Hello everyone!
I do birthday parties and some restaurant gigs locally. I am eventually looking to become a semi-popular stage performer. I would like to do amusement parks, cruises, something with a decent audience. I already have a good planned routine with Mismade girl, modern art, lumball machine, fire cage, etc. (p.s. I have not bought these yet hehe)

How can I get well known? Do I just call a Six Flags entertainment dept. and say "hello, I am ________ would you like a magic show?" Or is it different than that? I would appreciate all responses from those with experience. Thanks so much!
P.S. Tell me how you did it, and how you got your first gig =)
Thanks!

Just keep working hard and practising.
don't turn down any job and
just keep up your resume...

Check out Brad Ross's "The "IT" Factor, or Joel Bauer's "Hustle Hustle"

Both would help you out with your busness based on the direction you seemingly want to go.

Blair Marshall
"ShaZzam!"

Joey,

regarding the "call 6 flags" senario.

I would suggest doing some local gigs then a few larger gigs and get lots of good pictures and video.

Then call six flags, tell them you are interested in an entertainment position at the park, and if you could send in or drop of some promotional material...

Six Flags holds auditions every year. Call them and find out when they have one near you. Then you have an idea and a goal to work towards to get your show and you ready to take that next step.

Just what is a "semi-popular stage performer"? just kidding...
You will really need to purchase the illusions you are talking about to practice and polish your routines before any audition, or a promise of a show.
Don't jump into this without practice or a failure would doom you in the eyes of an organization like six flags.

I live fairly close to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky Ohio. they also hold auditions, they have shows for their Haunted Weekends in Sept. and Oct. but they usually will tell you what you will do and the patter you can use in the shows from what I was told. Dave

Thanks. How do I get local gigs? That is something that I am not sure how to do. Also, the auditions that Six Flags holds, are they strictly for magicians, or for other entertainment positions?
Thanks so much, Everyone is really helpful!

Joey.. to get local gigs make up a nice resume type letter that basically talks about your skills, what you offer,etc. basically a time to make yourself sound really good.

then deliver it to local festival organizers ,etc. as well as emailing major organizations in your area.

Children's Aid Society have hired me MANY times for adult shows. So I would suggest someone like them as long as you have fair prices. Also nursing homes are a good place to go as long as you don't mind charging next to nothing. Just go in and ask to speak with the Events coordinator or phone him/her.

A little known fact about Nursing Home gigs…
By government edict and rulings,
in order to maintain their Federal Funding,
they MUST hire entertainment for their residents and guests.

They have to have funds BUDGETED to pay entertainers,
so if they are not paying you, well maybe the money goes back under the table.

Don’t think just because it’s a nursing facility or a retirement home,
they don’t have funds, they charge for the resident’s care and housing,
and they have government funding coming in.

So, it’s a great place to get gigs,
you’re doing great work and good for the elderly and ill,
but there is no reason not to make a decent buck,
and build your resume as you do this type of booking.

Magically,
Walt

I just picked up a book called "The Festival Entertainer" by Keith Stickley its about booking and working outdoor fairs and events

Thanks for that info Walt! I'm going to be calling events coordinators and the local homes tomorrow ha-ha.

And Dave that sounds really cool! I have a book with email addresses for every fair in Ontario, Canada. I choose from the ones I'm interested in.. Then contact

This book has a section like that but it also has sample contracts that can be used if your just starting out

I cant remember where.. someone posted it a LONG time ago. but it was a sample contract and I still use that one today.. with stuff added to it of course.

Do you have any other examples of where I can send my resume? We have a local theme park (lake Compounce)how would I get to preform there? Also, I don't really want to preform at nursing homes, is there any other place that I could look to seeing if I can get in? Also, how hard is it to get in?
Thanks so much!

Hard, marketing and finding gigs is hard, hard work.

That's why there are so few full-time magicians.

The "For Dummies" books on
Marketing, Public Relations, Sales, and Business Plans
are fantastic, and very good for any performer looking to
expand their work and markets.

Magically,
Walt

To become a stage performer you have to perform on stage. Seems simple, but that's mostly it. And then there's just a million little details. Perform larger items, ball and card manip, small apparatus whatever you have where ever you can. If you have a school project and can do it on magic do it. If there are local talent shows or open mike nights do them. Anything worth doing well is first worth doing poorly. Just do it and gain experience. New guys are always concerned about prices and things. When all they need to be concerned about it experience. Just performing for almost anyone who will watch. If you have some skills and can get theme park work, great. But you will need a few effects that you do fairly smoothly. I agree with SpellBinderent. as far as the books he suggests. Jeff Hobson has a cd rom called Jeff Hobson 2 in 1 Professional Series Lecture Notes. It almost seems too simple but those notes from him are refined and concentrated professional experience.

There is NO easy way, there are NO shortcuts.
I’ve been a professional entertainer for over 30 years,
and make good money doing this,
so here is straight forward advice.

I’ve also provided you a list of really great books
to learn everything you need before you begin
and make tons of needless mistakes.

Passion and desire are only 20% of the picture,
hard work, time, and lots of sweat
are the other 80% of show business.

Being a magician, means becoming a small business owner.
You must have a high quality product (your shows)
and your shows must be unique, unusual, commercial,
and above all professional.

There are a lot of half-assed magicians out there,
and they do not “make it” in show business,
they only hurt their own reputations
and those of other hard working magicians.

To have a professional show means , it is fully scripted and directed,
with top quality props, costumes, tables, portable backdrop,
and maybe depending on size, sound equipment, lighting equipment, folding platform,
and assistant(s).

Once you have your product, you need high quality marketing materials,
these include:
Business Cards, Promotional Photos, Excellent Brochures,
Postcards, a very good Website, and a brief Promotional DVD.

Now you have your product(s)
and your marketing materials all set,
you need to put together both a Business Plan and a Marketing Plan.

Only when you have all this in place are really you ready to approach
your first potential client and speak with them about what you have to offer.

You’ll also need to know what you and your show are worth,
and what to correctly charge for your services.

Most small businesses fail within their first two years,
most magicians can’t pull themselves together to become successful,
there are very few successful part-time magicians,
and even fewer full-time professionals,
because this is HARD work and a lot of it.

Being in the magic business means…
long hours,
lots of effort,
lots of time and energy, and
lots of business expenses.

Here is your book list:

-Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling
Michael Port, Tim Sanders (Foreword by)
April 2006 Hardcover
US $24.95

-The Irresistible Offer:
How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less
by Mark Joyner
September 2005, Hardcover
US $21.95

-Make Your Business Survive and Thrive!:
100+ Proven Marketing Methods to Help You Beat the Odds and Build a Successful Small or Home-Based Enterprise
by Priscilla Y. Huff
December 2006, Paperback
US $19.95

-Small Business Kit For Dummies, 2nd Edition
by Richard D. Harroch
July 2004, Paperback
US $29.99

-The Unofficial Guide to Marketing Your Small Business
by Marcia Layton Turner
October 2006, Paperback
US $18.99

-Marketing Kit for Dummies, 2nd Edition
by Alexander Hiam
November 2004, Paperback
US $24.99

-Public Relations For Dummies, 2nd Edition
by Eric Yaverbaum, Ilise Benun, Richard Kirshenbaum (Foreword by)
with Robert W. Bly
May 2006, Paperback
US $19.99

-The Small Business Bible:
Everything You Need To Know To Succeed In Your Small Business
by Steven D. Strauss
December 2004, Paperback
US $19.95

-The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Small Business, 2nd Edition
by Marcia Layton Turner
October 2004, Paperback
US $16.99

-The New Rules of Marketing and PR:
How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
by David Meerman Scott
June 2007, Hardcover
US $24.95

-The Great Formula:
for Creating Maximum Profit with Minimal Effort
by Mark Joyner
April 2006, Hardcover
US $21.95

-How to Sell at Margins Higher Than Your Competitors:
Winning Every Sale at Full Price, Rate, or Fee
Lawrence L. Steinmetz, William T. Brooks
November 2005 Hardcover
US $29.95

-How to Market, Advertise and Promote Your Business or Service in Your Own Backyard
by Tom C. Egelhoff
June 2008, Paperback
US $19.95

Wow. nice list of books there. some great advice on this thread

My situation was a little different. I had Six Flags contact me through my website and the next thing you know I had a six month contract. I've also sent my DVD directly to the parks and that has worked too.