Magic Performances

There are different styles of magic, different types of performances based on the venue, and different occasions for which one might modify one’s performance as a magician.

Strolling Magic & TABLE hOPPING

Strolling magic is magic performed up close for small groups of people. This type of magic is very well suited to most parties because it does not interrupt the guests who are already enjoying themselves, either in conversation or otherwise. This style of performance is best suited to parties where the host is so outnumbered by guests, that they cannot see to their guests’ social entertainment personally. I use the fact that I am a magician to give strangers an ice-breaker, thin out the crowd clumped around the bar, or make a guest who feels ignored feel special.

Table hopping is similar to strolling magic, except that it is designed to be done during a sit-down meal. This requires the magician to work with the kitchen to know the timing of when courses will come out, so the magician can come out to perform for tables between courses; not when the guests are eating, and not when they are ordering, or receiving their food from the wait staff. This mode of performance means that only one table at a time will see the magician perform each course, meaning that over a three course meal, the magician will perform for a total of four times (once before, and then after each course).

Table Magic

In this mode, the magician sits at a table and guests may approach and see a performance if they like. The only word of caution I have for this style is that some people who may love to see magic may feel intimidated about approaching and thus will not. In this case, I recommend you think about your guests before settling on this style.

Parlor/Stage Magic

Parlor and stage magic are really the same thing, but in different venues. In this type of presentation, the magic routine is scripted specifically for the stage, to be performed for an audience who will sit through the whole show. Obviously, this isn’t right for a cocktail party, since the two social situations are antithetical, but if you want to throw a party that begins with a show, this might be right for you. This type of presentation is not, however, recommended for later in the evening, because a tired audience may not have the energy for it, and may already be deep in conversation, thus making this a distraction.

Consulting

Consulting

Whether you are working on a play that requires the actors to be trained, a film that needs a special effect, or a piece of art that requires an illusion, I’m exactly who you need. I consult for stage, screen, and the art world, teaching, creating, and helping my clients achieve their goals.

I teach actors to appear to be card sharps, to perform illusions, and to use the tools and methods of magic to augment other types of performance. I craft special effects for film, direct other magicians on camera, and oversee the editing of films with magicians, to ensure the integrity of the illusions, while maintaining the integrity of the films. I even created a 21st century take on a Victorian illusion in the oldest house in New York, one so effective, it had people believing the house was haunted.

Whatever you need done, I will find a way to make it happen.

A note On Magic & Mentalism

Many clients ask me if I perform mentalism, a school of magfic defined by mind reading and mind-over-matter. The answer is: yes I do. However, I feel it important to stress that mentalism is not separate from magic. I feel a good comparison is jazz and rock and roll; they are cousins, often employing the same methods, but artistically different. Like The Rolling Stones, sometimes I’m more jazz, other times more rock and roll.