Hi Friends,
It’s me — Michael Misko, your friendly neighborhood magic director.
If you’re anything like me, when you walk onstage with a new piece of material you’ve got about 60-70% of it scripted.
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the procedure
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the transitions
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the beats
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the jokes
And then you let the rest of your voice come through over 10, 20, 50 (100?) performances.
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you move lines around for better impact
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you add jokes
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you cut jokes
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you cut syllables to make jokes land better
But after these several performances, you have an audience-tested, scripted routine.
Others do it the other way around. They walk out with a fully scripted, top-to-bottom, performance piece and give it very minimal editing over time. They know how to write their voice and perhaps give little leeway for unplanned audience interaction.
Both of these approaches are very valid.
Then there’s the group that says, “I don’t like scripts, I like to feel spontaneous.” To them, I say: MALARKEY!
Even if you “prefer to feel spontaneous,” I guarantee you you’re still scripting your spontaneity! I’d bet the jokes that get the best reaction are said the same way, in the same place.
“Script” doesn’t mean memorizing lines and reciting them the same way every time. It’s a roadmap with a destination and flexible routes. Perform it, find the path that gets the biggest reactions with the least friction, then repeat it. Transcribe it, study it, and reproduce what works.
For stand-up entertainers, a script is structure and direction, not a cage.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!
This is the kind of thing I do when I direct magicians:
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Help you see your work without rose-colored glasses
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Fix the little habits that undercut your impact
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Sharpen your routine so the audience gets what you want them to get
If you’re serious about taking your magic to the next level, set up a consult call! Check out the details at my coaching site:
Best,
Michael
PS – If you wanted to order a copy of my book, Comedy, Character & Control, recently reviewed by Genii Magazine, click HERE.
PPS – If you wanted a copy of my essay, This Will Be Mic, So There’s No Confusion, nearly 30 pages on using a handheld mic for the stand-up entertainer, you can get that by clicking HERE.