Weber, Ken: Maximum Entertainment
©2003 Ken Weber Productions
Hardcover, 251 pages
ISBN-13: 9780974638003
ISBN-10: 0974638005

Comments (Mill Lichter): The how's of putting together a show.

Contents: (page numbers added 10/2015)

i Acknowledgments
iii Foreword
v Contents

3 Section I: Preamble

3 Introduction
4 Teen Magazine Advice
5 Ken Who?
12 Pardon me, your slip is showing
13 Please take note
14 Science of Entertainment? Never!

17 Chapter 1: Search for Entertainment
17 Defining Entertainment
18 Looking for Entertainment in all the wrong places
20 Why a director?
21 Importance of being videotaped
23 Find a Mentor or Trusted Friend
23 Raise your level
25 My Aha! Experience
27 Say it loud "I Entertain and I'm proud"
27 Look to the Stars
29 Too much of a Good Thing
30 Competitors
31 Danger of Success
33 Personal Entertainment Highlights: Al Flosso (Miser's Dream)

39 Section II: Precursors

39 Chapter 2: Hierarchy of Mystery Entertainment
40 Bona Fide Magic
41 Stalking the Extraordinary Moment
42 Magic for Magicians vs Magic for everyone else
44 Trivialization of Magic

47 Chapter 3: Reactions
47 Big Three
49 Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak
50 Fizzle vs Sizzle

53 Chapter 4: Six Pillars of Entertainment Success
54 Master your craft
58 Communicate your humanity
68 Capture the Excitement
71 Control Every Moment
77 Eliminate weak spots
81 Build to a Climax
89 Personal Entertainment Highlights: Sylvester the Jester

93 Section III: Preparation

93 Chapter 5: Scripting and Rehearsing
101 Chapter 6 Choosing Material and Developing the act
117 Personal Entertainment Highlights: Del Ray at the Card Table

121 Section IV: Performer

121 Chapter 7: Your Appearance
125 Chapter 8: Your Voice
133 Chapter 9: Language Skills
145 Chapter 10: How to be Funny
153 Personal Entertainment Highlights: Mac King

157 Section V: Paraphernalia

157 Chapter 11: Sound and Lighting
159 Chapter 12: Sound
175 Chapter 13: Lighting
183 Chapter 14: Before the Show
193 Personal Entertainment Highlights: David Copperfield (Flying)

197 Section VI: Performance

197 Chapter 15: Close up Magic
203 Chapter 16: Mentalism
211 Chapter 17: Dealing with Spectators
219 Chapter 18: During the Show
235 Personal Entertainment Highlights: Gil Eagles (Q&A Act)
237 Chapter 19: Closing the Show

243 Section VII: Postscript

243 Chapter 20: After the Show
243 The Spin Cycle
245 The Postmortem
68 Chapter 21: And in the end