This past weekend I had a great treat of having a day with Jeff McBride & Dan Harlan. They both lectured at Ring 199 and Jeff did a small community show in a church. There were only about 75 people in attendance for Jeff's Show (mostly magicians). His show lasted about 1.5 hours. I'm posting here just to share a couple of key things I learned and possibly start a discussion on the subject.

1 - Audience Connection. The thing that stood out to me from Jeff's show above all else, was his connection to the audience. He was deeply connected to the audience in so many ways. For instance, music would start, and he would begin clapping his hands to get the audence to follow along and clap. He interacted with the audience through his words, through eye contact, through physical interaction, etc. Every effect, he not only used volunteers and brought people on stage, but he had everyone engaged. I found myself marveling at how well he worked the crowd and certainly came away thinking differently about my show and the level of audience connection I have. Has anyone else noticed this about McBride?

2 - Triple Trilogy Show Plan. Dan Harlan is brilliant. I liked a lot about his lecture, but what I needed the most was his discussion about theater and the art of putting together a coherant show. I purchased his lecture notes called "More Than Meets The Eye" - well worth the $10. I learned about the Triple Trilogy Show Planning Form and have now revamped my shows to reflect this triple trilogy method. Is anyone familiar with this methodology and applying it to their shows?

This seems more of a discussion with the 75 magicians that were in attendance at the same event you were. Sounds like a good discussion for a meetng of IBM Ring 199.

I am sure this is all the same theory that has been around for years, just using new termonology. That termonology makes it difficult to know what you may be speaking of in regards to your wonderful experience.

I would like to learn more, but McBride never lectures in Fort Wayne, IN.

You are right about the discussion in Ring 199, and I'm sure that will happen.

As far as the terminology - Tripple Trilogy Plan. This has been around along time in the theater and in literature. Trilogies are common. There is a sense of completeness with threes. Even each effect has three parts: a beginning, middle, and end. Your show, according to this plan is divided into three three parts, with basically three effects in each part (a triple trillogy). Psychologically this feels complete to an audience. Essentially the three parts are:
Part 1 - Warm Up
Part 2 - Display Skill
Part 3 - Create Memories

It is a cool concept. It's not new, but according to Dan Harlan, he was the first to apply the theater concept to magic.

Just to clarify a few points that wmhegbli may not be aware of:
The Triple Trilogy Structure is NOT a theory... it is a principle. The terminology is not new... in fact, it is ancient. The Principle of the Series of Three as it relates to individual performance pieces forms the backbone of the performing arts. Its natural extension to entire shows (novels, movies, plays), known as the Triple Trilogy has a few thousand years of support and recognition among trained professionals. My particular contribution to the vast literature regarding theatrical show structure, "More Than Meets The Eye," concerns its specific application to meaningful magical performances. Tony will do well following my advice in this regard. He is correct... I am brilliant. Oh, yeah... Jeff was pretty darn good too!
--Dan Harlan

Dan - You will be pleased to know that I took all the forms from your booklet "More Than Meets The Eye" and laid them out in microsoft excel. I just did a show last night with the new structure. Thanks for spending the day with us Dan - much appreciated.

I am aware of the "3" methodology in show business. As stated it is the terminology used that makes it difficult to recognize.

Dan is one of The sharpest performers I know.
He knows the business and the craft inside out.
I've never worked with a more skilled and involved M.C.
When a show is in his hands, he helps make the whole night a huge success.
This takes a special kind of knowledge, skill and technique,
and I'll bet his notes are worth ten times the price.

One of Jeff's great gifts in his magic lectures,
is the work he's done to make audiences involved in the experience,
and not just watching the experience.
His control of the room, his methods of bringing the show into the house,
his selection of volunteers, and his connection to his guests is rare.

I know a day spent with Dan and Jeff would be of huge value,
they are individually inventive and creative, and
they are so different in style, but so similar in professionalism.

Thanks for sharing your experience,
I hope your club dissects and digests what you've learned,
over the long haul.

My thoughts,
Walt

Well said, Walt. You captured what I was trying to say about McBride very well.
Thank you,
Tony

Tony I've had the pleasure of attending lectures by both gentlemen at several different times.
I enjoyed both performers and their lectures.
Dan had a run of bad luck and received some really bad press but he is a great friendly guy who puts out some really fine magic.
I found a ton of useful material from his Pack Small Play Big video series, and I think this napkin to star tear is a killer.
I personally have torn several packages of napkins and have yet to ever come out with a something you could call a star...

Dan lectured for us in Grand Rapids, a while back, and it was excellent! The time flew by!

His new method on the Professor's Nightmare looked like a camera trick. I'll probably buy one before too long, even though I already perform Fiber Optics. The lecture will get you thinking.

Hey Tony,
I was there too. I learned so much practical information about performing quality magic in that one day that my head is still spinning.

One word to best describe Dan Harlan's performance / lecture...Class! He was as generous with the effects he shared as he was with the time spent talking with the attendees after the lecture. I too went straight for "More Than Meets The Eye" notes. This booklet that has some of the most powerful tools and ideas for routining that I have ever seen. In fact, I already had my repertoire in Excel. Instead of lettered categories I had mine color-coded. But it was Dan's break down of the 3 P's that really got me juiced. The next day I started using Dan's worksheets and the difference it has made is amazing! The most entertaining part of the lecture was Dan's "World Class Dairy Manipulations"! Brilliant!

The Jeff McBride show and lecture was as good as it gets! Everything he did exemplified his standing as a World Class Performer. Yet his persona is humble, warm, sincere and approachable. Jeff's presentation of Miser's Dream is a textbook example of master showmanship. The young man Jeff brought out of the audience to assist him was super. He understood what Jeff was creating and played along like a real champ.

During the lecture Jeff had wonderful and useful advice. How to deal with "nerves" and a simple yet powerful self-test to gauge the level of one's connection with the audience.

I must apologize if I sound overly excited about the Dan Harlan / Jeff McBride Event. I have recently returned to magic after a long absence. This was a great day for me. The wisdom I picked up is only exceeded by my renewed passion in learning the REAL secrets of magic and getting out there and performing! To Dan and Jeff: My deepest appreciation for your encouragement and generousity.

And thank you for the thread Tony!
Chris.

That young fella that Jeff picked out to help with the Midas Dream belongs to the Galion, Ohio Ring (Just northeast of Columbus). He, his grandfather and grandmother drove down here specifically for the Harlan/McBride lectures and show.

When I talked to him after the show he said that he had watched Jeff perform this routine on video so many times that he instinctively knew what Jeff wanted and played along. Now there is a young fella who loves and understands magic.

Chris, the Raleigh Ring has several new projects in the works and more great lectures coming up. We're glad to have you with us!

Very cool Chris. I'm glad you were impacted as much as I was, and welcome to the Café. If you are from the Raleigh area, keep coming to Ring 199.
Tony

Gosh you people are so lucky. Jeff McBride and Dan Harlan in one day!

When you go to a magic convention and you are lucky, there is one thing that stands out that affects you and your future performances in some way. I saw Jeff McBride lecture at a convention many years ago and I still remember what he told us and it changed the way I perform.

There is discussion in this thread about how Jeff interacted with the audience, how it felt to be in a room with him. What I remember Jeff saying about this is that he would pick one audience member and look at that person for a few sections straight, then focus on someone else and direct his attention there, continuing this process during his performance. By the end of the show everyone in the room felt a one on one personal connection with the performer. Pretty amazing.

When you are in an audience you want to feel a bond with the performer. Jeff insured that bond. Even if he was looking at the person near you, from a distance, it felt like you were being looked at. In that way, Jeff broke through the "wall" that separates audiences from performers. He got through. You "felt" like you were in the same room as him, not simply a spectator mindlessly watching TV, a movie or even a live show seen from a distance. Jeff was interacting with you: the two of you were having a personal conversation in the same small space.

When I managed a coffee house in college, I saw that some of the performers broke through while others did not. Use Jeff's advice. Break through the wall!

:magicrabbit:

Before opening his mysetry school and concentrating on lecturing and putting out instructional materials McBride was a top performer in theaters and casinos. Unlike other "lecturers" who just make up tricks to perform and sell at lectures, McBride really made it as performer in the real world. That's what makes his advice so powerful, he's done it for real on a worldwide scale.