Visiting Old Friends…

Every now and then taking the time to revisit tricks that you like, but couldn’t get them to work in your show can be productive. One trick that I’ve been working on is my Silk Thru Coat Hanger routine. The trick is good, but I’m having trouble making it work in my show. Last night … Continue reading “Visiting Old Friends…”

Every now and then taking the time to revisit tricks that you like, but couldn’t get them to work in your show can be productive. One trick that I’ve been working on is my Silk Thru Coat Hanger routine. The trick is good, but I’m having trouble making it work in my show.


Last night I was experimenting with different flows of the routine. I think that by rearranging the order of the tricks that happen, I can have a sense of build to the routine.


Right now the routine gets “stunned silence” which is good, but not what I’m after. The challenge I’m having it letting the audience get caught up with the magic. The trick is very visual and very impossible, so there’s a long moment of people processing what just happened. That makes me think that this routine needs to be music driven.


The next challenge is to find some music that fits the routine!

Simple Step To Creativity

One of the easiest ways to create things is to put conditions onto what you want to do. For example, I’ve always loved the Three Ball Routine or Balls in Net. What I didn’t like is having to bring two people onto the stage to hold the net. I felt it added blocking issues and … Continue reading “Simple Step To Creativity”

One of the easiest ways to create things is to put conditions onto what you want to do. For example, I’ve always loved the Three Ball Routine or Balls in Net. What I didn’t like is having to bring two people onto the stage to hold the net. I felt it added blocking issues and a lot of wasted time bringing the people onto the stage.


The condition I added to the Three Ball Routine was that it needed to be done with just me onstage. With that condition in place, it created a lot of challenges, like where to put the balls. John Rogers has an interesting solution to this in his The Walrus Three Ball Routine, however that wasn’t what I was going for. Some options were having the net hung between two mic stands like a hammock or simply setting them halfway into your top jacket pocket.


I wanted the whole routine being done in the hand as the cleanest way to do it. It got me thinking of Coins Across routines that are done entirely in the hands, specifically Jay Sankey’s Mexican Jumping Coins. With Jay’s routine in mind, I got to work on putting together my routine with balls.


Here’s what I came up with:

By putting in the condition of having no one from the audience onstage, it made the routine much easier to build. I think if I had initially added a “no net” condition I may have gotten to the solution much faster. Honestly I want the net from the beginning, but figured I may need it to hold the balls.


Look at the tricks that you do, and figure out what you don’t like about them. Add removing that as a condition and you’ll be on your way to creating something new!

As You Wish…

One of the most common joke questions people ask is if you can turn a one dollar bill into a hundred dollar bill. When people ask things like this they think they are the first person to every ask you that. There are three ways to deal with it. First you can laugh with them, … Continue reading “As You Wish…”

One of the most common joke questions people ask is if you can turn a one dollar bill into a hundred dollar bill. When people ask things like this they think they are the first person to every ask you that. There are three ways to deal with it. First you can laugh with them, next you can try to one up them with a joke, and finally you can do what they ask.


Of the three reactions to the joke, the only one I don’t recommend is the second one. Let the person have their moment, they are going to allow you many more. Now as for the first and third option, I prefer being able to comply, but that’s not always possible with the “make my wife disappear” jokes, so then you have to laugh it off with them.


For something like turn my dollar bill into a hundred dollar bill, you can comply. You can keep a hundred dollar bill in a thumb tip and do a bill switch, however if you do this you have to give them the hundred dollar bill. It’ll cost you ninety nine bucks, but you’ll have created a miracle that they’ll talk about forever.


Another way would to be to take their dollar and switch it for a bill that has the serial number altered. The serial number reads “A 00000100 S”, so it’s a hundred dollar bill. You could also have the serial number read “1 HUNDRED”. Either way you’ve turned their bill into a hundred. Changing the serial number takes a bit of work, but it’s a lot cheaper than spending $99!!!



Holiday Parties and Newer Acts…

Earlier today I was thinking about performing at corporate holiday events. Mainly I was thinking about how every magician that wants work will get some in December. It’s a time where the gig isn’t really based on merit, but on someone’s boss telling them to get a magician, so they get the first magician that’s … Continue reading “Holiday Parties and Newer Acts…”

Earlier today I was thinking about performing at corporate holiday events. Mainly I was thinking about how every magician that wants work will get some in December. It’s a time where the gig isn’t really based on merit, but on someone’s boss telling them to get a magician, so they get the first magician that’s available.


It’s good that everyone is working, however a lot of the conditions for the shows aren’t “entry level” magic shows. First of all you typically have poor audience layout, were some of the audience may be behind you. Lighting is horrible and sound often in through the DJ’s mix which typically is insanely bass heavy.


All of the above adds up to a show that’s going to be hard for someone starting out. This year I feel like I’ve finally hit my stride with these shows and was very comfortable doing them. Personally I hope that newer performers look at how their shows went (honestly) and how they can improve them.

Dead Spots…

One thing that I try to do in my show is eliminate dead spots. Places where nothing really interesting is happening. This is something that’s important to me, it gives the show a tight feel. Personally I really dislike it when nothing is happening in a show. Last week I saw went out to see … Continue reading “Dead Spots…”

One thing that I try to do in my show is eliminate dead spots. Places where nothing really interesting is happening. This is something that’s important to me, it gives the show a tight feel. Personally I really dislike it when nothing is happening in a show.


Last week I saw went out to see a show that was a bunch of side show acts. One thing I noticed was that in many of the acts there was a lot of dead time. For example someone did a strait jacket escape and during the locking in procedure, not much happened.

strait jacket escape

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if it’s your artistic choice to have spaces where nothing is going on. You could do it to build tension, or whatever. Whenever I find these dead spots, I try to add a joke, music or bit to fill the space. I think it really helps to move the show along.

Confidence…

One thing that carries a lot of shows is the performer being confidant. Standing tall and doing what they do with authority, even if what they are doing isn’t very good. Recently I saw an act where the performer’s confidence carried the show. He told some jokes and did some singing: His character was a … Continue reading “Confidence…”

One thing that carries a lot of shows is the performer being confidant. Standing tall and doing what they do with authority, even if what they are doing isn’t very good. Recently I saw an act where the performer’s confidence carried the show.


He told some jokes and did some singing:

His character was a space alien. He delivered his lines like they were the best lines ever, and people seemed to pay attention. In my opinion what carried the act was him selling the material like it was amazing, also a very friendly audience really helped.


However had he done his material with any doubt that it wouldn’t hit, the act really would have been rough. So go out there and portray confidence in your material!

Dressed Up…

One thing that I get frequently get criticized about is how I dress when I perform. This is at less formal venues like at a fair or festival, not at a formal venue like a theater. A good example of my less formal “show clothes” is this: It’s a black button up shirt, and if … Continue reading “Dressed Up…”

One thing that I get frequently get criticized about is how I dress when I perform. This is at less formal venues like at a fair or festival, not at a formal venue like a theater. A good example of my less formal “show clothes” is this:

It’s a black button up shirt, and if it’s outdoors I wear maroon pants with it. To match it up my socks are black and my shoes are maroon. I’ll give you that it’s not a formal look, it’s still a look.


Recently this promo video came across my facebook feed and I’m not criticizing his act, or why he chose that as his costume, I’m using it to justify what I’m doing.

I think what I’m wearing looks more formal that the polo with your company’s logo on it. I think the polo makes you look like an employee, versus the performer. From a distance you can’t see the logo, so it’s just a polo.

Sure, I just may look like some guy, however that’s kinda my character and done intentionally.



Put In Some Effort…

One of the challenges of performing that I struggle with are people that don’t speak much English. My stage show is a lot of verbal stuff, which can make it a challenge to get across when there’s a language barrier. The barrier is a bit easier to deal with when doing close up. Last night … Continue reading “Put In Some Effort…”

One of the challenges of performing that I struggle with are people that don’t speak much English. My stage show is a lot of verbal stuff, which can make it a challenge to get across when there’s a language barrier. The barrier is a bit easier to deal with when doing close up.


Last night I did a corporate holiday party for a company and most of their workers spoke Spanish and very little English. I speak very little Spanish, by very little, I know a handful of words. One thing I did was ask how to say things in Spanish, like how to say “Three of Diamonds”. I then tried, they it was a really made a connection because I was going to them. I took an interest in them.


I could have just mimed what I wanted them to do and it would have worked. However, the connection with the audience would have been way different. Make the effort to reach out to your audience instead of making them reach out to you.

On The Job Training…

One thing that’s been a staple of my close up work is the Three Shell Game. It’s been something I’ve done since I was a teenager. It’s a great trick, everyone knows what it is and how to play it. This week at my gig at the airport I added the Trade Show Shells. These … Continue reading “On The Job Training…”

One thing that’s been a staple of my close up work is the Three Shell Game. It’s been something I’ve done since I was a teenager. It’s a great trick, everyone knows what it is and how to play it.


This week at my gig at the airport I added the Trade Show Shells. These are a jumbo set of shells and they work differently than a standard set of shells.


I’ve owned a set of a long time, and never really had a place to use them. When I do stage work, it’s hard to make them play, as I’m usually on a raised stage with the audience below me. That makes it hard to see the pea or follow it.


What’s cool about doing this at the airport is that they want the people to win. We’re playing it for prizes, so it’s not a “magic routine“. What that means is that I get to practice handling the props and doing the manipulation. In each group, there’s one person that I use the gimmicks on and am working out a routine that way. Essentially I’m getting paid to work out a routine for the trick!!! It’s great!

Experiment…

While performing at the airport this week, one of the things that I”m doing is roving with a Girl Without a Middle illusion. I built this one so that I could get inside of it and walk around with it. That works well, I stop people, I get out, put someone in, chat about it, … Continue reading “Experiment…”

While performing at the airport this week, one of the things that I”m doing is roving with a Girl Without a Middle illusion. I built this one so that I could get inside of it and walk around with it. That works well, I stop people, I get out, put someone in, chat about it, then move on.


Today I tried something different. Instead of me walking around inside it, I just pushed it and then stopped people and put one of them inside it. This worked really well. I was really amazed at how much better doing it this way was. I think what made it play better was that I could put my hand inside the box and point to things, where I couldn’t.


One of the things I frequently try to do is look at things from a different angle. It worked out in my favor this time!