From: markl-AT-levenson.com
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 18:37:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: M.C. Ideas


I do an act called "Bunny Tricks" in which a hand puppet, visibly manipulated, 
performs actual magic tricks.  Doing a single trick with the puppet could be a 
worthwhile bit for you as an MC between acts.  There's a limited but reasonable 
range of magic equipment that can work in this context -- i.e., where you're 
essentially wearing an oven mitt on one hand.  

The magician's sucker die box (stage size for your audience) is one example;  
the puppet does the trick "on" you.  Many production boxes will work. I have the 
puppet announce it will produce a red silk.  It then produces yards and yards of 
paper productions streamers, looking frantically for the silk. The silk finally 
comes up -- and it's blue.  A pass through the puppet's hands and the silk 
changes to red (standard color-changing silk).  I also do a "floating carrot" 
trick with the rabbit, based on the Zombie effect.  

And the lit-candle-through-arm trick is wonderful with a hand-puppet.  In this 
effect the magician puts a metal cylinder snugly over his arm;  there are two 
small holes half-way down the cylinder, on either side.  The lit candle is 
passed through those holes and, presumably, through the magician's arm.  I put 
the cylinder over the hand-puppet, so that only its head sticks out the top.  Do 
much by-play with the puppet being scared of the candle, and finally bursting 
with pride and joy when the trick works.

Something else that would be fun:  there's a standard magician's trick called 
the "full light seance" in which the magician uses his two hands to hold a silk 
in front of some objects (tambourine, horns, etc.) on the table, and then the 
objects come to life behind the table, pop over the top, make noise, etc.  I 
include a plush puppet that looks like a stuffed teddy bear doll.  then, at end 
of the bit, the bear, now manipulated as a puppet, comes up and dances along the 
top of the silk as though it's been the one manipulating the objects.  For those 
who don't know the effect, the magic is that the performer's two hands are 
holding the silk taut at all times, so there appears to be no way the objects 
can come to life.

On Sat, 20 Jul 1996, Steve Axtell <steve-AT-axtell.com> wrote:
>The FCP puppeteer's conference probably 500 or so.  I'll be working with
>follow spot and standing mic.  I will use a variety of puppets with vent and
>some funny bits of business.  Ax
>
>At 05:57 PM 7/19/96 -0700, you wrote:
>>i have some ideas but would be helpful to know the event, audience, size, etc.
>>
>>On Fri, 19 Jul 1996, Steve Axtell <steve-AT-axtell.com> wrote:
>>>I am going to be M.C.ing a show in a couple of weeks, and am looking for fun
>>>MC bits of business.  What are your favorite bits? Icebreakers etc. 
>>>Steve Axtell / AXTELL EXPRESSIONS, INC.

Mark Levenson
The Levenson Company
(503) 452-4046/voice
(503) 245-1161/fax
markl-AT-levenson.com



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