I have spent the last few days in Burnsville, MN. I taught therapists at the Courage Center how to integrate magic into the treatment programs and worked in schools with children on the autism spectrum. And last night was the big show at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center.
We arrived around 12noon to start unloaded the trailer and begin the set up for the evening show. This is a new, beautiful arts center. The main theatre is over 1,000 seats but very intimate. Keith and I worked with the crew to shift around some of the soft goods while Alan and Chase unloaded the trailer (not something they normally do by themselves but they let me keep the crew). Keith and I continued to work with the local guys to get all of our scenery hung and the moving lights into place.
The next step was to get all the gel color into the traditional lights, determine the heights on this stage, tweak the positions of the moving lights, and then start the final focus. While the crew was wrapping up those final touches, Topher (one of the locals) and I ran up to the balcony to focus all the font of house lighting and get the main drop looking nice for the show.
After about two hours working on the lights, everything started to come together and look “magical.” Keith worked on sound, getting levels for my microphone and the music.
When it was time to the open the doors, we had a full house AND a great audience! From the moment I took the stage with the first illusion, they audience was with me – responding to everything with a gasp, laugh, applause. I even heard several people many times through the show say, “No way – how did he do that?”
In the lobby after the show, I had the privilege of meeting so many people, shake their hands, and hear their favorite moment. Meeting people who were in the audience is always an amazing experience for me. Thank you Burnsville for all your support and being such an incredible audience last night!!