Talent Show

Sep 6, 2010
183
1
Hey everyone! So my school is having a talent show and a bunch of my friends want me to perform in it (as well as myself), but I do not have a stage act. The act needs to be about 10 minutes long. I wanted to start off with the arm gag (the twisting the arms thing). I want to do mainly mentalism instead of huge props. The talent show is in 11 days (so I need to be able to learn everything fast). I was thinking about drawing duplications but I wasn't so sure. What do you recommend? Please help!
 
Jul 13, 2009
424
0
Edmonton, Canada
lol kinda on the same boat here. Countless amount of people at my school are telling me to perform at the latent show and because this is my last year, i might as well ... leave with a bang you know. Talent shows consist of the same boring old stuff ... dancing, singing or playing musical instrument, it's been this way for years and years, so when you introduce "Magic" you sure as hell got their attention.

Mentalism .... i would say go for the invisible deck. Grab some balls and throw them in the audience once at a time. The first person name the color, second one name the suit etc ... A nice Russian roulette type of trick would be good too, perform it like "Angela Funovits" does ... Youtube it, it really builds the tension ...

Have a deck with you after the show, because you know what's gonna happen ... a show after the show, I love it.
 
Oct 25, 2008
79
0
You are being very optimistic if you think you can put on a decent stage show in just 11 days, without ever having done anything stage related before.

Stage magic is not only about the actual trick, but mainly about how you speak, how you script your act, how you compose yourself, how you manipulate your area, how you use your props... completely different than close-up.

Do you not agree that we owe it to our audiences - people who are giving us all their attention, to give them the best damn show that we can? If you don't agree, then by all means, do this show, do an arm gag, and learn a gimmicked drawing duplication...

The wise decision here would be to pass up this opportunity and work on something for stage - something really really good. Then, hit 'em with all you got next year, or whenever the next talent show comes around.

Remember, even something as simple as the invisible deck can be done really well on stage, if you have a great presentation to it.

If you really want to do this show though, and learn a trick in just 11 days, just do the vanishing banana trick, and accept mediocrity - no patter or thinking on your end is really required from that, and I'm sure it'll fit your 10 minute requirement.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide and what happens.

-GJ
 
Dec 23, 2007
1,579
4
36
Fredonia, NY
10 minutes should be time for about 3-4 properly structured routines. Im a big fan of Bowling Ball from Drawing Pad as an opener. As for the other two tricks, a simple billet switch, and then a Dollar Bill Serial Number prediction would probably go over really well. Both involve spectators, and play well and organically. As for the arm trick i would actually use it as a closer, and then upon repeating it just start clapping so they all imitate that. Its a nice little gag to signal the end of the show.


dude, jackal, relax. Its a talent show. He's not being paid, he's not trying to change the magical world. He's trying to gain some experience and try something new. You seriously need to chill out. There is some good advice amongst the contempt in there, but he's looking for some guidance, not judgement, and dont be hating on the vanishing Bandanna trick, thats as classic as sponge bunnies.
 
Sep 6, 2010
183
1
haha yah i have done stage and parlor many times before, but just not for a HUGE audience. do you think drawing replications would play well? oh, it is 10 mintutes max, not minimum. thanks!
 
Jan 4, 2011
5
0
Just saying, this thread made me think of the episode of South Park centered around Jimmy.

"But the talent show is tomorrow night!"
 
Sep 6, 2010
183
1
haha. so do you have any opinions about what i should do , BonesTheRabbit? everyone else also feel free to give me ideas :)

so far I am loving the dresscode idea! it fits my budget, hard-hitting, and it is not JUST for stage!
 
Feb 7, 2011
362
1
Emotional intelligence by Luke jeremy. It could fill more than ten minutes on it's own, and it's so clever you'd really only have to worry about presentation.
 
Jan 21, 2010
41
0
You are being very optimistic if you think you can put on a decent stage show in just 11 days, without ever having done anything stage related before.

If you really want to do this show though, and learn a trick in just 11 days, just do the vanishing banana trick, and accept mediocrity - no patter or thinking on your end is really required from that, and I'm sure it'll fit your 10 minute requirement.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide and what happens.

-GJ

I cannot disagree more. I was actually in this exact position very recently. I had a week to prepare a stage trick for an audience, and it killed (I had never done stage magic before that). Also I'd say less is more. Especially if you are not an experienced stage magician, do some sort of mentalism effect, figure out how to translate it so that a whole audience will get it, and then play it up. With your skills as a magician, if you put enough time into the presentation and building suspense you can turn one small trick into a full 10 minute mind-blowing trick. I personally performed Double Thought Card Projection by Colin McLeod (part of opening minds), and elaborated the hell out of it. Also if you decide to do dresscode, I suggest putting a message/prediction/reveal on the shirt to have it both be justified and play bigger. Finally, remember- it's a talent show. Even a small bit of magic will hit hard to a huge audience of lay people who have no idea of the different levels of difficulty of magic tricks. Good luck!
 
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