This is a picture I took of myself in a green room before a show. My props are already set on the stage and the audience who was a Japanese company I was performing for  has already started their dinner and speeches for the evening. I am to perform after the dinner and speeches with a 25 minute stage show and an hour of close-up magic after that. Now I am just waiting. All dressed up and just waiting. What do you during this time? In my case most of the time my show is already set up at the stage area or already on the stage so it’s just me and my iPhone and the few props I keep in my pocket. Well This is what I do. First before I change I usually do some simple stretching to warm up my body and get it limber and it also feels good. Next I get changed and check myself in a mirror and set my props in their proper places in the right pockets. Next I run through my show in my head a few times. I go over some new jokes and other things I have prepared for the group I will be performing for. I also go and wash my hands then I head to the backstage area if I can depending on the event and venue  earlier than planned so that I can see the audience and start to get a feel for the atmosphere. When I perform for dinners and other private events the atmosphere can be very different from event to event. In the case of the show I took this picture at the president of the company was there, so I can already guess that most of the people at the party will be on their best behavior. This is especially true I found here in Japan. Anyway it is REALLY important to feel your audience because at last minute you may need to change the show depending on the audience from the feeling you get. Also don’t be afraid to do this as it is a very important point to know what will work and what won’t as well as what is appropriate for a certain audience. So use this time to get some advance feeling of this. Next I confirm with the Booker, MC, producer, or whoever is in charge that I am all set and ready to go and head on out and give the audience the best show I can. When you arrive at the event you are doing your job so work during this time to help make you show its best. Like someone said but I forget who “Your are only  as good as your last show” so make every show good!

Aaron