The True Magic of Christmas

New Magic Show for Summer 2014

Every year I create a brand new show just for the libraries during their summer reading program. These shows are fun and the audiences are wonderful. This coming year the theme is "Fizz, Boom, Read!". Generally the emphasis seems to be on science. Well, I like to take it in my own direction.

If you're a fan of the Back to the Future movies, then my show will strike a chord. I call it "Book To The Future". Its a magic show with an homage to the movie. Kids will love it, and there's always things for the adults as well. Magic, music, ventriloquism. Hey, it's going to be a blast!

Check with your library. If they haven't scheduled this show for summer 2014, let them know you're interested. I'd love to see you at a performance this year!

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Thanksgiving

Yes, Thanksgiving is almost here again. Though most people have a view something like this guy:

I thought it would be a good idea to look at a few positive quotes regarding giving thanks. And realize that we are giving thanks not just for something, but to someone.

Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863
"It has seemed to me fit and proper that (God's gifts) should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens...to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

Thanksgiving - John F. Kennedy
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. "

Theodore Roosevelt
"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds".

Henry Jacobsen 
"Praise God even when you don't understand what He is doing."

H. W. Westermayer
"The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts... nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."

Hebrews 13:15
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

A Bit of Holiday Magic

It's October. The leaves are just starting to turn to shades of golden yellow and deep earthy red. Soon rakes will be rattling, pumpkins will be picked, and the temperatures will tumble. Children will be jumping into piles of crispy, crunchy heaven with full abandon and glee. And that's when you know the holidays are just... around... the corner.

That's a busy time of year -- for everyone. Christmas parties, shopping, decorating, family gatherings and New years celebrations all happening in the space of a few short weeks. As you are planning some of those events, keep in mind that entertainers are pretty busy as well. I know I am. So, if you are having a party and were thinking of hiring a magician to entertain your guests--now is the best time to do that. Actually, a month ago would have been better, but now is here . . . now.

December and January are the biggest months for business' to host their annual holiday parties. Weekends are the favorite days to choose. Evenings are the most likely time. That means there are very few actual prime time slots available. If you are planning an event that includes the entire family, then weekend afternoons are the prime time slots. With that in mind, why are you reading this? Shouldn't you be calling my office right about . . .now?  Seriously though. I do reserve dates and times on a first come, first serve basis. So if you haven't "gotten round to it"  yet, you should start your planning soon.

Oh, if you haven't checked out my website, please do that here. I offer entertainment that is great for children, great for adults or fun for the whole family. So hiring a magician is easy. Just call Great Scott, but do it soon before your prime time is taken.

One Thing Leads to Another

You've heard the saying "well one thing lead to another . . ." Its usually used to explain why someone got into a particular situation. Most times, this is reference to a sort of flow of circumstances that weren't planned and just moved a person along a certain path. And that may be true.

In  my world of doing magic shows, I change the saying to "one show leads to another". Why? Because that's how my business grows. Only I'm not leaving it entirely to chance. I aim to create a great show and present a fantastic performance which leaves people wanting that experience for themselves, for their group or their party. Case in point. I spent months designing, creating and preparing for the program which I offered to libraries this past summer. I asked myself, 'what are my goals with the program?'; 'what tricks back up those goals in the best way?'; 'how can I inject a healthy dose of humor into the show?'. That takes a long time to flesh out. But that's the best way to get the results that customers want.

The proof for me that I succeeded, comes after the show. Oh I monitor the response during a performance, but for me the real proof comes when people come up after the show, compliment the performance and then ask me "Do you do _________?"  That blank might be 'school shows', 'birthdays', 'company events' or in one case 'scout shows'? My answer has always been a hearty "yes!".

That's what brought me back to the middle of Wisconsin this past weekend. Back in July, the local scout leader saw my show at his library and asked me if I could perform for his Cub Scout kickoff this year. I explained to him that I have a different show designed especially for the scouts and that I would be happy to present that. So on Saturday following a show in Illinois, I packed my car and headed 3 hours north back into Wisconsin to present my a program for the scouts. It has taken a long time to come up with and perfect that show of course. While I performed, I watched for the reactions of the audience -- pacing my routines to bring maximum impact, enjoyment and laughter.  And after the show, this one woman came up to me and after complimenting me on the show asked "Do you do ...?" -- Why, yes. Yes I do!

Summer Magically Winding Down . . . sort of

Summer is coming to a close soon. In fact for many students, it seems like its already over. Within a few weeks everyone that's going to school will be in school.  It has been a wild ride for me this summer. So many magic shows, so little time.  Just the way I like it.

I've been to birthday parties, company picnics, fairs, childcare centers, day camps and more libraries than I can remember. Although those all continue throughout the year, now I get to add schools back onto the list. In addition to the educational shows I already offer, I'll be adding my "Magical Archeology Adventure" to the lineup this fall. I toured the program through the libraries this summer with great success. Now, with a few modifications, its ready for the schools. This is a fun, magical look at archeology with the primary purpose of encouraging students to read and reminding them that "every action they take and every decision they make -- matters." 

...And the Beat Goes On

Wow, this has truly been my busiest summer yet. I've been performing in libraries all across Wisconsin, and parts of Illinois. Now I'm coming into the home stretch for these shows. The first week in August, libraries finish up their Summer Reading Programs. But until then, I'm booked every day with at least 2 shows each day.   August is still a busy time of year for me, though. Plenty of private parties happen in August -- and lots of company picnics.

Summer Reading Program Magical Kickoff

Summer isn't officially here yet. However, schools are out and the libraries are kicking off their summer reading programs.  This year's theme is 'Dig Into Reading'. I've been working on a new show (as I do each year) that correlates with that theme. I chose archeology -- a personal interest of mine -- to build my show around. It's called Great Scott and the Magical Archeology Adventure. During the show I blend facts and books about archeology, with the fun of magic to get kids interested in reading -- and hopefully thinking about history in a new way.

The show is off and running to great reviews. The library at Manawa posted these pictures, and had this to say:

"We were so happy with your performance and with the huge crowd we had! I heard one parent say that she laughed until she had tears in her eyes and also heard one little boy repeating the magic words, "Great Scott!" for the rest of the afternoon. Too funny."

Facebook and Magic

It seems the whole known world is on facebook these days.  Well. . . a good percentage of them anyway. I have to admit that I've not been an avid facebook user. I have a personal page, and a few months ago, started a page for my Great Scott business at https://www.facebook.com/GreatScottMilwaukeeMagician.

So I've been posting a few pictures and helpful ideas on  that page. In fact, if you have a moment, visit the page and let me know if it 'works for you'.

On the personal side, I was invited to join a group on facebook that deals with the performance of magic. So, I actually have a reason to sign on and look at facebook now. It's actually starting to 'grow' on me. I have a few friends that post regularly, and it's nice to keep up with their lives that way. It's hard to keep up with everyone and everything these days. Fb can help, but I've found I have to use it sparingly, or it can be a huge time vacuum. It's like a friend used to say. "Everything in moderation. . . including moderation?"

Just Another Day at the Office

I'm enjoying a rare day at the office today. Of course my day at the office happens right here in my home. And since its raining and wet outside, I'm not the least bit tempted to play "hooky". I've been catching up on emails, filing contracts, making phone calls and making some updates on my website. Then this afternoon I plan to take some time to practice for my new summer show. So, as you can tell, this truly is Show - Business.

Look for me around Wisconsin this summer. I'll be at many libraries, day camps, and private events. If you catch one of my shows, stop by afterward to say  "Hi". I'd love to meet you.

April Showers are Magic

I'm sitting in my office right now, looking outside at the rain as it continues it seemingly relentless pace. At a store today, one customer was complaining about the rain. On the radio the host was complaining about the amount of rain. . . but not me. It think its magical.

Remember last year? Dry, dry, dry. And nothing grew -- except the crabgrass. I've got lots of that!

No, the rain is just fine by me. Next month we should see the trees brimming with leaves and flowers blooming in the garden. All because of the rain. This is really a great time of the year. A fresh start to every living thing. Even people get in on the act with our spring cleaning. So throw open a couple windows and let in some fresh spring air. Go for a walk -- in the rain. Its magical.

Great Scott's Magical Archeology Adventure

Coming to a library near you.  This summer I'll be busy with a host of shows from summer camps, child care centers, company picnics and libraries--just to name a few. I love them all. But this year I have a brand new show designed just for the libraries. It's called Great Scott and the Magical Archeology Adventure. Think Indiana Jones meets David Copperfield -- on a budget.  Seriously, I've been planning this show some months and have scheduled shows at libraries throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. But there's still room for a couple more -- though not many. Check with your library. If they want a performance, tell them to call soon!!

Blue and Gold Magic

Cub Scouts are a great group. I have the greatest respect for the Scouts of America and the history of the organization. So in February and March, I get the privilege of performing my scout-themed show for cub scout packs around Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

One thing I've found is that that most respectful scouts have the best pack leaders--every time. I've been to some great Cub Scout packs this year so far. The kids love to see magic. But the one comment I always seem to hear from the parents is "...and we enjoyed it to!"  That's good, because there are often more parents than kids at some of these events. So my show is designed to entertain the whole family--but the scouts always want to sit at the front.--and sometime try to peak behind the curtain. But that's the nature of youth - always trying to learn--especially if its supposed to be a secret!

This past week I received a wonderful note from a pack who enjoyed one of my Scout shows.

"Thank you very much for the Great Scott show!  A couple of my kids were still talking about it this morning when we were getting ready for the day, and last night I heard several kids and parents reminiscing and laughing about different pieces they really enjoyed as they were heading out.

I appreciate you putting in the effort and fun into such a nice show for the boys.  I think it really means a lot as they celebrate what they have worked on this year. . .

Thank you again!  I look forward to seeing more of your performances in the future."

     --Marie Hagerstrand

Thanks Marie for the note. And thanks everyone for reading this post. Until next time.

Waukesha Janboree Magic Shows

It has been a very busy 2013 so far, performing shows all across Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.  Though each event is special, I performed three shows for Waukesha's Janboree back on January 25 at the Waukesha Public Library. About 200 people attended each show - creating a standing-room-only  event in the room.  I enjoyed being a part of the event  as people of all ages braved the semi-cold, somewhat-wet conditions to explore and experience attractions all across Waukesha.

A photographer from Waukeshanow.com was on hand and took this picture which wound up as one of the pictures of the week.

http://www.waukeshanow.com/multimedia/photos/188340051.html

Wisconsin Dells Gospel Magic

This past weekend, amidst other shows, I had the pleasure of presenting a Gospel illusion show for officers and their families of the Salvation Army. There were actually two divisions gathering in the Wisconsin Dells that evening. However, I only presented to one of them.

This is an organization that I truly admire, though. The people are top-notch and have a level of commitment that is exemplary. They work hard meeting physical and spiritual needs. On top of all that, they were a lot of fun.