At the Dallas Magic Academy our classes are as much about teaching positive life skills as they are about teaching magic. Rather than hoping those skills are picked up as a by-product from learning magic, we’ve created what we call the Traits of the True Magician into every class. A True Magician is Respectful, Prepared, Enthusiastic, Confident, Humble, Creative, Authentic and Giving.
It is no accident that the FIRST trait we discuss is “A True Magician is Respectful”. This is important so that our magic students can be a good magician onstage as well as being a good magic audience member. Some of the keys we discuss include, Always be on time • Always be kind to your audience • Say please and thank you • Use people’s names • Always treat other magicians the way you want to be treated • Be a good audience member • Never say you know how a trick is done • Never interrupt or interfere with any other performance.
I’m thinking that the adult magic community would do well to remember these traits as well. We should always be ontime, not just to our gigs, meetings and other events, we should also be “on Time” with our acts. If we are scheduled to do an hour, we should do an hour…not 45 or 50 minutes. A couple of years ago I got calls from clients who were upset that the magician they had hired didn’t do their allotted time. Likewise, If you are given 15 minutes in an ensemble show, don’t do 30 minutes. If you go over time at the Magic Castle or on a Cruise Ship, you will NEVER be rehired. Being on time is important. Being “off time” just causes problems for the producer of the show…even if it’s only a birthday party.
Being kind is also being respectful. Of course, most of us try to be kind to our audience these days. Most people have abandoned the “Smart Ass” approach to their shows. I still hear negative quips like “No, it’s my mistake, I picked you” from time to time. You might think you’re being funny, and audience members might laugh but consider for a moment how you are making your guest onstage feel. Is the laugh really worth alienating people. It’s like the Bra Trick, it’s just not appropriate anymore.
We should also be kind to the act onstage. It may be fun to heckle our friends but is it really fun for our friends onstage? I know I don’t like it and I’ve got pretty thick skin. It throws off my timing and makes me lose my place in my script. You’ll know when an act wants you to respond with a clever quip…you’ll know because they will tell you. Heckling is an issue I’m working on myself.
Another thing I constantly work on is remembering an audience members name and saying Please and thank you to them. Too many of us just order our audience volunteers around, “Pick a Card, Memorize it, Show it to the audience put it back in the deck”. Is it really too much to say “Please take a card?”
Of course, if we are being respectful we aren’t talking behind other people’s backs or being overly critical. That’s why I didn’t call anyone out by name.
…as always, this is just my opinion, I could be wrong.
