Making the Case for Set Lists

How do you design a show?

Several years ago, I had a conversation with a friend of mine, a fellow magician.

He had been studying another magician’s marketing system. This mentor had an elaborate phone scripting system to close the deal and book the show over the phone. So far so good.

When he started to lose me was when one of the scripted lines of the script was something along the lines of “By the time I show up to perform your show, I will have already put 20 hours of work into your show.”

The idea was that every show was customized for each individual client from the ground up.

I get what the mentor was going for. But telling your client you’re putting in 20 hours of work before you even show up?

To me, it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

To be fair, I don’t remember if it was 20 hours. It might have been 25, or 30, or 15. But I recall it was a LOT.

The problem was it just wasn’t believable. My friend was a birthday performer and investing 20 hours into each show meant he’d never make enough money to go full-time.

But knowing my friend as I do, he was probably learning a show booking / creating system designed for heavy hitter clients. Product launches, custom trade show presentations, etc.

For something like that, where you are getting several thousand dollars for a single gig, I think investing that kind of time and effort into the show is appropriate if that’s what the client wants.

But my friend claimed all of this was intended for birthday and family show performers. And if that’s the case (big ‘if’) then it was a dumb way to do business.

The math just doesn’t add up.

Between performing my own shows and offering copywriting/marketing services for magicians, I average around 40 hours of work a week.

The last birthday shows I booked were $325 each. I just booked another one for $450. Investing 20 hours of work into each of those shows just doesn’t make any sense. The math doesn’t ensure I can make the income level I want.

For me, I like to systemize every show. School assembly program for bullying? I have a set line-up. Halloween magic show or libraries? Locked and loaded. Mentalis shows for a ladies group of 50 people? All set.

Having those lineups set in advance means if I don’t do a show for a year (like a Halloween show) when it’s time to perform it again, I can refer to my lineup. A brief period of an hour (at most) of practice means I get back in the game. I tighten my transitions, scripting, and any dicey sleight of hand.

It’s the Henry Ford method for magic.

Granted, something weird that comes along will require customization.

Next week I’m performing at a wedding. Once I knew the guest count and demographics, I put together a nice little 30-minute lineup. It’s got kids' stuff in it, but the last two pieces focus on the bridge and groom in a way that I think will appeal to everyone.

If you’ve never had set lineups before, I can’t even begin to tell you how liberating it is. It’s like cooking. Grab a recipe and you’ll know your end result.

To be fair, if you don’t perform much or are new at it, you may not know what to use for a ‘set’ line-up.

But after several shows, you’ll begin to track what plays well. Which tricks work for what age groups? Why are they popular? Did you come up with any good ad-libs? What do clients talk about most often after a show?

Once you begin keeping track of these things, write them down. Soon you’ll have a solid setlist.

You’ll refine it several times. But eventually, you’ll have a recipe for success for shows within certain parameters.

If you’re a birthday performer, I recommend a set list for ages 3-5. Another one for ages 6-8. And one for the free-for-all, when the client says to expect ages 0-12!

Once you have these set lists locked in, you can move on to the next phase: crafting set lists for repeat clients!

One of the reasons I offer so many different shows is for repeat clients. As most of my shows are at schools and libraries, many clients bring me back year after year.

In my opinion, going in with the same show is death.

I believe it was Joshua Jay who wrote in the final issue of MAGIC magazine that audiences loved the unexpected in magic. Not knowing what was going to happen next.

As an aside, I always laugh when I read an ad for an effect that promises “multiple outcomes for repeat audiences.” I never repeat an effect for the same audience if I can help it.

Back to the set lists for repeat audiences. I have an unofficial ‘system’ for creating a set list for a repeat audience.

I look at the demographics of the audience. Then I look at my set list for the first show. Then I find effects that are similar to the first show.

I’ll use my middle school shows as an example. (I’m currently overhauling three of my middle schools, so they are on my mind a lot lately.)

In my middle school shows, I’ve found these kids really like danger magic. In my anti-bully show for middle schools, I perform a Russian Roulette routine with a series f bags. I imply that if we smash the wrong bag, someone could get hurt.

I don’t say it outright but hint at it by referring to the “mess” that could result.

In the end, the bag we were trying to avoid smashing has an egg in it. Messy indeed, but not dangerous. But the tension is a lot of fun!

So, when it came time to create a character education show for teens, I found a similar ‘danger’ effect.

These kids also enjoy effects with jump scares. Think Pro Viper when the snake jumps out of the basket. Jump scare. So, my next show had to have something like that.

I also like to include one Bizarre effect, too. And an optical illusion – something clearly not a trick, but still very cool.

With those basic building blocks in place, I then start hunting for effects that fit those requirements, within my skill level, and fit the lessons I am teaching.

If you’re a birthday performer, maybe you do a great effect where the birthday child seems to make the magic happen. I used to produce a live fish out of a thumb tip at my birthdays. But the way I structured the routine, the kid got all the credit.

If Mom booked me again for the same kid the following year (it happened to me a lot) then the second year the birthday kid would make my hamster appear out of a mini-dove pan. You get the idea.

Trust me – when you’re performing 300 shows a year, this kind of system takes away a LOT of stress and extra effort.

Need help creating your set lists? I offer consulting services for magicians. Hit me up at crisjohnsoninfo@verizon.net.

Have a great week!

--Cris

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