The Birthday Party Magic Show

What you might want to know about the Birthday Party Magic Show Questions about the performer Questions about the show Questions about the guests Questions about the performing space Questions about payment

Questions about the performer

How long have you been performing? I have been performing magic since 1991. I have been in and around show business since 1967. What kind of clothes do you wear? If you picture in your mind the traditional or classical magician, what you will see is today considered an anachronism or a cliché. Here are a few pictures showing what I usually wear for my children’s shows . top

Questions about the show

How long is your show? Depending on the package you select, the show can run between 30 minutes and one hour. What do you do in your show? The show is filled with lots of colourful and visual magic tricks and most involve audience participation. Because the birthday child is the guest of honour, there is a special place in the show that is reserved just for him/her. There is lots of comedy and of course, photo opportunities. Can you tell me exactly what tricks you are going to perform? To list the names of the tricks would be of little or no help to you. I like to keep the show a surprise. Is there is a particular reason why you ask? If it is because your child has seen a particular trick performed before and would like to see it again, this may be possible. If it is because your child has seen a particular trick performed over and over again and is tired of seeing it, then please tell me about it. I can then tell you if I do it or something similar. In that case I can take it out of the show. Do you use animals in the show? No. In some shows I do use one or more puppets that perform or are part of the tricks. Is there anything scary in the show? Absolutely not! Everything in the show is aimed at being fun. Are you messy? Absolutely not. Anything that might fall to the floor is dry and definitely non-staining. And I clean up after the show should anything fall to the floor. Can I serve food during the show? Because every magic trick requires the full attention of the children, I ask that no food or drinks be served during the show. I also appreciate clean hands because the children will be helping out and handling some of the props during the show. top

Questions about the guests

Is the birthday child in the show? The birthday child is the guest of honour so of course there is a special place in the show for him/her to help with the magic. If he/she is shy and does not want to participate, a designated sibling or friend will be fine. Your child will still be treated as the special guest of honour for the day. What ages do you work for? My birthday party shows are divided into two categories: pre-school (ages 4 and 5) and school-age (6 and up). Can we take pictures? Take all the pictures you want. The only thing that I request is that you don’t videotape the entire show. You may videotape the segment of the show in which your child participates. top

Questions about the performing space

How much space do you need? All I ask is for a space with no one behind me and enough room to walk six steps left to right and four steps front and back (that is towards the audience). If there is a window behind me, we will need to close any curtains to reduce back-light and glare. If this is not possible, please let me know so that I can bring a backdrop. How large a group can you perform for? Birthday party shows are generally around 15 children. As long as you tell me, I can prepare for just about any size audience. I often perform for several hundred people at one time! The cost does go up when there are more than 20 children. Do you need a table? Or anything else for that matter? I bring everything that I need. I do, of course, need to have access to an electrical outlet for the sound system (music). top

Questions about payment

How much do you charge for your show? If you phone around you will find a wide range of prices. The price depends on several important factors: how experienced the performer is; the quality of the show; whether the performer is a full -time entertainer; how far the performer has to travel to get to your location; whether you are booking through an agent/agency. Why do you charge GST/HST? As a full-time professional entertainer, this is my livelihood and represents a large portion of my annual income. This is a business and I am therefore required to collect and submit the appropriate taxes, whether you pay cash or not. What is your cancellation policy? Once we get all the information on the show, your party is officially booked. This phone call is considered a verbal agreement and you have 24 hours to cancel. After that, we have reserved that time plus the associated travel time specifically for you, so if you cancel you are responsible for 50% of the agreed price. Something else? If there something that still isn’t clear, please ask. Please contact me now so that all of your questions are answered. top

Quick Facts

When you book The Party Magician, you get: • A professional children’s/family entertainer with almost 30 years experience. • A show that does not require a lot of space to present. • A choice of show lengths to suit your needs. • Age-appropriate programming with plenty of audience participation. • A perfect photo opportunity because your child becomes the star of the show! • Wonderful memories for your child and your entire family. • Souvenir items for all of the guests and a special magical gift for the birthday child.