Hello Everyone!

I was recently found by a lady who is opening a family party & play place in my area. After talking with her on several occasions, she decided that she would like to hire me as a strolling magician for guests.

I always thought I would be a Parlour/Stage magician! Well, I love magic thru & thru so I know I'll do fine. Don't get me wrong, I have some close-up, but it doesn't have as much attention as it probably should.

I was wondering if you guys could help me with.... well... the basics.
I mean....
*Tipping
*Approaching
*Good Tricks (That I can learn in 3 days) (If possible).
*Ending
*And, Everything else. I will kindly take any info I can get.

This "Opening date came up a lot quicker than I expected.

Magically,
Matthew Toner

You wouldn't like the advice I'd give you based on that information, so I'll hold my tongue... er, keyboard.

I'll try to help

*Tipping = grab one end and if not too heavy just pull up and push forward.

*Approaching = that means to move toward an object

*Good Tricks (That I can learn in 3 days) (If possible).= You look like a little kid so I can't answer that question.

*Ending = again I can't answer that, your parents should discuss it with you.

*And, Everything else. I will kindly take any info I can get. = Everything else? Wow. I would suggest that you really pay attention to math, english, science, and history classes as you'll either use or be in discussions about all of them as life goes on. Drinking and drugs do not enhance artistic abilities. There is no such thing as 'my one true love'. That should cover things.

Well having taken a look at your site, I'd say you probably bit off more than you can chew, but you got to start somewhere. Most of ur parlor effects that you can do without a table will work, same with close-up magic. Forget doing any trick you learn in 3 days, you are doing a professional performance, don't risk it with amateur magic. Approaching, do a quick search on approaching from this forum in the search engine. You will find plenty of tips on that here. Tips, forget trying anything to solicit them at this stage, if they offer you one, fine, graciously take it and say thank you. There are ways to help suggest tips but it takes time and finesse to do it without being crude, and you don't have time to learn that. Ending say, thank you, and have a nice time today at "name of place ur playing".
You are not going to have someplace to refill and reset, so try to pick tricks from your current routines that don't need you to go off stage and reset. Also, everything must be equipment you can carry with you as you stroll. Carrying a squared circle, or a silk cabby isn't going to be practical. Just stay with ur tried and true routines, and do your best. Good Luck.

My opinion, (since you asked it.) You jumped the gun, it doesn't appear that you're ready for this. If you do not have adequate material, how to handle the business end of performing, and don't know how to approach a group, you're really not ready. A lot of us made these mistakes when we started, myself included. Sometimes you have to have a few bad shows to get good. I now perform strolling magic 4 nights a week at restaurants, cocktail parties, and conventions. (Yesterday 3 hours strolling at the Pennsylvania Funeral Director's convention.)

If you do take the gig though, do us all a favor, PLEASE do not wear what is in your photo and PLEASE do not do dancing cane for strolling.

Have these threads been popping up more and more lately? It's getting really repetitive.

SmallCheeto - do a search and you will find countless other threads with similiar questions to yours, and you will see a common trend in the replies.

Same as above. You've started WAY before you're ready.

Wear cloths that look professional, and fit! You should look like you know what you're doing.

Don't try to learn new things to do at this event. Not enough time to do them justice.

Since you're doing strolling, you'll only need 5 or 6 effects. Pick only things you're already good at, can do with your eyes closed and can fit in your pockets. You won't need anymore than that since you'll be moving around and your spectators will be changing all the time.

When you approach people, say hello! Ask if they're enjoying themselves and ask if they'd like to see a magic trick. Show them one or two and then say thanks, enjoy the rest of your day, and move on.

Tips? Don't ask. You've been hired to work this event, meaning you're already getting paid. As mentioned, if something is offered, humbly accept and say thank you. If not, well...you're already being paid by the organizer for your time.

Finally, don't just do "pickacard" stuff. Be a little more creative than that.

Good luck. Mark.

Matt,

You probably aren't getting the type of responses that you expected.

Let me help you out here. First, the good news. I went to your website and watched your video. The magic was so-so, but your presentation was entertaining. What this means is that you have some potential, if it is properly channeled and developed.

The bad news is that for most of the shows you list on your web site, you are in no way prepared to market to the paying public. How do I know? From the very questions you asked in your intro post.

There is more to reforming magic at a professional level than being able to do a few tricks. This is a real business. It requires business savy, performance skills, and top level magic. Those are things you don't learn from a few internet posts in 3 days.

Consider, what would you think if your friend, who has been practicing the piano came to you and said, "I have to play a solo concert in three days, I need some music, do you have any music? Oh, by the way, how do I deal with the stage crew, the theater owner, and the audience? And I want to do my own Piano tuning, do you know a quick method I can learn?" You would tell your friend to reconsider, that he is not ready to launch a career as a concert pianist. That is what those here are trying to tell you.

As Dirty Harry once said, "A man's gotta know his limitations."

From your post, it sounds as though strolling magic is not even a field that you really cared about until a few days ago.

For the gig you are talking about, you need minimally three sets of three to four effects routined and down cold. Ain't gonna happen in three days.

If you had a professional, who had the effects and routines put into sets, and was willing to work with you 10 hours a day for those three days, you still would not be ready to perform for paying customers.

Just because the box says, "This trick can be performed right out of the box," doesn't mean it should be performed right out of the box.

You have potential, but that needs to be developed. That takes lots of time and effort.

The thread title reads: "Help! I guess I'm now a strolling magician!" The point is, no, you are not a strolling magician, you are a kid with some tricks. But, if being a strolling magician is something you really want, there are a number of working pro's on this site that will be happy to help you and guide you down that path. It just isn't going to happen in 3 days.

So, what do you really want? Strolling is very different from platform and stand up magic. Many potentially great magicians have left magic, simply because they crashed and burned in a situation similar to the one you have here. I guess what I am saying is that you are setting yourself up for failure. Reconsider.

Regards,

Brady

Brady that post was extremely well written. I hope SmallCheeto can listen to your advice as well as others from this thread. This is too big a jump all at once for you SmallCheeto. The mere fact that you need to ask these questions tells us that you're unprepared. See if you can put it off for at least a few months while you learn the art of close up magic, and especially the restaurant business. Best of luck to you.

Wait a second - I just checked out your site Matt. I see on your Shows/Services page, that you offer Restaurant Magic as an option for potential clients. To quote your site - "Matthew will be part of your restaurant team and go from table to table performing amazing feats for small groups."

You advertise Restaurant Magic on your website, so what is the problem with this strolling gig you are booked for? You asked for trick suggestions, but anything you do in your restaurant sets, should be perfect for this strolling gig, right? Good luck!

* One more thing - it's fine to be a fan of Green Day - I like some of their music too. But I would probably not go with any band t-shirt, as far as a performing outfit goes. Being quite young, you already have that hurdle to overcome when it comes to being taken seriously as a magician. Don't make it any easier on those people.

Well, if she has talked with you many times and has seen your magic and she has decided that it is something she would like at her place. Then I don't see a problem. When I was starting I never passed up a show. Almost all my shows in the beginning I did not feel prepared for. A party and play place sounds very children oriented and the kids in your video got a kick out of you so you will probably do ok. But expect to make mistakes. When I started out I was very honest with the people that hired me. Even if they loved what I did I still let them know that I have never done restuarant work before or whatever event it might be. Tell them you will do your best and if they liked what you did and wanted you on a regular basis that would be great. Thank them for the oppurtunity. As many have already mentioned do tricks you are already comfortable performing and that get great reactions. Don't use tricks you have just learned. You will only need to do 1-3 tricks per group so if you have 6 or more good solid effects you should be able to do ok. It all depends on how busy the place is and how long you are scheduled to work. If the place is huge and very busy and you are only expected to work an hour you could do one strong effect and move along doing maybe three different tricks all night. A smart technique is to offer your services for free for one night this gives you a chnace to see what it is going to be like and them a chance to see if it is something they will want to do on a regular basis. This way you can work as little or as long as you want that night depending on how busy they are. One thing you don't want to do is say you'll do three hours for a specific fee and only six people show up all night. Believe me it happens. You will learn how to handle those things as you get experienced but there is no need to put yourself in that situation now. This being a first time for you you will be under a lot of pressure so doing the night for free is a great way to alleviate some of that pressure. If you have a good time and everyone enjoys you then talk to her about doing it on a regular basis and negotiating a fee. If it doesn't go well you will have learned a lot and it didn't cost her anything.

Good luck to you and let us know what happens.

Cheeto,
There was a recent thread covering this same issue; however, this is somewhat different. Your initial post provided much more information about what you do and what you are capable of doing. I will agree with Kamm in regard to.. this lady has seen you perform, sought you out, and offered to hire you. Since this appears to be children oriented and looking at your site shows that you have experience performing for primarily children, I think you should go ahead and take the job.
However, I do disagree with Kamm when he says you should offer to do the first night for free. That is a strategy used when trying to convince someone to hire you....she already WANTS to hire you....so no need to give the night away. Also, I think you need more than 6 tricks. From my experience doing walk around for children...they tend to follow you from table to table...group to group. Once you pull out the sponge balls, that they had seen 10 minutes ago...they will shout out "oh I know this one". So, it would benefit you to have more than one sponge ball routine, rope routine, etc. And contrary to what you may read in some of these threads...children do like card tricks. However, keep it very simple, like multiple card selections and revelations...no flashy four aces productions and assemblies.
Good luck to you and fill us in on your progress.
Patrick

An old rule from sales experience. Never ask a question where they can turn you down. If you ask the above, it gives them a chance to say No.

I actually had a pretty crappy magician at a restaurant ask me that question and I said "no thanks". He went on to berate me about what I was missing (I had seen him working at other tables and would not be missing anything).

I ask if they have ever seen magic close-up and go into a routine.

No offense, but you are young and the guest probably won't expect a polished act, so just be yourself and have fun.

Matt, I've a serious question for you. I looked at your site and beyond the claim you can do strolling and any other type of magic I keep seeing reference to "we" and "Our", but it seems to only be you. Am I missing something or are you part of a duo or something? If just you the site reads very strange to me.

As many times as I've heard different magicians claim that you should never give them an option to turn you down, I disagree. It's not to say that I don't understand the logic behind it, because I do, but it's the fact that we've all been somewhere and in no mood to be bothered or witness a sudden performance. In any strolling situation, I always give the option of declining the entertainment within the first eight seconds of my introduction.

And who wants to perform for someone that isn't interested in watching anyway? My least favorite audience is an unengaged and uncaring audience. I know that someone can come back with, "They might not know that they want to watch, because they haven't seen the types of things I'm going to do." True. However the "self-fulfilling prophecy" says that if you are expecting not to enjoy something, you most likely will not enjoy it just because you're already in that mindset. Work for people that want to see what you're doing - and do that by asking before you do anything. My humble opinion.

Patrick,

Performing for free was simply a suggestion to relieve some of the pressure. If you feel up to the task then go ahead and negotiate some money. But this sounds like your first time so do whatever it takes to land the job. I have done plenty of free nights that then got me a full time job for pay. Its a great way to get your foot in the door and a common technique in our business. Money is not the important factor here. The most important thing is you getting experience and doing it without biting off more then you can chew. If you are going to negotiate to get paid then you better be good enough. If you are apprehensive then working a free night is a great alternative.

, Jonathan

I agree. That's why I said what I did earlier.

As a matter of good, old common courtesy, say hello, introduce yourself and ask if they'd like to be entertained. If they don't, fine...move on.

They're lot's of people who would like to see something. As Brian said, no sense wasting time with someone who is not interested.

Mark.

Mark,
If I read his post correctly, he has the job. He isn't trying to land the job. I agree, if he was trying to land the job, and the client was wavering, then offer an hour or so for free to give them a taste of what you do. All you can do by giving them a free night now....is allowing them to tell you thanks but no thanks, and you don't get paid. Like I said Mark, I would agree with your approach if he didn't already have the job.
Patrick

Brian,
You took the words right out of my mouth....or fingers in this situation. I couldn't agree more.
patrick

As long as you don't hold your tongue to the keyboard...

Sorry, bad joke.