|
|
Jason Cardwell New user 17 Posts |
I have done free shows for my kids schools, soccer teams, church events, etc. for the last two years. One of those freebies was for a local lodge for a fraternal organization my wife's cousin was a part of. She (the cousin) was impressed enough to book me this past weekend, a year later, for the state banquet for the same organization. I did D'lites, sponge balls, Professor's Nightmare, a mentalism routine, and finished with a s---- p----- disappearing water routine. I was really hitting the magic, entertainment, and comedy well, it might have been the best show I've done. I was fed at the banquet, sat through some brief speeches, and performed for about 25 minutes, for which I received $100. I was thrilled! How about you guys? What led to your first professional gig? How did it go?
|
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
My first gig was in a circus at the age of 5. I performed silk to rope.
My first professional gig was at the tender age of nine. I performed a 30 minute show with a friend at his sister's birthday and we were paid $10 each. We had a grand total of 24 tricks in the half hour show. We dressed in matching denim jackets and jeans (so very 1980's) and set up our tricks on the dining room table. The only one I can remember was a magic 'moving' ball that rolled across the table byitself! |
Brent McLeod Inner circle 1792 Posts |
Jason-well done
Sounds like the 2 yrs experience of shows as a background really helped My first show was for a local city Library Xmas function-about 80 kids I performed with a friend & we alternated between effects-went down really well & recieved $10 each-we were rich & on our way!!!!!!!!!!!! I remember performing Run Rabbit Run, 20th century silks, Cigarette Productions , rope effects & chinese Linking Rings ,Crystal Silk Cylinder to 3 oranges etc |
Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
My first paid performance came about in an unusual way. I had been practicing my handcuff picking, and was in my dorm room whan a lady friend stopped by. We were taling about school work, when she spotted the cuffs and began playing with them. Soon she obtained the grin that all escape type pople know, and asked if I was worried that someone would lock me up in my own cuffs. I pointed out that someone would surley let me out. She asked what if the key was taken. I stil maintained I would be ok. Her next phrase would change my life for ever...it was "Wanta bet?"
I bet her five dollars that I could get out with the stipulation that she would leave me chained for a while if I failed...and I won. I used that stipulation over an dover agian, and made some comfortable money taking such bets.
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
b-gann New user 62 Posts |
I was 14 and it was for a kids 8th birthday party, it was supposed to be for $20.00 but the parents gave me a $8.00 tip on top of the 20.00, that was nice since it was my first real magic show
|
vanilla192 New user Ottawa, Canada 94 Posts |
Cliffg37, about a week ago I read this thread, and I though, wow, that's good idea.
About two days later at a party,we got on to the topic of how crazy would be kidnapped by the mob or somethign (we were all pretty wasted)being tied up and all. I said I could escape from a kidnapper. I said ill bet you a 100 bucks if you guys tied me up I could get out of it without help. Everyone was pretty bored so they agreed to follow through cause there was nothing else to do. The whole party eventually grouped around watching me escaping. I purpously made it look like I was having a lot of trouble at first, so my buddies got me to tripple the bet. I escaped about 5 minutes later, up 300 hundred bucks, but being sorta drunk and stupid, about an hour later I blew all the money on fireworks at a corner store,lol. |
Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
It was about 40 years ago, I think I was like 13 or 14 at the time. Did a show for an annual police dept. banquet in Lubbock, Texas. Got a whopping $100 for it, thought I was rich beyond my wildest dreams. At least it was my first paid show, so long ago, I can't remember what I did. Think I did vanishing cane rolled in a newspaper for the opener, cards up the sleeve, a comedy dove pan routine, linking rings, and closed with appearing cane from a silk. It got me quite a few more gigs too. But that was more semi pro days. When I started doing real "pro" in college, doing school shows, resturants / clubs, I can't remember what I got now. A lot better than $100 per show for the school shows, resturants and clubs varied depending on whether or not I could work tables for tips. Some let me, some didn't.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » What happened, was this... » » Your First Professional Show! (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.01 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |