WHAT ARE ILLUSIONS?

Illusions are all around us. You look into the distance and see a mirage. It looks like water but you know it is not. The football player fakes handing off the football to deceive the players on the opposite team. God created the chameleon that changes color to blend into the background and thwart his predators!

One of the unique categories of illusion is the art of legerdemain, prestidigitation, and sleight-of-hand. This type of illusion is kin to puzzles. Puzzles of course always have rational explanations behind them. In fact a large part of the fun of illusions is trying to figure out how they work! One only has to look at the popularity of illusions today on television, on cruise ships, in the movies, and on stages worldwide to understand their mass appeal.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

I have been performing magic now for over 40 years. Yes, that's a long time to be unemployed! Seriously, I remember it like yesterday when I saw my first magic trick. I was stunned and speechless. My father made a small blue ball vanish and then mysteriously reappear from inside a small red plastic vase. He amazed me further when he reached up near the door jam and plucked a cigarette out of thin air. I had never seen anything like it. Of course, as an eight year old, my experiences were somewhat limited, but it was enough to ignite an interest that has grown into life-long vocation. If it is possible to have the gift of never growing up, I am honored by that gift through the wonderful art of magic illusion.  To say the least, I love the art.  I have given it countless hours of research, practice and devotion since being introduced to is as a child. 

DO YOU HAVE SPECIAL TRAINING?

Well, I am one of the most educated illusionists around! As my relatives say, "All that schooling and you make a living doing sleight-of-hand?" My college degrees include a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and a Master of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from Baylor University, Waco, Texas. I also hold a Master of Divinity degree from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.

Other than that, the art of illusion is basically a self-taught endeavor. I have been an intense student of the art of illusion since I was a child. Most of my training has come from reading books, challenging myself to think and create, innovate, design, and build most of the illusion apparatus used in our programs.

WHAT ILLUSIONS DO YOU PERFORM?

Our repertoire of illusion effects is broad and diverse. We use fast-paced music, whimsical volunteer situations, and comedy talk routines to provide variety in our programs. We also perform elegant stage illusions such as sawing a lady in half, the sword box, and even floating a lady in the air! The particular effects we present depend upon factors such as audience size, nature of the event, budget, and performance environment. Most of our programs can be presented in banquet halls, on platform stages, and in auditoriums. Also our programs can be self-contained with lights, sound-system, freestanding curtains and scenery

WHAT ABOUT SUGGESTIVE OR BLUE MATERIAL?

I guess after answering the previous question, you already know how I am probably going to answer this one! The late Red Skelton was probably one of the greatest comedy entertainers of the twentieth century. He concluded many of his programs by saying, "I personally believe we were put here to build and not to destroy. So if by chance some day you're not feeling well and you should remember some silly little thing I've said or done and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."

Of course I would never claim to be as great as Clem Kadiddlehopper, but like him, I am proud that we have brought laughter, wonder, and amazement to the lives of so many without the use of vulgar material.Our goal is to leave folks walking away saying, "Gosh, that was a lot of fun!" Simply put, foul language, sexually implicit material, and vulgarity don't have a place in our programs. We are family entertainers and all our programs are great for audiences of all ages!

DO YOU CHARGE FOR YOUR SERVICES?

Yes we do! Performing magic is our profession, and yet people ask us all the time for free performances. Like any company we must limit our contributions to the programs we present for our church and civic organizations. Sometimes people think they are offering us a deal when they say, "Will you perform for the exposure?" But as my friend Gerald has said, "People have died from exposure!" I know, you think we should be able make our monthly bills disappear, right? Well of course it doesn't work that way. Generally we charge flat fees for our services. Depending upon the performance destination, sometime we must also ask for transportation and lodging reimbursement. Just know we are not the least expensive, but nor are our fees outrageous either. We have a fee schedule available upon request, and we try to work within most budget constraints.