Theatrical Magic
By John Pyka
By John "Big Daddy Cool" Pyka
A Magician is an actor playing the part of a magician…. Famous words, a famous quote. Too seldom do performers understand and use this philosophy! In this book, John Pyka uses his character Big Daddy Cool, and other original magical routines to teach you the premise and process of taking your magic from the realm of a puzzle, and making it in to THEATER!
Now, many of you will say "but, magic isn't theater," or "magic is entertainment in and of itself," or "the amazement is the meaning." Magic can (and should) be amazing, it can also be so much more.
A magic show doesn't have to be a string of special effects and nothing more.
It can tell a story, make a statement, or even instruct or educate.
Unfortunately too many performers have created shows that are nothing but a string of special effects, that has no meaning or relevance. This is one of the reasons that many people regard magic as meaningless diversion (usually for children). It is because so many magicians have made it so. We have removed meaning and relevance from our magic. How sad. So, how do we fix this?
Our hope is that this book will help make a difference. And you, by reading it may well be a part of the change.
Theatrical Magic, in the simplest terms, is magic that is character and story driven.
Whether it is known as Story Telling Magic, Bizarre Magic, Gospel Magic, or some other title, it is magic is that is used by the performer to accomplish several goals. 1) To tell a story, 2) to establish or showcase their character, 3) to solve a problem, 4) to make a statement, or 5) to instruct/educate.
Often, magic accomplishes several of these goals at once. Of course it should go without saying that a fundamental purpose of theatrical magic is to entertain, amaze, and create wonder within the story.
Sections Include: What is Theatrical Magic? The Story Behind the Stories: Swingin’ At The Roxy
Mambo Scarves - Tahloola's Demise -Titanic Thompson Sidewalk Shuffle - Making Magic Your Own Jiggernaut - Character Development 101 Character Study/Bio Close-Up Stage: - Wonder Pen-atration - Scotch & Soda - Houdini's Metamorphosis - Everything's Rosy - The Legend of Billy The Kid - What’s My Motivation? Analyzing The Christ/Anneman Alignment Move - The Grand Stage: The Vizier's Love - J Johnny's Angels - Snowstorm in Armenia - Adventures of the Blue Phantom - The Vampire - Exercise In The Absurd: AKA The Pirate Act - Food For Thought Other Voices: - The Key to Room 158 - Nelson Griswold w/ Eugene Poinc - Broom Suspension by Bill Palmer- The Shaman by Jason Michaels BONUS: Tricks for Monkeys - Ruthless Ambition - Discount Ring Flight and Recommended Reading.
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Theatrical Magic
One Format Available: 8.5 X 11 softcover, Perfect Bound book.
The Lizards Review
As we started with “Tractare”, we are going to write our own reviews of these books as they go to press. Sure they are bias, but they are also truthful.
Ok, so, when I read this book the first time, I thought WOW… how neat. A book that brings me back to my theatre days. Screeeeeeeeeeeeech wait, hold on, WHAT?? My Theatre Days? Yep- In addition to being a magician from the age of 4 to the age of 25, I was involved in theatre from the age of about 15 on. Several things happened to me as I became involved with theatre and with bizarre magic, I started to really dislike a lot of what I saw myself and other magicians doing, AND I started to treat what I did, weather stage or close-up, more like a theatrical play and less like a “magic show.”
But wait, what about that whole- A magician is an actor stuff? Yeah, many say it, but few understand it. So, What does this mean and what does it have to do with this book? Who I this book for and what’s inside?
This book DOES have magic and routines in it that you may or may not enjoy. They are all VERY well thought out and solid and entertaining. Some are real routines that have been on stage, others are works in progress, others are creative fantasies presented as exercises. BUT, more importantly, this book is Theatre 101 and 102 for those of you who have had little formal theatrical training beyond high school drama class.
You want new routines, there are here. But John, in his wisdom, has instead focused upon theatre and philosophy, using the routines to teach the fundamentals of character, plot, conflict resolution, theatre language blocking and more.
Don’t think for a moment that this is ONLY for those who do stage magic. I think that close-up and parlor performers more than anyone else need to look at surrounding their performance with the principles of good writing and character development even more than many on the stage.
Right from the start of Leaping Lizards Magic, we selected unique publications. Many of our titles focus on bizarre or storytelling magic because we feel that EVERYONE will benefit from learning and understanding the principles behind these unusual forms of our magical art.
I really feel like if you are new, seasoned but never thought about these things, or somewhere in between; taking the time to read this work, the works of Ron KOTAH Dayton, the other work of Shane, and our upcoming book by Tim Converse entitled “Scrolls” you will find your style of magic, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, growing, maturing and becoming a far more magical experience for YOU and for YOUR AUDIENCE….
And isn’t that the point?
Theatrical Magic
One Format Available: 8.5 X 11 softcover, Perfect Bound book.
