This section includes assorted articles designed to help improve the quality of your magic show.

• "Advancing” Your Shows. Even part-time, close-up magicians can borrow a few pages from the contracts the big boys use. "Advancing" is the process of gathering your requirements and speaking with the client to make sure they’re handling all necessary arrangements with regard to your requirements.
  
  
• Stage Plots. A good stage plot isn’t difficult to create, and should be very simple, cleanly laid out, and easy to understand. First, we’ll look at some of the rules of thumb regarding formatting & content. Then, we’ll check out a sample stage plot for a stage illusionist, and one for a close-up, table magician.
  
  
• Pyrotechnics and Stage Effects. My friend LORAN has just contributed an article on pyro which includes a lot of the legal ins-and-outs. LORAN is an International Magician & Illusionist and a certified Pyrotechnician who has a tremendously charismatic stage presence!
  
  
• Cue Sheets. Don't go on stage without one! All the how's & why's of cue sheets, with tons of tips, anecdotes and insights from full-time pros Dan Harlan, Loran, David Merry and David Peck.
  
  
• All About Show CDs. Having seen “show CDs” for hundreds of live events — magic, theatre, fashion shows, trade shows — I can tell you I’ve seen some really good CDs, and I’ve seen some truly atrocious CDs. In this article, we’re gonna look at what you need to know, and what you need to do, in order to create professional show CDs with all your music and sound effects.

More to come!

Enjoy!

Dan McLean Jr
MagicRoadie.com