I am a stand-up magician right now, but I am also good at close up. I do quite a bit of street magic, and it is received well. I have worked a couple of one night restaurant gigs, but the thing I am interested in is strolling at parties. How should I go about adding this to my repitoire of venues. Thank You.

Offer it when you get a call for a stand up show. Whenever I get a call for a birthday, communion, barmitzvah, festival, or anything I ALWAYS offer my services as a champion sleight of hand artist. I have been fortunate enough to win several local competitions and I feel my close up is stronger than my stand up anyway. I also have 4 agents that mainly hire me out for strolling. If you could, I suggest getting an agent.

I'd start off by not calling your strolling material "street magic". And I'm not quite sure what you are asking when you say "How should I go about adding this to my repitoire of venues" - are you asking how to advertise this service? Or are you asking to to create a strolling act to sell/offer?

Come up with a couple of sets of effects that you know inside and out (at least two sets, consisting of 3 effects each set), make sure they reset automatically or very easiy, give them all an assigned pocket, practice everything 1000 times, then practice everything 100 more times, carry something that plays relatively big (for when you are cornered by a big mob of people who don't understand the concept of strolling magic and they are expecting something larger than a coin vanish), then bam, you have a strolling act to pitch.

Twistedace

thanks for the advice I will try that. How would I go about finding out if there was an agent in my area that would be interested? How much would something like that cost?

Danny Diamond,

Thanks. I have a few strolling sets that I could use in a situation such as a partie I guess the main thing I was asking was how to advertise it. I want people to see that there is another option other than just a show, which is what I do now.

My agent takes a small percentage of the show. I'm sure you could search online for entertainment agencies in your area. Call them and ask if they've hired magicians in the past or if they have ever considered hiring a magician. Remember, you're versatile. You can entertain small groups or large groups, children or adults. You are perfect for any type of event. That's what agencies are concerned about.