A number of years ago, I had a very elderly lady come up to me and explain, in detail, a memory she had of going onstage to help a magician when she was just a kid. And, as she told me her story of how she was invited on stage and how she ended up going home with a live bunny rabbit from the show, I realized that she was describing an event that happened to her almost 90 years ago… when she was just 6 years old. She had seen the famous magician Harry Blackstone on stage and while she did not remember the name of the magician, she remembered the experience and described it to me in detail all those years later. That is the “power” of magic. It can create a memory that will last a lifetime.
For over a year now, I have had the honor of performing my new show Miracles & Other Deceptions at the Omni Parker House hotel… in downtown Boston. Our Friday night show is getting rave reviews and everyone seems to enjoy watching the magic happen right before their eyes and even in their hands.
The show is a bit different from any other in that we limit the audience to only three rows and only 32 people, a very intimate group indeed. The 12 VIP Seats in the first row are literally “At The Table” with the spectators sitting just inches away from the magic as it happens. With an audience this close, the magic has to be very well designed and exceptionally deceptive… there is no margin for error.
But as the performer, I’d like to explain the best part of the show… from my perspective. You see, because of the close proximity of the spectators, I get to watch the show happen through the eyes of the audience. I get to see the moment they begin to realize that the card they are holding onto for dear life… has actually changed. Or the moment they realize the silver dollar they are clutching has actually changed to a copper penny! You see, I know the moment the magic will happen and I get to watch their childlike sense of wonder explode in surprise and laughter… that is the magic moment! The moment they just might remember… for the rest of their lives. All of the arts connect and have the power to touch us… be it theater, dance, music… but magic… magic is a bit different. It connects on a very primal and personal level because it challenges our perception of the world around us. It challenges what is real and what is not. It makes us ask questions. From my perspective, I get to see all of that happen in the eyes of the audience. I get to watch an audience of professional adults transform into five-year-olds… just for a moment. And then once the surprise is over… they quickly become proper adults again.
So when you come to see my show, and I hope you do… I hope you expect to see more than just magic. As your mind poses the question: “How did you do that!” I will also reconnect you to your childlike sense of wide-eyed wonder, not just once… but multiple times throughout the evening. I cannot wait to see that happen in your eyes!
Together we will invite that little kid inside of you… to come out and play!
