The Travels and Travails of a Freelance Colorado Magician

Had a great time performing at the Lakewood Cultural Center last Saturday as a part of “Magic Beyond Belief III.” For the third year, the Mile High Magicians Society hosted a sold-out performance. I shared the bill with 6 other magicians, including friends, Rich Nakata and Mark Strivings.

The venue is perfect for magic with 316 seats, but steeply raked so that every seat has good sight lines, and everyone feels close to the action. Plus they have a top-notch technical team (thanks Tim, Johnathan, and Star!) and excellent sound and lighting.

I performed one of my workhorse routines in which a playing card is found using a very sharp knife. I’ve spent several years honing this routine to the point that it has become a reliable standby. And thankfully, it requires little more than a pack of playing card. Normally I wouldn’t do this routine for audiences over 200 without a video projection screen to ensure visibility, but knowing how intimate the space was I was confident this would play.

The routine went well and earned a great response for me and my volunteer. Initially, the mood of the audience was somewhat disjointed, but once I got them focused they were very responsive.

Playing for a large audience can be a lot like steering a big ship. When you guide a small boat (or a small audience) you can accelerate quickly and turn nimbly. But working for a big audience you have to think ahead to where you want the audience to be, and begin guiding them early. If you make the audience giddy with laughter, you can’t expect them to change immediately to a serious mood. You have to coax them along, being sensitive to where they are. The audience may not even be aware that you are laying the groundwork for a change of mood, but when you are ready to take them in a new direction, they will have been primed.

I received a key piece of wisdom (in advance of the performance) from my friend Bob Domeros who advised me not to try to pack too much magic into my 15 minute set. He felt that I’d be better able to convey my personality — and to connect to the audience — if I didn’t rush from one magic effect to the next. He was right. Life is good when you have someone who’s directorial advice you can rely on.

Did my mix & mingle magic for the Rocky Mountain Professional Convention Management Association last night. The board members were holding a retreat to plan for 2009, so after their long day of hard work, I was brought in to lighten the moody and reward the board for their efforts.

This was a fairly small group of people (about 25) so I wasn’t under pressure to race from group to group to see everyone before the evening was over. Instead I spent time visiting with people, finding out what they do, and making them feel welcome.

As far as the magic goes, for small groups like this, I start out by doing the same set of magic for each group. Later in the evening, I’ll see new people whom I haven’t entertained — but they’ll be visiting with people for whom I’ve already performed. At this point I can switch to my second set of magic, so that everyone in the group sees something new. Keep your powder dry, in other words.

In the past I’ve made my work more difficult by performing a hodge-podge of magic sets too early in the evening. Then when I’d come across a group with some people who hadn’t seen me work and some people who had, I wasn’t able to keep track of who had seen what.

That’s all I have time for today. I need to cut this short as I’ve got to get ready for a performance tonight.

The Chateaux at Fox Meadows celebrated their 10 year anniversary yesterday evening. The Chateaux is a beautiful venue for weddings and other events, and looks like a French country villa.

I was there at the request of Pat Bruno of A Music Plus. Pat has been very supportive of my work and really helped me get established in the industry, so I owe him a lot. A Music Plus is an entertainment company that provides DJs, Bands, and other entertainers.

I performed in the “Las Vegas Lounge” along with singers (like the incomparable Natalie Ottobrino) , bands, and an Elvis impersonator (who was conducting Vegas style weddings); I did a set from the stage (including the infamous “Jumping Knot of Kuala Lumpor”), and then did a little Mix & Mingle magic for the guests up close and one on one.

Upstairs they had more bands, dancers, a palm reader, hand-rolled cigars, ice sculptures, and delicious cakes by my friend Nancy of Nancy Best Cake Design.

I don’t know the official count, but would say about 300 people attended. The Chateaux and A Music Plus really pulled out all the stops for this one. It’s good to know people who know how to throw a great party.

Best Buy is opening a new store in Boulder, Colorado, and tonight was a special event for their preferred customers. Earlier this year, I had performed magic for after-hours event at a Best Buy in Broomfield, and the management brought be back for an encore performance at their new store.

This type of work requires a performer to be aware of what the management really needs. Yes, they want me to perform magic, they want me to astonish their guests, and they want me to turn their evening into a special event.

But the real reason we are all there is to sell merchandise.

If I build a large crowd and hold them spellbound with a 30 minute performance I’ll look like a superstar, but if those customers leave without buying anything, then Best Buy has wasted their money hiring me.

So with that in mind, tonight I keep the magic short. I thank the customers for coming, remind them of the special discounts (one day only!), and encourage them to look around (lots of cool things at great prices!).

If I see that they are on a mission to buy, I skip the magic all together and lead them directly to a sales rep or to the product they were looking for. Once they’ve found what they are looking for, I may do some magic for them on their way out.

The best people to perform for in this environment were those who I call the tag-alongs. These are people who aren’t there to buy anything, but are there, instead, to accompany someone who is buying. Sometimes this is a friend waiting for his or her friend to buy a TV or game console. Or it may be a spouse waiting for his or her spouse to decide which computer to buy. These people are great to perform for because they have nothing else to do and because I can entertain them without interfering with the sales reps.

After tonight’s performance, they asked me back for their official grand opening, so tomorrow I’ll have a busy evening with Best Buy and the Chateaux at Fox Meadows back to back.

Well, it’s not often that you get to do magic for a 90-year old’s birthday party, but that’s what I did yesterday. Straight from the airport (returning from Las Vegas), I headed over to the Governor’s Mansion for Will’s 90th Birthday party.

For the past month Denverites have seen billboards and other advertisements causing them to ask, “Who is Will?”

Well, at yesterday’s party, Mayor Hickenlooper officially revealed that Will is — in fact — Good Will Industries of Denver. And that for the last 90 years Good Will has been helping at-risk youth, and disabled and disadvantaged adults in the Denver community to achieve self-sufficiency through work.

The event featured local celebrities, donors, and people who have benefited from the work done by Good Will.

What made the magic work so well for this event was that, Alison (the event planner who booked me) took the time to give me the background on the event and on her organization so that I could prepare magic specifically tailored for the occasion. I love working with event planners who take the time to ensure that all aspects of their event work together and complement each other. In this case, I was able to create a card trick in which a playing card magically transformed into a birthday card (for Will), and I was able to create another piece of magic that allowed me to talk about the great things that Good Will has done for Denver over the last 90 years.

Event planners who just hire a magician to do generic magic are missing a great opportunity. If you have a theme or message, make sure it’s reinforced and supported by everyone who contributes to your event.

Returned today from my bi-annual trip to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is, of course, the magic capitol of the world these days, so it’s the place to be if you want to meet other magicians and see what’s new in the industry.

I got to see Jeff McBride’s show, Magic at the Edge, at the Palace Station. Jeff is a seasoned performer and I never fail to learn something new from watching how he manages his audience. I have come to believe that there is no BIG secret to explain how a performer establishes rapport with his or her audience and builds trust and connection. Instead a connection is made (or unmade) through a thousand little details: how you enter, the timber of your voice, the placement of your feet, how you gaze out at the audience, the gestures of you hands. If you do a thousand little things well the audience begins to feel that they can trust you to entertain them. If you do even a handful of things poorly, you will lose their confidence and lose your audience. Jeff attends to the details.

Afterward I went to Jeff’s magic nightclub the Wonderground and got some great ideas on how to perform in those difficult venues where the music is loud and the lighting is low. With the new low-voltage LEDs, it has become even easier to bring your own light source to close-up performance. If you perform visual magic, poor lighting will rob your magic of its impact. Your audience needs to see clearly in order for the magic to register. Like the stage actor, the close-up magician needs to be sensitive to the available light. I also saw some nice stage manipulation routines (performed silently) adapted for close-up that would be invaluable for those times when the band (or DJ) is so loud, you can’t talk to your audience.

I was pleased to meet a very inventive magician from Washington D.C. named David London (like the bridge). David is one of the few people I know who is thinking about what it means to be magical — rather than just thinking about how to do magic. He creates theatrical worlds in which his magic can take flight, and where his whimsical characters can come to life. If magic has any future, I trust that David will be in the avant-garde.

Magician & Performance Artist, David London

In addition I found time to meet and/or reconnect with some online brethren like Marco Fide (Italy), Nakul Shenoy (India), John Crippen (Mexico), and Alan Franzenberg (Modesto, CA).

Together we learned and shared enough thoughts and ideas to last me another six months (at which time I’ll have to plan another working vacation to Las Vegas).

Here’s an odd subject for discussion, but one which some magician will find useful.

I’m not one who generally makes endorsements but I highly recommend the services at Big O Tires.

Here’s my story: Several years ago, before I became a full-time professional magician, I trusted my car (and my tires) to a small local mechanic in Boulder. When it came time to get new tires, he saved me some money by replacing my tires with a no-name brand of tires. He assured me that the quality was as good or better than the big-name brands — and he was right. The tires were great and I saved a little money.

Some time passed and I moved from Boulder to Denver. And then one evening, while driving home during a snow storm, I had a flat. Because the snow affected how the car handled, I don’t know how long I had been driving on the flat.

I took the car to my new mechanic to see if he could fix the tire, but as expected, the tire was a lost cause. The real shock came when I was told that my new mechanic didn’t carry the no-name brand of tires. And my dismay was compounded when I called several other shops, only to discover that no one carried the brand of tire I was driving on.

I would either have to take my car up to Boulder (to the mechanic who originally sold me the no-name brand of tires), or I would have to replace all four tires.

Even though a trip to Boulder would have saved me a good deal of money (albeit at great inconvenience), I decided I wanted new tires and I went to Big O Tires to get them.

Here in Colorado, we have a lot of Big O Tires around the state. Currently I live about 1.5 miles from a Big O (I now live in Lafayette — a relatively small town). And there are probably 60 locations along the Front Range.

They’re open 6 days a week (closed only on Sundays) and they open at 7:30AM which means that I can get service on Saturdays and early mornings if I need to.

(If anyone knows of a tire store in Colorado with more locations and better hours of operation, I’d love to hear from you.)

Plus, if you buy your tires from Big O, they’ll fix your flats for free.

As I mentioned above, I chose Big O Tires, before I became a professional magician, but now that I rely on my car for my livelihood, I’m even more pleased with the decision.

One Friday (September 19th to be exact), I went out to the theatre, and when I returned to my car, my tire was flat. I was booked for two performances the next day (one at 12:00PM and one at 5:30PM) so early Saturday morning, I stopped by my Big O Tires, and had my tire fixed in less than 30 minutes (I had rolled over a nail).

No hassle. No cost. No worries.

As a performer, I depend on my car to get me to my gigs on-time and ready to perform, so I think Big O Tires is great. If you’re not doing magic as your full-time profession, this post may seem a bit lame (and my apologies to anyone who doesn’t have Big O Tires where they live and work). But I hope that someone out there can use my recommendation, because someday it could save your butt.

I’ve been doing a number of home parties these past few weeks; not for children, but for grown-ups.

The host has invited his or her friends for an evening of food and drink, and I have been hired as the entertainment. Sometimes I am asked to give a single stage performance and other times I provide “mix & mingle” magic.

I enjoy this type of performance because in this environment I can have a tremendous impact on the evening, and it’s up to me to steer the event to a successful conclusion.

That being said, home parties can also be one of the most challenging environments, and demands a good deal of flexibility and quick thinking from the performer. This venue is not for the faint-of-heart. You’ll need to be able to take charge and also go with the flow — and know when to do either.

Because the host is not a professional event planner, they may only have a general idea that they’d like some magic at their party. You’ll need to ask them whether they envision a structured event (”Everyone please join us in the living room, the show is about to begin!”) or a more informal event (”Drinks are out on the porch, grab a plate whenever your hungry…”).

But even when I perform from the stage (at a more structured event), there can still be a lot of unresolved issues when I arrive. Be prepared to take charge. Sometimes the host will have a performance space set up with seating for everyone, but many times they’ve asked me, “Where do you think would be best?” So be prepared to render your professional assessment, ask some polite questions (”Would it be possible to move the dining table back about 3 feet?”), and do whatever is necessary to ensure that you can give a great performance.

You and the host may have agreed that the show will start at 7:00, but the host may not have considered how to make that happen. Who will announce that the show is about to begin? Who will round up the stragglers and get them in their seats? Will anyone introduce you?

And once the show is over, who will tell the guests what happens next? Would the host like YOU to announce that everyone should go to the dinning room for dinner? Or hould you reintroduce your host and allow them to take over the proceedings? Or do you get to lead everyone in a rousing chorus of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” as they wheel in the 5 foot tall cake?

Don’t assume that your host will have thought out all these details. So be prepared to take charge and orchestrate a great event. And also make sure you communicate with all of the hosts. Sometimes you are working for more than one host, and if so, they WILL have different ideas about how the evening should go.

Performing “mix & mingle” magic (aka strolling, close-up, table-hopping) can be even more daunting.

True, you can go in and entertain small groups of people for your allotted time, but I prefer to work towards a bigger goal.

The ideal show for me would be to start the evening by working for small groups, and then towards the end of the evening, begin pulling together a larger group by button-holing some people I’ve already worked for. My vision is to finally draw everyone’s attention for one final piece of magic. And then I do a larger bit of magic (stand-up or cabaret, really) that’s a real show-stopper…and I take my bow and leave.

I find that to be more satisfying than just entertaining small groups all night, and then (at my appointed time) stopping and leaving.

So I always come prepared with a larger piece. Upon arrival, I scope out which room will be the best suited for the grand finale, and work knowing that this is where I want to end up.

Sometimes the party will attempt to gravitate too early with the crowd growing larger before I want it to, so I try to work the periphery and pace myself before diving into the center of the party.

Also, because groups will disperse and reform, I make sure that I have 3 or 4 sets of close-up material at my disposal. Early on, I do the same set of magic for every group that I meet. Then later, if I approach a group and find 3 new people and 1 person that I’ve already worked for, I can switch to my second set, and know that everyone is seeing something new.

Again, I’ve just managed to scratch the surface, but if you understand what it takes to make a great evening, and can take charge to make it happen, and contrariwise, if you’re flexible and know when to go with the flow, home parties can be a very rewarding venue.

As I was rereading “An Actor Prepares,” by Constatin Stanislavski I was struck by what he wrote about the actor’s need to maintain focus within a limited circle of attention.

Stanislavski’s actors were challenged to use the circle of attention to create the illusion of “solitude in public” (an oxymoron coined by Stanislavski to describe the actor’s ability to be “alone” on stage while on the other side if the footlights thousands of spectators watch).

The small circle of attention (3 foot radius) is the easiest circle in which the young actor can maintain focus, the medium circle of attention (10 foot radius) is more difficult, and the large circle of attention (30 foot radius) is the hardest.

As variety arts performers, we are not required to maintain the illusion of a “fourth wall,” separating us from our audience. We openly acknowledge, speak to, and perform for, our audience. But we can use this idea of circle of attention to help our performances too.

I’ve met many magicians who have perfected their focus and concentration to such a degree that they can be oblivious to anything that is happening outside their small circle of attention. While this can be a blessing for an actor on stage (for whom the audience — apparently — does not exist), this small circle of attention can be limiting to the variety arts performer.

This is not to say that there is no place for “solitude in public” in a magic performance; it can be used as a very effective device. But I’ve seen too many magicians who cannot expand beyond the small circle.

The small circle of attention is often sufficient for the close up magician who has his or her spectators in close proximity. But there are other performing situations where this will not do.

Busking for example (also known as street magic before David Blaine co-opted and redefined the term). Or trade show work.

The most common mistake I’ve seen close-up magicians make when trying their hand at busking or trade shows, is that they bring with them their small circle of attention (with which they’ve grown quite comfortable, and which — until now — has served them so well). But despite the fact that they perform the same magic as more successful buskers or trade show workers, they fail to draw a large audience.

Unfortunately, it’s not the size of the trick that determines the size of your audience. Great buskers can perform the tiniest of effects, but because they maintain a large circle of attention, they can hold an audience of 300 people spellbound.

And even in the performance of close-up magic where the small circle of attention might work, it is not the ideal. For variety arts performers, “solitude in public” must be the exception, not the norm.

So how does one grow their circle of attention?

• Master your magic, so that it doesn’t draw your attention inward. Contemplating secret maneuvers casts you back down into the small circle of attention.
• Open your posture so you can connect with the audience. If you’re hunched over, gazing at your hands (in the quintessential Dai Vernon pose), you’re minimizing your circle of attention.
• Be aware of what is going on around you. Turn your attention outward to see how much you can embrace. Let nothing escape your attention.
• Use your eyes, your voice, your hands, your body, and your feet to fill the space with your presence. Connect with as many people as you can.

I’ve seen many great magicians perform live (Bob Sheets, Doc Eason, Bob Read, Gazzo, Johnny Fox) and they all know how to maintain the big circle of attention. The time you spend learning to expand your circle of attention will be time well invested and should be a part of the curriculum for every magician.

[Took a break from blogging for the last month to devote my time to writing a short book. I wanted to have something to give to meeting and event planners offering my tips on how to get the most magic for their money.

Too often, I've found, event planners give great thought to the venue and the food and the decor and the music, but forget to consider how the magic is going to fit in. So I hope to describe, from a magicians point of view, the elements that allow for a successful magic performance.

After spending my time at the keyboard, I've usually exhausted my quota of words and have few left for blogging, but tonight I am compelled to share a short story...]

I mentioned in an earlier post the importance of performing the right magic for the right audience, particularly when performing strolling or walk-around (or table-hopping) magic.

One of the most difficult situations to successfully navigate is when you find yourself performing for a young couple on a date. This can be a very delicate situation for two reasons:

First, the couple is more interested in talking with each other, than talking with a magician. And second, because the gentleman is trying to impress his date, he will not enjoy being fooled, and he will not enjoy it if his date is overly impressed with your abilities.

If, as a professional magician, you ever encounter couples on dates, it is a good idea to have something in your arsenal of magic to address this situation.

What can you do that won’t make your performance a pointless intrusion? What can you do that won’t cast anyone as a loser for failing to uncover your method?

My recommendation: The Anniversary Waltz.

Those in the trade will know that this was a creation of Chris Carter’s and that it was greatly popularized by Colorado magician Doc Eason. It’s perfect for couples celebrating their anniversary, but I seldom wait for such a rare occasion; I use it anytime I detect a romantic connection.

The plot is this: Each person selects a card and signs their name on the face of the card with an indelible marker. The cards are lost in the deck. Then HE finds HER card, SHE finds HIS card, then two cards find each other. And finally, when held between their hands, the two cards permanently fuse together (back to back) with his card and signature on one side and her card and signature on the other side.

The couple is left with a memento that illustrates their two lives coming together.

And that’s the brilliance of this particular presentation — it’s a piece of magic that is about them (not you). And after all, that’s what they’re really interested in anyway.

So what prompted this post?

Last night I was reminded of the power of this piece of magic when I performed the Anniversary Waltz for a young couple.

At the conclusion, he blurted out, “Can we REALLY keep this card?”

And she said, “I’m so happy I think I’m going to cry!”

Powerful magic indeed.

The man who popularized the Anniversary Waltz, Doc Eason