VOLUME 1; ISSUE 1 - INTRODUCTION TO PATTER MATTERS

Welcome to “PATTER MATTERS”, a newsletter that concentrates on what TRULY makes a trick become MAGIC.

Whether you are a newcomer to magic or a seasoned pro, this newsletter will help you OWN a trick you have bought.

“PATTER” is a term used by magicians when referring to the words used when performing magic tricks.

In this inaugural issue I will be telling you a little about myself, my magic history and how you might make any trick a magical experience. In future issues I will showcase a particular trick with some "patter" that can work for you. I'll also give you the opportunity to purchase that trick along with a DVD showing you the trick as well as the "magic".

If you subscribed to this newsletter in order to learn how magicians make a trick work, you can stop reading now!!! I will NOT divulge the secrets of how a trick works in this newsletter. If you do not plan to perform a trick, knowing the secret will ruin magic for you. However, after you have purchased a trick from this site, my aim is to make it work even better for you.

This newsletter is designed to enhance the magic experience for your audience. You might just want to do a trick or two for a friend or friends. You might decide to perform for larger audiences. In either case, my goal is to help make your performance pure "magic".

Now, about the author..........I worked as a salesperson in an upscale magic shop for many years. That is how I first learned about the inner workings of magic. As a salesperson, I had to perform the tricks in front of perspective clients and entice them to buy a trick (or tricks). Once a client bought a trick I would teach them how to perform it/them.

I was very fortunate to have EXCELLENT instructors. Most were performing Magicians as well as salespeople. The most influential to me was David Williamson. Dave was one of my mentors. He was (and still is) a close-up Magician without peers. He won the WORLD MAGIC AWARD for close-up magic in 1992. I understand he subsequently became an advisor for technical effects for several movies.

I haven't seen or heard from Dave in many years. Dave, if you see this newsletter, all I can say is.......THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! You are the inspiration for this newsletter.

At the magic shop we worked from a script. When I showed a little progress Dave taught me how to take it to the next level and become a professional magician using close-up magic.

Don't let the term Close-Up Magic fool you. I performed my magic in one-on-one situations as well as before audiences that numbered in the hundreds. You can too!! You just have to understand that in magic.......PATTER MATTERS.

I do not do any major illusions. I've never made a plane, elephant, building or any other large item dissappear. If you are looking for Henning or Copperfield or Mind Freak type illusions you will need to find them elsewhere. However, you may get some ideas from this newsletter to enhance that type of magic.

Instead, I will be discussing what I know.....CLOSE-UP MAGIC. If you are new to magic, let me explain. CLOSE-UP MAGIC includes (but is not limited to) cards, coins, the appearing and disappearing of hand held objects such as scarves, the Chinese Linking Rings and many, many other tricks that can be pulled from your pocket or carried in a small case.

In my shows, which were generally 45-60 minutes long, I only performed 5 to 6 tricks. I could have done those tricks in 5 minutes or less. However, they would have only been tricks. What made my shows Magical (and in high demand) was the patter.

I had many people come to me after a performance and tell me they couldn't figure out how I could possibly do those dozens of tricks in only an hour. I never corrected them. I let them feel they got even more than they paid for. I considered it high praise. After all, a happy audience will want you back!!

My signature trick (the one I was most noted for) was a variation on an old trick......"SILK TO EGG". After I was introduced, I would come on stage and start the MAGIC.

“HI!! MY NAME IS TERRY THE TERRIFIC……..OR….TERRY THE TERRIBLE. THAT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LIKE THE SHOW. I WILL NOW CHANGE THIS RED SILK INTO AN EGG”. (My hands were empty but I went through the motion of stuffing something into my hand. I would finally “realize” there was no silk) “NOW WHERE DID THAT THING GO”. (A portion of red silk protruded from my outer pocket) “OH, THERE IT IS! NOW, I WILL TAKE THIS RED SILK AND CHANGE IT INTO AN EGG”. (The red silk had disappeared from my pocket but my hands were still empty. Again, I went through the motion of stuffing something into my hand. Then, I “realized” there was no silk) “NOW WHAT!!” (I started patting myself down. The silk was protruding from an inner pocket which I allowed the audience to see) “STOP THAT!!” (The red silk disappeared from that pocket but my hands were still empty. Acting oblivious to this I again went through the motion of stuffing something into my hand) “I WILL NOW CHANGE THIS RED SILK INTO AN EGG”. (Again, I “realized there was no silk) “WHAT THE…..?” (This time the silk was protruding from my pants zipper. As I pretended to find the silk, I waited for somebody in the audience to tell me where to look. They always did! Then I gave a shocked and embarrassed look to the audience, turned my back to them and “zipped up”. I would then turn around and, without looking at my hands, say…) “I WILL NOW CHANGE THIS RED SILK INTO AN EGG”. (Gasps and laughter ensued as I did not have a red silk….I was stuffing striped, multicolored boxer shorts into my hand) “IS IT JUST ME OR IS THERE A SUDDEN DRAFT IN HERE?”. (I then “realized” what I was holding. I dropped the shorts to the floor and kicked them to the back of the stage. I again searched my pockets, found the red silk, and proceeded with the actual trick) “I WILL NOW CHANGE THIS RED SILK INTO AN EGG…………IF IT COOPERATES THIS TIME”. (I stuffed the silk into my hand, waved over it, then displayed an egg. As the applause waned, I would toss the egg over my shoulder. As it hit the floor it would bounce and make a sound that left no doubt, it was a plastic egg).

At the end of my show I would revisit this trick and announce that, because they had been such a great audience, I would teach them how to change a silk to an egg. I explained that I used a plastic egg with a hole in it (which most had already figured out when I threw it behind me and it bounced). I took the silk out of the egg and repeated the trick. Here's where the variation came in.

I showed the back side of the egg so that they could see the red silk inside it and told them to be sure not to show this side of the egg or everybody would know what they had done. I then peeled the "hole" from the egg. I could then place the hole on a table, my lapel, a member of the audience (be careful with that one) or some other object, removing the silk each time then returning it back inside the hole. I would do this 3-4 times.

I explained that I really loved this trick because it was so portable. I would then place the "hole" inside my special "hole" holder (a clear plastic ring case) and put it in my pocket. I would then say, "you can buy eggs anywhere so you don't need to carry them with you". I then took the egg and broke it into a glass. You guessed it....it was a real egg!!

This trick can be performed in seconds. As you read through the routine above you can see how this trick can be extended into several minutes. That's what I mean by PATTER MATTERS!!! Although I haven't performed publicly for several years, I still have people come up to me and talk about seeing that trick.

In 1992, on the "WORLD MAGIC AWARDS" telecast, Bill Mann, celebrated Magician and Author of several Magic books (I highly recommend his books) performed this variation. As I mentioned earlier, David Williamson won the award for close-up magic that year. I don't know for sure but, I believe Dave had mentioned to Bill about this variation and he thought enough of it to perform it during that telecast.

Although magic devices can be patented or copyrighted, variations and patter cannot. Am I angry about my variation being used? OF COURSE NOT!! I consider it flattering that such accomplished Magicians would even consider using it. And, YES, you have my permission to use any patter in this newsletter and all future issues of it.

Doing a trick well is VERY important. Once you purchase a trick, practice it many, many times. That's what I mean when I say "own the tirck". After you have the basics of the trick, stand in front of a mirror and practice it some more. This way you will see what your audience will see. If it doesn't look right to you, it WILL LOOK WRONG to your audience. Practice some more!!

As you practice the mechanics of a trick, start putting in your Patter. Coordinate the patter with the trick. You need to know what you are going to do and say BEFORE you do or say it for an audience. This is important whether you are doing the trick one-on-one or in a group setting. I can't say it enough......DON'T JUST BUY A TRICK.....OWN THE TRICK!!

If you purchase a trick from my site, you will also have the opportunity to purchase a DVD. The DVD will go over the basics of the device first, then that trick including Patter. You are welcome to use my Patter word for word however, I DO NOT recommend that. I DO recommend you choose wording that comes naturally for you. Either way, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE practice it many times before performing it for an audience.

The MAGIC in tricks is limited only by your imagination. As you learn a trick, try to think of variations that can be done with the same device. You will be suprised how a single item can be used in different ways to give a different magic experience to your audience.

I will sell a trick without the DVD if you wish. I WILL NOT sell the DVD separately. As I said earlier, knowing the secret of a trick without the desire to perform it will ruin magic for you. I will not be a party to that. I hope you feel the same way.

Due to some physical problems, I no longer perform magic professionally. That brings me to the old adage, "THOSE WHO CAN, DO.....THOSE WHO CANNOT, TEACH". I can no longer do so now, it's time to teach. I sincerely hope you become a student of Magic through this newsletter.

Well, that's it for this first issue. I hope you will "opt in" for future issues. You have my solemn promise that I will do my absolute best to help you make MAGIC for your audiences, whoever they may be.

Until the next time..........*POOF*..........I'm gone!!!

TERRY THE TERRIFIC