How to Hide Magic Props on the Stage

To help the audience suspend their disbelief, magicians should remain in plain sight as much as possible. Instead of ducking into the wings to retrieve props, the seasoned professional will hide them in handy spots. Here's how to hide your props on stage.

1

Paint things in wavy patterns of green and brown. By painting only one side of an elephant with this camouflage, you can make it miraculously appear by having the animal turn around to reveal the unpainted side.

2

Learn to regurgitate things. After small items are mastered, the skill can be expanded to work with larger and larger items. Great stage magicians can hide and retrieve all manner of magic props in this manner, including cougars and small tigers. Rumor has it that one legendary magic duo was formed solely because of one's amazing talent in the area of swallowing.

3

Use distraction at key times. By pointing and shouting "Look! It's Fred Gwynne!" at key moments, entire auditoriums full of people can be distracted long enough to move large items onto the stage. Even when their attention turns back to the stage, they will be so disappointed in not seeing TV's Herman Munster they will not notice the new props. The real skill of the stage magician is not to hide the magic props but to help the audience get over this disappointment.

4

Dance! Dance like the world depends on it! A magician dancing with enough half dressed women will keep an audience from looking for the props that are hidden as they marvel at the artistry of the dance. In the dance world, magician's assistant is much more prestigious than any position as a ballerina

5

Study with ninjas. Those guys totally know all about this stuff. They are completely amazing. They may require participation of an assassination or two in exchange for learning their shadow arts, but it is totally worth it. Rumor has it that Lance Burton is like a 15th degree blackbelt