Improving The World: Czech Republic

Improving the World... One Interaction At A Time.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven


As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.

I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.

Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Czech Republic

Country: The Czech Republic
Continental Location: Central Europe
What They Call Themselves: Czech
Primary Language: Czech
Secondary Language: Slovak
Prominent Cities: Prague [capital]; Brno, Ostrava, Plzen, Olomouc
Famous/Historical sites: Karlstejn Castle
Currency: the Czech Koruna

Starter Phrases:
Welcome: Vitame te (VEE-tah-may-tay)
Hello: Ahoj (like the nautical term, Ahoy!)
Goodbye: Nashledanou (NASS-led-AH-no)
Thank you: Dik (DEEK)
You’re Welcome: Prosim, nemate zac (Prah-SEEM nay-mah-tay Zich)

Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Jromir Jagr (pronounced “YAH-roh-meer YAH-gur”; recently retired NHL hockey legend, played for Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins & NY Rangers); Domenik Hasek (recently retired NHL goalie, Stanley Cup winner for Detroit Redwings & star of the 1998 Olympic team, aka “The Dominator”); Vaclav Havel (playwright, First President of Czech Republic); Sir Tom Stoppard (Oscar winner & Tony winning playwright, “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead”); Franz Kafka (writer).
-As recently as the 1990’s this country was formerly known as Czechoslovakia. The Czecks declared their independence on January 1, 1993. For a thousand years, the region was made up of two countries known as Bohemia and Moravia.
-Following WWII, for the next 41 years, Czechoslovakia was a Communist state within the Eastern Bloc. In November 1989, Czechoslovakia returned to a liberal democracy through the peaceful “Velvet Revolution”. Slovak national aspirations strengthened and on January 1, 1993, the country peacefully split into the independent Czech Republic and Slovakia.
-Karlstejn Castle (meaning Castle on Carl’s stone) founded in 1348, near Prague, is one of the most famous and most frequently visited castles in the Czech Republic.
-Sir Tom Stoppard, one of Britain’s most popular playwrites, was born in Czechoslovakia. He co-wrote the screenplays for Universal Pictures’ Brazil and Oscar winning best picture, Shakespear in Love. Stoppard was voted the #76 on the 2008 Time 100, Time magazine’s list of the most influential people in the world. He has translated the works of Vaclav Havel.
-The country is famous for its love of puppetry and marionettes with a number of puppet festivals.
-The Pilsener style beer originated in western Bohemian city of Plzen, and further south the town of Budweis lent its name to its beer, eventually known as Budweiser Bier Burgerbrau thus Budweiser.
-Czechs are huge hockey fans. Their national hockey team won Olympic Gold in 1998; bronze in 2006. They have produced several NHL stars (see above).
-Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin debuted the Festrunk Brothers (a.k.a The Wild and Crazy Guys or The Czech Brothers) iin 1977 on the 3rd season of Saturday Night Live (SNL).

What To Avoid:
References to Communist Czechoslovakia. Perhaps, the Festrunk Brothers.
 
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