The Real Work

We’ve practiced all of our moves. We’ve rehearsed the entire act. We’ve shown it to our friends. What now? The next step is to get our new creations out of the rehearsal studio and into a live performance venue. One of the problems that many magicians run into early on, is that their “dream show,” that they practice only in the rehearsal studio, is not practical in...

Match Pulls & Snowstorms

Jeez! Louise! These things can cost between $10 to $30!!! I can make a match pull for pennies and a dozen snowstorms for three dollars worth of tissue paper that I can buy in the grocery store. Sure it takes a little time to make ‘em. But that is what hobbies are all about. Taking the time make something that works, all by yourself. There is a certain pride and joy in that. At least there is for...

Design Duplication

In 1992 I wanted to create a piece of magic in which an audience member became a mind reader “in training”. It would be a Karnac type routine, wherein the spectator would be placed in the starring role and receive all of the laughs and applause. I needed some type of punch to close the presentation. Perhaps the spectator really could reveal something truly astounding? Though I generally don’t...

Backdrops, Part 2

ABBOTT’S JET SET is perhaps the most famous and inexpensive tripod system for magicians ($70). They have it manufactured specifically for magicians. This hardware only package is chrome-plated, has no loose parts, collapses down to 3’ x 5” in diameter, and weighs less than 7 lbs. As I mentioned, 6’ x 6’ is rather small, but you can safely extend it to 8’ x 8’ with simple piping available from...

Thoughts on Setting the Bar in Magic

I was on my way home from a very productive weekend with Jeff McBride and other magical folks in Las Vegas when I put into words the following simple truth: one fundamental difference between doing a magic act of one’s own creation and doing a magic act that is a copy of another magician’s presentation (or an act constructed of the pieces of several magicians) is who gets to set the bar of...

Getting YOU on Stage

The “en-trance”: There are many different ways to get to the center of the stage. One way is to have the curtains open and you are revealed. Another is to open by walking through the audience onto the stage. Yet another is to walk onstage from the wing. All have their advantages. The curtain reveal: Many magicians use this opening reveal, but it puts you at the mercy of the...

Backdrops, Part I

Welcome to “Tales From the Magic Tech Road” a new column for The Secret Art Journal. Our purpose for “Magic Tech” is to focus on the practical aspects of producing a one- or two-person stand-up show for a one-night-only engagement. We will discuss backdrops, lighting, sound, staging, prop management and vehicles. We will also question the assumption that large magical...

What if I Get Caught?

“What do you do if you get caught?” The room got very quiet. The young questioner instantly felt it had been a mistake to ask this question, that the question was somehow inappropriate, somehow wrong. Before he asked, the questioner thought it was a good question. It was also one that he really wanted answered. The truth was that he had been “caught” while performing his...

“Tibet Through the Red Box” by Peter Sís

Prague, September 19, 1994 The Red Box is now yours. Love, Father Thus begins author and illustrator Peter Sís’s magical artbook Tibet Through the Red Box, the tale of a father passing his legacy — his story — to his son. The mysterious Red Box of the title contains artifacts and diaries from a long-ago journey to Tibet, an odyssey filled with excitement and danger and discovery. In...

Lessons Learned

“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” — Chinese Proverb I must admit: I’m obsessive when it comes to keeping a journal. Who could blame me? I get to spend many hours (sometimes months, as in the case of our recent Atlantic City adventure) with some of the greatest minds in magic. I was inspired to begin sharing my notes during a recent...