2 Ways to Give Your Show More Meaning

“I feel like I’m going into a haunted house!” the teen said as she sat down.

Perfect, I thought. They get it.

I was performing one of my short teen ghost shows at a late-night gig.

Each year, for a handful of clients, I perform a stage hypnosis show for teens.

A few years ago, I got the itch to perform more ghost/séance-related shows for paying gigs. So I upsold my hypnosis clients on the idea of mini “ghost shows” throughout the night.

These shows, open to only 12 kids at a time, were designed to be spooky but not necessarily scary.

After a couple of years of doing those, I decided to ramp it up to give the kids a real visceral thrill.

I themed the show around a murderous clown. I added a sudden blackout along with a scream vest: a devious device attached to my life-size clown dummy.

When activated, the scream vest triggers an ear-piercing scream followed by evil laughter.

This year, I upped it even further. I had a good friend build a motor into my clown so that at the right moment, it would slowly turn its head toward the audience.

As the kids reacted to the turning head, I’d trigger the blackout…followed by the screaming and laughter.

They loved it – screams, the sounds of chairs shuffling…and then the sound of spontaneous applause.

Getting that kind of response from teens is not easy, and I’m super proud of that.

Of course, before the big ending, I had to work to get them there.

When they walk in, eerie music is playing. The room is lit by four dim atmospheric lamps.

Black and white photos of clowns from the 1950s adorn the table.

During the show, eerie things happen. A small doll stands up in my hand, just as a teen discovers a mysterious black smudge on her hand.

Another teen feels ghostly touches while sitting in a chair, no one else near her.

You get the picture. The point is, I wanted to take these teens on a thrill ride.

As I developed the show, I had the idea of a mini haunted house in mind.

The teens got it. They really got it.

Now let’s shift to another show I’ve been working on for elementary school kids.

For years, I’ve offered a fun show called “Wacky Science” to elementary schools. It’s filled with bright, colorful banners, backdrop, music, and silly science experiments.

It’s highly educational and highly fun.

I decided to add a second STEM show for repeat clients. I happened across a forensics-based program for schools.

It too was highly educational but presented in a rather dry way by the creator.

Nevertheless, I bought the show and set about making it more “me.”

As it evolved, I designed the show to begin with a crime. Six volunteers (a mix of kids and teachers) each take a small object out of a box of objects onstage.

One of those objects is a valuable stone from a museum.

We (the audience and I) then use forensic science to piece together evidence and discover who took the rock.

At the end of the show, there’s a big reveal, with the perpetrator’s signed “suspect card” appearing in Joao Miranda’s beautiful Card in Window.

Instead of a dry science show, I’ve added a narrative, turning it into a live-action Encyclopedia Brown case.

I’m extremely proud of the direction this show took.

Right now, you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you all of this.

Two reasons:

1. Create a narrative for your show. This gives it more meaning.
2. Graft another genre onto your show. It makes the show more than just a magic show.

Let’s look at both.

First, if there is some form of narrative to your show, this gives everything in the show a reason for being, to exist.

This adds engagement as it adds another layer to your show. It gives your audience a thread to follow throughout your show.

I’m most proud of using this concept in my Murder By Magic show. The narrative thread is simple: Which audience member committed the crime?

Boom! Audiences are immediately hooked.

Here’s the thing…you don’t necessarily need an actual storyline in your show if you want to use this concept.

Use an acronym. In my Character Education and Bully Prevention assemblies, I use an acronym to outline the entire show.

During the Character show, I use the S.T.A.R. acronym to communicate positive character traits to kids.

In my Bully show, I use the acronym H.E.R.O. to outline bully prevention strategies.

Both give my shows a lot more meaning and forward thrust.

With number two, adding another genre on top of your show, this creates a complexity different from a standard magic show.

Before you send me hate emails, know that I have nothing against a regular, just-for-fun, magic show with cool tricks.

My own “Magical Mayhem” show is just that – a fun magic show with, as I joke to my clients, ‘no redeeming social values at all.’

But adding another genre to your show, you’re increasing your perceived value. And you’re standing out from the competition.

Most magicians won’t go through that much effort to create something so special.

I’ll freely admit I don’t do this much.

My first attempt was, again, “Murder By Magic.” I created that show to deliberately blend a magic show with a murder mystery.

The crime scene show for kids was originally just going to be another STEM show. But as I nurtured my other ideas, it evolved beautifully.

The clown show for kids originally was just going to be a spooky ghost-themed show for teens. But as I added more and more ideas, the haunted house theme began to emerge.

I feel that the more layers we can add to a standard magic show (within reason, of course), the more opportunity we have to push our craft forward.

And, obviously, you’ll book more shows at higher fees.

Want help creating something like what I wrote about? Check THIS out.

Have a great week!

--Cris

P.S.

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