A while ago, I was booked to perform at a festival, doing short spots after bands. The booker wanted the variety acts to be a surprise, and we were… to everyone, including the MC, backstage crew, and sound techs!
This is never good.
The booker had us send in intros, and tech needs, but none of that made it to the people who would need that stuff. That made it a struggle to get basic things like a microphone that wasn’t in use.
It also made show flow really rough, as the MC didn’t know what to do.
If you know in advance that your act will be a surprise, in my experience 95% of the time that surprise will end up making your job as a performer harder and not raise the audience’s enjoyment.
-Louie
Month: June 2026
Magic Lecture in Canada!
Yesterday and today I was performing up near the USA/Canadian border and I saw that Nathan Coe Marsh was doing a lecture at Hidden Wonders (Shawn Farquhar‘s magic theater) in New Westminster, BC. That was only about 40 minutes from my hotel, so I dusted off my NEXUS card and drove across the border to see the lecture.
The first surprise came when I was doing some work at a coffee shop before the lecture and I happened to look up right as Paul Romhany walked by!
That turned my working a little bit on my laptop into chatting with Paul, who is also the editor of Vanish Magazine, where I publish a monthly magic trick.
It was great to briefly say “hi” to all the Vancouver BC area magicians!
Nathan’s lecture is great and I highly recommend it!
In the lecture Nathan did a great job of showing all the work that goes into creating a routine, not just how to do the routines. He talked about his vision for the pieces he shared and how many of his routines are collaborations with other performers. This is something that I think is important and most magicians don’t do, that’s work with other people.
If Nathan is doing a lecture in your area, go see it!
-Louie
The Moisture Festival Podcast – AmyLynn Aerialist
On this episode, we welcome AmyLynn! We learn about her journey from a gymnast, to a springboard diver, to being an aerialist!
AmyLynn also talks about “circus values” and becoming an expert ant farmer!
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