I'm preparing a script for a voice actor to record an introduction. Any ideas for something to put the audience in a proper state of mind. Something other than the usual "ladies and gentleman prepare yourself for an evening of magic and illusion, where the impossible becomes reality...blah blah..
A short poem perhaps that reflects on childhood dreams or similar. You know what I mean, any ideas?

I don't know, I kinda like the first one..

Seriously though there have been some good intro discussions here. If you use the search you will find them but some will probably chime in here.

Gosh, there are an infinite number of ways to "say hello before you say hello."

I'm not sure what the "proper state of mind" is for your audience. It depends on where you want to lead them. Some things to consider:

1) Some portion of your audience will be talking during the first 30 seconds. People gab with their neighbors while seated, and it can take them 20 or 30 seconds to wind it up, and nothing short of a naked albino will stop them. Some people will be in the restroom. Some will not be there yet, stuck in traffic, or fighting with the kids in the parking lot threatening their very lives if they are not quiet inside. If your intro is too "important" to your presentation, some significant portion of your audience is simply going to miss some or all of it.

2) Be careful not to expect too much from your intro; at the start of your show, it really does mean more to you than it does to them. What I mean is, you may have a poem that puts you in just the right frame of mind. However, will your audience experience it the same way? A great example is the number of magicians looking for the "perfect" music to perform a routine to, they think they find it, it's tear-jerking at rehearsal, yet it falls dead flat in the real world. Why? Often, it's because the magician has not successfully connected the music to the emotion desired. The magician has listened to it a thousand times, and each time, it reinforces his emotional connection with the song. The audience may not have heard it in years, or worse, actually doesn't enjoy Sir Mixalot's "I Like Big Butts." The end result is a missed opportunity to connect with the audience.

3) One man's junk is another man's treasure. It's the same for different types of audiences. Some audiences and shows might be appropriately started with a quick reprisal of "The Man from Nantucket," whereas another might respond to Doctor Seuss. Know your audience, and work within, or at the expanding edge, of their expectations, at least in the beginning of the show.

4) Some prefer to work with little more than a "you better find your seats because the show's about to start," then about 30 seconds of up-tempo, increasing volume lead-in music, giving people the chance to focus their attention, and the increasing volume letting everyone know "This is it!" Many go immediately into a flashy and comparably quick first effect set to music. You've set a clear auditory and visual tone right off the bat. Immediately following the first effect is where you smile, thank the audience for visiting, introduce yourself, and give the opportunity for the audience to get to know you a little better. If you then share your philosophy of magic through a rhyming presentation set to "Also Sprach Zarathustra," well, you've accomplished the same thing as the pithy voice drop intro, and potentially reached more of your audience in the manner you intended.

Or, you could just use:

I have dreams, so have you.
Dreams happy, Dreams True.
Dreams to Share With Everyone,
From Our Dreams, Our Souls are Spun.

--- Guy

Excellent points.

There's a pretty cool, Stephen Hawkings type voice-over/show opener combination piece on the "Festivus Maximus" CD.

http://www.opus1productions.com

Good advice, just bought 3 CD's including Festivus Maximus. Thanks

Tommy at Opus 1 is great. He customized two songs from his CD's to fit my act. Great stuff.

I have a new cd out called "The Show Starts Before the Show Starts..."

If you are looking for humor and want to entertain your audience and put them in a good mood before the show starts, then this cd fits the bill perfectly.

I used it in my show and lecture at IBM in Cleveland last summer, and sold a ton of them.

Here is the official description:

The Show Starts Before The Show Starts (CD)
For years, Tim has used funny announcements before his show to help warm up the audience.
This CD has 24 cuts, including many funny announcements and several introductions
That you can use to start your show in a professional way.
Also included are several “useful” announcements that deal with “staying seated”, “no videotaping”, “silence cell phones”, etc. You will use this!

They are $30 postpaid.

My paypal id is tim@showmethefun.com

I hope this helps!

Advice - GET THIS CD!! I received my copy in the post this morning at 9.30am. At 10.30am I was using one of the tracks from it in a show. It is THAT GOOD!

$30 is nothing, get the CD, get the CD, GET THIS CD!! It's AWESOME (can you tell I love it?!)

Kind regards
Mike

Mike,

Thanks so much for the plug.

Ken Scott posted this on the Café:

"I just got mine from TIM and this CD is the best. WELL worth the 30.00 you will use this CD as soon as you get it.

Great stuff TIM!"

I am getting the cd mass produced in the next couple of weeks, and then will begin advertising it. I've also added a few new announcements that many will find useful.

If you are interested in the cd, email me at tim@pkshow.com
and I'll notify you when the new and improved cd is ready.

Again, thanks to Mike and Ken Scott for their positive reviews. I didn't have this cd made to sell...I had it professionally done for my own shows. But, everyone started wanting one...so...now we all can benefit!

UPDATE ON THE CD
"The Show Starts Before the Show Starts"

I now have the new and updated cd in stock. (35 tracks...two are duplicated as they are specific to the UK)

Everyone that has purchased the cd has told me they are using it in their shows right away.

I'm proud to be selling something that is getting used, and not just sitting in the magic drawer.

Anyway, I'm sending them to the magazines for review this week.

The price for the new and updated cd is $35 (shipping included to the USA)

Overseas friends please email me your address, and I'll email you with the total shipping included.

Paypal is preferred. paypal id is tim@showmethefun.com

Thanks everybody!

Tim

The Kidabra Journal just gave this review on the cd...a 10 out of 10!

Click here to listen to a sample:
http://www.behindthecurtaindvd.com/page1/page1.html

The Show Starts Before The Show Starts CD
800-227-3253
$35.00 ppd.
This is an excellent CD to use if you do school family nights, public shows, or even birthday parties. This CD consists of thirty-five tracks (two are duplicated for use in the UK) of announcements and comedy bits. These are designed to be placed between tracks of pre-show music to help warm up your audience. Some are original and some are fun, old chestnuts. All are usable. I won’t tip much of the content. Just buy this buy this CD. You’ll use it! I used several tracks in my own family night presentation the day it came! It’s evident; Tim has spent time and money producing a very high quality product!

Here are a few announcement topics:
Introduction for a Family Show
Rules for the show
Grownups watch too
Silence Cell Phones
Souvenirs Available
And Many More!

Rating: 10

None Of You will likely believe this but I get this one girl to say my intro for me from backstage ! shes pretty good and she is also my assistant

Now that everyone is going to buy Tim's CD (including myself) what type of music do you all play while the patrons are coming in? I'm assuming we're doing a stage show. I don't know if I'm the only one in the crowd, but I play songs with the word "magic" in it (Magic Stick, Do You Believe In Magic, Neil Diamond etc. Just a thought. What does everyone else do?

Haas

Haas,

For my one hour evening school show (audience is seated as families), I use upbeat fun party type music...

ymca, chicken dance, "up, up, up", etc.

My opening song in the show last year once the show STARTED was, "Do You Believe in Magic?" But my preshow music had nothing to do with magic.

I listened to the one sample off of Tim's website and ordered it immediately. For children's birthday parties and schools this is a must have. "Rules of the SHow" I hope to play about 10 times before the show:)

Songs for children's shows I use:

Do you believe in Magic

Magical Mystery Tour

Im Coming Out (time to get this party started)

If you can find it, take a listen to "The Jellicle Ball" from "Cats". I have used this as pre-show music in the past, it not only sets the mood but also pumped me up for the show as well!

FWIW

Cheers!

I agree.

Music has such a powerful effect as to the mood of an audience (and the performer!)

Stanyon-

You can actually download Jellicle Ball from itunes. (If you listen to the preview, listen to the one that has a time of 3:17. It's a better representation of what the whole tune is like. The other version gives the opening dialog which could be edited out.)

I used to open my show with this tune as well, using it as an overture. Just before the finish the curtains would open and on the last bump of the music, flash appearance! It was a good way to begin!