I was contracted to perform several show for a large non profit group as part of a fund raiser . Let me first explain how this generally works. A for profit company contracts with a non profit to put together this fund raising program. The for profit company contacts local business' telling them they are going to put on a charity magic show. They then ask for donations to help sponsor tickets for local children and raise fund for the charity.
A portion of the donation goes to the charity (Lion's club, Shriner ect...) A portion goes to expenses (the location, the advertising, the magician ect..) And the rest is profit for the business.
So here is the important thing tp understand if you book one the events: They don't care how many show up for your show. The money has already been collected and dispersed. It is not about the show.
So here is what happen to me and the lesson I can pass on to you. I show up for one of these shows. It's a good sized room at a local convention hall. I arrive about an hour early to set-up and there is nobody there. I finish my set-up and it's 20 minutes till show time and there is nobody there. 15 minutes till show time and 3 of the charities representatives show up (all 55-90 years old)
10 minute till show time One grandmother with a very shy 4 year old wanders in. I'm wondering if I should ask if we are just going to call it a day. 5 minutes till show time and one mom with 2 kids wanders in (6 and 11 yrs old)
It's Show time I have 3 kids on the front row and six senior citizen on the back row.
What do you do?
Here is what I learn and the steps I would encourage you to take.
First off, Attitude is everything. The worst thing you can do right then is go sour. You were contracted to entertain...... entertain.
I believe this is one of the signs of being a professional. We have all heard the old saying "the show must go on". This is the hall mark of professional entertainment.
Step 1: I asked the seniors in the back to come to the front and join my audience. I asked again. No-one moved.
Step 2: Call attention to the elephant in the room. You know you have an audience of three. They know you only have an audience of three. Everyone knows.
I go into my opening kid show lines: "During this show I will be using some of you to be part of the show ........... " Then I depart from my script " Who are we kidding during this show I will be using all of you to be apart of this show" The adults laugh. "Again and again and again " another laugh.
Step 3 : Entertain. Put the biggest smile you can on your face. Some up all your energy and start like there are 100 in your audience. I started the show calling my first volunteer who shyly said no and stuck is head in mom's arm pit. No problem, a little improve, a couple of jokes and grabbed the next kid and we were off. I cut the show from 45 minutes to 30 but laughed and joked all the way through making fun of the situation.
I kept coming back to the shy kid at the start of every trick, looking for my volunteer. At some point I acted as though I was begging him, bribing him and act just plain being silly. Just before the end of the show, he comes up on his own in the middle of a trick. It got claps from all present. Yea, I know the sound of one hand clapping.
At the end of the show the Mom of the 2 kiddo's said to me," fantastic show, I have never laughed that hard." The client was impressed with me.
At the end of the day, I had had a great time. I went home and slept well. I had done my job. I entertained and brought joy into some young lives. Beats getting made and frustrated, walking out or just having a bad attitude.
You can't always control your circumstances but you can control your response to them. Be a professional
Robert Berry
www.TheMagicParty.com