The most common magic trick is the card illusion. Amateur magicians can convince the audience that they can read minds by selecting the same card that a volunteer picked or by always pulling the same card out of the deck. Card tricks can be performed with the help of an audience volunteer or alone. A magician can entertain an audience by learning to stack the deck to control which cards are revealed.
Coin tricks are always a crowd pleaser and easy to perform. The amateur magician can use regular coins, such as a quarter or a 50-cent piece, or large fake coins that the audience can see from a distance. Magicians use optical illusion to convince their audience that they are bending a coin or making a coin disappear from a closed fist. Magicians can use sleight of hand to make a coin seem to disappear.
Some magicians combine comedy and magic tricks to entertain audiences at talent shows. Props, such as buzzers, squirting flowers and canisters that release spring loaded "snakes" when opened, add to the fun of the show. The magician can add a few well-rehearsed prat falls to her show. Tell jokes and perform comedy stunts that are family friendly if your audience includes children.
Audience members often enjoy being part of the magic act. Magicians can perform a trick that involves using a volunteer from the audience, such as a mind reading trick. Plant an assistant in the audience in case the audience is shy and no one wants to volunteer. Use an assistant from the audience to perform a disappearing act. A magician in a talent show can get kids involved by inviting them to the stage and teaching them how to do a simple magic trick, such as how to make a coin disappear.