Many folks have a less than favorable impression of magicians. They’ve sat through a magic act and said “this is boring!” or “I don’t like this!”
Part of the problem is that anyone who buys a magic trick is suddenly a “magician”. These guys go out after about five minutes of rehearsal and start trying to perform professionally.
This doesn’t explain the entire problem though… Recently one of the bigger names in Vegas came to Columbus and lost his audience’s attention! They started loudly talking to each other, taking cell phone calls, and texting!
Was the audience rude? Yes, but it really wasn’t their fault! The theater was full and the guy on stage pulled out a little deck of cards. Nobody beyond the second row could see what was happening. I got bored myself and fell asleep a couple times.
This guy was well rehearsed and well known so what was the problem? Even though many magicians have put forth the requisite effort, they’re performing for the wrong reasons.
Here’s why many magicians put an act in their show:
1.) They spent ten years learning the sleight of hand to make the trick work.
2.) They spent a lot of money on the prop. (Magic equipment is EXPENSIVE!)
3.) They saw someone else do something similar and it worked for them.
4.) The “secret handling” is really clever and they enjoy doing it.
All of these reasons are focused on the magician. They aren’t focused on the audience at all! This is why you frequently see “professionals” that stink.
There is only one reason we put an act in our show:
5.) We want the audience to feel something.
That’s the ONLY reason we do anything. Frankly, it’s the only reason a magic show should exist in the first place. When someone chooses to see a movie, watch TV, or be an audience member it’s because they want to experience something.
Any entertainer who is performing for a reason other than giving the audience an experience is misguided. As we design every act we ask ourselves the following question:
“What do we want the audience to FEEL as a result of this performance?”
In each of our acts we have designed moments where the audience feels joy, surprise, curiosity, contentedness, happiness, anxiousness, uneasiness, and even… love.
The difference this makes from the audiences perspective is incredible.
