FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My fees depend on a number of factors, from the the format of the performance (strolling close up magic is priced differently than solo formal performances, which are priced differently than ensemble formal performances) to the length of the performance (longer performances are more expense than shorter ones) to the size of the audience (I would design a very different performance, with a different budget, for an audience of 2,000 than an audience of 200 or 20. I don't need an exact headcount, but I do want to design a performance that will be appropriate to the audience and venue. Large scale illusions involving special equipment and set-up time also involve an additional fee, and travel and lodging considerations (when relevant) are considerations as well. I'm happy to discuss the full "menu" of options and pricing in our first conversation.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I like to begin by finding out the details of the event, including the anticipated size of the audience, demographics (family, adult, couples, kids, ages, etc.), venue, format, then let the client know about the range of my services, from strolling close-up magic to stage illusions and an ensemble performance with live music (violin and piano). Often the best match for an event is a combination, such as strolling magic before dinner to introduce me to the group and spark conversations and expectations, followed by a formal platform or stage presentation after the meal. If budget and venue permit, a spectacular stage illusion could be added as well. But the conversation really begins by finding out what the client's specific needs and expectations are. This is easiest and quickest through a phone call, though email is great for this as well. I should note that I rarely bid on requests that do not include a client's phone number, because I can rarely make a proper bid without that initial conversation.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I began my study of magic more than 50 years ago and gave my first professional (i.e., paid!) performance in Germany 45 years ago. At the time I was living in Germany and being mentored by German professional Fredo Raxon. He greatly encourage and inspired my love of classical sleight of hand magic. After completing graduate studies in Physics at Yale University, I decided to shift careers and apparently violate the laws of nature rather than attempt to discover them and became a full time professional "deceptionist" in 1983 after winning the annual New England Close Up Magic Competition . I am a lifetime member of the Society of American Magicians, an Order of Merlin member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and founder of the Cache Conjurers. In 2010 my wife and I opened the Hatch Academy of Magic & Music in the historic Thatcher-Young Mansion in Logan, Utah where we instruct students in violin and sleight of hand performance.