Allow me to share a little history about myself as well
as my career as a magician, instructor and children's entertainer...
The Beginning
I loved magic as a child. Noticing my interest, my dad taught me the only three tricks he knew. My favorite was vanishing a penny while snapping my fingers. I practiced nonstop. Once perfected, I performed it for my third grade teacher and blew her away! During those elementary years, I remember our preacher performing magic for the kids at church. I also saw a performance by a magician at our school. Each time I remember rushing home and working out my own way to do the same effects. I even came up with a few original ideas that actually fooled people. Then I discovered the magic books in my school library. By around age eleven, I had enough ideas to perform my first show for my sisters and their friend. It was an awesome experience when I saw the look of surprise on their faces. I’ve seen myself as a magician ever since.
The Experience
Magic remained a hobby throughout high school and college. After graduating college I started working in children's programming at the YMCA and various summer camps. During free time I occasionally entertained the kids with my favorite magic effects. Because of this, parents of these campers started inviting me to perform at birthday parties. Soon after, I was performing at special events all across central Arkansas.
I became a regular at the Children’s Museum located at the old Train Station in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. I became the top performer for the museum's Friday Night Performance Series. During this time my friend Collin Cheesman, a local actor, became a regular part of my performances as a nerdy sidekick. Together, Collin and I developed a magic show/drama that played one summer at the museum. We had huge crowds and became a hit! I became their go to guy for special events at the museum. They referred to me as "Magic Fantastic".
In the early 1990's, I was chosen to help develop illusions, write music, and travel full-time with a popular children’s drug prevention school program. The program received a “National Program of the Year” award from the National Sheriff's Association and was featured on Good Morning America. I traveled for four school years with the program averaging over 250 shows each year across Arkansas.
Today
In the years that followed, I've had the opportunity to perform and speak for special events throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Colorado, and California where I performed at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
In the fall of 2003, a small group of fellow magicians invited me to help develop as well as become director for a public show. Calling ourselves The Arkansas Master’s of Illusion, the idea was to pool our resources and offer a full evening show for local theaters. We started off at the Public Theatre in Little Rock, later moved around the corner to Easy Street and from there have appeared at several public theatres throughout Arkansas. A highlight for us has been our performances in Branson, MO.
I still specialize in children's entertainment for birthdays, schools and churches. However, I'm often invited to teen and adult programs as well.
Art of Illusion
Giving Back Through Teaching
I first started teaching magic classes while working with the Children's Museum. Classes and workshop experiences include teaching magic for Summer at the Academy, UALR Summer Arts Camp, Art of Illusion workshops for UALR Community School of the Arts, PHUMC Arts Camp, PHUMC Arts school, Workshops at Central Arkansas Library System Children's Library, as well as private lessons. Through these programs my Arkansas Masters of Illusion friends have helped me produce several Stars of Tomorrow magic shows on stage at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock featuring our students.
My illusion instruction has landed me consulting jobs for school and professional theater productions. A couple of my favorites have been designing effects for CAC High School Choir (Southern Magic) and for Oak Grove High School Marching Band who, with their magic theme show, won numerous awards during marching competition that year.
