I'm not sure of the intent of this forum. I'll make my entries in, "Journal Form". I guess people can reply if they want.

March 15, 2009

I performed today for Project Graduation here in Kettle Falls. It's a fundraiser that the parents of the local High School Seniors have in order to have a party for the kids on Graduation night. It helps keep them off the streets. The evening featured an hour of performances by several people. I had the honor of closing the show.

Here was the program I presented (for about 300 people in a stage setting). I used a video camera to project a few effects onto a large screen.

1. For the first time I performed STS for a huge crowd (using the camera)
There was a very clear response from the crowd, they loved it.
2. Michael Modes bowling pin production
3. Executive briefcase bowling ball production (I then rolled the ball at the pin, got a cheer from the audience for hitting it, and switched it for a balloon. Then I threw the balloon at the crowd)
4. I borrowed 2 one dollar bills and turned them into a 10 using Jay's 2 dollar window.
5. I performed misled on the ten on the screen and then gave the lady the 10 bucks.
6. I shook up a can of soda and did a Russian roulette act (FizzMaster)
7. I did abbotts torturette
8. I did my presentation of ID
9. I put a lit match in my hand
10. I did clutch
11. I ended the show with Cardiographic. At the end of this trick I have an Irish dance choreography. I ended the show in a Michael Flatley Pose, like in Lord of The Dance.

The audience had a blast. I had a blast. The best thing is that after the show I sold over a hundred tickets for my stage shows in April. I managed to keep some of the illusions I've built in the cabinet shop off the stage by using the video camera so I've still got an hour of stuff the people didn't see. I'll post again after my next performances.

That sounds awesome!

~Z

Sounds great man.

I wouldn't call that te best set-list but sound like the audience enjoyed it and that's all that matters.

Sounds like an awesome setlist. Enjoyed it!

Thanks for the input guys,

My next big public performance is on Saturday March 28th. It's for the Spokane Basketball Officials Association. I have 30 minutes to entertain about 175 Referees and their spouses. I was considering a similar set list.

Sweepingreaper, how could I improve it? Here are my constraints;

1. I don't want to take huge stuff for a one off 30 minute show (I have a Doll House, Sword Boxes, Flash appearance, etc. They are hard to move around, I'm setting them up for my run of 6 shows over two weekends at a local theater in April)

2. I don't have advanced access to the room and I don't believe it has a stage (it's at a Casino in Spokane)

3. For this performance I'm a 1 man show, no assistants.

I had an idea that I could use my briefcase to pull out a basketball and officiating uniform to make it fit the crowd but I need other ideas.

Thanks guys,

Ted

March 17th 2009,

It's St. Patricks Day!!

I've had a ROUGH few days. I have a theater booked at a high school in Cheney Washington on May 2nd to perform for a group called Spokane Families With Children From China. I filled out the paperwork for facility use at the end of January and got confirmation and approval for use in the mail on February 5th. The WIERD news came in a letter dated March 10th. The director of maintenence and operations sent me a letter telling me that after "further review your application for facility use is denied".

WHAT?????? I've got advertising all over the place. I've already sold 200 plus tickets!!!!! Holy CRAP!!!!!

I called the school as freaked out on them. I contacted my friend who is a principal at the elementary school in the district. After a few days of phone calls I think the situation is straightened out. They say I can use the theater, but I'm pretty worried after all of this. I hope that never happens to me again. I was pretty worked up!!

Ted

I would of got worked up to! Punch someone in the face, Ted.

This is just my opinion and i am not a stage guy so don't invest a whole lot in what I have to say unless you agree completely.

- I wouldn't have done some of the close-up stuff. 2$ window, misled, STS. idk. I feel part of the power of those illusions is that they are up-close and personal. I think doing them from so far away is selling them short but if that's what you've got, go right ahead and even more importantly, if they're working for you, by all means perform them.

- For clutch did you bring some one on stage? If you want to do a card trick on stage, clutch is the one to perform.

Hey, thanks for the input.

I've had great luck with misled on stage. The first time I saw it was on national television (when David Copperfield did it). I've taken his idea and projected the effect onto a big screen. 2 dollar window is a good lead in and it gives me an excuse to give something to the audience (I give away a larger bill). People talk about that and it's good PR for me.

Yes, I do bring someone on stage for clutch. I've been really happy with the response from the larger audiences.

Ted

How does the audience respond to Clutch when performed on stage?

Hey Maloney,

They seem to really like it. I have it all done to some mysterious music that has a cello, bass, and xylephone. I really ham it up. The characters name that does the pick pocketing is Harry. At the end when I reach into the spectators pocket I overdubbed a lightning strike sound on the music. I'm not really that fast but it makes people laugh. It's all a recorded sound track, I don't say a word. The only tricky part is the spectator shuffling. Sometimes I have to hurry them a long a little.

Ted

Sounds good. I'd like to see some videos of you performing, Ted.

Thursday March 19th,

The basketball officials cancelled today. Man has it been a strange week!! Turns out they went way over budget and had to cut something. Oh well.............. their loss I guess.

I saw a demo on the Brad Burt site today for some match boxes. It looks cool. I'm trying to put some stuff together for a "Family Friendly" series of 1 hour shows at the Woodlands theater over the next year. I'd like to do 3 different shows (1 hour each). I might have to recruit some help from the guys in the local IBM ring. I don't think I can cover all of that myself.

Ted

Their loss is right. Funny how they cut out what probably was the best form of entertainment they could book.