| Four Critical Keys to Performing Magic for KidsChildren | | | | forget to establish |
| don't understand many of the common cues in a live | | | | authority early in the show. The result resembles a |
| performance. | | | | saloon brawl in the |
| Most children are raised in the age of television. Not a | | | | wild west.When you step out for the start of your |
| bad thing, | | | | show, you have the perfect |
| except the laugh tracks prompt the children when to | | | | opportunity to establish the ground rules for the show. |
| laugh. No laugh | | | | I don't mean |
| tracks and the children are left out in the cold. They | | | | that you should bring out a list of house rules for the |
| are quick and | | | | show. Instead |
| will get up to speed in no time. But they need your | | | | come out with confidence and warm up your |
| help.The same issue is even more problematic with | | | | audience.After you welcome everyone to the show, |
| applause. Children are not | | | | look out over the audience and |
| used to clapping. They don't understand applause | | | | say, "This looks like a really great crowd. Let's see |
| cues. Those wonderfully | | | | how loud you can |
| timed applause cues will leave you and your audience | | | | clap. On the count of three ONE. . . TWO . . THREE . |
| with a lot of | | | | .Not bad! Let's try |
| uncomfortable silence.What can be done? Everything. | | | | it again. On three . ." After some byplay conclude by |
| One of your most important tasks as a | | | | saying, "What do |
| children's magician is your opening. The beginning of | | | | we do when we like the magic? (pause) What do we |
| your show must do | | | | do when we LOVE the |
| four things: | | | | magic?" (pause and react strongly to the crowd)Four |
| | | | things are being done by that warm up. You have |
| Establish audience control | | | | taught the children |
| Teach the children to react to applause cues | | | | to clap when they like the magic. It also trains them to |
| Set the tone for the show | | | | react to the |
| Introduce your performing personality | | | | applause cues in the rest of the show. The warm up |
| | | | establishes that you |
| The audience needs to be warmed up prior to your | | | | are in control for this show. Finally, it sets a fun tone |
| magic show. It seems | | | | for the show. |
| hokey and a waste of time, but it can make the | | | | This is the first time your audience gets a sense of |
| difference between a | | | | your performing |
| great magic show and a horrible one.Children love to | | | | personality.The next article explains how your |
| have fun. Even in school children are taught to obey | | | | performing personality can put your magic show over |
| those in authority. For some reason, many magicians | | | | the top with the kids. |