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SHOWMANSHIP
For
MAGICIANS
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE As a means of checking various stages of your act and to make it possible to compare notes quickly, I have included the following checklists for your convenience.

  • Audience Appeals
  • Act Idea
  • Routine
  • Performance
  • After Performance
  • Act Revisions
  • Applause

    Check Chart - Audience Appeals

    1. Music
    2. Rhythm
    3. Movement
    4. Sex Appeal
    5. Youth
    6. Personality
    7. Color
    8. Comedy
    9. Harmony
    10. Romance
    11. Sentiment
    12. Nostalgia
    13. Pointing
    14. Timing
    15. Surprise
    16. Situation
    17. Character
    18. Conflict
    19. Proper costuming
    20. Careful grooming
    21. Physical action
    22. Group coordination
    23. Precise attack
    24. Short turns or scenes
    25. Efficient pacing
    26. Punch
    27. Careful routining
    28. Tireless rehearsal
    29. Special material
    30. Grace
    31. Effortless skill
    32. Surefire material
    33. Spectacle
    34. Thrill
    35. Emotion
    36. Common problems
    37. Escape from the humdrum
    38. Unity
    39. Up-to-date-ness

    Check Chart - Act Idea

    1. What is basic theme of act?
    2. What character do you play? To crystallize your own concept, define character as to
      1. Age
      2. Education
      3. Locale of birth
      4. Ambitions
      5. Virtues
      6. Faults and weaknesses
      7. Beliefs, etc.
    3. Costume
      1. Coat
      2. Trousers
      3. Shirt
      4. Shoes
      5. Accessories
    4. What is character's purpose in action of act?
    5. What tricks are to be used?
    6. How are they tied to the act idea?
    7. What is the principal audience appeal?
    8. List all other appeals.
    9. List music to accompany each trick.
    10. Write down general theme or spoken part.
    11. List all punches.
    12. Which is the big punch for act's end?
    13. How many audience appeals are at the climax?
    14. Can you add more?
    15. Can you add more audience appeals anywhere in the act?
    16. What is your opening?
    17. How will it "hook" audience interest?
    18. For what type of audience is act intended?
    19. What are that audience's chief interests?
    20. What interest and attention appeals are incorporated in the act?
    21. Can you add more?
    22. Is your general idea of the act similar in framework to some outstanding act?
    23. What is the general outline of the pattern act?
    24. What is the general parallel outline of your act?
    25. How long will your act run?
    26. How long will each number run?
    27. Can you cut the time?
      1. By shortening the numbers
      2. By eliminating unnecessary waits
      3. By eliminating explanations or briefing them
      4. By eliminating nonessential numbers
    28. Are the technical requirements within your capacity?
    29. Eliminate ALL MATERIAL intended only for killing time

    Check Chart - Routine

    1. List all numbers in their proper order.
    2. List all properties in their proper order.
    3. List all music in its proper order.
    4. List all lights in their proper order.
    5. Make map of placing of tables and large props.
    6. Make map of all properties on tables and chairs.
    7. Prepare or have prepared all talking material.
    8. Coordinate all talking material to program.
    9. Coordinate to program all properties and necessary handling.
    10. Make map of final placement of properties AFTER use.
    11. Time all numbers.
    12. Eliminate everything that does not advance act.
    13. Provide music score coordinated to program.
    14. Arrange for costumes.
    15. Arrange for assistants' costumes.
    16. Arrange for assistants.
    17. Cue sheet for assistants.
    18. How can assistants be emphasized as people?
    19. Where will assistants be at each moment of each number?
    20. How will you enter?
    21. Where will you enter?
    22. How will you exit?
    23. Where will you exit?
    24. Where will assistants be at close of act or show?
    25. How long does act run?
    26. Does it exceed the acceptable time for that class of audience?
    27. Does act move swiftly?
    28. Does it lift?
    29. Does each minor point build towards the climax?
    30. Check for timing.
    31. Check for pointing.
    32. Rehearse thoroughly with all props.
    33. Rehearse thoroughly with all costumes, music and props.
    34. Rehearse thoroughly without further changes.
    35. Watch voice placement.
    36. Watch tempo of delivery.
    37. When act is within proper time, rehearse thoroughly with music, costumes and all props until you can do it subconsciously.
    38. Make complete list of all items necessary for performing, and check it before leaving for your engagement.
      1. Music score
      2. Cue sheets
      3. All tricks
      4. All trick accessories, including perishables
      5. Costumes (Complete details.)
      6. Costume accessories (Complete details.)
      7. Makeup
      8. Towels, Kleenex, etc., for cleaning up before and after performance
      9. Comb and brush
      10. Emergency repair kit -
          142
        1. scissors 143
        2. tacks 144
        3. glue 145
        4. needle 146
        5. thread 147
        6. pliers 148
        7. small hammer 149
        8. pins 150
        9. et cetera
      11. Shoe brush or cloth
      12. Clothes brush
      13. Clothing hangers

    Check Chart - Performance

    1. Check list of required items before leaving for engagement.
    2. Give music score to director.
    3. Rehearse music with orchestra until all cues are clear.
    4. Give stage manager curtain cue sheet.
    5. Make sure it is clear to stage manager.
    6. Give electrician cue sheets for stage and booth lighting.
    7. Make sure light cues are clear.
    8. Give prop list and instructions to prop man.
    9. Make certain prop requirements are clear.
    10. Find place on the bill.
    11. Be ready in ample time.
    12. Have clothes pressed.
    13. Hang up costumes early, to allow wrinkles to come out.
    14. Makeup carefully.
    15. Clean hands well before going on.
    16. Lay out all props ready for performance.
    17. Mentally go over entire program and check props as you do.
    18. Be relaxed, calm, confident.
    19. Brush clothing.
    20. Wipe off shoes.

    Check Chart - After Performance

    1. Get music score and check it.
    2. Get all cue sheets.
    3. Check all properties and pack carefully.
    4. Pack costumes carefully.
    5. Leave dressing room clean.
    6. Be certain to bid goodbye to chairman, manager or other person responsible for your engagement. Express pleasure at having played for him and thank him.
    7. Make notes of all unexpected audience responses.
    8. Make notes of all numbers that failed to register as expected.
    9. Make notes of weakest numbers.
    10. Make notes of any mistakes you made.
    11. Make notes of any mistakes in the music.
    12. Make notes of any mistakes in the lights.
    13. Make notes of any new ideas, such as interpretations, bits of business, new numbers, et cetra, which may have come to you during performance.

    Check Chart - Act Revisions

    1. Correct any mistakes in previous performance.
    2. Correct cue sheets and music score to eliminate mistakes in previous performances.
    3. Try to replace weakest numbers with stronger substitutes.
    4. Try to discover why expected responses did not come.
      1. Check timing and pointing.
      2. Check location on program.
      3. Try to add more audience interests.
      4. Make certain you were understood and that all was clearly visible.
      5. Make certain number and interpretation were not inconsistent or out of place.
    5. Find out reasons for unexpected response
      1. Try to increase this.
      2. Is it an important hint for rearrangement?
    6. Were any new ideas suggested by performing experience, for strengthening act or show?
    7. Was your entrance effective?
    8. Was your act smooth?
    9. Was the applause sufficient?
    10. Were other acts better received?
      1. If so, why?
      2. Can you see how you can improve your reception?
    11. Was your final punch effective?
    12. Was your bow well done? Your exit smooth?
    13. Can you further strengthen audience appeal?
      1. By your own demeanor?
      2. By adding new audience preference factors?
      3. By lengthening your act?
      4. By shortening your act?
      5. By tightening your act?
      6. By further rehearsals?
      7. By changes of any kind
    14. Before your next performance make certain all mistakes are eliminated and all new improvements are incorporated, routined and thoroughly rehearsed.

    Check Chart - Applause

    1. Did you establish all of your punches clearly?
    2. Did you leave the audience wanting more?
    3. As you approached the end of each trick did you
      1. Clearly show the end was approaching?
      2. Make it unmistakable when the end came?
      3. Definitely show you had finished?
    4. Did you wait for your applause deliberately, looking at the audience?
    5. At the end of your act did you take the three steps necessary to show the conclusion of the act?
      1. Show when the end was approaching?
      2. Definitely indicate the end?
      3. Clearly show you had finished?
    6. After your exit, if the applause still continued, did you promptly return for a bow?
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