Prepare for These Situations

I just smiled as my client continued to apologize to me.

“It’s no big deal,” I assured her.

I was setting up my Read Across America assembly program. I was to perform my show in the school’s gym. This meant the gym was supposed to be mine when I arrived.

I state in my contract that I’m supposed to have control of the performance space 45 minutes before my show start time and 45 minutes after.

But clients rarely read the contract. Even if they do, the gym teacher is usually left out of the loop.

In this case, my client was the school’s principal. And as the most powerful person in the school, she had the final say over what happened in the school.

Yet when I arrived, the gym was full of kids running around.

When I explained why I was in the gym, the gym teacher was less than understanding. Scratch that – she was just plain rude.

I tried negotiating for half the gym to set up. She said no. I tried negotiating for at least 30 minutes of setup time (the bare minimum I needed) and she said no.

Finally, I gave up. I went to the office. Rather than tattle on the teacher, my first tactic was to ask the principal if we could delay the start time of the show by 10-15 minutes.

She pressed me for why. Finally, I explained the situation, stating I wasn’t trying to create trouble.

“I’ll handle this,” she said.

Five minutes later, I had the gym to myself.

And that’s why the principal continued to apologize to me. Her gym teacher had treated a guest of the school like complete crap.

I love the school market, but this part of it is something I hate.

But it’s common in a lot of common markets magicians perform in.

On birthdays, parents often don’t understand our setup needs. Even if the living room or game room is big enough, kids are often running around where we need to set up.

Or the men in the house are watching a football game on a large-screen TV. And you’re supposed to set up right in front of that TV.

In childcare centers, we often have to set up in one of the classrooms. While it’s full of kids.

For corporate shows, we’re often stuck setting up on the dance floor, surrounded on three sides by tables. And the lighting usually sucks.

Or we’re asked to set up right in front of the buffet line.

I’m sure there are other examples in other markets.

But my point is, when you’re a professional performer, you often wind up performing in locations ill-suited for a show of any kind.

How will you handle it?

In school shows, I just grit my teeth and bear it as best I can. I have considered scaling back my shows. But I don’t think a 30-35 minute set-up time is bad when putting on a show for 300-400 kids at a time.

Part of the allure of my setup is the backdrops and banners. They look great, enhance the show, and provide a critical focal point for the kids watching the show.

The extra 2-3 minutes it takes me to set up the banners and backdrop helps justify the high fees my clients pay me.

In other markets, the choice isn’t so clear.

While I used to bring smaller backdrops or banners to other shows, these days, I really try for a fast set-up.

For my last corporate show, my setup up was a sound system and a briefcase on a stand. The PA system took me 4-5 minutes to set up. The show itself? Maybe two minutes.

And yes, they had me set up in front of the buffet line.

“No problem,” I told my client. “I’ll just set my stuff over here. When the food s over, I’ll just move the briefcase.”

It worked out great, and I had one of my most relaxed, enjoyable corporate shows ever.

My point with all of this is not to convince you to go the “pack flat, play big” route. My point is just to let you know, dear reader, that if you hope to become a professional magician, you’re going to need to figure out for yourself how to handle these situations.

Ask yourself the following questions. And decide for yourself what your answers will be.

“What will I say or do if the performing area is not large enough for my show?”

“What will I say or do if I’m not given enough set-up time?”

“What will I say or do if the audience demographics are wildly different from what I was told?”

“What will I say or do if I encounter someone who is openly hostile to my needs as a performer?”

How you handle these situations will make or break your performing career. I usually smile and get through it as best I can.

Plan for them now because if you work enough, you’ll encounter all kinds of weird situations.

Good luck!

--Cris

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Need help in multiple areas? I can help you with your website, direct mail, email, or other marketing strategies. I also offer consulting services for crafting magic routines or even entire shows. Want to find out more? Shoot me an email at cris@theprofessionalmagicianclubpro.com.

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