Hi all,

I've been a magician for a while now but I have never really gotten into stage illusions until recently. Wondering if anyone out there can help me out by recommending some videos or maybe books that a beginner stage illusionist should get. Thanks in advance.

Using the Magic Café Search Engine, I found:

Advice Need for a Newbie to stage Illusions

Interested in performing stage illusions

Attention: To all illusion builders...Re......lease!!!

Cardboard Illusions

Paul Osborne and his plans

Paul Osbourne Illusions

What illusions would you buy?

The 7 Basic Secrets of Illusion Design

The Classic Illusions, Volume 2

Tip-over Trunk: Best Plans?

There is a two volume set of books by Byron G. Wels. The title is The Great Illusions of Magic. One volume is plans; the other is text. It may well be the cheapest way to start looking. I think Tannen's is the publisher.

Enjoy!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Dunningers complete encyclopedia of magic covers a lot of the older ones, Mark Wilson has a 3 video series on illusions, many of which you can build inexpensively. And all the above recommended are excellent as well.

And for the beginner I would highly recommend Gary Darwins Book: Inexpensive Illusions. This allows you to dip into larger scale illusions without spending a fortune.

And there's always "PVC Pipe Illusions for the REALLY, REALLY Cheap Illusionist" by yours truly on The Magic Nook website. Just thought I'd mention it before you spend a lot of money. If you're truly a Whiz of a Wiz, you ought to know about The Wizards' Journal on the same site, with Illusions geared towards Wizards.

A grand illusionist is a stage magician who uses bigger props. Stage magicians and illusionists both work with music so they have to express themselves through body lanquage.

I believe the best you can do is to search at your local library for books regarding theater. I am sure you will find several books which can help you on how to move on stage, how things work in a theater environment, what you have to know regarding accidents on stage etc.

A great book is: "Magic & Showmanship by Henning Nelms." It has very valuable information.

My best advice regarding this topic is to read these books many times so you absorb all the information because this knowlege makes the difference on stage.

"Knowing a trick is something. Doing it is another thing. Performing it is everything" -The GodFather

It looks like people here have you off to a good start. Remember that it's not the 88 keys on the piano; it's how you make people feel when you use them.

Good Luck!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

You deffinately need a sub trunk. what do you have allready and do you have an assistant that you can use?