Hi, ive been working on a classical routine that can be done without words, just classical music playing in the backround. Its sorta like they do on "The worlds greatest magic" on fox tv once in awhile. Its like I walk out and start off with a attention grabber, then move on but have a constant theme like a constant production of something like parakeets, or fire manipulation. I have 3 parakeets to work with. Any ideas on how or what i should do? Thanks alot!

I have never worked with parakeets before but if they're like doves, you could possibly do a "production box" routine. This is where you have a shoebox and you show the inside and lid clean, then close the box, open it and reach in to reveal whatever you want (a bird in your case ). I haven't tried this yet but you can find it in Mark Wilson's Cyclopedia of magic. Good luck,
~A.C.

thanks, my routine i want it to be something like lance burton does in this clip www.contato.inf.br/lance_burton.mpg but not exactly. i have fire effects, i can get a parakeet loader, and i can put it all together, but i dont know what to do. I dont want to be copying

That's a lofty goal to aim for . I congratulate you on your ambition.
Prepare to work hard for a long time , lots of rehearsal , then a lot more breaking it in with real, live performances to be "like Lance" as in that clip .

From what I understand working with parakeets is a bit different than working with doves. Doves tend to be more docile and parakeets are a bit more independent. Other than that many of the techniques of loading and stealing would be similar to that done with doves.
There used to be a whole book on magic with Parakeets ; I think the author was Jack Kodell , who pioneered an act with parakeets during the 1950's . Another magician who uses parakeets has a video out . I believe it is Ramon Galindo . You'll have to Google for it .
Other magicians who have featured parakeets in their act in the past included Johnny Hart and Paul Fiedler . I have no idea if they ever published anything on their methods . Good luck .

i already have that book and have invented non gimmicked productions/vanishes with these birds. They are more easier to conceal, they are quiet, ang the audience thinks they are alot more cuter than doves. What I need to know is what do you think I should do? and how should I do it as in manipulations. Thanks alot for your help!

there's the dove scraf, which is a beutiful production. u come on stage with a white scarf around ur neck. u take out off, close it in 2 halfs (like a rope), and when u open a dove comes out. i just hope this would work with ur birds as well... u would need to find out more about the dove productions befor u buy them, coz they might not be good for u. i persoanally think that the dove scarf is a very good opener, to grab to attention of the audiance.

Tomer

Are you asking for someone to map out an actual outline of a routine for you ? Like Trick #1 is __________ , then do Trick #2 __________, followed by Trick #3 __________, etc. , etc. ?

That's hard to do since we don't know you, your skill level, your performing style. It's like you asking : "How should I dress ?"
We can answer in a general way: "Dress so you look good and so you're a credit to the craft" , but what looks good on one guy doesn't necessarily look good on another. It's a personal thing. That's why I said in my first response to you that you need to be prepared to do a lot of hard work and rehearsal to find out what your parakeet act is going to end up looking like . To get to a level as polished and nearly flawless like Lance Burton's manip. act is going to take a while. (but don't let that stop you . Again, I commend you for aiming high. )

Make a list of all the the effects you know using the parakeets (or effects that you would like to learn) , then a list of other types of effects that fit in with the sort of act you want , so you can use these other effects as bridging material or interludes between the bird productions .
Put each separate trick on an index card with a number . Now start arranging them layed out on the floor or on a bulletin board. Arrange and rearrange the order until it looks like you have an act that will "flow" nicely for 10 minutes or whatever length you want it to run. (most manip. acts tend to be short . I think Lance's classic routine was 14 minutes in total . ) Once you get an order for the routine lay out all your props and materials and start to rehearse . Rehearse the act in order and see how it flows. You might discover that you need to rearrange certain effects or even drop some effects and add new ones to make the act flow smoother. Think about your character, too. What's your on-stage persona like ? Is it a comedy act or a serious act ?
Is it a costumed or themed act , like a Tiki/Polynesian theme or a period piece with a Merlin-type character in robes ? (or the classic "suave deciever" in formal evening clothes, tails , like Channing Pollock, or Lance Burton)

Basically this is stuff you need to decide on for yourself because it is a personal thing, tied to your own tastes and personality. Otherwise you'll just end up as a copy of someone else. Don't copy people like Burton or Dimmare ; but use them as inspiration and as a goal that you want to reach as far as the perfection of your act .

If at all possible get yourself hooked up with a drama coach , a director.
Someone who can look at your act objectively and offer valid constructive criticism to make it stronger (and I'm talking about the whole act , as an act, as a theatrical experience, not just whether you do the individual tricks well. Everything I've said assumes you will have reached a bare minimum level of technical mastery of your material, i.e. your bird steals will be invisible and productions will be flawless.) At the very least , video tape yourself over and over going through the entire act, then watch it with a critical eye and get someone you trust to watch the tapes of your rehearshing the act to get their input . Again, if at all possible have that person be someone who has some experience with theater.

I am not asking for a script, I am asking what tricks should i do? Thank you so much for the advice! I just need help deciding what to do in my act. thanks alot.

What tricks are in the Jack Kodell book on Parakeet Magic ?
I've seen it advertised over the years , but never read it .

I would think almost anything you can do with a dove you could do with a parakeet (just custom make the harnesses and holders a bit smaller).


I like classic stuff , such as perform a torn and restored newspaper, then crumple up the newspaper like you're going to toss it , but then produce a bird from the crumpled newspaper .

Do you know the trick Orange, Lemon, Egg, Canary ? It's an old trick and several different versions exist . Look around for it .
You show an orange, a lemon, an egg, and a small bird (in your case, a parakeet) in it's cage.
You place the parakeet into a paper bag, the egg into another paper bag, the lemon in a paper bag , and the orange in a paper bag. You rip open the bags one by one showing the parakeet has vanished, the egg has vanished, the lemon has vanished . However, on ripping open the last bag it is seen that the orange is still there, so you peel the orange and discover the lemon inside.  You peel the lemon and discover the egg.  You crack the egg over the empty cage and the parakeet magically flies out of the egg and comes to rest on it's perch in the cage.

Another version goes like this :

A parakeet is removed from the cage and lowered into a folded black silk handkerchief. When the handkerchief is dropped open , the parakeet has vanished. Next, a petal is plucked from a white rose and placed into a large brandy snifter. The petal spun around and becomes an egg. When the egg is broken , the parakeet is revealed inside.

(this uses the "devil's handkerchief" type of prop to vanish the bird.
The flower petal to egg inside the brandy snifter is a variation on the famous "egg on fan" trick. Finally, the climax is the same , where you break the egg on the open cage door and the bird appears to fly out of the egg and lands on it's perch in the cage) .

yes ive seen it done on the worlds greatest magic, do u think i could google it?, mabye yahoo?

There is a young guy named Dave Womach, He has two videos that cover bird magic with doves parakeets and Parrots. I have the video, its great! I have the first volume and I love it! Dave preforms the OLEP in his act, You can see a demo of this trick at Maloy Modern Magic. You can Find more info about Dave at www.davewomach.com or www.magicalbirds.com He is a real nice guy.Hope that helps

An appearing candle routine always work. I beleive there's a video of one in this forum. BTW, this is my #100 post. Sorry, just had to let you all know.

OK OK, i have the canes, i have a dove harness, i have 3 birds, i have a pan, i have a tray, i have some silks, i have a few others, and i need help puttin them 2gether in one routine that is classical like the one lance burton did, but not copying it, i want it to be origional, im not really that good at coming up with classy things,im more ofa twisted freakish, goth stlye in magic, i do that REALLY well, but i want to start with more of the stage, no patter classy things...ya know like with a variety of things but still have a constant theme with my birds any help would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!! thx!