Mr Sirjon,

Although I admire your willingness I'll give you a warning. This is coming from my experience. Even though you think that it's a good idea to start out young doing professional stuff, I'd highly advise waiting. If you are going to start up performing professionally you need to do one thing - practice

you really wouldn't believe how much you need to be ready. I've started working in a couple of pubs/bars in the local area and its amazing to see how hard it is to win some people over. You will always get a few people who are cynical and can try to rip you apart. I performed for a few university lecturers today and they were hard enough.

But otherwise if you want to get into a routine, find a routine that works for you, start to specialise in a certain skill, whether it is coins cards etc and work with that. I'd suggest getting a separate, larger routine full of bigger tricks such as magic colouring books and i dont know if they do it here but something like a roxy raccoon - works really well

Thank you, LBCCDave. I will take that into accout.

I do expect myself to practice and prepare for those situations.

I'm trying to experiment with other venues. See what works for me. Maybe try ALL of them. We'll see. Thanks, though.

SirJon,
Walk around and kid shows are worlds apart so, no you shouldn't say yes you do kid shows.

Hold on to your hat, cause' I've got alot to say on this one.

Magic coloring book:
Go to the site DINOTECH suggested and assemple the components of a magic coloring book on 1/2 page sizes (the book should be 1/2 page in size). Assemble pictures for a non-colored in version. E-mail them to Staples to be printed and bound. Go pick them up.
You can do all of this at home - excluding picking them up from staples.

Of course you can put your contact info on the back of the book.


Same tricks:
It's not a big deal to do the same tricks at a party. I do a vanishing hank routine in every show I perform - just with different plots.
Just a note: you will need more than spoungeballs and a magic coloring book for the tables with kids. Have Mystic Kings or something handy to give a little attention to the parents.
Also, I highly suggest a vanishing hank routine. Kids love it (when played as a game) and parents get a kick out of it as well (when you pull the hank from other people's sleeves and such).


Age:
This is the dreaded topic. 15 is too young to start in restaurants. I started at 16, and I thought I was hot stuff. Looking back, I was nowhere near ready.
I could suggest books and DVDs like crazy, but in this arena there is no substitute for experience. Hit the mall and work your routines for people in the food court. Find what works, what doesn't, which jokes they like, etc.

You also need to understand the attitude, demeanor, and manerisms that are acceptable. You need to understand the demographics, the sub-demographics, the sub-sub-demographics, the clicks, the social groups, common phrases that you can play from, adjusting to your environment even as it changes, persona', . . .

There are too many things that you couldn't possibly know at 13 or even the 'ripe old age' of 15. Likely, you won't know what half the things I'm talking about are till your in your 17or 18 - let alone how to act/re-act/adjust to them.

In short: There are too many things about this that simply "can't be taught". You can only learn them, no-one can teach you.


Get prepared, get experience, good luck.

I've never liked the raccoon. I have a bunny for that.

Excellent point though.

good idea! When you say resturant walkaround do you mean working as a waiter and 1/2 magician or just doing magic?

Restaurant Walkaround is when you are hired, as an entertainer, to do table hopping (magic at tables). No serving.

Restaurant Walkaround: Performing "walkaround (aka Strolling) magic" in a restaurant environment. Restaurant walkaround is also known as "table hopping" since one typically goes from one restaurant table to another.

The only effect from my walkaround repertoire that crosses over into my stand-up shows is my rope routine. Generally speaking, walkaround magic is not suitable for platform/stage stand-up scenarios; depending on the specific trick or routine, it might be suitable for more intimate stand-up like, say, parlor magic.

The stuff that I do in stand-up children's shows is not the stuff that I do for children in walkaround and vice-versa. I might use similar props, but for a different effect; for example, I have a spongeball routine for walkaround performance, but it uses small spongeballs and includes things happening in an audience member's hands; as well, I have a stand-up spongeball routine, but it uses 3 - 4 inch spongeballs and does not involve direct audience participation (see David Ginn's work).

Sure, it can be convenient for you to do the same things in both walkaround and a stand-up show. But is it really effective? Is it the best choice in terms of entertaining your audience?