Standing "O"

The gig finally arrived, Saturday night, after about five months of anticipation...
I was recommended for a gig that a magician friend of mine could not accept due to being over booked. I felt like I was jumping thru hoops to get this gig. The folks had seen my Promotional video, I had been highly recommended by a fellow magician, and yet, it still was like pulling teeth to convince these people that they would be in good hands hiring me as their entertainment for the evening.
I gave them several references, which they actually called...
They asked if they could come watch one of my performances. I had to remind them that like the one they were considering hiring me for, most of my gigs are for private parties.
So, they finally asked for a contract, sent a down payment. Then five days before the gig (Last Tuesday) they call and ask me if I can juggle? Juggle? Why? "Oh we just think it would be fun." Fun? For who? I asked them what they wanted a juggler for? "Oh, we just thought it would be fun if you could juggle some of our products."
I'm thinking, you're kidding right?
i told them I could maybe juggle them for a few "passes" but would eventually drop them. Did they want comedy?
Then she asks me if I can help the owner hand out gift cards in a magical way? Individually? "Yes" was the reply. About how many? oh about 45... Hmm, I told her that if I took a minute with each person, that would add about 45-60 minutes to the show. If it only took 30 seconds each, that would still ad about 25-30 minutes to the show. I asked what the size of the gift cards were. I was thinking that maybe they would be credit card size or something along the size of a playing card. I was told that "no", they are like Christmas card size, in envelopes...
The best I could come up with was to use a dove pan and produce them all at once...
As it turned out, they didn't need any of that after all.
I find it interesting that people want to tell you the performer how to do your show.
A show that has been seven years in the making. A show that flows rather well for me.
They also wanted me to arrive and set up three hours before the show.
This was something I was able to charge a little more for. As it turned out for me, it was a small serendipity as it allowed me to go across the street and watch the Apple Cup game and do some close up magic for a few of the patrons there. Nice!
One gentleman even paid for my meal unbeknownst to me. He loved my magic! I loved performing for these people! Hnaded out some business cards and... you never know!So I arrive for my show 30 minutes early and finally meet the Boss. She informs me that my hour show is now a 45 minute show. Now I have to cut and slash and change the tenor of my act. I actually cut out my signature piece, the Cups & Balls. The Cups and Balls for me is about 8-10 minutes of amazing magic. The layout of the room was actually not conducive to allowing everyone to see my table top, so it got cut!

Well, I have to say, the show went better than I thought it would. Maybe because they had been drinking and just enjoyed a fine meal. Or maybe, I have a good act!?
Probably a combination of the two? Haha...
I had em rockin' and rollin' from the opening lines...
People were sitting at tables, and they were right on top of me. This used to bother me, now I relish it. I mean, the people in the back would come up later to the people within two or three feet of me and ask them, "what did you see?" And the response would be, "nothing."
About 3/4 the way thru the show I performed the Invisible Pack. I like Bill Malone's style with it, so I emulate that routine. I actually used the lines "standing ovation" during it and some people did give their boss and the other helper a standing "O."
I finished my set with the Torn & restored Newspaper that my friend Sterling Dietz graciously allows me to use. It is a beautiful piece of magic but the story line about putting the world back together again by putting the family together first is what makes it so wonderful. I used this as my "closer," and received a wonderful Standing Ovation to end my show.
I wonder if the invisible Pack and the lines of a standing ovation helped lead the audience to give it? Bill Malone speaks of this during the teaching portion of his dvd.
I have to tell you, it is a wonderful feeling to get a standing ovation!
But the most telling part to me is...
I went into this gig with trepidation and reservations.
I felt at several points during the negotiation process and even later, that I was like a dog being asked to roll over, play dead, bark for me etc.
It was not a good feeling, but the people were actually very nice and responsive to me and the magic.
I think people are often just unsure of exactly what they are going to get when they hire a magician. Here it is their big end of year party and YOU are the entertainment. No one wants to have some dull, boring person that sucks the life from the room. Trepidation on their part.
I am glad I rocked the house!
My set included,
Chinese Sticks,
Disappearing & Reappearing silks,
Acrobatic Knot,
Cut & Restored Rope,
Lassoing a Card,
Linking Rings,
Vanishing Bandanna,
Egg Bag,
Invisible Pack, and
Torn & Restored Newspaper

Magic is awesome!