Keep your Eyes Peeled for Magic Ideas
Adding a special "magic touch" to your magic act is easier than it seems.
If you keep your eyes peeled!
Think "out of the box" when it comes to "magic-izing" your equipment and routines.
Here are some ideas:
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Dress the part.
This is more important than you can imagine. Your audience will immediately form an impression of you within the first few seconds. Your act will go much smoother if your appearance matches your performance style. Are you a traditional magician? Of course you can wear a tuxedo, but that's not necessary. A clean and pressed suit jacket over a dark pair of pants will do. A tie is always a nice touch, especially if you have a magic-themed one. If you are working close up, a magic lapel pin will elevate your look as well. If you are a comedy magician, you can dress more casually, or use funny articles of clothing like an oversized tie, or a crazy hat.
Dress your stage.
Many magicians overlook this very effective way to communicate with their audience. If at all possible, have your own backdrop behind you. This will eliminate distracting things in the room, and will focus attention on you. An inexpensive way to do this is to use fabric draped on a portable photography t-stand, easily available on eBay. Fabric is available by the yard at stores like Joann Fabrics. You don't even have to hem it, just get enough so it can pool on the floor. You can also look to Etsy.com for magic-themed fabric by the yard. Or you can even use solid bedsheets (new ones are the best!). Look for patterned throw blankets as well, like this one. Throws have the advantage of staying pretty wrinkle-free when you transport them.
Dress your equpment.
It is amazing how much bigger and more professional your show looks when you fill your stage area with color. Consider adding some side tables to your set. The tables can hold tricks that you are getting ready to do, or tricks that you have already done. Don't just perform a tabletop trick and tuck it away. Get as much bang for the buck as you can- let the trick add some color to your show as well.
And don't forget to dress up the tables as well!
Sparkly no-hem-necessary fabric is easily available from fabric stores such as Joann Fabrics, or from online stores, like this mirrored fabric.
Travel like a magician.
Remember- you are "onstage" from the SECOND your audience sees you until the SECOND you are out of sight and on your way home. We have always had "travel costumes" as well as our performance costumes. Our travel costumes were less formal, of course, but always professional looking. We never arrived in jeans and t-shirts, and our hair and travelling makeup was always done. If you ARRIVE like a celbrity, you will be TREATED like a celebrity. Know your worth, and project it in how you present yourself.
We also have unique looking transportation cases. For the large stage shows, this means trunks or large cases that are sturdy and still attractive. We recommend stencilling your name on EVERY trunk you use. That way, there is no question of ownership, and if you leave it behind, they know who to call.
Close-up workers can also look more magical by decorating their close-up cases. There are magic poster stickers, magician decals like this or this. If your performing personality is more serious, consider using a vintage doctor's bag to carry your props. This bags are roomy, fairly rigid, and look interesting.
Include some props that are quirky.
A memorable magic act is one that captures the audience's attention. It's easy to add that one prop that makes people remember you. For example, produce something unusual, like real fruit from a big Chop Cup or a production box- and take a bite out of it. Or produce a Zipper Banana, unzip it and take a bite of the real banana inside. Or produce the zipper banana, unzip it and take out a bunch of sponge balls instead of a banana.
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED!
This is a weird one- produce a square egg.
Using a square egg press, you can turn a hard boiled egg into a SQUARE shaped egg. You can also get egg presses in rabbit shapes.
Making your show more magical is easy, if you just look around you for things you can incorporate into your act.