I’m just passing on my experience, it may not be for everybody, but it worked for me!

1. First and foremost you need a good mentor – someone you really respect and look up to. (I was lucky enough that my mentor was Roy Johnson, and occasionally Ken Brooke offered me some invaluable advice). I never had a teacher as such, as sometimes this restricts you from developing your own style. This person has to be someone who can give you constructive criticism that you do not take offence to – who not only criticises you but most importantly offers you an alternative and a improvement to their criticism. If they just criticise you without making it better it will just knock your confidence. It will also piss you off!
2. Read books rather than studying DVDs, as watching too many DVDs encourages you to clone the person you are watching. I’m not saying don’t watch DVDs, just don’t rely on them as your only source of information. Also when you read books you tend to think more outside of the box as your imagination runs freely into wondering how the author might do it?
3. Be careful when accepting advice from family as they see you differently to an audience. How many times have you heard magicians say, “my wife doesn’t like magic!” This must make the magician feel very deflated and it makes me feel really sad as I think what the wife is actually saying is “I don’t like you doing magic because it takes you away from me!” I don’t think there is a person in this world that doesn’t like seeing a good magic trick? (Okay, maybe I am exaggerating) When somebody says they don’t like magic I think there is an insecurity issue somewhere?
4. Practice your microphone technique as I think there is something really stylish about a performer who uses a microphone on a stand (all the best singers use a handheld microphone). The way I used to practice is: I would have the microphone on the stand and a loop of string around my neck to the microphone stand and then go through my act, and every time the microphone stand moved I knew I was out of range. I used to always practice with the radio on low, and the music would help me maintain a rhythm to my performance.
5. When making your entrance always do what I call ‘ Z’ the audience and what I mean by that is, as you are walking to the centre of the stage your eyes go from the rear left of the theatre to the front right (in real time, this only takes a couple of seconds , however, everybody in the audience will feel that you have looked at them (I think I got this tip from Showmanship For Magicians). When doing a trick try and stay still, in that way all the focus will be on the important part of the action. If you are moving all over the stage , it just confuses the whole presentation.
6. most importantly get the audience to like you – because if they like you, they will like whatever you do! And if you do good magic It is a bonus! There are lots more points I could raise and as I think of them I will post them. Finally , “Only Do what you are good at, and it will look like you are good at everything you do!”

The day that changed the cause of my life was in the summer 1990! Whilst on a world wide tour doing odd jobs but mostly  selling my hand crafted Jewelry – I returned to the UK for a brief time and  during my stay I went to Covent Garden to visit a shop known as The Bead Shop to replenish my withering stock that i needed  for my hand made crafts.

After  this  I went to the well known street performers pitch at the piazza in Covent Garden . Here  I watched a circus performer who had a huge audience around him and had their full attention and now that included mine. What happened next  startled me – he made a  silk hanky disappear.  I watched him push this hanky into the palm of his hand and slowly and masterfully opened his hand it was gone then he then reached into his mouth and pulled the hanky out of it! The audience gasped and stared!  He then proceeded to climb up a Unicycle that was being propped up by two volunteers and they passed up unlit fire clubs to him. He then dismissed his volunteers and he delivered well rehearsed his  hat lines (money lines).  After juggling the now lit torches, he dismounted his unicycle and took off his hat and a sea of audience members came forward and put notes and coins into his hat – this  seemed to go on for ten minuets or so!  I was hooked!  I knew then what I wanted to do for the foreseeable future of my life!

Why Busking?

It is true that Street Performers become so for lots of different reasons –  from a love of the arts to the need of extra coin, freedom of expression, alternative life style, world wide travel, to disciplines oneself  in the arts, development of material or some believe that street performing is a good starting point in the world of show business –  a stepping stone if you wish!

Their is no right  or wrong way and each of us have our own path to follow.  I will always argue that the streets belong to all. I have come across some strongly  opinionated buskers who seem to be set in their ways as they lay out what they think a busker should or should not be.

Often I can appreciated their argument but I must remind myself and others – you or I are not starting a new wide world religion! No – far from it!   The streets belong to all everyone and is a place for every  form of expression in creative arts coming together – to me that is a WOW. Regardless to race colour or creed, the good, the bad and the damn right awful – we all  have the right to express ourselves  on the streets. Aspiring street performers and experienced street performers alike – never forget your first steps into the world of street theatre  and then you will always remain respectful to your fellow artist – in other words – we all had to start somewhere!

It is true that the streets is a incredible  opportunity  to creatively develop your art if you wish to do so. I will always actively encourage performers to grow whilst seeking to grow myself.   This is more to to with mental attitude and character then anything else (we will look more into this in future posts).

In the mean time one of the best ways to grow as a performer is by getting out there and performing. In addition have mentors that can give good constructive critic of your show.  Spend time practicing and rehearsing but most importantly put into practice what you yourself  have rehearsed and performed! It is good practice to set a healthy work environment around you and this is possible to do even if you are on the road living out of a suitcase!

• Practice – set aside and  schedule time that you can practice your discipline be it magic, circus, dance, story telling or whatever your discipline is;
• Rehearse – Go through each part of your show step by step, break each part down until your happy with it;
• Dress rehearse – Go through your whole show without interruption or break regardless to wether you slip up or not.  You are now at the stage of how you intend to perform in front of your audience – (at this stage if possible have a mentor or friend to watch or record yourself  for the camera will never lie);
• Perform – Now go out and do it for real.  Perform your show and make it a reality.

Finding a Mentor

Their are number of finer points that I will cover in future posts such as – what, where and when.  But for now I will will finish with some final  words of finding a mentor/s. A good mentor is hard person to find –  more  so in the magic world as opposed to the circus world. The Magic world is full of dealers that give dealer demonstrations and  dispite the fact we can learn a lot from them this does not mean that they will be as a good a mentor.

Unlike the world of Circus which is often physically  skill oriented  - a skill that has to be handed over and learned. In my experience working direct with a mentor you can not help but to adopt some of their charatritics.

I say this as a word of warning.  To help you grow positively and have a good experience with your mentor be sure they actually want to see you grow! For an extreme example –  if you want to build a family magic show, creating magical experiences in peoples lives, then there is no point working with someone  whose performing style  is swearing and cursing and seems to hate or pick on children!

A good mentor:

• will want to see you grow;
• will will enrich your life;
• will be honest and  constructive;
• will be personally pleased with your success;
• will create opportunities for you to grow;
• they do  not speak badly of other performers.

Remember the mentor you have –  will influence you as a whole.

www.mariomorris.co.uk

The case load is mounting, and I’m told I’m getting one of those “difficult cases.” It turns out to be a young 15 year old male who is currently on probation for attempted murder.  I remember he was number 37 in my case load list.  I was only a feeble minded bachelor’s level social worker then, working for a non-profit whilst the state’s economy was in such disarray that they had suspended our budget.  As a result they thought it best to not pay the employees of the aforementioned non-profit agency. Regardless, it was determined that we would continue to work with these at risk youths because they had been dropped too many times before, and one more adult failing them might be enough to crack the already fragile shell of what was left of some of these children.

However, you wouldn’t have guessed a fragile shell on this latest addition to my case load (we will call him Jordan).  Jordan, although at the very beginning of his 15th year of life, was taller than most adults, had biceps bigger than most people’s heads, and a look of solid stone.  I always know these interactions are going to go well, especially when I’m introduced to someone by a principal or parole officer for the first time, and the response is “what the F*** does this Cracker want?”  This is not unlike the response that Jordan gave me.  When it was explained that working with me was part of his probation, I learned of Jordan’s ability to not utter a single word.  Cue the awkwardness of mandated therapy via probation.

It would be easy to think, “What am I doing, I’m not even getting paid anymore, and I’m surviving on ramen freakin’ noodles.”  In fact, it was so easy to think that, that I did in fact allow those thoughts to filtrate through my own noodle.  At this time, I was living in Michigan, and I was literally picking up cans and plastic bottles to recycle, because in Michigan those items are ten cents a piece upon return, and ramen noodles were a mere 15 cents per bag.  So if you do the math, and I’m sure you have……n’t, three cans and or bottles equates to a feast for the ages (or two bags of ramen, if you don’t think about tax).  But this was all a fleeting thought, because I loved working with these kids.  I have a knack for working with these exceptionally challenging individuals.

It has become clear to me that this young man is not going to engage in “traditional” tactics.  Imagine the shock of Jordan, as I pulled out of a deck of playing cards, and began shuffling them.  It’s then I start saying, “You know, most people think that this is just a simple deck of cards, but it’s much more complex than that.  I find cards are much like people.  So many hidden secrets that no one could possibly fully understand, which only makes them that much more interesting.”

I then ask Jordan if he knows how many cards are in a deck of cards.  True to form, Jordan remains silent.  I then ask Jordan if he knows how many weeks are in a year.  Here’s something to know about Jordan:  is he scary?  You’re darn right he is.  Is he intimidating?  Without a shadow of any doubt.  Is he stupid?  Not in the least, and Jordan didn’t want to be perceived as so.  In fact he almost killed someone in a fight for essentially calling him stupid.  I knew all of this before we began.  I also knew that Jordan wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to answer “52”.  I get goose bumps even thinking about it, the individual refusing to engage or talk has just done both inadvertently.

I continue, not willing to relinquish momentum.  “How many suits are there in a deck of cards?”  Again, Jordan attempts to hold steadfast and says nothing.  I ask, “How many seasons are there in a year?”  Now, Jordan didn’t exactly answer, but what he did was much better, he genuinely smiled.  With a smile back, I continue on my rampage “You know there are two colors in a deck of cards, red for day and black for night.  Check this out, if you add up all of the cards together, the ace for 1, jack for 11, queen for 12, and king for 13 you get 364…………..if we add one for the joker that’s 365, the same number of days there are in a year.”  Jordan’s response, “Why are there two jokers then?”

I now know that I have reeled him in.  He’s engaging with me, and I now have him asking ME questions.  We are exactly where I want to be.  I don’t give him the answer, very much mirroring therapy, but simply state, “One more joker would all add up to 366, what’s that make you think of?”  The lights in his eyes turned on, a twinge of excitement in his voice, and the proud stature of this child in a man’s body proudly expressed “A leap year.”  From there, our relationship was fantastic.

We continued to utilize playing cards, especially different magic effects, in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to work on different issues.  The amazing power of displacing such personal issues, into these pasteboards, into an artful expression of magic was not truly known to me until three months after working with each other, when he came to our session and had been beaten up.

I asked Jordan what had happened, and he stated a fight broke out at his school.  I asked how he got beat up, he stated that he didn’t fight back, and just focused on getting away from the conflict.  When I asked why he didn’t defend himself, he told me “If I hurt my hands, I couldn’t create magic.” This child who was once on probation for attempted murder, now learned that those same hands that almost killed another human being, were now meant to create magic.

Jeff: Is it true you are related to a rather famous American showman?

Kevin: Before I was ever interested in magic, my grandmother on my father’s side would tell us that we were related to P.T. Barnum. I kind of forgot about it for years, I didn’t really know who that was. Just before she passed, I asked her, how are we related to him? She explained it to me. It seems that our family is related to the Clark’s who are related to the Hurds. Samuel Hurd married P.T. Barnum’s second daughter Helen. Samuel was also Barnum’s right hand man at his Museum in New York City. So it is not by blood but I am on the tree. There are some other funny coincidences like my huge affinity for the strange and unusual. Barnum had a lifetime relationship with Tom Thumb and I have Antonio Hoyos. Barnum also loved magic.

Jeff: How did AGT change your life?

Kevin: AGT gave me lots of grey hair but if I had a show to promote, I would do it again. They like to put you in very stressful situations as it makes for good TV. It is also a very vulnerable position to put yourself into. I was very lucky that things turned out the way they did. My Operation effect went viral on YouTube and I am still getting work from it. I actually was asked to perform at the White House from the AGT videos on YouTube.

Jeff: What has been the biggest TV audience to see your show?

Kevin: I was asked to perform on a TV show in Indonesia, which also came from YouTube. As I am getting ready to walk onstage the producer told me that it is a live show and if anything goes wrong just get through it. We cannot stop and reshoot it. There were 1,000 people in the studio to give a nice energy to the taping. I went on and everything went well. As I was packing up I asked him how many people just saw this live transmission. He said that there are only 3 channels in Indonesia, this is prime time, this is the most popular show, he estimate that 200 million people just saw my act. The next day at the airport we really got recognized so I think his calculations were right.

Jeff: What is the best part about touring the world with your show?

Kevin: I really feel blessed that I can share my magic and ideas with people all over the globe. Getting to travel and make people happy is the best job in the world. I am grateful and have no regrets.

Jeff: How do you come up with your ideas and why do you share your ideas with other magicians?

Kevin: I find inspiration from many places, literature, cinema, toy stores, hardware stores and all life experience. I wake up every morning and know that my day will be different from the last. I completely expect to discover something fun and new. Just try to live with curiosity.

Early in my career I gave the Floating Rose to Copperfield in exchange for a video endorsement that I could use at the beginning of my promo tape. It was just to get on the map. I thought if I had an effect in his show it would give me some credibility as an inventor. I don’t use the video endorsement anymore but he still uses the Floating Rose in his show.

Now, if I choose to release an idea, it is for other reasons. Usually it has been in my show for quite a while, it gives an effect a second life. It hopefully helps fellow magicians have a better show, gives me some credit for historical reasons and a little money. Now with China stealing everything, that money is even smaller. So now there are fewer reasons to release an effect. In fact, I have some very inventive friends that have gotten out of the business because of China. This is bad for magic in general.

I do find some joy in seeing how other performers adjust my effects to fit themselves. A few that really stand out are Eric Buss with Bowl-A-Rama and Joel Hodgson with my Living Amputated Arm effect. Both are really clever routines.

Jeff: What is in store for 2013?

Kevin: I am very excited to be a part of “The Illusionists” team. We are now being handled by the William Morris Agency. It looks like we will be very busy in 2013.

I have a new website going online in about one month. www.kjmagic.com

After award winning festival screenings from Chicago to India and over 14,000 on line viewings, A Magical Vision is getting its premiere DVD release. A Magical Vision spotlights Eugene Burger—his magic, his philosophy, and his influence on the art of magic. For Museletter subscribers, Eugene Burger hardly needs an introduction. That said, Eugene is a far-sighted philosopher and magician who is considered one of the great teachers of the magical arts. Eugene has spent twenty-five years speaking to magicians, academics, and the general public about the experience of magic. Advocating a return to magic’s shamanistic, healing traditions, Eugene’s “magic tricks” seek to evoke the feelings of awe and transcendence that is lacking in most modern magic.

Eugene’s awards are many. In June of 2012, Eugene won a 2012 FISM Special Award for Theory and Philosophy at the recent Congress held in Blackpool, England. When the leading international trade journal MAGIC magazine compiled its list of the most influential magicians of the twentieth century, Eugene was included for his ability to “arouse feelings of astonishment, as well as a host of other indescribable sensations.” He has written sixteen best-selling books for magicians, starred in five critically acclaimed instructional video tapes, and lectured to magicians’ groups in over a dozen countries.

The film, however, is Eugene’s journey. It began in 1940s Chicago, a city already renowned as the center of classic magic performance. Yale Divinity School followed, leading Eugene to the world of Asian mysticism. From there came the creation of Hauntings, a tribute to the spirit theatre of the 19th century, and the gore of the Bizarre Magick movement. Today Eugene’s performances and lectures draw inspiration from the mythology of India to the Buddhism of magical theory.

On this stage, the magicians and thinkers open doors to an astounding world, a world that we rarely take time to see. A Magical Vision shines a small light on this magnificent vista.

The DVD is now available at Montrose Pictures for $19.99.  It was a labor of love for me to make and I’m so pleased to finally share it with you.