How about magic for charity/performing at hospitals? I am not used to performing, but that might be considered as a different setting.
That is a good point. I've considered adding those, but I think a charity function could go several different routes that could lead to (off the top of my head): stage, strolling, or close-up.
For a hospital; its weird. And I say that because what you can and can't use varies. It all depends on the coordinator and protocol. Overall the 'no animals, fire, and latex' are unamimous from the 4 coordinators in two different states that I have talked to. In fact, one was VERY leery of sponge balls/sponge bunnies (think of it like this. They are pretty lengthy to sanitize after one use. If you don't sanitize them after every room, you're going from room to room with 'unclean' sponge balls, and the last kid would be handling something that 23 kids have already touched).
I figure with any sort of strolling, the old adage of 'pack small, play big' applies here. Although, I will add a caveat that if ANYONE but YOU touches the props, YOU MUST SANITIZE THEM before moving to the next room. So quick reset and quick sanitization.
While I haven't performed yet (I'm still gathering the tricks needed to have at LEAST 1 show. I just lack the funds...and the bag/table at the moment). But I would even add in 'tricks with bright flashing/strobe lights' to stuff not to use (epilepsy). Call me paranoid. But I know that my life has had more than a fair share of unforeseen, bizarre circumstances. I have this feeling that I use a D*Lite or Tenyo Magic's 'The Third Eye'. I will be 'THAT MAGICIAN' that goes into do a good thing and my tricks would induce an epileptic seizure in some poor child. I don't want to be 'that magician' and give the magic community a black eye, so I'm playing it super safe. I even have my packet tricks in card protectors, which are then placed in Ultrapro Top Loaders. They are THICK. They aren't 'pocket tricks' anymore. For ease of sanitation and ease for children to grip. I'm not using any tricks with rubber because I think rubber is a tougher one to sanitize without damaging the rubber itself and causing it to crack.
So honestly. If you're volunteering at a hospital, talk to your hospital coordinator, figure out what tricks you want to use, MAY want to use. It REALLY depends on what you want to do at the hospital too. I intend to have A LOT of involvement (meaning lots of sanitizing). You might even be able to find some workarounds to make some tricks work. It's hard to tell unless you know your hospitals protocol.
I probably won't have everything ready until Spring of 2016. But once I do, I'll cover more detail if my mild-germs phobia is justified, or me being a ninny with the sponge-bunnies and all.
Wow, that turned into a longer post than I anticipated.
