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rsylvester Loyal user Trying to learn to BP a duck in 269 Posts |
I am still buzzing from a Halloween that even amazed me. As you may have read before (and for those who watched the video I made last year), we have about 4,000 trick-or-treaters on our street. Everyone goes all out for elaborate yard decorations: my next door neighbor has a full-sized pirate ship hull protruding from his front porch. This year, I thought, why not do magic? It was just an experiment. I wasn't prepared for the reaction.
I was going to build two illusions, but I only finished one -- made my 12-year-old appear out of a witch's cauldron (based on the hindu basket). And I did a Zombie with a skull. All pretty basic stuff. I was going to build the Girl in the Pumpkin, and thanks to all for your great suggestions. Got it about halfway finished. That will be added for next year. Because now, there will be a next year. I figured with the hoards going from house to house for candy, if I could get them to stop for 1 minute, that would be a success. We had a sign "Magic every half hour from 6-9." People were lining up waiting for 10 minutes to see my minute-long effects. They went crazy over it. I mean, really loved it. And I just sucked. Well, I sucked by my standards. There's a video I'm too embarrassed to post here. But you know what? We got applause. People kept asking for more. I couldn't have asked for better reactions. I built a stage from PVC, thanks to Prof. Spellbinder at Magic Nook. Had to make some serious modifications for Kansas wind. But it worked. The modifications put me a day behind and we were unable to rehearse like I wanted. We had the stage on one side of our walkway and I "Day of the Dead" display on the other side. The cauldron didn't have the snap I wanted, but I didn't to put any pressure on my daughter. Turned out, she had a blast, and people didn't seem to care. When I opened the curtain and they saw my homemade illusion, one guy screamed, "Hey, this is legit!" So I guess it looked OK. As in all performances, I learned what I need to do to make it better next year. Between the "shows" on the "stage" I did some magic for people as they lined the sidewalk to our house waiting for candy. We had five people helping us and they literally continuously hand out candy. People stopped to watch the magic, giving our candy folks a rest. My wife said people kept commenting how much they liked the magic. Even got a few mentions on Twitter. On the walk-around, I did an effect out of "Shock Magic" (Andrew Mayne), where they pick a card, I grab a cleaver to "cut the cards" and instead my "hand" lands at their feet with their card. Frankly, I could have done just that all night. Because the lines move so fast there are new people every minute. I did that for the older kids and even got the parents to help. People jumped when the hand flew out. I screamed. Then paused and said, "Can you give me a hand?" They laughed when they saw their card. It really killed. For the younger kids, who might scare easily, I did a needle through the balloon. I had lots of balloons. Four effects got me through the night. It was quite a buzz. My daughter, who now has a lot more respect for magicians assistants and what they do, said it was her best Halloween ever. It was worth it for that bonding experience alone. Definitely, we're doing it again next year. I post this as an update, as an encouragement for those, like me, who are hobbyists and need a little "push" to get out there, and as a way of saying thanks to the Café for your advice and your support as I posted questions throughout the past year. Sorry for the long post. But I'm still on a performance high two days later. Ron |
fingerjack Special user CT, USA 574 Posts |
Good for you! Halloween is indeed a great season for magic!
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PROF BC Inner circle 1445 Posts |
Bravo! That's what it's all about . . . and I wonder how many hundreds of people had a better Hallowe'en because of you. Heartiest congratulations.
Phasmologist
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Lefebure Loyal user Lille, France 202 Posts |
Long live to your magic !
Keep on spreading dreams to little (and big) children all around you ! |
rsylvester Loyal user Trying to learn to BP a duck in 269 Posts |
Yes, thanks for reminding me. There were many people who had a better Halloween. My own self-critique doesn't matter. It's the audience that matters. While I can do better, I am rejoicing in the joy I brought. In that regard, it was great.
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Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
There's a photo of Ron's illusion and set-up on my "Did It Myself Gallery" : http://www.magicnook.com/DidItGallery/DidItMyself.htm
Ron also had some good insights into making the PVC Pipe stage stand up to Kansas winds, something with which we here in New Jersey have little experience - when it's that windy outside, the outdoor shows go indoors!
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
rsylvester Loyal user Trying to learn to BP a duck in 269 Posts |
@ Spellbinder. We would never go outdoors if that was the case. Remember "Paint Your Wagon?" It had the song "They Call the Wind Mariah." Never knew what that meant until I moved to Kansas. Have wanted to call the wind names -- none of them Mariah.
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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
That's a pretty sweet stage set rsylvester, and what an up-beat story. I wish I was there.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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rsylvester Loyal user Trying to learn to BP a duck in 269 Posts |
Thanks, @Wizard. My first attempt. I learned a lot. I built nearly all of it with recycled or reused materials, such as the packing pallets. I did buy the PVC pipes for the stage frame but those are ones I will reuse each year, so they don't create much waste. And it all comes a part (including the platform) and stashed in a corner of my basement for next time. I have some improvements I want to make, but I ran out of time. Thank goodness, Halloween comes every year. Hope to have it looking even better in 2012.
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Kevinr Inner circle 1854 Posts |
Quote: On 2011-11-02 14:36, rsylvester wrote: |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The spooky, the mysterious...the bizarre! » » Still on Halloween high (0 Likes) |
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