After posting a few discussions and after Harry Murphy's suggestion I have decided to post this. I had the idea of starting out magic by busking. http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=6 This discussions shows some of my progress. http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=6 This http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=6 is where I decided to post this discussion. Now that I have rambled about all that I have realized much. I dicided to use a table anyway at least for now. Reason being I don't have many great tricks and routines and one of them is my C&B being my finale. For the cups you need a large area to store loads being either a casual looking vest or buskers pouch. You can use a servante or suit but that is for a indoor sit at a table show which is not relavant.

The only vest that looked casual enough was a magicians one that had all sorts of topits and what not that I might not even use. Plus it was more expensive than a pouch so I got a pouch. The other reason I got one is after realizing I would be getting one I also learned to work in front of the table. I can fit my props in my pouch rather than carry an additional bag just for props and my lunch. I use the bag stapled to the side of my table stand for my peanuts and lunch. Another reason for the table though is that it makes nice flash to help get me started. People do comment on it too. As I get better and learn more though I can toss the cups. Ridding of the table and pouch as the pouch is silly looking and I can just use a bag. I think for now the table and pouch are training wheels. Jimmy Talksalot in his book mentions working from your pockets and a small bag is good anyway.

I now have a heavy set of Copper Penguin cups that are great. My routine is under development to become better and will soon post the new one on youtube. As far as my routine goes though I have learned to use a border rope for perform behind gradually stepping back to implying staying outside of it. Trying not to have to many filler tricks. For now I am working on my cups though so untill then this is pretty much my routine. Experiment with crowed drawers until one works. I could use the worm, string and ring, rigid rope, professors nightmare (three ropes), Mark Wilson continuous coins, card flourishes and tricks, ect. Once I find what oppeners work I can go into more elaborated things like. My sponge ball routine and C&B I would need somthing between the two as they would be my last effects. Somthing that isn't filler somthing elaborate but not too simple. Like misers dream with a paper bag as described in BO-BO'S MODERN COIN MAGIC. Which I would love to use but don't quite get the instructions. Even if I did though I am not farmiliar with misers dream anyway. I just know the basic principle.

While I perform I have come up with a couple ways to keep the crowed and lines to use. Aside from my crowed building effects I could be using my drumbstick wand that I have duct taped clappy hands to the top of. Shake it and splaq into my hand and make much noise. I have even attached a fishermans bell to a string on my pouch. As I walk not only do I look the part but the sound of the bell will caused people to look at me. I can shout things very directly saying you are going to watch my show and your going to love it. I was trying "you wanna watch my show". However that can come off as both a question and statement. I suppose tone and voice emphasas helps too though. Once I get a few people though as in Gazzo's Art of Crowed Keeping I should try to keep them. If they go everyone else will think it's okay to leave. I could even say this stating I can't force you to stay but if you go people think it's okay to come and go. This is a show that you stay and watch and if you stay and watch till the end you will see things that you will remember for a long time. there are many thoughts I have gotten from that book and others. Danny Hustle was a big help to me. Others too and I could spend all day thanking them but I don't want to rant.

I am soon going to busk at my work. It is a indoor play place check it out http://www.funflatables.org. I would be restricted to one spot as I don't want to conjest the walkway's and the bouncers take up a lot of the room. So I can't chase the pitch and given it is indoors with lots of children and board adults. I probably won't have trouble getting I crowed. I may half to watch my stuff though with all the kids. I will update afterwards. I won't ask for tips since it is kids and just get experience. I am worried though about what I say if they ask me to do a party. I have tried developing that and just doesn't seem good enough. I wan't to get some material before I do them. This is what I have so far though.

1. Introduce top hat put it on and pull out whoopee cushion. Then say so that’s where that went.
2. Introduce your wand set it aside and say this is for later.
3. Do some string and ring effect.
4. Explain the wand has magical properties and may be used to make the ring move up and down on it.
5. Introduce your friend wooly worm have him crawl around the wand.
6. Say now to do some familiar tricks.
7. Go into some coin routine involving pulling it from an ear.
8. Float the coin
9. Finish with the cups and balls having the final loads as toys.

If you people think I am ready for a kids show let me know. Otherwise I could just explain that I want to but when trying to put material together I can't and need some books to help me before I try it.

Any advice or anything at all would be great.

Thanks

Jeremy,
If you haven't done so already, I'd strongly recommend checking out "The Little Darlings" section and asking your birthday party question there. I'm not in any way suggesting that you shouldn't consider children's performances. In fact it can be really rewarding. Just know that it can be quite different from busking.

I did look around there but it's been and while and was a bit overwhelming for me. I'll get back to it though soon enough. For now though I need to catch up on homework. Far too behind

Jeremy good plan (getting back to the books!) remember a good education will keep you off the streets (and make you better when you do hit them).

I like that Harry and so true it is for many reasons. Although I'll be on the streets anyway, ha ha.

I am at work now taking a short break from the magic. I decided to keep the loads as simple balls just to make it easy. I didn't use thread also to keep it simple as I am learning and I was more scared than my first two times. Forgot the woopie cushion but would have been one more thing to carry anyway. I have learned several things.

When indoors you have the same people so they see your show and go off on their way and do other things. I am going to go back in after lunch with a different group of kids. See how that goes, even then though it may not be perfect. As I even discovered people may not always want to volunteer. I rely on that with my first few people. I think I should save the volunteer effects for when the crowed grows. Increasing the volunteer chance.

I think I could use effects with more impact at the start. My string and ring penetration is cute and eye popping but not perfect for patter. After that though the rest are to quick in my opinion. The proffesor's nightmare for instance is one and I think the rigid rope takes to long to set up. Update again soon

Okay just finished up as I ran out of prepared peanuts and this is what I have learned. The above pretty much stays the same the audience wants to see knew effects. I did find though that once we got buisy it wasn't difficult to keep an audience aside from the kids wanting knew tricks. I learned to play with the audience a bit more and what to do with kids that don't understand how to volunteer. I think the Proffesor's Nightmare is out. Kids don't quite get it and is to much of a quicky.

My hat load went fine without me even using it as the hat line. I just said I'll be using this later and loaded it. In the end I just set it out and bam. A problem I encountered that I have to work on though is they seem to think the show is over after any one of my first three effects. Even though I have a whole set up of unused props. Perhaps it's my patter not sure?

Once I get these baisics down to where I can really get a crowed I can be more colorfull. Using more jokes and really comfortably bring up tips. ect

The way to fix your problem is to work on your transitions. On his fantastic DVD that I highly recommend to anyone learning to busk, Kozmo says that in between effects leading up to the finale, don't allow any applause; just go right into your next effect. Also sell the grand finale throughout the show so:

1. They know that there will be more to come, and
2. The want to stay because you tell them that something even better that what you are already doing is coming.

So in your case, as soon as you do the worm on the wand bit is done, don't allow any applause. Just go straight into "now to do some familiar tricks" and start the coin tricks. Then after you're done with the coins go straight into your cups and balls.

And as you said, just have fun with your audience.

Thanks a bunch and P.S. as a side note I never did mention the buskers I saw at Disney a couple months back. Wasn't magic or anything common. They did a reenactment of Monte Python and The Holy Grail. Genius and I loved the way they had us say things at certain points. Plus the best part of their crowed gathering was at certain points when they asked us how the show was we were instructed to shout rubbish. I could do things like this. Frustrated me though because none of the buskers asked for tips only joking about them. I so wanted to but guess they weren't allowed and worked for Disney.

You should look at the sticky one by Denis Micheal called: Routining School Shows, Kids, Shows, and Illusion Shows. Focus on the
section for your family show and compare with what you have.

Speaking of Disney, I believe you are talking about Epcot where these shows are. These are paid performers
and I like those acts myself. Imagine seeing something like that on the streets. But it should give you
some idea on what you could add to your act. I love that rubbish part....

Ya it was in Epcot in the nations of the world I think is the name of the section. Thanks for the recomendation solrak29.