Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 08/19/2007 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Board meeting at 6:30 pm
Meeting theme: Aerial magic
Marks Street Center, 99 Mark Street, downtown Orlando
If you visit with us and do not know the room we meet in , please be aware that some of the people in the office at the Senior Center may not be aware we are meeting there! At the last meeting one visitor asked where the "IBM" was meeting and the management apparently thought they were asking for the International Business Machines group! They said that there was no "IBM" on the schedule. So, if you have never been to our ring meeting , please say "magicians" or "FAME" and if that doesn't get the room location , just walk around looking for us. The Senior Center is a public building.
Lunch meetings every Tuesday at noon at Goodings (next to the food court)
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
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Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – Art.Thomas@Disney.com
Dennis Philips- Secretary – Dennis@alliedcostumes.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
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GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print. Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.
Monday, September 10, 2007
2007-09 From the Editor
Thanks to the contributors for this month's newsletter, although the pickings are little slim this time. Come on, Ring members, cough some of those interesting stories that I know you are all hiding.
Your editor
Stefan
Your editor
Stefan
2007-09 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
August are the hottest months in Orlando and often we also have a blazing meeting with lots of participation. This year was no exception. Forty were sitting in the seats.
We had guests, Dan Crosby, Austin Mataan, Dave Koenig, Patrick Oliver, Tyler Overstreet, Josh Aroya and Kelly Frye.
Five of our members are working regularly: Dan Stapleton is doing his Thursday night dinner magic show at Mandolins at the Radisson Parkway Resort. Mark Fitzgerald is doing restaurant magic at the Hardrock Kitchen and the Radisson Parkway. Bev Bergeron is doing comedy magic at the Red Fox Lounge in the Mt. Vernon Hotel in Winter Park. James and Joe are in Ohio for a few weeks doing stage magic for the Ohio Renaissance Fair and Kostya Kimlat is at the Bluefish Restaurant off Sandlake Road and at in New Smyrna Beach at The Garlic Restaurant. Dennis Phillips is doing a stage act on tour with Steve Brown's Great American Medicine Show.
There were several interesting updates on members. Terry Ward made a magic magazine cover and Mark Fitzgerald gave some interesting details on his recent trip to Alaska and his search for magic in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
Charlie Pfrogner was drafted to be our Emcee for the monthly post-meeting ring show. First up was Cory Knox with ring juggling. Young Cory is coming along well in developing a full range of his juggling skills. Can a place in our annual Ring Banquet show be coming? Mark Fitzgerald pleased the crowd with many slick rope knots and his version of Professor's Nightmare. Charlie Pfrogner again showed us his creativity. The premise of his trick was a paper lunch sack decorated up to look like a dog. The "dog" then located a volunteer's secretly selected card. Charlie always adds his unique entertaining twist. This time it was clever and funny puns. His doggy was " paper trained"and could even talk. He showed the doggy a piece of sandpaper and the doggy said, "ruff"!
Young magician, Tyler Overstreet did a "Ring on a Neck chain". Chris Dunn showed some of his clever and well-made homebuilt magic. He had a Frankenstein's Monster version of the Milbourne Christopher's "Forgetful Freddy". Chris also showed how to theme a dye-box in many ways. He then showed us his interesting magic wand.
Dennis Phillips showed a collection of classic "Doodle" Drawings. They make a nice comedy breather in any magic show. He then invited up a spectator and presented his version of Mike Caveney's "Powers of Darkness". This is done with a coat hanger . The audience sees how the trick is being done while the spectator is baffled. The effect is a nice alternative to Slydini's paper balls over the head.
James Songster used a spectator and two decks of cards, a blue backed and a red backed deck. The spectator selected a card and then the free count in both decks matched ,as well as the cards in the count, when the selected card was revealed.
Last up was Dan Stapleton. He had a novel and enjoyable effect where socks are randomly pulled out of a bag by a spectator and hung by clothes pins on a clothes line that is made by two other spectators holding the ends of the rope. Then an odd pair , one at a time, is removed by the spectator's free choice until only one pair is left. That pair is then shown to be the matching socks of the odd pair that Dan was wearing all along! Dan also showed the trophy he was awarded by the IBM for his Best Parade of the Year in the Linking Ring. He also suggested that we put together a Ring Parade. The idea was warmly received.
Join us for our Ring meetings when you are in Orlando. Good things are always happening in Ring #170.
Dennis Phillips
We had guests, Dan Crosby, Austin Mataan, Dave Koenig, Patrick Oliver, Tyler Overstreet, Josh Aroya and Kelly Frye.
Five of our members are working regularly: Dan Stapleton is doing his Thursday night dinner magic show at Mandolins at the Radisson Parkway Resort. Mark Fitzgerald is doing restaurant magic at the Hardrock Kitchen and the Radisson Parkway. Bev Bergeron is doing comedy magic at the Red Fox Lounge in the Mt. Vernon Hotel in Winter Park. James and Joe are in Ohio for a few weeks doing stage magic for the Ohio Renaissance Fair and Kostya Kimlat is at the Bluefish Restaurant off Sandlake Road and at in New Smyrna Beach at The Garlic Restaurant. Dennis Phillips is doing a stage act on tour with Steve Brown's Great American Medicine Show.
There were several interesting updates on members. Terry Ward made a magic magazine cover and Mark Fitzgerald gave some interesting details on his recent trip to Alaska and his search for magic in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
Charlie Pfrogner was drafted to be our Emcee for the monthly post-meeting ring show. First up was Cory Knox with ring juggling. Young Cory is coming along well in developing a full range of his juggling skills. Can a place in our annual Ring Banquet show be coming? Mark Fitzgerald pleased the crowd with many slick rope knots and his version of Professor's Nightmare. Charlie Pfrogner again showed us his creativity. The premise of his trick was a paper lunch sack decorated up to look like a dog. The "dog" then located a volunteer's secretly selected card. Charlie always adds his unique entertaining twist. This time it was clever and funny puns. His doggy was " paper trained"and could even talk. He showed the doggy a piece of sandpaper and the doggy said, "ruff"!
Young magician, Tyler Overstreet did a "Ring on a Neck chain". Chris Dunn showed some of his clever and well-made homebuilt magic. He had a Frankenstein's Monster version of the Milbourne Christopher's "Forgetful Freddy". Chris also showed how to theme a dye-box in many ways. He then showed us his interesting magic wand.
Dennis Phillips showed a collection of classic "Doodle" Drawings. They make a nice comedy breather in any magic show. He then invited up a spectator and presented his version of Mike Caveney's "Powers of Darkness". This is done with a coat hanger . The audience sees how the trick is being done while the spectator is baffled. The effect is a nice alternative to Slydini's paper balls over the head.
James Songster used a spectator and two decks of cards, a blue backed and a red backed deck. The spectator selected a card and then the free count in both decks matched ,as well as the cards in the count, when the selected card was revealed.
Last up was Dan Stapleton. He had a novel and enjoyable effect where socks are randomly pulled out of a bag by a spectator and hung by clothes pins on a clothes line that is made by two other spectators holding the ends of the rope. Then an odd pair , one at a time, is removed by the spectator's free choice until only one pair is left. That pair is then shown to be the matching socks of the odd pair that Dan was wearing all along! Dan also showed the trophy he was awarded by the IBM for his Best Parade of the Year in the Linking Ring. He also suggested that we put together a Ring Parade. The idea was warmly received.
Join us for our Ring meetings when you are in Orlando. Good things are always happening in Ring #170.
Dennis Phillips
2007-09 Fla. State Convention nearly sold out
Just came back from Daytona and owner Irv Cook showed me the convention registration grid. Only 125 attendees slots left and only 225 public show seats left.
I told him to give me 26 tickets to the public show as some of our guys will want to go but not necessarily attend the whole convention.
The show and convention will definately sell out. I will have the public show tickets with me at the meeting ($25.ea) Show is Kevin James, Johnny Thompson, Me, Harry Allan (MC) and a nice act from Japan Caisaki.
Dan Stapleton
I told him to give me 26 tickets to the public show as some of our guys will want to go but not necessarily attend the whole convention.
The show and convention will definately sell out. I will have the public show tickets with me at the meeting ($25.ea) Show is Kevin James, Johnny Thompson, Me, Harry Allan (MC) and a nice act from Japan Caisaki.
Dan Stapleton
2007-09 BIG AUCTION, THURS. SEPT. 20, 2007
Auction will be on Thurs. Sept. 20, 2007
Door open at 6:00 PM. Sign in and recieve a numbered paddle to use for all bidding.
Place: The Florida Sherrifs Youth Ranch
Just one block east of McMullen Booth Road on Enterprise Road. C learwater, Fl.
ALL MAGICIANS WELCOME. We are auctioning off the magic of Bill Dahlquist. He was an MC and comedy magician. Books on being an MC. Comedy books. Video tapes. Audio tapes. lThere is something for every one. Here is a partial list.
TABLE. 3 FOLD ON WHEELS W/SHELVES
TABLE. Sm. Flash Production
TABLE. 2 fold, Dragon
BALLOON PUMP. Large, T. Meyers floor model
PUPPET, Rabbit in hat
SNAKE BASKET, Large, electronic remote cont. likenew,
works every time.
DUCK, Comedy Card (like Jo Anne)
SOUND SYSTEM, Like new w/carrying bag. wireless.
TEMPLE SCREEN,
FIRE FLY, Like new. wks. like a charm neat
FLODING TOP HAT
FIRE BOWL, To srping flowers
CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE PROD. AMMAR
HIPITY HOP RBBITS, Small
ROCKY RACCOON
FIRE BOOKS (3)
FANTASIO CANES & STEEL CANES
DIE BOX
SILK MONKEY BAR
TABLE TOPS
3RD HAND GIMMICK
COMEDY MILK FUNNEL
LINKING RINGS
AND MUCH MORE FOR THE LIVE AUCTION
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SILENT AUCTION
All silent auction material (smaller stuff) will be in clear plastic bags on the tables with a bid sheet attatched. To bid on a bag just print your number, name and bid price on the sheet in ink. (No pencils)
You will be amazed at the amount of magic items we have bagged.
Proceeds go to Bill's widow, (FRAN DAHLQUIST)
For any questions call WINDY DOUTON (727) 392-1649
E MAIL winsun48 @ij.net
Thank you and please pass the word on to other magicians.
Door open at 6:00 PM. Sign in and recieve a numbered paddle to use for all bidding.
Place: The Florida Sherrifs Youth Ranch
Just one block east of McMullen Booth Road on Enterprise Road. C learwater, Fl.
ALL MAGICIANS WELCOME. We are auctioning off the magic of Bill Dahlquist. He was an MC and comedy magician. Books on being an MC. Comedy books. Video tapes. Audio tapes. lThere is something for every one. Here is a partial list.
TABLE. 3 FOLD ON WHEELS W/SHELVES
TABLE. Sm. Flash Production
TABLE. 2 fold, Dragon
BALLOON PUMP. Large, T. Meyers floor model
PUPPET, Rabbit in hat
SNAKE BASKET, Large, electronic remote cont. likenew,
works every time.
DUCK, Comedy Card (like Jo Anne)
SOUND SYSTEM, Like new w/carrying bag. wireless.
TEMPLE SCREEN,
FIRE FLY, Like new. wks. like a charm neat
FLODING TOP HAT
FIRE BOWL, To srping flowers
CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE PROD. AMMAR
HIPITY HOP RBBITS, Small
ROCKY RACCOON
FIRE BOOKS (3)
FANTASIO CANES & STEEL CANES
DIE BOX
SILK MONKEY BAR
TABLE TOPS
3RD HAND GIMMICK
COMEDY MILK FUNNEL
LINKING RINGS
AND MUCH MORE FOR THE LIVE AUCTION
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SILENT AUCTION
All silent auction material (smaller stuff) will be in clear plastic bags on the tables with a bid sheet attatched. To bid on a bag just print your number, name and bid price on the sheet in ink. (No pencils)
You will be amazed at the amount of magic items we have bagged.
Proceeds go to Bill's widow, (FRAN DAHLQUIST)
For any questions call WINDY DOUTON (727) 392-1649
E MAIL winsun48 @ij.net
Thank you and please pass the word on to other magicians.
2007-09 Dennis' Deliberations
I was talking with Dan Stapleton and he relayed the story of Brett Daniels latest foray into magic. Apparently Daniels produced a magical version of a murder mystery story as a magic stage show and presented it near Milwaukee. There was very little of the old style Brett with his famous mega production illusions. This newer version of Brett had a lot of close-up magic with cameras and projection screens. The last we heard, he was looking for an investor and venue. Who knows? All we can do is wish him good luck. Apparently, audiences at his new show-concept had a tough time figuring out what they were watching and why they should be watching it. Magic and illusions are almost always a bad mix when presented with a complicated or deep plot. I can especially see the problems that Brett would have. I always thought that he came off as a hunk in search of a personality. This is the same problem that , in my opinion, Hans Klok has. Even though co-star Pamela Anderson has two especially fine points in her favor, I doubt that she and the 2 giant industrial fans blowing at Klok's long hair can save the show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.
I believe Mark O'Brien had a problem with audience bewilderment in the 2006 Jacksonville summer production of his "Walking Through Fires" show-play. Mistakenly, the theater put up only the words"Magic Show" on the highway marquee and confused the issue even more in the minds of walk-in traffic. The show was really a play about Mark's two successive warehouse fires in Orlando in which he believes business competitors torched an uninsured half-million dollars worth of his illusions. His mixture of grand and brilliant illusion scenes with complicated dialog and two dimensional characters was a bit too artistic for the Jacksonville crowds.
One of the greatest illusionists of the 20th century,South American based, "Fu-Manchu" (David Bamberg) tried to mix spectacular illusions with a dramatic storyline and plot in a giant stage production in Mexico City . The show opened featured within it a series of dramatic storylines and a half-hour story/illusion segment called , "A Trip to the Moon" with an ingenious and giant magic robot. The show flopped badly and Bamberg went back to his classic illusion presentation never to try such a show again. J. Marberger Stuart, originator of The Dragon Award, was the co-producer of the 1969 Off-Broadway play, "Make Me Disappear", which featured a vanishing elephant. Though it paved the way for Henning's Broadway Magic Show, a few years later, was not profitable.
Magic illusions are fundamentally a "spectacle"...circus-type of awe. A storyline gets in the way. You can't emphasize both. You can do a story with illusions, such as Disney's stage version of "The Beauty and the Beast" or spectacular illusions with a thin theme such as Copperfield's "Escape from Alcatrez" but either the illusions of the story has to be the focus. You can't do a good job with both. This is one of the reasons I am down on many Gospel Illusionists. The Substitution Trunk used as an example of The Sacrificial Atonement is a bit of a stretch and over the head of everyone but a seminary systematic theologian. (I actually saw it done that way once!)
When all is said and done, the audiences leaves all magic illusion shows with the major question, "How'd he do that?"....Sure there are a lot of pretty things and glitz and nice looking assistants but the appeal is mystery and awe. It is possible, and I think desirable, to incorporate an up-lifting segment. Kevin Spencer always concludes his illusion show with the story about how he was almost killed in a truck wreck and struggled back to physical health because he had hope and a vision for a better future (with his conviction of God's help) for himself. Audiences like it and it makes them feel good.
I am going to give you a few suggestions for these "feel good" impressions but first you need to understand that any show, which I define as more than a couple of tricks, needs an emotional energy track. Paul Osborne goes into this in his book on creating an illusion show. English Lit majors in college study Gustav Freytag's "dramatic structure" line. You may have learned this in High School English: The exposition, the rising action, the climax, the falling action and the denouement.
How do you move along the timeline with an "opening", "middle" and "conclusion"? How do you keep people interested? Obviously in magic you need to pace the sequence of spectacles and give the audience time to relax and laugh and then pump them up again. Here is where the skill of routining comes into play. One approach is to figure out a scale of one to ten on the excitement a trick creates and then put together a routine starting with say an "7" and then a "5" and "4" and build up to a
"9" and "10". Use a piece of graph paper and draw the timeline and the numerical emotional intensity of each effect. Henning Nelms goes into great details on how to do this in his groundbreaking 1969 classic book, "Magic and Showmanship". It is in paperback from Dover Books and the best 10 bucks you could spend. Nelms also includes many lessons on how to walk, stand and speak. He borrows from the theater arts for skills and tools to make an entertaining magic stage performance and his book is also loaded with many original prop ideas.A great series of eleven articles appeared in Genii magazine . They began in October of 1988. Ray Pierce called the series, "Pansophical Production" and the series is one of the most complete instruction guides on how to put together a magic stage show I have seen.
I have been a theater professor at Valencia Community College for the past 20 years and my suggestions are to attend as many dramatic presentations as you can, comedies, serious contemporary drama and classics. Observe how the author moves you along emotionally. Also read plays. Read them with a metacognitive method.
In others words, have a goal and a purpose and a critically detached intellectual method of analysis of what you are reading. And then, observe ( never copy! )how other successful magicians routine their shows.
Now, let me get to some "feel good" impressions that I use. My conviction is that if I ask someone to watch me or pay to watch me, they deserve to take some spiritual or emotional or intellectual personal progress with them. I am not interested in merely presenting cheap thrills and mindless bubblegum for the eyes. Television can give you all of that stuff. Depending on the venue, I always include a thought provoking effect in my presentation. At the July Ring meeting I did Dan Harlan's "Gloves in colors" effect , with my own patter. It motivates people to understand how a group of people with common interests always have a place for others. I have a similar patter using the colored feather wreaths that I did about 4 years ago when I was the MC at the annual ring banquet
In children's shows I make references to how learning math and science are fun. I also have "Doodle Cards", ( I showed them at the August Ring Show) a series of drawings that promote critical thinking and imagination. My Egyptian Sand trick is an appeal to balance in your life between the body, the intellect and the emotional. (I also did this once at a ring banquet)
In some stage shows I will do the "Strait Jacket" with a presentation on how to get through tough times in your life. I almost always end my large illusion show, for family audiences , with a Patriotic scene producing the Statue of Liberty.
The idea is that when people leave the show they take something emotionally (a change of attitude) with them. Aristotle, in Poetics One, describes the "katharsis" in a drama. It is the "change of attitude" about the meaningful and eternal ideas, you took with you from the presentation. It is accomplished by a purging (katharsis) of the emotions "through pity and fear". Aristotle believed that art involved imitation (mimesis).
A tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work; in a dramatic, not a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. (Poetics 1449b.24)
Aristotle distinguished six elements of a drama: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle and Melody.
I find it amazing that concepts written over 2,000 years ago can still give us great insight into how our magical arts work! Think about these things as you routine and sell yourself to an audience.
Finally, thank you for your many good words about the unusual routine I did with an audience volunteer with a coat hanger through the body.
The routine began as 'Corinda's Powers of Darkness' and the printed instructions were sold by Magic Incorporated (Chicago) for years. But that version used either metal macramé or wooden embroidery hoops.
Mike Caveney is "Mr. Coat Hangers" and is the one that adapted it to a coat hanger that is stretched apart.
The Caveney version of Powers of Darkness is pretty much the 3 basic moves that I used. But, I changed the patter and softened the mood of the routine. Caveney is a great entertainer but , in my opinion, sometimes gets too arrogant and smart with his audience volunteer helpers. I present the effect as a psychological demonstration of what it feels like to be fooled...and promise to make sure they will understand what I secretly did while their eyes were closed. In my show for lay people, I demonstrate it quickly again with the volunteer's eyes open so they can see what I did and that gets an equally big response from the volunteer and the audience. After each explanation to the volunteer I ask the audience to applaud her for being such a good sport. In the interest of time, and having a magician's audience, I did not do that at the ring show. I just want the audience to enjoy watching someone totally bewildered. (Isn't that the Post-Modern appeal of David Blaine and Criss Angel?)
One key to the demonstration is selecting an emotional and emotive volunteer. Rebecca was great.
The trick is home-made. I got the hangers a few years ago from ( I think I said in the routine) Bed, Bath and Beyond my Budget .
You can cut the one hanger with a strong pair of pliers and then you will need to epoxy the twist at the hanging loop end since it will be loose. I use a 5 minute , 2 part epoxy glue, available at Home Depot or Lowes. Then you should hit the glued area with some aluminum spray paint.
One final note: I almost always carry a Leatherman pocket tool ( small pliers) and have on a number of occasions borrowed " a few" coat hangers from the host at a house party using the excuse that I need " to pick a good one" . I then doctored up one and did the routine impromptu! It always is a crowd pleaser!
Dennis Phillips
I believe Mark O'Brien had a problem with audience bewilderment in the 2006 Jacksonville summer production of his "Walking Through Fires" show-play. Mistakenly, the theater put up only the words"Magic Show" on the highway marquee and confused the issue even more in the minds of walk-in traffic. The show was really a play about Mark's two successive warehouse fires in Orlando in which he believes business competitors torched an uninsured half-million dollars worth of his illusions. His mixture of grand and brilliant illusion scenes with complicated dialog and two dimensional characters was a bit too artistic for the Jacksonville crowds.
One of the greatest illusionists of the 20th century,South American based, "Fu-Manchu" (David Bamberg) tried to mix spectacular illusions with a dramatic storyline and plot in a giant stage production in Mexico City . The show opened featured within it a series of dramatic storylines and a half-hour story/illusion segment called , "A Trip to the Moon" with an ingenious and giant magic robot. The show flopped badly and Bamberg went back to his classic illusion presentation never to try such a show again. J. Marberger Stuart, originator of The Dragon Award, was the co-producer of the 1969 Off-Broadway play, "Make Me Disappear", which featured a vanishing elephant. Though it paved the way for Henning's Broadway Magic Show, a few years later, was not profitable.
Magic illusions are fundamentally a "spectacle"...circus-type of awe. A storyline gets in the way. You can't emphasize both. You can do a story with illusions, such as Disney's stage version of "The Beauty and the Beast" or spectacular illusions with a thin theme such as Copperfield's "Escape from Alcatrez" but either the illusions of the story has to be the focus. You can't do a good job with both. This is one of the reasons I am down on many Gospel Illusionists. The Substitution Trunk used as an example of The Sacrificial Atonement is a bit of a stretch and over the head of everyone but a seminary systematic theologian. (I actually saw it done that way once!)
When all is said and done, the audiences leaves all magic illusion shows with the major question, "How'd he do that?"....Sure there are a lot of pretty things and glitz and nice looking assistants but the appeal is mystery and awe. It is possible, and I think desirable, to incorporate an up-lifting segment. Kevin Spencer always concludes his illusion show with the story about how he was almost killed in a truck wreck and struggled back to physical health because he had hope and a vision for a better future (with his conviction of God's help) for himself. Audiences like it and it makes them feel good.
I am going to give you a few suggestions for these "feel good" impressions but first you need to understand that any show, which I define as more than a couple of tricks, needs an emotional energy track. Paul Osborne goes into this in his book on creating an illusion show. English Lit majors in college study Gustav Freytag's "dramatic structure" line. You may have learned this in High School English: The exposition, the rising action, the climax, the falling action and the denouement.
How do you move along the timeline with an "opening", "middle" and "conclusion"? How do you keep people interested? Obviously in magic you need to pace the sequence of spectacles and give the audience time to relax and laugh and then pump them up again. Here is where the skill of routining comes into play. One approach is to figure out a scale of one to ten on the excitement a trick creates and then put together a routine starting with say an "7" and then a "5" and "4" and build up to a
"9" and "10". Use a piece of graph paper and draw the timeline and the numerical emotional intensity of each effect. Henning Nelms goes into great details on how to do this in his groundbreaking 1969 classic book, "Magic and Showmanship". It is in paperback from Dover Books and the best 10 bucks you could spend. Nelms also includes many lessons on how to walk, stand and speak. He borrows from the theater arts for skills and tools to make an entertaining magic stage performance and his book is also loaded with many original prop ideas.A great series of eleven articles appeared in Genii magazine . They began in October of 1988. Ray Pierce called the series, "Pansophical Production" and the series is one of the most complete instruction guides on how to put together a magic stage show I have seen.
I have been a theater professor at Valencia Community College for the past 20 years and my suggestions are to attend as many dramatic presentations as you can, comedies, serious contemporary drama and classics. Observe how the author moves you along emotionally. Also read plays. Read them with a metacognitive method.
In others words, have a goal and a purpose and a critically detached intellectual method of analysis of what you are reading. And then, observe ( never copy! )how other successful magicians routine their shows.
Now, let me get to some "feel good" impressions that I use. My conviction is that if I ask someone to watch me or pay to watch me, they deserve to take some spiritual or emotional or intellectual personal progress with them. I am not interested in merely presenting cheap thrills and mindless bubblegum for the eyes. Television can give you all of that stuff. Depending on the venue, I always include a thought provoking effect in my presentation. At the July Ring meeting I did Dan Harlan's "Gloves in colors" effect , with my own patter. It motivates people to understand how a group of people with common interests always have a place for others. I have a similar patter using the colored feather wreaths that I did about 4 years ago when I was the MC at the annual ring banquet
In children's shows I make references to how learning math and science are fun. I also have "Doodle Cards", ( I showed them at the August Ring Show) a series of drawings that promote critical thinking and imagination. My Egyptian Sand trick is an appeal to balance in your life between the body, the intellect and the emotional. (I also did this once at a ring banquet)
In some stage shows I will do the "Strait Jacket" with a presentation on how to get through tough times in your life. I almost always end my large illusion show, for family audiences , with a Patriotic scene producing the Statue of Liberty.
The idea is that when people leave the show they take something emotionally (a change of attitude) with them. Aristotle, in Poetics One, describes the "katharsis" in a drama. It is the "change of attitude" about the meaningful and eternal ideas, you took with you from the presentation. It is accomplished by a purging (katharsis) of the emotions "through pity and fear". Aristotle believed that art involved imitation (mimesis).
A tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work; in a dramatic, not a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. (Poetics 1449b.24)
Aristotle distinguished six elements of a drama: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle and Melody.
I find it amazing that concepts written over 2,000 years ago can still give us great insight into how our magical arts work! Think about these things as you routine and sell yourself to an audience.
Finally, thank you for your many good words about the unusual routine I did with an audience volunteer with a coat hanger through the body.
The routine began as 'Corinda's Powers of Darkness' and the printed instructions were sold by Magic Incorporated (Chicago) for years. But that version used either metal macramé or wooden embroidery hoops.
Mike Caveney is "Mr. Coat Hangers" and is the one that adapted it to a coat hanger that is stretched apart.
The Caveney version of Powers of Darkness is pretty much the 3 basic moves that I used. But, I changed the patter and softened the mood of the routine. Caveney is a great entertainer but , in my opinion, sometimes gets too arrogant and smart with his audience volunteer helpers. I present the effect as a psychological demonstration of what it feels like to be fooled...and promise to make sure they will understand what I secretly did while their eyes were closed. In my show for lay people, I demonstrate it quickly again with the volunteer's eyes open so they can see what I did and that gets an equally big response from the volunteer and the audience. After each explanation to the volunteer I ask the audience to applaud her for being such a good sport. In the interest of time, and having a magician's audience, I did not do that at the ring show. I just want the audience to enjoy watching someone totally bewildered. (Isn't that the Post-Modern appeal of David Blaine and Criss Angel?)
One key to the demonstration is selecting an emotional and emotive volunteer. Rebecca was great.
The trick is home-made. I got the hangers a few years ago from ( I think I said in the routine) Bed, Bath and Beyond my Budget .
You can cut the one hanger with a strong pair of pliers and then you will need to epoxy the twist at the hanging loop end since it will be loose. I use a 5 minute , 2 part epoxy glue, available at Home Depot or Lowes. Then you should hit the glued area with some aluminum spray paint.
One final note: I almost always carry a Leatherman pocket tool ( small pliers) and have on a number of occasions borrowed " a few" coat hangers from the host at a house party using the excuse that I need " to pick a good one" . I then doctored up one and did the routine impromptu! It always is a crowd pleaser!
Dennis Phillips
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