What magic IS, what it MEANS, and the cognitive science behind why it works.
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Fitzkee distinguishes punch from surprise. Surprise is unexpected. Punch is unexpected AND emotionally satisfying. The difference is the audience's emotional approval of the outcome -- and understanding that difference transformed how I design every climactic moment.
Read MoreFitzkee's definition of interest -- thought-provoked attention -- is the simplest and most useful definition in performance theory. If they're thinking, they're interested. If they're not thinking, they're not. This single equation changed how I diagnose every flat moment in every show.
Read MoreAudiences want to applaud but don't always know when. Fitzkee's three-step system ensures they know the trick is over: show the result, indicate completion, and finish with a clear physical gesture. I learned this lesson the hard way, standing in silence while an audience waited for permission to react.
Read MoreNo matter how good a trick is, if it doesn't fit your character, your theme, or your show, it has to go. Fitzkee is ruthless about this: fit determines inclusion, not quality. Learning to let go of great material was one of the hardest and most important lessons of my performing life.
Read MoreFitzkee's counterintuitive advice: start with what you want to say, then find tricks that serve those words. Most magicians do the opposite and end up with brilliant effects wrapped in meaningless patter. Reversing the process changed how I build every performance.
Read MoreFitzkee's show-day preparation includes seven distinct checklists covering everything from wardrobe to prop setup to mental preparation. The system eliminates the chaos of show day and replaces anxiety with confidence born of thoroughness.
Read MoreFourteen diagnostic questions that reveal whether an act is working and where it's failing. Applied systematically, they function as a performance MRI -- exposing structural weaknesses that feeling alone would never identify.
Read MoreOne of Fitzkee's most radical suggestions: study a great comedy act, musical act, or theatrical piece, strip it to its structure, and rebuild it with your magic material. I tried it, and the results were better than anything I had ever built from scratch.
Read MoreFitzkee identifies nine distinct sources for act ideas. Most performers rely on one or two. Using all nine opens up creative possibilities that transform how you think about show building -- and I discovered that the ones I had been ignoring were the richest veins of all.
Read MoreThe performer's job is not to execute tricks sequentially but to orchestrate them into a unified experience. Like a conductor, you shape dynamics, tempo, and emotional arc -- and the difference between playing the notes and interpreting the music is the difference between mediocrity and mastery.
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