I just found a listing for this interesting music box which plays "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" I don't think I know the song but I will look it up. It just struck me on reading the song title that this could be an entertaining magic vehicle. Please share more entertaining props here. I'd like to see some creativity flowing, please.

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Thank you!

Well, I thought perhaps "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" might be a more period appropriate song. I like the question, though. So perhaps, I'd instead extrapolate and use my covered wagon coin bank with some old pennies and sing a verse of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" or another suitable refrain.



Lincoln pennies and "My Old Kentucky Home" maybe?

I'd like to add a note about "My Old Kentucky Home". It's not in my repertoire, and, being Canadian, I haven't been well versed in its origins. I see there is some controversy regarding it's slavery references. Interestingly, it remains the state song of Kentucky, and is rather famously sung at the Kentucky Derby each year. Many Americans are rather unaware about the song, too, it seems. So I might choose perhaps to avoid that song choice.

But, then again, I think addressing issues and history and putting information out there is my preferred route, so I might choose to go ahead and use the song in the general historical context I originally mentioned. It was a song of its time. I think it could be quite effective, actually, perhaps indirectly educational.

No offense intended. I'm reminded of John Boy saying "If you burn these books, than we can't know about them," something to that effect.

I really didn't intend to start a conversation with myself, but I don't suppose it's unusual for me, either.

I was thinking that maybe I needed to change the topic from "Entertaining Props" to "Interesting Props" or something to that effect( ). I changed my mind, though, because despite the fact that magicians like to emphasize that the magician is the entertainer, rather than just a prop handler, the fact of the matter is, I believe audience members are entertained by the entire act, including the props. I enjoy choosing the props I use and considering their integration into the show, where they come from and how they fit and flow with all elements of production. I've just purchased some new coins and medals and I've chosen them knowing I have a place for them, at the very least a theme or style if not yet a specific chosen effect or written script. In terms of aesthetic/style, I like naturalism, art nouveau... and I have a wildlife theme, as well as a barnyard theme I'm working on.

Do you have any favourite props, or presentation themes or styles to put them into- your own or those of fellow entertainers?

You can view some of my Cast/Menagerie members here:

https://magicalaurieblog.wordpress.com/2......nagerie/

Scroll down for the slideshow/gallery.

The lyrics tell the story of a native of San Jose, California who, having failed to break into the entertainment field in Los Angeles, is set to return to her hometown, in order to find some peace of mind, away from the entirely irrational side of show business that we call entertainment. The entertainment side of our magic is an entirely irrational proposition which is then proved by entirely rational means. The magic is the passing from one place to the other, which is represented by the action of the stagecoach mysteriously moving from one place to the other.

That song is many, many decades out of step with a stage coach. Odd combination.

1800s Stagecoach Etiquette

https://etiquipedia.blogspot.com/2013/12......00s.html

Usually, in magic, something mysteriously moves from one place to another. It might be interesting to see something mysteriously move from one place to another in stages like a Stagecoach for a change.


There is a place and a big music festival called Stagecoach in that part of the world and while we might not use stagecoaches today we still travel along the old stagecoach routes. Over here in England, there are still a lot of old coach houses used as small hotels and pubs, where a magician might perform. Our Queen has some nice coaches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZAKKieEUbQ