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Tom's "The “Magic of Reading” Show"!
PURPOSE: Use magic to illustrate how important it is to be a good reader and to practice reading every day. Reading opens new “doors” and opportunities, and it allows people to learn just about anything they want to find out about.
GENERAL OUTLINE OF SHOW: ¨ Introduction Sets the mood to be amazed, amused, and educated all at the same time. ¨ Opening Effect There is a small table on stage with a set of magic books in them. Tom gives a brief personal story about how he got started in magic when he was twelve and did a book report for school on a magic book. Then he picks up one of the books to find fire inside…and quickly closes the book stating, “There are lots of surprises in books…if you just read them!” ¨ Letters It is amazing how just 26 letters in our alphabet have so many possibly combinations and words that we can learn throughout our lives. Tom shows how he used a made-up word for his first stage name when he started in magic. The letters of this name are then shuffled and the students determine what order they go back in…magically creating a new word when it is revealed at the end. ¨ Reading A feature of the show is an appearance by a 18” high cut out of Tom’s friend Rudy. Tom tells a captivating story about Rudy and how he would just watch TV rather than read. The story is visually represented with the props, and the audience laughs and learns as Rudy eventually loses his head! It returns when Rudy realizes the “Magic of Reading” and how “reading helps us get a HEAD in life.” ¨ “It’s What’s Inside” Using an illusion to illustrate that the magic happens inside the box, Tom draws the parallel to the fact that students need to “fill their brains” with knowledge from their parents, teachers, and also what they can read. ¨ Following Instructions Step-by-Step A trick is used to illustrate the power good comprehension and learning to follow instructions. Two volunteers from the audience assist in the magic and what happens to the magician when he does as is instructed. ¨ The Librarian Ideally, the librarian or principal will be available during the show. Tom will present the school with a new book for the library and then ask the kids to give him 30 seconds of their time. While the kids are concentrating, he tells them that time goes by fast when you are reading, but if they will spend just 15 minutes every day reading something other than their school work, they will learn more, better, and faster than others. At the end of the 30 seconds, an unforgettable effect happens to the staff member’s head to the wide-eyed gasps of the audience. This makes for a great ending to the show! |