Too Late For Halloween

[KeoSilver]

Hello family, community, faceless names on an internet forum board. I've hit a conundrum, I've just begun working at Sea World San Antonio as a stage hand for a Sea Lion show and watching the show from behind the scenes has made me want to get back into performing. It has been around almost seven years since I've stepped foot on a stage as a lead role (Fiddler On The Roof), since that last play I've sort of began to learn the technical side of theater. Staging, stage managing, directing, set design and fabrication, etc. basically everything but acting itself. I did this because I want to at some point be a premier scenic designer for Broadway or off Broadway shows as a career choice. But before I get to far off my topic let me bring it back quickly.

As the title of the thread has stated, it is to late to get together a Halloween show to pitch to Sea World (I'm a little upset I didn't step up to audition in a part of the small sideshow they have). I would like some tips onto how to layout a show on paper. Not just the effects and not just the performance of tricks, I want to be able to script an entire show and hand a packet to a park ops and say "this is my show, I'd enjoy it if you'd read over it and see if it would fit in with Sea World."

Now I know the basics of a show has to have a magical opening, if it is a magic based show, and then body that leads up to the climax of a show, which then leads into the falling action and spectacular conclusion of the show. The show has to be around twenty minutes or so and I want it to basically tell a story all the way through. With the Holidays coming up, it would be awesome if I could write scripts for each major holiday that the park is open. I'd enjoy some tips from anyone who uses this approach to their magic shows, I'm a bit nervous and just want to hear how other people have constructed their magic shows?

 

[shadowlion63]

Hey, I live not too far off from San Antonio. Down in Houston. Don't really have any experience on performing on stage, but best of luck!

 

[RealityOne]

KeoSilver:

I lay out my shows like a script, but more so in a paragraph form because I'm the only speaker. I put the blocking, instructions and spectator responses in [brackets]. A magician friend recently sent me a link to free scriptwriting software, but I haven't tried it.

That being said, I don't think you are asking for the mechanics of how to write it down, but more so the how to come up with what to write down. That is both and easy and a hard answer - "it depends" or maybe "whatever works for you.". Neither of those answers are really helpful.

For me, I start somewhere - a plot, an effect, a theme, a costume, a presentation idea, a running gag - just start with one element. Then I add other elements. The design becomes a patchwork. Then I impose some order - getting rid of what doesn't fit. Then I add more elements and again toss aside what doesn't fit. Then I fine tune - adding the bits that take a trick and make it a performance piece. And then I revise. Again. And again.

I would be glad to share some of my scripts with you and to work with you on this. If you are interested, shoot me a PM.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I use a similar method as David. Generally I have one thing that is the inspiration. Maybe a theme, a specific image or effect, whatever. Then I let that idea roll around in my head for a while, gathering momentum. I come up with bits of script, other things that might go well with it, basically I just get excited about it. Then I write that bit down, and just dump everything I can think of that's remotely related to the first idea onto a page. After that 'idea vomit' I go through and remove anything that isn't actually enhancing the original idea. Write out scripts for everything, then go back and mentally perform the show as written. If anything doesn't seem to enhance the original idea at this point, I re-edit or remove it. If I end up going below my original time frame, I work something else into it.
The refine/remove process is done several times until I've got a show I'm happy with, which I try out. Then I review how it went and edit as necessary.