INTERACTIVE PUPPET PERFORMANCE TRACKS

 

                           “HOUDINI”        6.5 min.

 

FOR USE WITH AXTELL’S MAGIC DRAWING BOARD

 

                                  © COPYRIGHT 2005 AXTRAX PUBLISHING

DIV. OF AXTELL EXPRESSIONS! (805) 642-7282

WRITTEN BY STEVE AXTELL AND GREG JACKSON

PERFORMED BY: STEVE AXTELL

MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS AND ENGINEERING BY: GREG JACKSON

        RECORDED AT TREEHOUSE PRODUCTIONS AND AXTELL ENTERTAINMENT

 

LEGAL NOTICE:  By purchasing this routine you have the right to perform this routine and its musical components in live performances only.    Not for use on television or on video productions without written permission.   Limited Warranty of 3 weeks to replace damaged media.  No refunds on

electronic media.   © Copyright and Trademark Axtell Expressions, Inc.  All rights reserved.

 

SEE OTHER AXTRAX AVAILABLE FOR THE MAGIC DRAWING BOARD AND AXTELL PUPPETS AT www.axtell.com

 

CD TRACK #1:         PERFORMANCE -  Does not include your practice lines - use this to perform live.

CD TRACK #2:         REHEARSAL - Includes your practice lines (YOU) that you will perform live.

CD TRACKS #3-10:  MUSIC & SFX ONLY- For vents who want to do both parts and custom create the    music and sfx.   Cues are found in the script.

 

#3:    Opening music                          #7:    Erase eyes sfx

#4:    Moving eyes L&R sfx               #8:    Master drum roll, ta-da

#5:    Rap song                                     #9:    Draw on eyes sfx

#6     Drum roll, eyes, ta-da              #10:  Closing music

               

 

PAUSES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE RECORDING TO ANTICIPATE AUDIENCE LAUGHTER

YOU CAN MODIFY THE (YOU) LINES TO FIT YOUR PERSONALITY.  REWRITE AND BE CREATIVE!

 

SOUND ADVICE: You can perform this routine by playing the CD on a quality "boom box" portable stereo player in small areas, or over a professional sound system in large areas such as an auditorium or outside. Do not play on a small inexpensive CD player because the sound will distort when you try to play it loudly.

 

The CD should be played with plenty of volume.  Kids will be laughing hard and will miss the routine if it Is

too quiet, and adults may keep laughter to a minimum for fear of missing parts of the program.  The volume

of the CD should be set about the same as if you were speaking over a microphone to be heard by the

group, or louder.

 

 

 

 

 

Opening Music  (Say lines during the music when the volume is low, draw Houdini when     the music volume grows louder.  To help you with this we have put chimes to cue you).

 

You                         Way back in the 1900’s before television was invented, magic was only seen live on stages.          (draw head, eyes and pupils)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                               

 

 

(cover both eyes with your arm and hand, pretend to draw pupils as you slide gimmick on.  Synch the marker movements to the sound effects of the marker.)

 

 

You         People would gather from miles around to see a magic show. 

 

                (draw eyebrows, nose and mouth)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During that time, one magician became very famous…He was able to do amazing card tricks.  He could tie knots with his toes.  He could even vanish an elephant! 

 

           (draw ears and hair.  Houdini’s hair was parted in the middle with fluffy sides)

 

 

You                        

 

 

But he was best known for being an escape artist….his name was Harry Houdini.

 

                (finish with bow tie) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You                         They say that Houdini was the greatest magician who ever lived.  He was just full of surprises.

 

                                Slide whistle eyes  sfx  (Eyes move toward you)

                               

(Crowd goes wild – you don’t notice)

 

You                         Man he was great!

 

 

                                Slide whistle eyes sfx  (Eyes move away from you.  Be careful to keep entire pupils visible).

 

You                         Yeah!!  But I’m sure If Houdini could see me perform, he would say that “I” was the greatest magician that ever lived.

 

                                Slide whistle eyes sfx  (Eyes move toward you)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houdini                  Yeah, right!

 

                                (laughter)

 

 

You                         (looking around at audience) Who said that?

 

Houdini                  I did.

 

You                         (jump in reaction – pause for laugh) Who?

 

Houdini                  ….DINI!  

 

You                         Who?

 

Houdini                  …Dini!

 

You                         Hou-DINI?   Is it really YOU?

 

Houdini                  I am Houdini, the world’s greatest magician!

 

                                Rap song starts  (applause)

 

You:                        (Over applause)   Wow…huh…must have been the magic marker!

 

Houdini                  Look out world I’m coming back…

Who?  Who? Who?  Houdini (shift his eyes back and forth during the “who’s”)

The magic train is on the track…

Who?  Who? Who?  Houdini

I could make an elephant disappear….

Who?  Who? Who?  Houdini

I could make and audience stand and cheer….

Who?  Who? Who?  Houdini… the world’s greatest Magician! (applause)

 

                                Thank you, thank you.  Now that you’ve “drawn” me to your little magic show, how can I help you?

 

You                         Well…uh...could you do a trick for us?

 

Houdini                  It’s a little hard without hands, ya’ know (singing) “I ain’t got nobody.”

 

You                         Oh, of course.  Well then, can you read my mind?

 

Houdini                  That may be difficult, too.

 

You                         Well, why’s that?

 

 

Houdini                  I didn’t know you had one.

 

You                         Hey…  (laughter)

 

Houdini                  All right, all right.  I will now read your mind.

 

                                Drum roll

 

Don’t say your answer out loud. Using your fingers, hold up a number and I’ll guess it.

 

You                         Okay, but don’t peek. 

 

Houdini                  What?!  How ridiculous…I am Houdini, the world’s greatest magi…

 

You                         (Interrupting) Okay, okay...so look the other way  (point off)

 

Houdini                  Of all the silly things…(looks away)

 

You                         (to audience) O.K. ..this will be great.

                                (hold up 4 fingers – big smile looking at audience)

 

#6                           Drum roll

                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houdini                 Concentrate – Concentrate  CONSENTRATE!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

You                         (close your eyes and concentrate with  music)    

 

                                 (Houdini slowly moves eyes over toward you, peeking).

 

                              Slide whistle eyes sfx      (audience goes wild)

 

Houdini                  THE ANSWER Is… FOUR.

 

                                Brass fanfare

 

You                         (opening your eyes) Wow!  That’s was amazing!

 

Houdini                  Thank you.   I am Houdini, the world’s Greatest                                                                    Magi…

 

You                         All right, all right…let’s try it again - (cover his eyes with arm ready to erase)

                                But this time let’s erase your eyes! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houdini                  What?! 

 

                                Erasing eye sfx (cover eyes with arm and “erase” far pupil                 first while sliding the pupil gimmick off)

 

Houdini                  Erase what?…my..my eyes?

 

                                Erasing eye sfx (now “erase” close pupil)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Careful, don’t lose those.   Wow this is freaky...doo doo doo doo .. doo doo doo doo  (twighlight zone tune).  But it’s no problem…the great Houdini needs no eyes to read your little mind.

 

You                         (Interrupting)…Okay, okay.  Now, guess what the number is!  (holding up 3 fingers)

                               

                                Drum roll

 

Houdini                  The answer is…ONE!

 

 

You                         No, sorry.

 

Houdini                  Yes it is.  You are holding up ONE hand.         (laughter)

                               

Brass fanfare     

 

You                         Well...yes, but how many fingers?

 

Houdini                  That’s different…ahem…

 

                                Drum roll

 

Houdini                  You’re not concentrating hard enough.

                                Concentrate…Concentrate…CONCENTRATE!

 

You                         All right...I’m concentrating! 

 

Houdini                  The answer is…. Three

 

                                Brass fanfare

 

You                         Wow…that’s right!  How many now?

                                (hold up 1finger)

 

Houdini                  One.

 

You                         Now?  (holding up 2)

 

Houdini                  Two.

 

You                         (holding up 4, 3, 2, 1….)

 

Houdini                  Four….Three…Two….One…..

 

You                         (hyper mode – changing fingers so fast no one can tell, really just wiggling at random until his voice stops.  End with one finger held up).

 

Houdini                  2 3 4 1- 3 2 1 4- 3 1 2 4- 3 1 2 3- 1 2 1 2 …..1! (faster and faster, speeding up chipmunk style….until panting with exhaustion.

 

                                Brass fanfare

 

You                         Wow….that was amazing!  

 

Houdini                  (out of breath) Ah...thank you…thank you. I am Houdini… the great…oh never mind…  Can I have my eyes back please?

 

You                         Oh…oh sure… your eyes.  

 

                                Marker sfx

 

Houdini                  Thanks, I don’t want to miss this.

  

Marker sfx.   

 

That’s better. And now it’s time for my greatest trick…

 

                                Drum roll

 

You                         What’s that?

 

Houdini                  The great “Drawing board” escape.

 

You                         You’re going to escape from this board?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houdini                  Take that cloth and start erasing me.

 

                                Drum roll

 

You                         Like this?  

 

(erase far ear first then circle upward erasing his hair and toward other ear)

 

Houdini                  Just don’t erase my ears yet because I won’t be able to…

 

(erase close ear) …hello?…hello? 

 

You                         Oh, sorry….

 

Houdini                  What’s that? 

 

You                         I said  “sorry”.

 

Houdini                  What’d you say? Oh, never mind. And now ladies and gentlemen….

 

                                Drum roll

 

                                (erase nose) I will escape from the drawing board….

 

(continue erasing his chin and tie)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…because I am the great …

 

(erase his mouth)    mmmmmmm…..

 

(wiggle his pupils back and forth so it looks like he’s worried and can’t talk)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(erase eyes and any remaining artwork – hold wipe cloth up to your side but continue looking at the board)

 

You                       (Sarcastically)  Ha, ha, ha… The great who?                  (looking at blank board)

 

Houdini                  (wipe cloth bounces)   DINI  !!!

 

                                Brass fanfare

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You                         (looking at cloth in shock) Houdini?!

 

Houdini                  …the world’s Greatest Magician!!

 

                                Closing Music

                                                   

                                                  THE END