Page 29 - SPIRE Digital Version JAN-APR 2024 8th Issue

have to find a way to make the campaign because he loved
audience care about what you’re politics so much. He ran quite a
doing and in turn they know you few political campaigns and
care about them which makes for a taught me about the importance
memorable experience. You can be of voting. My dad was very
the most skilled magician in the concerned about voter apathy in
world but if you don’t connect with our country. I thought, I will start
your audience in some way, the a public service campaign, hold a
performance won’t have an impact. voter rally, and for the finale I will
In magic, you have to learn the magically produce the two live
basics and do as many shows as political mascots of each party…a
possible in all kinds of challenging I know that you're involved These people knew we had their donkey and an elephant out of
situations and learn from every with various charities, including backs. It hit me one day that we thin air and the illusion would be
single experience. There are many filling the plates of families in were feeding people more than the centerpiece for my mission to
different genres of magic ranging need. Tell us how you got food, we were feeding them continue. One thousand people
from close-up with cards and coins started with your charity work. hope as well. The hope that they attended the rally and were
to mentalism to comedy magic to Right before the pandemic, I will get through this crisis and blown away by the illusion. I
stage illusions. I tell young lost my mom who was my entire will be okay. HOPE became our wrote a book about the story
magicians starting out to work on universe. I didn’t think I would identity. We sold Hope lawn behind Your Vote Is Magic that
defining their persona as well as survive her loss and then the signs for a fundraiser. We host a included an overview on voting
their skill set and learn all the pandemic hit and my show was Christmas toy give away that history. For my next feat, I
aspects of the business. You have shut down. It felt like the end of ensures that 600 children will created a presentation for
Throughout your astounding A few members of your audience to walk before you can run. And the the world. I needed to find a have a magical Christmas. For schools and colleges that
magic show you weave insightful are lucky enough to be treated last point should never be taken for purpose. Through my cousin’s the families’ Christmas card last
year, all of the volunteers used
and very humorous stories that with being included in your granted. Last year when we were church, a food bank was formed ourselves on the floor of the
immediately connect very well various illusions. Do you have a setting up the show at the Spire that we named Dartmouth
with your audience of adults and humorous story from an audience Center, I took a walk in downtown United Outreach to help seniors church hall to form the letters
juniors. Watching the show it's participation? Plymouth and someone stopped me in need. I went shopping for the HOPE. What better gift can you
give someone? Hope is a reason
understood that this time with I sure do! You never know what to and asked, “How do you get to the food and organized a team of to go on. I am as involved as
your audience is important to you expect with audience Spire Center?” I said, “ Practice, volunteers. In just a few months
personally as well for the show. participation routines. Once, practice, practice.” we were delivering bags of food ever in this mission. We now
Tell us how you have built your when I was doing my head I hate to say it, but I am pretty to about 300 seniors every help out approximately 2,000
people on a Tuesday afternoon.
magical conversation into your chopper illusion, the poor man jaded and am not as wowed by week. It rapidly expanded to With no prior experience
show over the years. was so nervous, after the trick was watching magic like I was when I helping hundreds of families and
I feel like I’ve evolved a lot finished, he ran offstage to use the was starting out. I do enjoy any individual suffering from running a food outreach
throughout my career. There is restroom. Or then there was the watching David Copperfield food insecurity. Because we program, I just let my heart
guide me. I love giving back to
the everyday Lyn and the onstage time I was just about to make a because I appreciate the were serving so many, we were people in need. I’ve had a lot of
Lyn. It’s taken many years to mesh young girl float in mid-air and she perfectionist that he is…the led to a connection to the
the everyday and onstage Lyn changed her mind about doing it. production value of his illusions is Greater Boston Food Bank. This people believe in me during my
together. I wanted each illusion to She said, “I don’t want to float” second to none. I also enjoy allowed us to help even more career and I am very blessed to
be living my dream. I truly
keep topping the previous one and and jumped off the illusion and watching a great comedy magician people. I had taken my touring believe this mission happened
build up to the spectacular grand went back to her seat! like Mac King to see how the magic truck off the road to save money
finale without taking too much of is intertwined with his comedy. but now with having access to for a reason and most likely
a breath between. Then as I You've no doubt experienced the enormous amount of food saved my life.
matured with the show, I felt more many other magician's live we needed, I put my truck back Your Vote Is Magic, is a strategically combines my magic
comfortable interjecting more of shows. What are the building on the road and used it every campaign designed and with a PowerPoint that teaches
the offstage, everyday Lyn into blocks that make a great week to pick up pallets of food. performed by you to inspire young people about the
the show. I strive to draw the magician? Who are your favorite With our team of twenty future voters of grades five importance of voting in their lives
and what it took for us to have
audience into my world without magicians to see live and why? volunteers, we unloaded my through twelve. How
making them feel intimidated. Ah, that’s just it…building blocks. truck, sorted the food and wonderful! This must be very this precious right. It’s essentially
Early in the show, I try to Like any artist, it takes years and packed up the bags. We started rewarding and a great learning a visual civics lesson that is
humanize myself and I hope they years to hone our craft and to be a a “Grab And Go” in the parking experience for everyone educational and inspirational.
And with the next election
sense my sincerity. I’ve successful magician/illusionist lot of the church. People drove involved. What sparked your
personalized my magic a lot more there is no “magic” formula. I through the line and the involvement? coming up, I am starting to
at this stage of my career to make believe a big part of it is having volunteers loaded up their present it more frequently and
it relatable and it feels great. It’s the perseverance to never give up trunks with food. Everyone It was in 2007 that I had the have even developed a simplified
program for libraries and smaller
become a lot more important to and keep searching for a formula sitting in the line was struggling brainstorm for Your Vote Is
me in recent years to form a that works. I think any true artist in some way. Needing food was Magic. After losing my dad in groups. I am so passionate about
profound connection with my constantly evolves through the a symptom of a much bigger ’05, I kept thinking of how using my magic in an empowering
audience as much as wowing journey of life. But I can tell you problem in their life. We created excited he would have been way and I know my dad would be
so proud of Your Vote Is Magic.
them. I also love making them this, it’s a combination of being a culture of kindness and caring. about the ’08 Presidential
laugh along with being amazed! skilled and being entertaining. You
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