Showmanship for Magicians

Chapter 4

What makes up a successful show? There are a lot of factors, integrants, ingredients, and traits making up the popular, most watched and attended shows.

Music concerts can bring in grace, harmony, romance, sentiment, nostalgia, rhythm, and movement. A lot of times it is promoting youth and sex appeal. A lot of times they incorporate audience participation and sometimes comedy. There’s color with the lights, lasers and large screens. Not to mention, the color in the costuming.

It is no wonder the top grossing touring shows are music concerts.

Madonna broke records in 2008, grossing the most money any solo artist has with their concerts.

It was only a couple of years ago when Hanna Montana tickets were selling many times over the box office price.

Drama helps which is why day time soap operas are still airing, everyday. And why the situations of reality shows are created and how they are cast. Notice most cast members are not talented, but more likely trouble makers causing more drama or some producers would call it good TV.

The number one television show is a Karaoke contest backed up by millions of dollars. Lights, movement, music, drama of who is going to win, who is going home and most importantly, audience participation are included in this show that continues to be the top rated show season after season.

Fitzkee gives us a list of items that are incorporated in successful shows and presentations.

1. Music
2. Rhythm
3. Movement
4. Youth
5. Sex appeal
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 scenes or turns
25. Efficient pacing
26. Punch
27. Careful routining
28. Tireless rehearsal
29. Special material and score
30. Grace
31. Effortless skill
32. Sure-fire
33. Spectacle
34. Thrill
35. Emotion
36. Common problems
37. Escape from the humdrum
38. Unity
39. Being up-to-date

I think you can see all or a majority of these being in the most popular television shows, movies, books, even video games, and sites on the internet.

Now it is not expected a single entertainer can accomplish all of these popular appeals, but a thoughtful presenter will try to get as many and varied appeals as possible into their shows. If you have as many of these traits as possible, you are only giving your audiences more reasons to enjoy your show.

One of my favorite stand-up comedians is still Steve Martin. He presented a character so unique, everyone had to stop and watch. Right now, you are probably picturing him in is white suit, with his silver hair, prancing around with an arrow through his head screaming “Well, EXCUUUUUSE ME!!!”

The costume, the look, the props, the material, music and most important the rehearsing made Steve Martin great and makes him a big name even today. From what I understand he would fill sports arenas just doing his one man act. His material was so popular, the audience would recite it with him. (Audience participation)

One man, a case with balloons, props and a banjo and the guy was a super star.

Now it’s time to roll up the sleeves and see what you can incorporate into your show. Maybe you already have a lot of these traits, but it never hurts to check again.

Keep a conscious, critical, constructive mind and your audiences will thank you for it.

Always wishing the best,
Adam

Ebook
www.adamwhitemagic.com