backstage – MagicShow.Tips

Filling Your Emotional Tank

On Sunday the Moisture Festival wrapped up in Seattle. It’s a four week variety arts festival and it’s a blast! No one there does it for the pay, we all do it to get to see our friends, make new ones and see amazing acts!

One of the perks is hanging out at the meals and “cutting up jackpots” with the other performers. The stories of horrible shows, crazy things we’ve seen and done help fill my soul and get me through the upcoming busy season. It’s nice to bond with people who also share in the unique experience as a travelling variety act!

Remember, it’s not all about the money when you’re offered a gig!

-Louie

Backstage at a Fair Gig

Frequently I get asked by magicians what it’s like to perform at a fair. One of the main questions is about where I keep my stuff and hang out between the shows. Usually there’s some sort of green room, which usually doubles at the storage room for your props.

Here’s the green/storage room from the fair last week.

You can see that every act has their own table and there’s an table for drinks and snacks.

Here’s my table:

I try to keep all of my props set up whenever possible, so that I’m not doing a full set up every morning and pack up every night. I simply move my gear to the green room at the end of the day.

Every fair gig is different, so sometimes your storage is simply a closet and sometimes you have more formal green rooms with couches, microwaves and fridges.

-Louie

Backstage Magic Jam…

Last week at the Moisture Festival, one of the acts was Just Felice. She’s a street performer out of the Boston area. We did some magic jamming back stage at the festival. Here she is doing an in the hands three card monte routine for one of the stage crew:

We also did some BSing with the second deal, which is a move neither of us really use, but can do. We both have decent technique, but still kill our wrists a lot to hide the move. I think if I ever had a need to use the second deal in a routine, I’d put in the extra time to be able to do it without turning my wrist. For me, the second deal is an emergency move that’s in my tool box.
-Louie