Long ago, the Celts spoke of three deaths.
The first death comes when the heart stops beating.
The second death comes when the body is laid in the ground.
And the *third death… the final death… comes when your name is spoken for the very last time,
I ask you this, my friends, what would you do to keep your name alive?
While you are pondering that question I’ll give you my answer… Pass your legacy forward! That’s what I did with WONDERGROUND… I passed the tradition on to a younger generation and now it is flourishing again.
In the following Museletter, Will Bradshaw tells you about what it takes to keep a legacy alive… it is more work than you might think and you can learn from Will’s lessons below!
Good news! I will be performing this month at Wonderground with Will and an All-Star cast on October 16th, so you can join us there!
Wisdom from Wonderground
Or
(the secret price of a Producer)
“Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Will Bradshaw and Welcome to WONDERGROUND.”
The lights blind my eyes and the sound of the audience roars in my ears. And all the sweat, pain, and toil suddenly become worth it knowing the show goes on.
It is the dream of many of us magicians to produce our own show. Being able to introduce ourselves to new clients and able to say “Ah yes, I have my own Vegas show here, let me get you tickets!”
However, as Rumpelstiltskin once said “All magic comes at a cost dearee.” And, producing a show, and making it successful has its cost, its lessons, and its price. Some are delights, some cost us dearly, but all of them are important to know. So here are lessons I learned producing Wonderground.
1: Sometimes you are the bad guy
I worked most of my professional life attempting to be agreeable, easy going and not to lose my temper. And when you are producing a show, it is your responsibility to the audience, the cast and the investors to put on the best show possible. And if things go wrong, even if it was because of someone else… IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
Now, I still try hard to convince people to do what I need them to get done without escalation. But in the end, your show is worth fighting for, and if you don’t fight for your vision, no one else will.
This means sometimes I have to be the bad guy. Sometimes I have to tell people “no.” Feelings will be hurt, egos bruised, but in the end, I am the producer, so I produce, and I produce a great show, month after month after month.
2: Acknowledge your limitations
No matter how much we pretend, we magicians are not experts at everything. For example, I do not know my way around a light board to save my soul, and am barely proficient with sound tech. And to be responsible as a producer is to acknowledge what you don’t know, and defer to others that do. (Yes, that bruised ego from point 1 is sometimes yours.) It is important to become knowledgeable in the aspects of your show. However, every hour you study scenic design is an hour you’re not working on your magic, or other theater arts. You can’t do it all, so you need people to fill in for your weaknesses.
3: A good team is worth more than gold
When doing a strolling gig or small corporate event, you can do most things on your own. (I usually don’t need to work a light board.) However, when you move into a theater, you need a team. For a one-night show of Wonderground my team is seven strong: two show hosts, one front of house manager, one stage manager (with a possible person helping them,) one light tech, one sound tech, and one videographer.
If you are doing a Variety Vignette, you need between 3-7 more performers to fill a 90 minute show, assuming everyone does at least 10 minutes.
In addition, if you don’t know how to make your own ads, you need one marketing manager, and one graphic designer.
In additional addition, if you’re producing a proper show instead of a Variety Vignette you will need…
One director, one dance choreographer (if you have dancers,) one costume designer (If you’re wearing clothing,) one prop builder, (possibly more if you’re including illusions,) and any assistants that will be in the show as well–between 1-3 for a small to mid-size show, and 3-7 for a mid to large show, as well as any additional tech personnel, for example a spotlight operator.
The key is to know who fills these roles in your show, and make sure you find people who share your vision… because when it’s five minutes till showtime, and tempers are hot, having a unified vision will unite your team and get things done.
So what do I gain for all my labor? An INVESTMENT.
An investment in my art, and my passion, yes, but also in prestige. That footage I give to my artist, is footage I receive as well. When I negotiate with corporate clients, my rate goes up because MY name is on the billing of a Vegas award-winning show.
WONDERGROUND gives me a monthly reason to bring NEW magic to the stage. I get to connect with some of the greatest magicians alive today, and finally, I get a chance to support the community that helped me get started, and I get to pave the way for the next generation of magicians.
An investment in yourself will aways pay interest. -Will Bradshaw
Hats off to Will Bradshaw, for that very honest and revealing look at what it takes to produce a long running event in Las Vegas!
We will see you at THE WONDERGROUND!