials, and it makes noise and lights up. Suddenly the flash paper ignights and is gone. It worked, it worked, but Frosty is not invigorated. Suddenly a video comes on the screen above my head. It is the children's pastor covered in snow flakes that match the one that disappeared from my device. He says, "Dr. A what are you doing? I was just sitting hear, and now I'm covered in snow. Are you experimenting again? Didn't you get the gift I sent?" A large present is sitting on the stage unopened (Kevin James' snow animator 3). "I have been so "busy, busy, busy" I haven't had time for presents. Sorry about that pastor Jim, but I have to go now"...

2 - ? Any thougts about the middle...

3 - Closer. I finally open the present. Music starts and I do Snowstorm in China with a Snow Animator 3. As the snow falls on Frosty, he comes to life and twirls around on the stage. Dramatic closing. Then Pastor Jim comes up and connects the metaphor of the gift that brings life to the gift of Jesus bringing life to our world. Jesus has given each of us a great gift, have you opened your present? or have you been too busy, busy, busy...

This is the basic plan at this point. I'm thinking I may need something to warm the audience up. Maybe something in front of 1, and then I may need something in the middle. Possibly another attempt at snow invigorating. Any thoughts? I'm excited, but could use your help. Let your creative juices flow...

I really like what you have so far. I will give it some thought.

The Wizards' Journal # 11, "Frosty the Zombie." Also, I am currently working on a sponge ball snow ball routine using home made white sponge balls. It ends with a transformation of the spongeballs into a miniature sponge Frosty Snowman that "runs away."

I've recently got a set of Goshman's Golf Balls. From a distance they look like white sponge balls, though they are covered in plastic film and don't compress as well as a supersoft sponge ball. I'm developing a Christmas routine for them.

Also look at the Creative arts website they do a spring snowman for a dove pan.

I have a version of the misers dream using bubbles and 2 inch acrylic balls. outdoors I use a bubble machine. not sure why but kids are obsessed with this one...

I use a square circle to make the decorations for my backdrop & onstage Christmas tree appear.

Nice square circle idea Mike!

Thanks for the advice guys. I have modified a couple of things:
1 - When the video pops up above me, pastor Jim isn't covered with snow flakes. He has actually been teleported to the North Pole. We will film him in front of a green screen and have a blizzard as the back drop. He will hold a large snow flake to match the one that I made vanish with the teleportation device. He comes on the screen and asks if I have been experimenting again. He says, this reminds him of the snow invigorator one and two. As I sign off with him, I ask him to bring me back a snow ball.

2 - Shortly I get delivered a cooler, with a sticker that says special delivery from the North Pole. It is snow balls (styrophome with snow spray), three of them. Dry ice in the cooler makes smoke arize as it is opened. Music plays and I put the three snow balls together into a snow man. I decorate the snow man and wish it could come to life. With some magical gesturing and the addition of a little magical hat, the little snow man comes to life in the form of a zombie routine. This gives me hope that I have found the secret. The secret is obviously in the hat.

3 - So, I pull out a hat and put it on my lifesize Frosty. But nothing happens... About that time the video comes on again. It's Pastor Jim again. He is on the way back now (green screen again - He is on some form of transportation) maybe a bike, or a boat, or a train. He asks again about the present he gave me. Have you opened it yet? No, I haven't had time to open it, I have been "busy, busy, busy." Got to go pastor Jim...

4 - Discouraged. I decide maybe I should just trust Pastor Jim and open the present. The music starts and I open the present, etc. etc...

It's coming together. What do y'all think?

I thought I would give y'all an update on the Frosty Program. See the attached picture. Making Frosty was a much larger deal than I expected...

Click here to view attached image.

The attached picture is where I am today with Frosty. He's sitting on my dining room table until I put the final touches (buttons, etc) on him. What do y'all think?

Click here to view attached image.

The original Frosty has a "button nose" but it might be fun to use a carrot nose using Alan Wong's Multiplying Sponge Carrots. You would make the first carrot magically appear in the air, then drop it into the Top Hat as you collect the other decorations for Frosty. However, you seem to be stuck making carrot after carrot appear, dropping each one in the hat. Finally you ask your helper to count all the carrots (he has been holding the hat for you above his eye level) and he brings out only one, which you then have him attach to Frosty's nose.

Thanks Spellbinder. Great idea...

Looks great Tony.

Another idea is to do a routine using the Frankie the Snowman silk routine. Very similar in style to mismade flags but totally themed around snowballs and the children helping you to get it right and put a snowman together.

Kyle

Wow that loks great Tony nice job!

Louis

Good script ideas and custom making your props and the on site video segments is great. But you have too much material for a 15 minute show, which is the time you gave in the first post. Your 30 minutes will be:
kids arrive an get sat: 3 minutes
introduction & warm up: 2 minutes
SHOW: 14 MINUTES
pastor's wrap up: 3 minutes(?)
kids leaving: 3 minutes
clean up & reset for next show: 5 minutes

You might get the audience in & out faster, but only if you have helpers standing outside the door to organize them. Just my 2 cents.

-Wes Holly-

Hey Wes,

You are right - timing is definitely a concern. The videos are being filmed this week. When I know how long the two videos are, I can begin working on the shows timing. I am a little concerned. The warm up will only be music and professionally recorded narration. I have written two quick scripts 3 - 4 sentences each. One will be played to the audience three - five minutes before the show, and the other will be played as the shows introduction. That will be the only warm up. There will be one other bit of narration as the families leave.

The show has three effects, two videos, and the pastors wrap up. I will have six volunteers, dressed like elves. Two will be security on each side of the stage, and three will be controlling the doors and managing the lines and crowd. I'm sure there will an element of chaos about the night, but we will manage.

Okay - I thought I would update some pictures. I think I'm basically done with Frosty. Now I can move on to set issues. Here is a picture of the harness system that allows a person to carry the weight of the three balls...

Click here to view attached image.

Here is a picture of the bottom with the trap door closed...

Click here to view attached image.

Here is the picture with the trap door open...

Click here to view attached image.