Anticipating Show Disasters

I looked at the Christmas decorations with an immense feeling of pride.

The picture above is of our front yard, taken from the safety of my living room through our front door window.

My wife and I enjoy putting up outdoor Christmas decorations in your yard each year, usually buying one or two new pieces a year.

We live in a really windy section of town, so in years past, we have had to go out and re-stake various outdoor ornaments when the wind has brought them down.

When it’s raining, snowing, sleeting, or just plain cold outside this repair work is miserable. But that’s life in Western New York.

This year, I decided to take whatever precautions I could to keep the decorations upright and in place.

Using several guidewires in the form of heavy-duty fishing line, I staked additional support around the decorations.

In particular, the outdoor tree you can see in the photo is held in place with a whopping TEN guidelines branching out from the tree at various heights and in all directions.

As you can see, everything is still standing, despite Western New York currently being in the middle of what’s being described as a “once-in-a-generation blizzard.”

The fact that my beloved decorations are still in place after two days of 70 mph winds fills me with an immense feeling of pride.

I’ve always considered myself a “belt and suspenders” kind of person. I believe in being prepared above all else.

This is the same approach I take with my magic.

When I buy a new piece of equipment or trick, I take a look at it and the method. Then I ask myself, “What can go wrong with this?”

How will I handle the inevitable breakdowns that every prop or piece of technology inevitably has?

There’s no such thing as a perfect piece of magic. Even the most rudimentary sleight of hand can fail. My hands might be too sweaty. Or too dry.

But since I’m primarily a stage performer, I tend to focus mostly on larger props and what to do if something goes wrong.

Last week, this type of thinking came in handy when a whooping for props broke. I was on the road for several days performing my Christmas Magic show in some pretty desolate areas, with no way of replacing anything.

And before anyone accuses me of not being prepared, yes, I did indeed check over all my props. With a seasonal show like Christmas Magic, I typically only haul out the props for a few weeks each year. So I spend several days well in advance of the first show inspecting props, double-checking things, etc.

Before this trip, everything passed muster.

Yet props started breaking on me. But after all the shows, not a single client or audience member had any idea that anything was wrong.

It’s up to us to be professional at our gigs. No one cares if the entertainment is having a bad day. They only want the show to go on without a hitch.

I got through the shows by following a plan I always have in place for every show.

First, I bring a small “repair kit” with me to shows, allowing me to make minor fixes on the road as needed.

Second, I almost always bring extra effects with me that I can swap out in case something breaks. Admittedly, this is something I only recently started doing.

For years, I only brought the exact props I needed to any given gig. As a theme show specialist, my shows are carefully put together with specific props serving as a means to illustrate specific concepts and lessons.

But since the pandemic, I’ve changed my tune and will also carry extra stuff with me in case something breaks.

Third, my way of preparing for show disasters starts when I first get the prop as mentioned earlier. I think of how things could go wrong and most importantly how I’ll handle it when it happens. What are my ‘outs?’ What will I say if something happens in the middle of a performance?

Thankfully, although this past week was a glaring exception, I don’t run into show disasters very often.

I’m super picky about the props I buy. I try to stick to established builders I know and trust. And if I have a personal relationship with them, so much the better.

When I receive the prop, I don’t just practice with it. I’m constantly watching for signs of stress or weak points where the prop could break. If needed, I reinforce it myself to ensure that the sucker is durable enough to take the pounding of several shows.

There have been times when I’ve purchased props after thoroughly researching them, only to discover when they arrive that there’s no way they will hold up to professional performances.

That’s the reality of being a professional magician. Because we deal with secrets and many props are built by small one-person shops, some props don’t seem designed for a pro who is going to use them multiple times a month in front of paying audiences.

As an aside, this bugs me. The owner of Hocus Pocus, Paul Gross, once told me a story about a certain magic builder who used a glue gun to build an expensive $2000 prop. If I mentioned this guy’s name, you’d know it instantly and likely be horrified.

So, when you buy a prop, put it through its paces. Come up with contingency plans in case it breaks before or even during a show. Carry spare props. Most of all, have a plan in place for handling show disasters when they come.

And before I close, have a wonderful holiday season for whatever celebration is most dear to you.

Now I have to go. I gotta go check my Christmas decorations again.

--Cris

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