I am just getting into kids magic and i am woundering how long your birthday oarty shows usually are. 30 min. 40 min.??? Also, depending on how long how many tricks do you usually do? Thanks a lot

Ben

My daughter does a 30-40 minute show, depending. Here are the basics:

Intro
Magic Routine
Magic Routine
Magic Routine
Honorary Magician
Magic Routine

That ends her show.

what do you mean by Honorary Magician?
and dose she link her routines together or what?
just wondering...

I beleive it refers to having the birthday child assist in an effect (hence becoming an honorary magician). The child gets a certificate making them an Honorary Magician, which is presented after the effect. It's a good concept, but I use a different approach.

Actually, I named it that above because everyone would recognize the concept. The child isn't an honoray "magician", but becomes the magician. Its about putting that child in the starring role for the day, because it shouldn't be about the entertainer, it should be about THAT child on their special day.

My daughter does not give out a certificate, but the child will receive some special gifts.

With paperclips or staples?

Paperclips or staples??? You guys are too funny!

Yes Mike, if you checkout the other topics in the forum I am big on the whole show being themed. I like continuity. That means she will tie everything together. Sometimes she will even make an offhand joke(directed at the adults) about her "segway".

The show itself usually goes for about 30-40 minutes with the majority of performers. However, some make balloon animals for an extra 20 minutes or so and may take their time up to one hour.

Glad to see you back around the boards Sneak. You've been quiet lately, must mean you've been busy which is always a good thing!

Hi Kristen,

Thanks for your kind words above. It's nice to know people think about you when you're gone. I do have that habit of posting almost daily for awhile then not posting for days or weeks.

Anyways, I bet you're busy planning for the summer shows these days?

Busy in an understatement! She's been practicing diligently.

This is what we have to look forward to in just the next few weeks: We go on vacation (yes, visiting the Castle!), then she leaves for Leadership camp, she comes back has a day to practice and then she is going to compete in our Assembly's Stage Contest, which she has decided she wants to compete in the Professional division-- of course, that means it will be harder. I suggested trying for the Amateur division since this is her first contest, but what do I know? LOL I guess it is a good thing she likes to challenge herself! Then, that weekend she has a show, followed by the next weekend where she has 2 shows.

LOL, I'm already tired and summer hasn't even started! It's been a mass of juggling preparing for all the different shows and practices. Of course, they all are based on pretty much the same program, but she is tweaking each for that particular event. Mix that in with her studying for finals and we've been running! After that though it will be quieter as she doesn't have any more stage shows until August, at least at this point. She may be doing one on July 4th, but that isn't confirmed yet.

We'll see what happens also once she does the public performances for the rest of the summer. They usually spark the private party bookings. Its the only form of advertising she has done in the past. Although, another magician friend said last night that he'd also be willing to give her referrals if she would like them, so that's pretty cool. That gives her two different referral sources so we'll just see how it goes and whether or not she is going to need to do any other form of advertising or not. She has decided that she wants to open up her calendar year-round. In the past she has only performed in summer.

Always new adventures!

Again, glad to see you posting! It's been pretty quiet around here.

That is the most pathetic attempt at getting post count up I have ever seen. (No, this is.)

Anyway, yeah. I might start doing childrens shows. I agree that it should be about the BDay kid.

I know your whole family is into the magic thing but what do you and your husband do? (magic shows, clowning.. Etc) is it your full time jobs and the your daughter just got hooked as well?

tell your story

My husband and I both loved magic as a kid. I used to talk my grandparents into taking me to the magic shop when I was a kid-- my husband used to go also. For all I know, he could have been at the magic shop at the same time I was all those years ago. Unfortunately, the shop couldn't make it and closed up. Back then, there wasn't the internet like today so we both lost touch with magic.

Then, when my daughter was about 4 we were visiting Disneyland and saw Dana Daniels. He called our daughter up on stage to assist. Of course he thought she would be timid, which is what typically happens. However, our daughter was just in the process of taking tap dances--- so when he told her to tap dance while he got ready, she obliged! Finally, he told her that it was HIS show, not hers. Well, she gave him a run for his money the entire show. It was so cute. Later in the day we actually had people ask us if she was part of the show and we told them "no".

After that she was fascinated with magic. We would buy her the little kits she would play with and she would perform for family and ham it up.

On another Disneyland trip when she was 10 she "discovered" the Magic Shop. You couldn't pry that child away. There is a man in there (his name escapes me at the moment) that belongs to the Magic Castle and she would just watch him. We bought her several magic tricks and a couple of books as well.

As soon as we got back home we discovered California Magic, which is in a neighboring city. We couldn't believe we were lucky enough to have such an establishment in our own back yard. Gerry Griffin told us about the SYM and our daughter has been going strong ever since. She now belongs to the SAM, the IBM, and Gerry's VIP club.

Again, my husband and I both love magic. It was our daughter's interest that re-sparked ours. Neither of us perform. My husband is constantly trying to convince me to start, but I have terrible stage fright. Paddy has told me a few times to just get out there and do it. I'm trying little by little. I am my daughter's box jumper so I am trying to get over my fear. I love doing just little things here and there for the kids, but doing a whole show-- that is something I am definitely going to have to work on.

In the meantime, my hubby loves building custom illusions for my daughter. I manage the business aspect, also build smaller custom props, and help her to develop her shows by routining them and working on the storylines with her.

My husband and I both work outside of magic. My daughter wants to continue in magic and work her way through college and then see where she is. She knows the importance of getting a solid education. Whether she will work in magic, or choose to apply her degree toward her future remains to be seen.

The only thing I do know is that we are careful not to press her--- magic has to be her choice, something she loves to do. She can quit at any time, and that is fine with us. No matter what she chooses in life she will have our full support.

My husband and I both loved magic as a kid. I used to talk my grandparents into taking me to the magic shop when I was a kid-- my husband used to go also. For all I know, he could have been at the magic shop at the same time I was all those years ago. Unfortunately, the shop couldn't make it and closed up. Back then, there wasn't the internet like today so we both lost touch with magic.

Then, when my daughter was about 4 we were visiting Disneyland and saw Dana Daniels. He called our daughter up on stage to assist. Of course he thought she would be timid, which is what typically happens. However, our daughter was just in the process of taking tap dances--- so when he told her to tap dance while he got ready, she obliged! Finally, he told her that it was HIS show, not hers. Well, she gave him a run for his money the entire show. It was so cute. Later in the day we actually had people ask us if she was part of the show and we told them "no".

After that she was fascinated with magic. We would buy her the little kits she would play with and she would perform for family and ham it up.

On another Disneyland trip when she was 10 she "discovered" the Magic Shop. You couldn't pry that child away. There is a man in there (his name escapes me at the moment) that belongs to the Magic Castle and she would just watch him. We bought her several magic tricks and a couple of books as well.

As soon as we got back home we discovered California Magic, which is in a neighboring city. We couldn't believe we were lucky enough to have such an establishment in our own back yard. Gerry Griffin told us about the SYM and our daughter has been going strong ever since. She now belongs to the SAM, the IBM, and Gerry's VIP club.

Again, my husband and I both love magic. It was our daughter's interest that re-sparked ours. Neither of us perform. My husband is constantly trying to convince me to start, but I have terrible stage fright. Paddy has told me a few times to just get out there and do it. I'm trying little by little. I am my daughter's box jumper so I am trying to get over my fear. I love doing just little things here and there for the kids, but doing a whole show-- that is something I am definitely going to have to work on.

In the meantime, my hubby loves building custom illusions for my daughter. I manage the business aspect, also build smaller custom props, and help her to develop her shows by routining them and working on the storylines with her.

My husband and I both work outside of magic. My daughter wants to continue in magic and work her way through college and then see where she is. She knows the importance of getting a solid education. Whether she will work in magic, or choose to apply her degree toward her future remains to be seen.

The only thing I do know is that we are careful not to press her--- magic has to be her choice, something she loves to do. She can quit at any time, and that is fine with us. No matter what she chooses in life she will have our full support.