o n q o C o qu e u r e r H o w t o
STAGE FRIGHT
[SIDEBAR]
How to Conquer Stage Fright [ILLO: illustration of kid magician in top hat peeking from behind a curtain, sweating and nervous as he looks out on a crowded theater] Doing the impossible can be tough for a magician, but for many of us, the hardest part is keeping your cool. A magician to remember a lot of stuff: perform theaeffect, what to say and what OINGhasTHE IMPOSSIBLE canhow be to tough for magician, butwhile for performing, many to do ifof something goes wrong. Even Houdini got nervous onstage. us, the hardest part is keeping your cool. A magician has to
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a lot of stuff: to Here perform effect, Soremember how do magicians avoid getting how nervous? are the the four secrets:
what to say while performing, and what to do if something goes wrong. Even Houdini 1. got Rehearse. lot. In fact, rehearse so much that your magic ows easily from your ngertips and you nervousAonstage.
don’t even have to think about it. Remember that, above all, your audience wants to see you do something amazing, which means that they want you to succeed. 2. SO HOW Have aDO backup plan. Even if AVOID you only GETTING plan to perform one trick for HERE someone, have THE another one in MAGICIANS NERVOUS? ARE your pocket. If something does go wrong, you have a surere, proven trick as a backup. FOUR SECRETS: 3. Be comfortable. Dress comfortably comfortably.. If your clothes are too tight or your dress shoes give you blisters, you won’t be focused on your magic. Part of being comfortable means having a familiar face with you. It’s A aLOT. fact, watching rehearse so much that your magic often a REHEARSE. relief to me to have parentIn or friend me from the wings, smiling. 4. Understand it’s from normal your to be nervous. Whenand I rstyou started performing was always very, very nervous flows easily fingertips don’t even Ihave to think before shows. My dad used to tell ll me, “It’s okay to be nervous. It shows you care care about doing a good job.” about it. Remember te that, above all, your audience wants to see you That always made me feel better. dosidebar] something amazing, which means that they want you to succeed. [end
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HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. Even if you only plan to perform one trick for someone, have another one in your pocket. If something does go wrong, you have a surefire, proven trick as a backup.
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BE COMFORTABLE. DRESS COMFORTABLY. If your clothes are too tight or your dress shoes give you blisters, you won’t be focused on your magic. Part of being comfortable means having a familiar face with you. It’s often a relief to me to have a parent or friend watching me from the wings, smiling.
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UNDERSTAND IT’S NORMAL TO BE NERVOUS. When I first started performing I was always very, very nervous before shows. My dad used to tell me, “It’s okay to be nervous. It shows you care about doing a good job.” That always made me feel better.
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What You Need A BED Note: If you are performing onstage, use a table. I used to do this one a lot at home, in my bedroom. ☞
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YOUR BED SHEETS
A TRAINED PARTNER Younger siblings work well for this, as long as they promise to keep your secret. ☞
TWO PAIRS OF SHOES (ideally, both belonging to your sibling)
TWO BROOMSTICKS (or other long poles—ski poles, a mop handle—almost anything long, light, and thin will work) ☞
SETUP
HIDDEN VIEW
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Display the hat and have it examined if you like. Do the same with the paper bag. Now present the stacked cups as one cup. If you treat it like one cup an d make sure they don’t fall apart, everyone will think you just had one cup.
Pour the juice from the bottle into one of the cups. Be careful here, or you could later be wearing a wet hat. Open the paper bag and place it on a tabl e at the other side of the stage, or have someone hold it for you.
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Place the cup inside the top hat and say, “Magicians wear hats like this one because they help with the magic. In a moment I will make this cup appear in this hat, like this. But to make it more difficult, I will fill the cup with juice.”
Now pick up the empty cup, holding it as if it was full of juice. You can even pretend to take a sip. Place the empty cup into the bag. Do this carefully, slowly, and with a delicate touch. Just pretend it reall y was full of juice. PER FORMAN CE
HIDDEN VIEW
3 Reach into the hat and, with one hand, carefully slide one cup from the other. Lift the inner cup from the hat, display it for a moment, and replace it back in the hat next to the other cup. The spectators can’t see inside the hat, and so they can’t see that you now have two cups side by side. �
6 Wave your hand over the bag, still holding it very gently. Announce that you will make the juice and the cup disappear. 22
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TRICK #28: TRAVELING JUICE
HIDDEN VIEW
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Display the hat and have it examined if you like. Do the same with the paper bag. Now present the stacked cups as one cup. If you treat it like one cup and make sure they don’t fall apart, everyone will think you just had one cup.
Pour the juice from the bottle into one of the cups. Be careful here, or you could later be wearing a wet hat. Open the paper bag and place it on a table at the other side of the stage, or have someone hold it for you.
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Place the cup inside the top hat and say, “Magicians wear hats like this one because they help with the magic. In a moment I will make this cup appear in this hat, like this. But to make it more difficult, I will fill the cup with juice.”
Now pick up the empty cup, holding it as if it was full of juice. You can even pretend to take a sip. Place the empty cup into the bag. Do this carefully, slowly, and with a delicate touch. Just pretend it really was full of ju ice.
9 Reach into the hat and, with one hand, carefully slide one cup from the other. Lift the inner cup from the hat, display it for a moment, and replace it back in the hat next to the other cup. The spectators can’t see inside the hat, and so they can’t see that you now have two cups side by side. �
12 Wave your hand over the bag, still holding it very gently. Announce that you will make the juice and the cup disappear. 23
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