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This is your central hub for everything related to The Premise Workshop. As each live session happens, the replays will be posted here, along with any worksheets or bonus materials. Bookmark this page, it’s where the real work lives. Links to join Studio Sessions will be emailed.
Build the Why Behind the Wow:The Real Work of Making Magic Matter
Have you ever watched a trick, even one that fooled you, and still thought, so what?
That’s not a sleight issue. It’s not a script issue. It’s a premise issue.
A trick without a premise is just a series of events. And events, by themselves, don’t create meaning. Magic lands hardest when your audience feels like something happened for a reason. That’s what a strong premise does. It answers the one question they’re always asking.
The Real Question Your Audience Is Asking
Every time you perform, your audience is wondering the same thing, even if they never say it out loud:
“Why are you showing me this?”
If your trick doesn’t answer that question, right from the start, then no matter how good the effect is, it’s just a sequence of actions.
And that’s why so many magic performances feel forgettable. They work technically, but they don’t stick.
Most Magicians Narrate. Few Actually Perform.
Here’s what a lot of magic sounds like onstage:
“I take a card… I put it here… I snap… now it’s over there…”
Sound familiar?
It’s not bad. But it’s not good either. It’s just… explanation. Most magicians are stuck narrating what’s happening instead of giving the audience a reason to care.
When you build a strong premise, you flip that.
The audience stops watching what you’re doing, and starts leaning in to see what it means.
What Is a Premise?
A premise is not a backstory. It’s not a character bio. And it’s definitely not an excuse to explain your props.
A premise is a believable setup that gives the trick context and meaning. It’s the “why” behind the “watch this.” Done right, it gets the audience emotionally aligned with what’s about to happen, even if the effect is simple.
Think of it like the setup of a joke: when you tee it up correctly, the payoff hits harder.
When you rush past the premise, the trick might still fool them. But it won’t hit.
Why Premise Beats Just Patter
You’ve probably heard magicians say: “Don’t just narrate what you’re doing.” Good advice, but what do you do instead?
You build a premise. That’s how you move from narrating a trick to inviting your audience into a moment. And no, it doesn’t have to be a long story.
A premise can be as simple as:
“Have you ever seen a trick that will get you out of a parking ticket every time?”
Or:
“This is the only thing I remember from high school that’s actually useful.”
Or even:
“Do you know how to get banned from a casino? It’s not technically illegal. But I’ve been asked not to do it any mores.”
These are believable. They create interest. They suggest there’s a reason for what’s coming. That’s enough to set the hook.
The Premise Builder: A Simple Way to Build a Better Trick
Here is a simple method to build a premise that fits you, fits the trick, and fits the moment.
Here’s the full breakdown:
- Strip It Down
What’s really happening, mechanically? Forget the script, the story, the lines. Just describe the bare actions. That’s your starting point. - Ask “What If…?”
Now, imagine a reason. What could this moment mean? What might explain the strange thing you’re doing? Look for a premise that fits the action naturally. - Choose a Believable Setup
This doesn’t have to be elaborate, or even true. But it needs to feel like it could be true right now. Something your audience can buy without effort. Believable enough to nod along with. - Include the Audience
This isn’t a lecture. Invite them in. Give them a role, a decision, a reaction. Let the magic happen with them, not just in front of them. - Pay It Off Cleanly
Let the ending land. One strong line. A moment of silence. No extra explanation. Trust that what just happened is enough.
Real-World Examples, Real-World Payoffs
Here’s how I open my stand-up show:
“I was so excited to be here tonight, I couldn’t sleep. I just kept tossing and turning. But eventually, I got a couple of hours of rest… and during that time, I had a dream.”
“Three things came to me. So I wrote them down and sealed them in this envelope. If one of these things comes true tonight, that would be cool.
If two come true, that would be incredible. And if all three come true…It’ll be a night we’ll never forget.”
That’s the premise.
It’s not just “Here’s an envelope and let’s see what happens.”
Now the audience knows why I have it. They know what we’re doing. They don’t know how it will play out – but they’re invested.
And that investment makes all the difference when the magic lands.
Tricks with No Premise Feel Like Puzzles
Without a premise, even a solid trick can feel like a riddle.
The audience knows you did something clever, they just don’t know why it mattered.
When you add a real premise, you create momentum. The trick starts meaning something. And suddenly, people aren’t just clapping – they’re remembering.
Final Thought
A strong premise doesn’t just make your tricks better, it makes your magic mean something. It’s how you move from doing tricks at people to creating moments with them.
That’s the shift we’re making here together. And as you work through the material, keep this in mind:
You don’t need to be more clever, You don’t need more lines.
You just need one good reason.
And when you’ve got that, the magic doesn’t just work, it lands.
What’s Coming Up in the Studio
Here’s the full lineup for this round of Worker’s Studio Sessions:
The Premise Workshop — Build the Why Behind the Wow
- Session 1 – Sunday, June 1, 2025
- Session 2 – Sunday, June 15, 2025
- Session 3 – Sunday, June 29, 2025
- Session 4 – Sunday, July 13, 2025
- Session 5 – Sunday, July 27, 2025
Links to join will be sent by email.
All sessions start at 8 pm Central, 9 pm Eastern, 6 pm Pacific.
Coming August 2025!
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