Sorry about no rant on Thursday. Not enuff people sucked it up and contributed so there are gonna be a few gaps BUT we have a nice one for Mother's Day this Sunday... until then, we're gonna force Aaron Stone to talk to you a bit. We're not giving him back his heavy deck till' he's done.
-------------------------------------------
Hey everyone. I'm Aaron Stone. None of you probably have any clue who I am. For good reason -- I'm on the younger end of the scale in the performance world. I got into magic for the simple fact that I had no social life and needed a way to get out of my shell and meet people. Why do I tell you this?
That is the only bit of information I can give you to make myself credible.
Not really... here's a bit more info that might help. I've been performing for just shy of six years now. You know, learning how to swim by being thrown into the lake, that sort of thing. My junior year of high school I ranked among the top 18 most humorous students in the state of Texas. Okay, enough about me, I just want you to know I'm not making up stuff as I go along. (Even though I, in fact, am).
When you first meet someone, you judge them. No two ways about it, you judge them based on how they portray themselves and their appearance; their demeanor; their gait; their car, their zip code... subliminally you make decisions about people you don't know without even thinking about it.
So, what does this have to do with performance arts? Everything!!!
You have all but seconds to win over an audience. Sure, you can redeem yourself if you're lucky later on, but it's a nightmarish war between your intentions and the audience's perceptions.
Every performer needs an introduction. Not necessarily your traditional, "Please welcome to the stage Ben Dover and his band the Buttplugs!" but an introduction, nonetheless. Below you'll find a handy reference of different introduction types to suit your fancies and introductorial fetishes.
1. Traditional. - See Above paragraph -
2. Intermittent. You start off your show with no formal introduction, usually something set to music, and can set your character or mood easily. After a short time, an intro is then given, such as: "BLAH BLAH MUSIC AND STUFF - PAUSE - I wish to welcome you to a world of power and wonder, where gophers explode and penguins collide. Sit back and enjoy the bewildering performances of: Weirrdo!"
3. Radically Informal. As simple as it gets. Anywhere during the first few moments of your show/act, it is stated or implied: "Hello Everyone, I'm Shawty Swappin and this is the World's Ghetto Mall of Mystery!" Continue with el performance.
There are a few examples to tickle your cerebellum. Now, how do you really apply or create an intro that will do more good than harm?
Any introduction (as well as at least 98% of any performance) should be scripted. You need to know exactly what you are going to say, express, or portray and can work it in your sleep. The introduction is important enough to do it! (The whole show should be, but people judge you more strongly on the intro and the ending...). You need to have words that will work towards your goal as a performer.
For example, if you do a show that is mystical and creepy, you shouldn't have an intro that is giddy and happy, referencing cute bunnies and unicorns of giddiness. In turn, if you have a happy show, you shouldn't start your show with a brain-seeking lawyer zombie craving the blood of republicans. (Sorry Republicans. If that offends you, replace the word "Republicans" with "Democrats").
Lucky for you who don't write intros, there are lots of stock intro lines you are welcomed to use. Just don't use them more than once per intro, and it shouldn't come out like total crap.
Common intro phrases:
"We've got a great show for you tonight."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, blah blah blah,"
"Over the next hour/half hour/sixty minutes we'll take you on a visual roller coaster, complete with the ups, downs, and the annoying random stops in the middle of the track."
Tweak them to fit your needs.
Putting it all together!
Things to include in an introduction:
1. Thanks for attending
2. Who you are
3. Where you are from
4. What you are doing for the show
5. Acknowledge sponsors, if any
6. Thank the venue / host
7. Wish the audience to enjoy the show.
That's it!
So, without further adieu, here is an actual intro from beginning to end.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for coming out to the 5th Annual Pancake Death Festival! My name is Aaron Stone, and I'll be your guide throughout this magical evening. I come from a small town you've never heard of with a population less than that of your average nightclub. Over the course of the next half hour, we'll all see some hilarious things. From death-defying card tricks to amazing sleight-of-hand publicity stunt escapes, the next thirty minutes of your life will be a jam-packed fun time. Remember, there will be no camera tricks, and no one here will die that you cared about anyway...so, without further adieu, the Founder Tiger's Club proudly presents, ME!"
The lights flash, the music cranks up, and the show begins with a high energy.
Poof. Amazing.
I hope you've made sense out of all this. If you've made it this far, your reading skill has increased by 1+ point.
Remember, people are watching...and argue as you will, you have one chance for an audience to like you.
~Aaron Stone
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say something funny!