Wow! I always get so nervous before a show its been like two years. I'm literally extremely nervous in front of crowds; love kids but adults scare me - and this will be my first show without "dots the clown" my ex wife. She is the outgoing one I'm the shy one!!! So, I am always thinking my nervousness makes me sweat so much which makes me sweat even more. Wow, you can't imigane but I love magic so much I know I was born for this!!! But, my sweat definately hurts my show. I want to loose it and my nervousness! But, I think I need a lot more shows; only done about 40-50 in my whole life time. So,I have found that every time I drink one beer befere a show it helps but sometimes I feel bad doing this. Can anyone help with tips of getting rid of the nervousness? I think when I have drunk one beer before the show it has come out better as I'm a bit more relaxed and it seems I am bit more confident and smoooth! Maybe my imagination, comments please. I really need help with this. Does anyone take any relaxants for this?

stressed magician!!!

Stay away from the Booze! It is wrong to go on drunk. If you think you need a drink and this will calm you down, again that is a false assumption on your part, it is just an excuse to drink.

To go on with confidence, you must know your material and what you will say at every part of the time you are in front of a group of people.

Another reason may be that you do not think you are good enough and doing magic is not respected. This is also false thinking on your part.

If you think you are stressed it means you feel you are not prepared, it has nothing to do with nerves, it is confidence on your part and believing you have something to offer your group.

To get through a show you need energy, so relaxed is not what you want to be. It is your job to energize the audience.

Scared of "Parents", why, they are not your parents. Look at them as an opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances, as these are the people that will get you more shows.

Be a professional, not an hourly worker. Hope I have motivated you in some way to change your thinking!

I may be wrong, but another possibility to consider is rather than stressed, could you just be extremely excited about the performance, but holding all of your excitement in (or maybe a mix of the two)? If so it could easily lead to sweating or even shaking. Also while performing, does it just feel stressful in general, or do you have a particular thing you're afraid of? (i.e. the trick going wrong. Ruining the delivery of a note. Forgetting lines, ect)?

As Bill said, "stay away from the booze'! Alcohol breath will get you nowhere, and it makes us all look bad. It will also make your sweating problem worse.

I get nervous for a show, but its not really nervousness, its excitement. As the above posters have said, no alcoholic. You can never practice magic to much, and to the second before I go on, I am rehearsing my lines and patter. If you know what your going to do, then just focus on one thing at a time and be a performer. Even if you have to fake it at first, be charismatic. As soon as you have caught the audiences attention and have started to make them laugh or gasp, then you know your doing good and to keep going. Remember, they came to see you. They are paying for you. They obviously respect your magic enough to pay you, so look at it that way. Good luck my friend and remember, doing tricks is easy, entertaining is a whole nother ball game so practice. As a friend of mine says, don't practice until you get it right, practice until you cant get it wrong!

Do an opener that requires little skill but is genuinely funny and surprising. Something that will also draw in and surprise the adults. Nothing corny, nothing stupid, nothing full of dumb puns, awful groans, and pretend comedy. Something smart, funny, surprising, easy to do and lets the audience know who you are and what to expect from your show.

Write a script for this and memorize it so well you could do it in your sleep.

I usually lose any pre-show jitters right before I go on stage, as I'm standing back-stage waiting to be announced.

And never drink alcohol before a show.

Yes correct, maybe it's that I'm nervous that I have not done a show in two years -and I always used to do them with "Dots the clown"- my ex wife. But, tomorrow's show is magician only. So it is my first show all alone in two years. I've been getting ready all this week. I've had to chagne my routine so that it's just me. They say it's not good to change a routine too much on a new show; and especially if I havent done it for a while. So, I'm probably over stressing my self; but a good thing for us magicians, I think

Sounds like you are still, not accepting your wife leaving. Remember, there are lots of women in the world, and every man has 10 for him, that what the statics say, anyway.

Maybe it is time to not lean on a partner and find out who you really are and learn to like him a lot more.

If you need a crutch, then just contact the local clown club and hire a female clown to take the place of your x-wife's bit.

Many famous magicians who used partners in their acts, have changed them a number of times. Channing Pollack, Jeff McBride, and James Dimmare to name a few.

Make your life a magical one, and show her that you are an wonderful person. We all make mistakes, but that is so we can learn about ourselves and improve ourselves.

Now go get um tiger!

Excellent wmhegbli!! You the man! With that, I will do well in the show tomorrow!

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone that has contributed here!!! Thank God for the Internet and of course all else!

After 2 years of doing this and If you are in need of the sauce to get you through - then performing is NOT for you.

Do yourself a favor - get help. Not picking on you, but talking with someone maybe what you need. I don't know if you are a church goer - but most all churches can line you up with help at little to no cost.

Forget about "famous magicians" going solo - it is more important that you get your house/life in order.

More harm is being done to the little ones if you stay this course.
PLEASE send me a PM if you have any questions.

Wmhegbli BOOM!

That is what it's all about!

"Make your life a magical one, and show her that you are a wonderful person. We all make mistakes, but that is so we can learn about ourselves and improve ourselves.

Now go get um tiger!" - Bill

Signor Blitz- what are you talking about- get help??? Who are you to tell me that performing is not for me? I hope you never tell any kids in your show to give up on something you love if you can’t get it right. Also I think you misunderstood me. I said two year, meaning two years since any show period. Today’s show was the first show in like two and a half years! So yes, I was very nervous and had been rehearsing and checking every single detail all this week. This show came all of a sudden, but let’s say that I have been doing them for two years and still get nervous and ask for help. There is nothing wrong there either. Performing never stops; you never stop learning. In my opinion a good performer is one that always keeps learning, one that thinks the show could have been better; even though the kids were amazed, they screamed laughed, were confused. But, today was a milestone for me!!! Thank you, GOD, and you guys for all the tips.

Read wmhegbli's first post again, and AGAIN.
Be totally prepared = no sweat.
If you have "one beer" or anything else before a show then you should be scared of parents.
They could have you arrested.

Yes, lol no beer- I had asked the question because I wondered. lol This past weekend after the show like two parents went up to me and offered me a beer and I was like no oh noo. But, anyhow, eventually I will be so confident that I will have much less sweat and more comfortable with myslef, This past weekend was my first show solo but, kids seeemed to have had a blast!!!

Yes jazzy snazzy -i do try to be totally prepared - I have all my stuff in order , the script - the outline - I have practiced -and practiced - wut I do find is that my script in the show is not memorized somehow I always say different thing - I don't think I have it packed down thus sometimes I will confused on which magic phrases to use or whut exca.tgy to say to voluneteers-
or I chgne my intro all the time as well -any goood books on this? do oyu guys have everysingle word memorized are just follow an outline??? after how many shows did you feel you were at your peak ? like not noly all kids amazed but al lparents as well ???lol ..comments?

MagicJac

YES If you need a hit of booze to calm your nerves - GIVE IT UP!! There is nothing more ignorate than a selfish performer that performs for children with booze on their breath!

It is called liquid courage - but it does not make you a better performer!

Thanks for making it tough for all the hard working guys that do a fine - legit job. All they need is a parent remembering that the magician at their childs party had beer on his breath!!

GET A CLUE!!

P.S. YES, I wqould tell a child if they had to use a "drug" to get through something. I would tell them to rethink and get help!

The more I read your post - the more I wonder!

If the show came up all of a sudden and YOU WERE NOT UP TO PAR - then DO NOT BOOK IT!!

You are at a child'es party to creat memories NOT for your own ego or therapy!!

I am just defending the occupation of other full time performers that depend on performing for total income. When I hear stuff like this - it ticks me off.
Sorry for the tuff love - bottom line NO BOOZE BEFORE A SHOW!!

We get your point guy.

Signor-listen, if I asked the question does not mean I do it; but, I simply asked for guidance and got some good feedback besides yours. I agree with what you say, just not the way you say it. So no problem, it’s ok . I am not a pro and yes out of the 40-50 shows I have done I did once drink one beer before one show but won’t do it again. About my nerves, yes, I still have them and still sweat and now that I started doing the shows solo maybe even more. I actually had a show booked for about two months and this was another one that came up all of a sudden, but I had been practicing and rehearsing already for the other one so I took it. But, it’s ok about my nerves. God will take care of them. I Believe in God not men, I’m sure you don't have those problems. Hopefully one day if you are a good performer I will be like you. Not here to fight ....thanks to all the other positive magicians on this post!!! And once again thanks for the excellent feedback!