The Illusions of Alakazam!
Yes, it's true. I perform magic as well. I blame this on Scott Crosby with the Medicine Show Music Company. Many years ago when I was playing gigs with that group, Scott performed some of his amazing magic, and I got hooked. Since then, I've enjoyed building up my collection of props and refining the skills of being an illusionist. For the most part, I've chosen to limit my magic performances to be for children and seniors. There are basically three formats that I offer for shows:
-Gospel Magic Shows
(Usually done as part of a church event, bible camp, youth group, etc...)
These shows are typically about 45-60 minutes long and done on a small stage or other area big enough for your number of guests.
-Children's Magic Shows
(Where the birthday child or special guest is the co-star of the show!)
Basically I've found that if a child wants to learn magic, they absolutely can do it, and I love to help! For your event, I meet with the child in advance - many times the same day - and teach them a certain amount of magic. The child gets to keep a portion of the supplies used for the show and more importantly gets to learn the secrets to perform the illusions. It's also sometimes fun for each guest to get to learn one trick and take it home. All of these things can be customized according to your event and your budget. Even shy kids or developmentally challenged individuals can usually learn simple routines, and we can certainly have a conversation in advance to make sure this format works well. I'm always ready to take over the show if needed, but usually the child wants to do as much as possible!
Senior Living Facility Performances. Music, Magic, and Group Participation Using Handbells.
These performances will include various instruments such as upright bass, guitar, and brass instruments. Almost all of the songs I’ll play were written before 1965. The goal is to play songs that residents might recognize and which engage their minds and trigger good memories. Even with the best music performances, it is sometimes challenging to keep an audience engaged for a whole show. I’ve found that adding some magic tricks really gets the audience’s attention and keeps them interested for a longer period of time. In the last section of our time together, we’ll hand out color coded handbells to your residents. The method used is very simple and your seniors will instantly become part of the show. They’ll get to play along on a few songs before being dismissed, and this could end up being the highlight of their day!
Download a Flyer Here
Alan Hager
Bassist, Multi-Instrumentalist, Musical Director, Illusionist