Do you remember your first real Magic Show? The very first time you stood in front of an audience. The nerves, the anticipation, the preparation.

Recently my 9-year-old grandson, Issac, has taken an interest in magic. Finally after raising five girls that could care less about performing magic, Barb and I finally have a family member that just might benefit from our years in magic.

Magic is a great hobby for young people. It teaches them communication skills, creativity, and organizational skills that are valuable assets.

As magicians, we constantly hear about the substantial contributions made by well-known magicians to the art of magic. But, the contribution that magic has made to the lives of those that go on to enter other fields is far more substantial. To be successful, in any worthwhile profession a person must learn how to interact with others, how to present his ideas, how to communicate, how to make a plan and execute it. What great “boot camp” magic can be to instill these traits at an early age.

Issac is a really bright kid and at this early age it is impossible to foresee what profession he will pursue, but I know that encouraging his interest in magic as a hobby will greatly benefit him in whatever field he chooses.

Although Issac has been spending some time at the magic shop and Barb and I have been showing him how to do some tricks, we have been taking it slow. When your grandparents own a magic shop, it could be rather overwhelming or intimidating to have access to all the secrets at once.

When I learned he was going to perform at his Cub Scout pack’s Blue & Gold Banquet, my first instinct was to work with him, write him a script, design his show, and drill him until he could perform like a pro.

Luckily, I came to my senses before I put him through that. I made a few suggestions and made sure he knew how to do the mechanics of the effects he chose and he was on his own. His parents helped him practice, but I tried to stay in the background.

The night of the banquet arrived. Was he nervous? Of course he was. I would have been disappointed if he wasn’t. Was I nervous, of course I was. With camcorder in hand I waited for his performance probably more worried than he was. This could go either way. After it was all over, he could be inspired to continue his journey into the art of performing or he could vow to never put himself through this torture again.

The show went very well. I was impressed and of course proud. It wasn’t perfect by any means. But, I did see a lot of potential. Especially, considering that it was his first show, he’s only 9 and his interest in magic is a recent development.

I have included in this article a few video clips of his show followed by some points that Issac and I agreed might improve his performance. Please note that I did not criticize him or tell him that he did this wrong and that wrong. In fact I told him he did a great job, which he did, and only later did we discuss ways to improve his performance while we were watching the video together.

I know that there are young people and newcomers to magic that read this newsletter and I thought they might somehow benefit from seeing the making of a magician from the ground up. In fact, all magicians should take note of some of the aspects of Issac’s first show that are sometimes forgotten by those that have been doing magic for years. Here are a few:

1) All of his routines were relevant. It was a Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet and he did a very good job of working his magic into the theme of the occasion.

2) Even though it was his first show and he was naturally nervous, he appeared to be relaxed and having a good time. If you’re not having a good time, your audience probably won’t either.

3) His sister Hannah did a very good job of assisting him and he didn’t mind sharing the spotlight with her. In one routine, Hannah actually made the magic happen. A good magician will be confident enough to occasionally let his assistant or volunteer take the spotlight rather than treat them like a stagehand.

Now, on with the video clips followed by a few points that Issac and I agree will improve his performance in the future and that he is gracious enough to share with our readers.

Video Clip # 1

Issac worked hard learning how to control the dancing cane. We agreed that if he had of kept both hands close together and changed the direction of the cane occasionally, it would have enhanced the illusion. We also decided that a dancing cane routine should be rather brief. Conclude the routine before they have too much time to think about what they are seeing.

Video Clip # 2

Issac’s dad saved the day on this routine. Just before the change bag routine, Dave realized that the Cub Scout handkerchief had not been loaded into the bag and slyly corrected the situation. What if the spectator had have reached into the bag and there was nothing there? That’s the question I asked Issac and we agreed that it would have ruined the routine and been very embarrassing. Make a list of your set-up, what you need, and where things go. Check it, double check it, and check it again. Finding out in the middle of a routine that something is not set-up is too late.

We also agreed that showing the change bag empty before and after would have enhanced the illusion.

Video Clip #3

This routine started out with a very original storyline (not on the clip) that we agreed should be shortened and worked into the actual effect. By combining the storyline with the actions, it would make both more interesting.

I hope that you have enjoyed watching the clips and perhaps it brought back fond memories of your first magic show. Assuming that Issac continues his interest in magic, (you know how kids are), I will keep you updated on his progress.

Thanks to Issac for allowing me to share these clips with our readers. Maybe it will inspire other would-be magicians to go out and book that first show. Maybe the suggestions will help improve another magician’s performance. Maybe this entire article was an old man bragging on his grandson. ……..hopefully it is all of the above.