James Sanden

I had the honor of performing close up magic as well as my comedy magic act at Magic Chicago, Chicago’s premier showcase for magic last night.  It’s a great venue that welcomes both Chicago magicians, as well as those from elsewhere, making for an excellent monthly show.

There are two things I love about performing at public magic shows.  First, while I love performing my birthday party show or magic at a trade show, those aren’t my favorite types of magic to perform.  At a public magic show I can perform the material I’m most proud of and the effects that most express the magic I love best.  Second, while I love performing close up magic as a restaurant magician, the customers are there for dinner, not just to see me.  Sometimes they come in specifically to see the magician, but even then I’m an addition to the experience, not the experience itself.  Even when I perform close up magic as corporate entertainment, I’m usually an addition to a cocktail party or hospitality suite, and not the main attraction.

But at a public magic show the audience is there to see magic.

They even paid money to do so.

So while I’m grateful for the many and varied ways I earn a living with magic (variety truly is the spice of my work life), I treasure the chance to do what I love for an audience who came just to see magic.  It’s a purer form of performance and I always look forward to the opportunity to do so.

So thanks Robert and Ben!  You’re doing a service for us all!