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patrickske New user 97 Posts |
Hi everyone,
Well lets say I am putting up a new stage act. Only thing is, I am stuck in my routine and would love to go further to complete my act. So time to ask your help I guessed. The act goes as follows: -Iam coming up stage with the color changing vest (red color) -Followed by an Airborne (champagne version) -Liquid turns into a red silk. -Then the red silk gets changed into a white silk. -White silk gets hanged on my clothes, or visible for the audience. -Then I use a black cloth and raise it up over my vest. -The vest changes to a white color. -Next I produce a candle with a white silk. -Then the candle disappears with the white silk again. -Well after that I wanted to produce to appearing candles, not sure about this. Then I am still left with 2 color changes which I want to make. The only thing is I don't know how to get into something with blue. Was thinking of an umbrella (blue one). And then the final change to a red white blue color. Well if anyone has any ideas, shoot them. Would love to hear them since I am stuck. Greats Patrick Please don't take a close look at my English, please.
Magic Creates Life
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JimmyH New user 85 Posts |
Maybe a "Mutilated Parasol" routine would fit in there somewhere? Just a thought
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Why not change a silk to a billiard ball, do some color changes and productions and finish with a very masterful version of a difficult billiard ball routine?
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
patrickske New user 97 Posts |
Thanks for the ideas so far. Iam not familiar with a billiard ball routine. Never touched them. Ill do a search on the Café to see which balls are the best to begin with etc. More ideas are welcome aswell.
Any ideas for a finale? (red white blue color?) Patrick
Magic Creates Life
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
My opinion is that a stage manipulation act MUST show some actual skill.
I've seen sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many stage acts that basically have a person on stage with their mouth wide open simply going from mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to mechanical prop to .... demanding applause all the while. It stinks. A vest change, a silk changes to a cane, which changes to a silk , which changes to blah, blah, blah, blah, all of which have absolutely no reason for happening. To me it is no more impressive than someone running from room to room in a house flicking on and off light switches and then opening their arms to accept all the applause they so "richly deserve". If you're brand new, I can see using these props to get better at stage-time and putting in your hours. I don't have a problem with that. But think bigger. If I'm in the audience, don't expect me to clap when a "color-changing vest" changes color or a set of 3 already linked rings "link in mid-air". I need more.
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
patrickske New user 97 Posts |
Hey Frank,
Thanks again. Your absolutley right! Well I don't want to look like a standard magician who's doing all the same routines. I want to work on an act with skill. Ive set up an act with the props I have right now. But I want to spend more money on it. Just don't know how to place it all. Its the first time I want to go serious on this. So its rather new to me. Ill certainly try to get some multiplying billiard balls and work hard on it. If you have any more ideas which would fit the best in my act shoot them. You have been very helpfull right now which I appreciate! Just don't want to look like a complete fool on stage.I want to show the audience I got skills, rather then looking like a standard magician. Thank you again! Patrick
Magic Creates Life
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I also don't mean to say that it does not require SOME skill to work mechanical props and make it look good on stage. It does. But there MUST be MUCH more than that to entertain me.
Don't be afraid to add some comedy, physical comedy, personality etc. into an act like that. Most stage manips. look exactly the same: cocky, arrogant, doing things for no reason, invincible show-offs. My feeling is that that persona puts up a wall and makes you unlikable. I hate them as I watch. People clap because they should. Not because they like you or your skills. Break down that wall, be human, be likable, be vulnerable. Make them laugh at least once. Check out Charlie Frye's DVDs for instance. They have been a great source of perspiration for me. Best of luck!
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
magicians Inner circle Teacher and Legend 2898 Posts |
My good friend Chuck "stylesmith" Smith, calls those "Catalog" acts. Pretty much off the shelf, insert magicians here type of act. I agree, a little bit of manipulation or something to set the act apart from a dealer demo for Mak magic or Milson Worth.
-------- And as far as skill to do the box and tube acts, acting, dance and modeling poses are the only skill you need as far as illusions. Oh, and money.
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Kune Veteran user 312 Posts |
Although skill is great, personally I think if you're performing for layman, the most important thing is to make your act easy to understand (mostly through good timing and staging).
I've seen some incredibly skilful performers do things with billiard balls, ect - however I couldn't care less, because the routine is extremely hard to follow, and as a result it seems like they're just showing off (which you can get away with for a little while, but after the first few minutes, isn't a good idea). That's my view anyway, although everyone else here is likely to have far more experience performing than me, so I may be wrong on some points. |
Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Patrickske... where do you live, how old arae you and what type of performing situations do you want to work in? Big stage, cabaret, parlour??? Do you talk? Do you use music? Do you dance well?
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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patrickske New user 97 Posts |
Pete,
I live in the Netherlands and iam 21 years old. Well the thing I got in mind is to work myself to big stages. I think I have to begin on the smaller ones. And built it up. The main thing is I've never had the guts to pull it off. MagicErik helped me a lot and I really want to do this. I want to talk, I've never done it for a huge amount of people so I need to work on that. Maybe to follow some lessons to present myself on stage while talking etc. I use music and yes Iam still following dance classes. But that's not the sort of dance for stages, doing Latin and ballroom so.. ;-). Thanks for all the advice and help on here. Patrick
Magic Creates Life
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Tony Thomas Inner circle North Carolina 1248 Posts |
Other ideas to incorporate skill into a stage act are:
* Ropes (like Richard Sanders Fiber Optics) * Linking Rings (Like Whit Hayden's Four Ring Routine) * Coin Manipulation (Like Troy Hooser or some 3 Fly Routines) * Card Manipulation - simple version, like (McBride's Manipulation without Tears) I like Frank's suggestion to add skill. As you think about what to add consider making your first additions the most versatile routines possible. Billiard balls are very angle sensitive. Ropes & Rings can be performed surrounded. Coins are also less angle sensitive than billiard balls & cards. McBride has a concept of a comando routine, that can be performed in any situation (stage, parlor, etc. - surrounded or not). I think this is good to keep in mind as you develop a great stage act. |
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