Close-Up Magic of Randy

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Remember that entertainment is a business where you get what you pay for. Most times, the cheapest entertainers are not equipped to provide the service they claim to. I've found that you can hire a magician to do a show for kids for $75 if you look around – sounds great for the pocketbook but does that magician have the necessary props to entertain your audience?
Always check references; whether it means calling a couple past clients or visiting a website where entertainers don't have access to alter their clients' comments.
Don't be afraid to ask specific questions about your entertainer's performance. Anyone worth their salt will be able to cite examples of what they do during the performance that makes it special.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I'd wish I knew what the different types of magic are. There are so many types of magic performances it's often difficult for the layman to understand what they're looking for.
Venues:
Stage Magic - performed on a stage in front of an audience. Stage magic can be comedy, mentalism, grand illusion, or any combination of those.
Parlor Magic - Typically performed in front of an audience but in a setting smaller than that of a stage show. A parlor show can be in a rental hall, a living room, a restaurant, etc.
Strolling Magic - This type of magic is performed in intimate, close-up situations where the magician performs for individuals or small groups. Imagine a restaurant setting - the magician would stroll from table to table performing for those groups sitting at the different tables.
Main Types:
Grand Illusion - This type of magic is performed on a large stage and involves huge, colorful props that many times resemble strange machines or torture chamber devices. Magicians who perform grand illusion (i.e. David Copperfield) often use one or more assistants. Grand illusions that are common are levitations, vanishings, sawing someone in half, producing animals, people or vehicles from thin air, etc.
Comedy Magic - Comedy magic can be performed on stage, or in a parlor or strolling setting. It typically uses props that are a much smaller scale than that of grand illusion and most effects tend to have a comedic slant to them. This is typically the best type of magic for entertaining children.
Mentalism - Mentalist routines often include reading someone's mind, or making astounding predictions. Mentalism can have a comedic edge to it but many times is more serious with an aura of mystique. It is probably the worst to entertain children because it often involves routines that are above their level of understanding. Mentalism is super for entertaining an adult audience.
Sleight of Hand Magic - Sleight of hand magic is generally found in strolling venues and smaller parlor shows. This type of magic involves trickery with card, coins, keys, balls, and many other small objects. Sleight of hand is great entertainment for any age group because it can be tailored to that group by using different effects. Cards, for example, are not a great form of entertainment for children, but they work well for adults. Coins and balls are terrific for entertaining both children and adults. Sleight of hand is not generally found in stage venues because it is difficult to see from far away since it uses small objects.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. First of all, a consumer should know first and foremost what kind of an audience they are expecting. Is it children only? Families? Adult only? Senior citizens?
Knowing who will be attending your event is key to hiring the right person for the job.
You should ask a prospective entertainer about their performance and what it entails. Ask them to cite examples of what they do during the performance. I have been asked this many times and it's easy to respond to that question without spoiling what I do.
Also, it's important to ask a prospective entertainer about their experience in entertaining the specific age group your audience will be made up of. Someone who is great shakes at entertaining adults may not be the best choice to entertain children and vice versa.
Also, don't be afraid to ask an entertainer's recommendation. Chances are anyone who has been in the business for a long time has performed at a venue similar to yours and they may have insights you hadn't thought of.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. First, WHO do you want to entertain? Are you planning a family event but looking for entertainment geared just for children? Or would you rather entertain everyone?
You will want to consider WHERE you're having your event. Is there room to do a stage/parlor show or would a strolling magician be more suited to your venue?
What is your entertainment budget? Remember, you get what you pay for and the $75 magician is probably not the best choice. Likewise, you don't necessarily have to spend $1000 to get great entertainment, either. Try to look for a good balance of experience and price.
At what point in your event will you want the magic show? Would it be best to have it first? Or would after dinner be a better choice? When entertaining children it's best not to feed them sweets prior to the show – it's much more difficult to control an audience of children who are on a sugar high. :)

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. Primarily, I believe my performances are leaps & bounds ahead of other magicians at my level because, for me, it's not about the magic – it's about entertaining.
I've always seen my role as more of an entertainer, rather than a "magician"; and I use magic as a tool to keep people entertained. I also combine interaction, a gift of wit, comedy and acting as tools of the trade.
My children's entertainment is a great success because, again, it's not about magic but about coming down to the children's level to make sure they have a blast. I add a degree of goofiness when entertaining children that is not present in my adult shows. It's that goofiness and corniness that keeps kids laughing from deep in the belly!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I like most is that it's not a "job" at all – it's just having a blast and getting paid to do it!
Since I started doing magic full-time it has never been work. It's always been about just having a good time and trying my hardest to make people happy.
I do magic to make a living, but I can honestly say it's not about the money. It's about enjoying what I'm doing and I can't imagine ever doing anything else.
I believe not just my magic, but my performing style itself, is an art that is constantly being developed and perfected. It's a fluid thing that always grows and changes and improves.
That isn't something you can do for money -- you just have to love it!

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. The thing I wish people knew first off would be that I am honest to a fault when conducting business with people. It's often a lot of work to get people to trust you and I wish they'd trust me faster.
I am a firm believer in awesome customer service and treating people the way you want to be treated yourself – yep, the Golden Rule!
I learned customer service the old-fashioned way at my first job in a grocery store in the early 1980's. My boss taught me when someone asks where the milk is you don't just point to the back of the store. Instead, you escort the customer back there, ask them what kind of milk they want, then pick it up and wipe it with your towel before handing it to them.
This is the kind of customer service, the kind of integrity, I grew up with. And it's the same thing I use in my business endeavors now.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have loved magic since I was a kid. Whenever there were specials on television I reserved my seat right in front of the tube and never took my eyes off the set!
My favorite performers growing up was Doug Henning and David Copperfield.
At any rate, I went to Las Vegas for a military convention in 1999 (I was active duty then) and, while waiting for a show to start in the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino, I went into a magic shop to buy a magic set for my son.
The fellow behind the counter borrowed a dollar from a kid and proceeded to make it float right up off his hand!
I was so fascinated I immediately bought the set and ... uhh ... never gave it to my son! :)
I began my magic career by doing sleight of hand & card tricks for my pastor every Tuesday at a local restaurant when we'd meet for coffee. That snowballed into performing at the summer Vacation Bible School and a couple of birthday parties and voilà, a star was born.
Okay, so maybe not a star, but a guy who really, really loves to entertain audiences and is pretty darned good at it!

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I performed at the Pfaff Elementary School in Quakertown, PA. Originally, we booked two assemblies for the students during the day and a family evening performance.
Both assemblies went so well that the evening show ended up drawing many more families than had originally RSVP'd. In fact, we ended up with a standing room only situation once the entire audience arrived. My client and I both attributed the increase in audience size to the great success of both daytime assemblies.
Pfaff ... you rock!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I do have a continuing education of sorts. I attend different lectures and conventions throughout the United States so I'm constantly learning new and exciting things to use in my performances. Some of these things are new effects I purchase and add to my repertoire. Still others are a wide variety of things such as comedy bits, new balloon creations, jokes, performance tips, etc.
All of these tidbits picked up through lecturing, networking with other entertainers (not only magicians, but a diverse group of folks: singers, clowns, bands, mimes, jugglers, etc.) observing other performances, reading periodicals, etc. lead to great new ideas and effects I can incorporate into my own performances.

Q. What are you currently working on improving?

A. I'm always working to improve my strolling magic & sleight of hand skills.
Strolling magic was, for the longest time, a bane of mine. It made me nervous and uncomfortable.
My strolling has grown tremendously and I am quite comfortable performing for all age groups in that venue. Much of the improvement came from polishing my sleight of hand skills; but the bulk of the improvement was in simply applying a practice I've always used in my stage & parlor performances: I strive to entertain more so than being the best magician. Looking at strolling magic from the standpoint of it's not about the magic, but about the entertainment, has taken me leaps and bounds past where I was several years ago.