A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a library that had all of their in person shows cancel to the COVID delta variant and needed a virtual show. That had me fly home last night to do a virtual show today. It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done a virtual show, so I’m a bit nervous. I did a couple of checks of things a few days ago and the audio wasn’t working correctly.
Now that I’m home, it’s a little bit easier to work on things as I’m back in my normal space to perform in. I could have done the show from a hotel room, but having my usual area will be helpful as I know where everything is and I’ve done it a bunch from here.
Another advantage when doing the show from home is that I have my daughter here to help me. I’ve always found having the extra person in the room to try to fix any problems is a huge help!
I think that more virtual shows are going to be popping back up on my schedule in the near future…
Tag: magic show
Staying Healthy on the Road…
When you perform at fairs, usually there is a “green room” or space where the performers can hang out between shows. There’s normally food, drinks and air conditioning. It’s a shared space for everyone, but that doesn’t mean everyone should have access.
Recently at a fair I performed at there was someone who was obviously sick hanging out in the green room. This specific green room was a trailer, so not a very big space. He had lost his voice, was coughing a lot and visually didn’t look well. None of the other performers wanted to get sick. We chatted about what to do, and settled on insisting that the guy get a COVID test and not allowing him in the green room until he was better, and we then talked to our boss. He still had access to the food and drinks, someone would bring them to him.
Luckily he tested negative for COVID, but he still had a bad cold, flu or something. It’s a courtesy to the other performers to not get them sick if you are sick. Unfortunately, the person was sitting down with with, or standing and hovering while we were sitting and coughing on us. It didn’t feel good to have to someone’s access to the trailer removed, however when one person can put the a dozen other people at risk of not being able to work, it’s a big deal.
Staying healthy on the road is a challenge and it’s hard to do. All it takes is one bad cold to make you lose a week long gig and financially that sucks! Do what you need to do to stay healthy!
Road Problems…
At the fair I was performing and at the end of the show I looked down and my giant spoon had broken in two pieces!
The spoon act was something that I had taken out of my show a while ago, but started doing for a gig this summer. It’s been in the show all summer since!
I do have more spoons at home, the issue is that the spoon is big and heavy. My car won’t be home until November, so if I want to grab another one, I’ll have to fly with it. Luckily, my friend Elliott Hunter understands metal and gave me some advice to try to get it through the summer. The simple crutch is some JW Weld and hopefully that will hold.
I’m going to have to be careful with it, but with a bit of luck, I won’t have try to fly with one of these!
Write Your Name On It!
A few weeks ago I was packing up to head out on the road and perform my show with World of Wonders side show in North Dakota, I noticed that my rechargeable batteries and charger was missing. I tried to find some at stores along my drive to Minot, ND, however nowhere sold a charger than held more than two batteries. My show uses up to 12 batteries between my mics and PA.
I was about to order a new set, but then I got a text from the sound company with a picture of my charger and batteries!
It turns out that writing your name on your stuff actually helps get it back to you if you forget it somewhere. I’ve always written my name on props, and cords and this is the first time that it’s come in handy. I’m glad I did, these are in the mail to me now and I won’t have to buy a new set.
Look at the props you have, especially things like cords where there could be a lot of them that look similar in a backstage area and write your name on them. It may help reunite them with you!
Unqualified Answers…
In the past I’ve written blog posts about how the facebook groups are bad places to get advice. The exception to this is when it’s a curated group of people where you know everyone. Recently in a group someone was asking about where to find some fuse to make a fake stick of dynamite. I’m not sure why you would want that, however that’s a different conversation.
In the comments of the facebook group, someone added this comment:
This is horrible advice. First of all, that doesn’t make flash string. Soaking cotton in lighter fluid makes a wick. It will burn, but not like flash paper. What will happen is the cotton string will light on fire until the lighter fluid burns off, then the string will burn, leaving a lot of residue. It also won’t happen in a flash, it burn like a wick with very little fuel, because that’s what it is.
Be careful out there when you ask for advice on the internet!
A Step Backwards…
This week I’m performing on a stage inside a tent. It’s a nice tent and it solves a lot of outdoor performing problems, it gives the audience shade and cuts down on wind.
The first couple of days of the week I was performing at the front edge of the stage. The shows were doing alright, but I realized I was losing people on the side bleachers. It was a consistent loss of people from specific positions in the audience, so it was something that probably wasn’t my show. To try to fix this I watched another performer’s show from one of those positions and figured out why I was losing them.
You’ll notice there are two poles at the front of the stage and when I was playing too far forward, they people couldn’t see the show. Then there was a smaller problem that when playing too far forward it was hard for some people to see my face as they were almost behind me.
The solution was simple, I just moved my show two steps backwards. Once I did that the change in the show was dramatic! I kept the audience in the spots where I was losing them AND the side were more enthusiastic about the show!
Tear-able Solution…
Restarting to do a trick that’s been almost two years since I used to do has some fun little challenges. One of the things that the trick needs is a double walled envelope. I went out and bought some envelopes and gimmicked them:
The first show I realized quickly that these particular envelopes were made differently than I was used to. They start loaded with and item behind the wall and I put something in front of the wall during the show. During the first show I used it in yesterday, I couldn’t get the front compartment open! It was too flush with the front side of the envelope.
The solution was pretty easy, a quick little tear and I was good to go! That little scallop I ripped out allowed me to access the front compartment easily.
The routine that I use this for the audience never sees that side of the envelope until it’s sealed, so it’s not issue having a tear that big.
I frequently tell people that creating and performing magic is 90% problem solving!
No Production Show…
At yesterday’s day camp show where I didn’t have music or a microphone, I initially had a bit a “what did I get myself into” moment. I started the show and the kids were really rowdy, lots of chatter and random screaming. The group was 3-12 years old, with the majority in the 3-5 year old range. That meant most of the kids had no concept of magic, or how to behave during a show.
I opened with a warm up, and did the rules bit that I do for school assemblies. It tells them my behavior expectations in a funny way. Once I did that and then my first trick, it really snapped them to attention. 15 years ago when I was a kid, I really would have struggled with this. I would have thrown energy at the kids, instead of keeping more calm (but still have energy). Starting out calm, like I’m the captain of a ship, really brought them to me…instead of me going to them.
The other thing that having no production in the show made me do was work a bit slower and be comfortable holding for laughs or reactions without any “audio spew” in the background. Holding and waiting for a reaction for me is one of the most nerve wracking things in performing.
Acoustic Set…
Today I’ve got a show for a day camp, but it’s slightly unusual. Right now all of my props are in Montana, but I’m a home in Seattle. This isn’t a lost luggage situation, it’s intentional. The show is for about 20 kids, so I don’t need sound and I left my PA and mics with my show.
It’s always strange doing the show without music. Over the years, I have developed a lot of bits that use music in my show and figured out that many of my bits play much better with music. I do have a PA here, but really don’t need to lug it out for this gig. Also it’s a fun little challenge to perform with less production elements. It makes you work a little bit harder to connect with the audience.
I’m a big fan of getting out of your comfort zone as a performer every now and then.
Magic Clubs!
One thing that I hope still sticks around are some magic clubs getting together on zoom. While I think that meeting in person is more valuable, the Zoom ones tend to be more beneficial to me.
I just happened to be passing through Minneapolis on their magic club night. I looked it up and it was on Zoom (not in person). While I would have loved to visit in person, doing it online was OK.
Whenever possible, I try to get to magic clubs. I think they are extremely valuable in growing as a magician. I hope they figure out (as a whole) how to fix sagging membership numbers as they’re something I’d rather not see go away.
Go out there and support your local club!