How to Conquer

Stage Fright
[SIDEBAR]

How to Conquer Stage Fright [ILLO: illustration of kid magician in top hat peeking from behind a curtain,
sweating and nervous as he looks out on a crowded theater]

Doing the impossible can be tough for a magician, but for many of us, the hardest part is keeping your cool.

D oinghasthe
A magician
to do ifof
something

Soremember
impossible
to remember
goes

a lot
how do magicians
a lot of stuff:
wrong.

of stuff:
avoid
Even
canhow
Houdini
be to

how to Here
getting nervous?
got

perform
perform
tough
nervous

are the the

theaeffect,
for
onstage.
what to say
magician,
us, the hardest part is keeping your cool. A magician has to
butwhile
forperforming,

effect, what to say while

four secrets:
many and what

performing, and what to do if something goes wrong. Even Houdini

1. got Rehearse.
nervousAonstage.
lot. In fact, rehearse so much that your magic flows easily from your fingertips and you
dont even have to think about it. Remember that, above all, your audience wants to see you do something
amazing, which means that they want you to succeed.
2. So howHave ado magicians
backup avoid
plan. Even if you getting
only plan to perform nervous? Here are
one trick for someone, the one in
have another
your pocket. If something does go wrong, you have a surefire, proven trick as a backup.
3.
four secrets:
Be comfortable. Dress comfortably. If your clothes are too tight or your dress shoes give you blisters,

1
you wont be focused on your magic. Part of being comfortable means having a familiar face with you. Its
often a Rehearse. A alot.
relief to me to have parentIn fact, watching
or friend rehearse so much
me from the wings,that your magic
smiling.
4. Understand
flows its normal
easily to be nervous.
from your Whenand
fingertips I firstyou
started performing
dont evenI have
was always very, very nervous
to think
before shows. My dad used to tell me, Its okay to be nervous. It shows you care about doing a good job.
about it. Remember that, above all, your audience wants to see you
That always made me feel better.
dosidebar]
[end something amazing, which means that they want you to succeed.

2 Have a backup plan. Even if you only plan to perform one

trick for someone, have another one in your pocket. If some-
thing does go wrong, you have a surefire, proven trick as a backup.

3 Be comfortable. Dress comfortably. If your clothes are too

tight or your dress shoes give you blisters, you wont be focused
on your magic. Part of being comfortable means having a familiar
face with you. Its often a relief to me to have a parent or friend watch-
ing me from the wings, smiling.

4 Understand its normal to be nervous. When I first start-

ed performing I was always very, very nervous before shows. My
dad used to tell me, Its okay to be nervous. It shows you care about
doing a good job. That always made me feel better.

24
What You Need
A bed Note: If you are performing onstage, use a table. Your bed sheets
I used to do this one a lot at home, in my bedroom.
A trained partner Younger siblings work well for this, as long
Two pairs of shoes (ideally, both belonging to your sibling) as they promise to keep your secret.
Two broomsticks (or other long polesski poles, a mop
handlealmost anything long, light, and thin will work)

setup hidden view

1
Display the hat and have it examined if you
like. Do the same with the paper bag. Now
present the stacked cups as one cup. If you
treat it like one cup and make sure they dont
fall apart, everyone will think you just had
one cup.
4
Pour the juice from the bottle into one of the
cups. Be careful here, or you could later be
wearing a wet hat. Open the paper bag and
place it on a table at the other side of the
stage, or have someone hold it for you.

2
Place the cup inside the top hat and say,
Magicians wear hats like this one because
they help with the magic. In a moment I will
make this cup appear in this hat, like this.
But to make it more difficult, I will fill the
cup with juice.
5
Now pick up the empty cup, holding it as if
it was full of juice. You can even pretend to
take a sip. Place the empty cup into the bag.
Do this carefully, slowly, and with a delicate
touch. Just pretend it really was full of juice.

hidden view performance

3
6
Reach into the hat and, with one hand,
carefully slide one cup from the other. Lift
the inner cup from the hat, display it for a
moment, and replace it back in the hat next
to the other cup. The spectators cant see Wave your hand over the bag, still holding
inside the hat, and so they cant see that you it very gently. Announce that you will make
now have two cups side by side. the juice and the cup disappear.

22

7
Display the hat and have it examined if you
like. Do the same with the paper bag. Now
present the stacked cups as one cup. If you
treat it like one cup and make sure they dont
fall apart, everyone will think you just had
one cup.
8
Place the cup inside the top hat and say,
Magicians wear hats like this one because
they help with the magic. In a moment I will
make this cup appear in this hat, like this.
But to make it more difficult, I will fill the
cup with juice.
9
Reach into the hat and, with one hand,
carefully slide one cup from the other. Lift
the inner cup from the hat, display it for a
moment, and replace it back in the hat next
to the other cup. The spectators cant see
inside the hat, and so they cant see that you
now have two cups side by side.
23
Trick #28: Traveling Juice
hidden view
10
Pour the juice from the bottle into one of the
cups. Be careful here, or you could later be
wearing a wet hat. Open the paper bag and
place it on a table at the other side of the
stage, or have someone hold it for you.
11
Now pick up the empty cup, holding it as if
it was full of juice. You can even pretend to
take a sip. Place the empty cup into the bag.
Do this carefully, slowly, and with a delicate
touch. Just pretend it really was full of juice.
12
Wave your hand over the bag, still holding
it very gently. Announce that you will make
the juice and the cup disappear.