1. Be flexible. Guests may arrive late or have to leave early, so stay flexible and plan the important stuff for the middle of your time together.
2. Eat and drink with your guests. Not only will it be more fun for you, but you’ll be sure that all the necessary silverware, napkins and plates made their way to the food area.
3. Plan an activity. Whether it be a movie, games, or a magic show *ahem*, having an activity ensures that your guests (especially little ones) don’t get bored.
4. Choose a theme. Having a theme will actually make decisions easier when choosing food, party supplies, invitations, etc.  Party stores are great for this, or be creative on your own!
5. Giveaways. To make a lasting impression, give your guests something small as they’re leaving.  The invitation built excitement, the actual event was exciting, and now they’ll remember the excitement longer with a memento.

If you have any ideas to share, please let me know!  There are plenty of ways to contact me: click here!

It was exactly the sort of show I love doing, entertaining a fun group in their late 20’s / early 30’s with some sophisticated magic.  They found me via TimelessDeception.com, which is exactly the kind of event that site showcases.  I was able to share some sophisticated magic over the course of an hour, and never once did a party guest spill their juice box.

I’m fortunate to be able to share magic with children, adults, and audiences of both.  Each one brings its own unique challenges, which makes it so much fun for me.

When it comes to a bit we’re working on, we spend a lot of time going, “No, that’s a dumb idea.” The very popular idea that the way you work on something when you’re collaborating is that you support the other guy, going, “Oh yes, that’s a lovely idea, but could we do it this way” — that gets you beige art. To get good art, you have two people coming at each other hammer and tong. We spent the first six years doing that at full volume all the time — nothing but fighting about every little artistic decision.

Well said, for someone who’s mute onstage.

I had the pleasure of visiting Atlantic City this week with some friends, expressly for the purpose of seeing Kalin, Jinger, and Hobson’s show “Carnival of Wonders,” which ran this summer at Trump Plaza.

It was certainly one of the best magic shows I’ve ever seen.

The dynamic between the husband-and-wife team of Kalin & Jinger is great, and the over-the-top antics and humor of Jeff Hobson added a fantastic whimsical element.  Top it off with incredible theatrical elements (fun sets, exquisite lighting, and a rich musical score), and it was certainly on par with a Copperfield magic experience.

The preshow environment set the mood very well, and Kalin took the stage to make the carnival appear.  You really got the sense that the magic was coming out of his “bag of tricks,” especially with a very visual appearance of pseduo-emcee Jeff Hobson.

A blend of magic, comedy, and dancing ensued, each with a carnival tie-in, but centered on magic, rather than “variety” entertainment.

And for the show’s finale, it all magically seemed to go back into Kalin’s magic bag, effectively bringing the show full circle.

After the show, the stars were kind enough to sign autographs and pose for photos, and expressed their sincere thanks to all their fans.  Knowing that these artists are real people, and not full of themselves or arrogant, makes the show all the more special.

Like any carnival, it’s a shame that the “Carnival of Wonders” was a fleeting experience, but perhaps that makes it even more special and magical.  This shows gets my highest recommendation!

(Originally published in The Frederick News-Post, August 7, 2009)

Matt Wood closes his eyes and is able to correctly guess a girl’s phone number from across the room.  While this may sound like a scene in a bar, it’s actually a trick in a magic show.

Magicians Matt and Peter Wood, performing as “Shazam Magic,” are taking the stage at the Howard County Fair on August 8th to present their new show, “Magic of the Mind.”  For over a decade, the Wood Brothers have been feature performers at the Fair, this year presenting magic that happens in the minds of their audience.

“A lot of performers insist that this is real, that they have some sort of paranormal ability,” Peter explains.  “But we’ll let our audience decide for themselves.”

As for the genesis of the show, Matt explains that “magic already involves psychology and the mind, so it was a natural fit.  Honestly, the hardest part was choosing which tricks to present because we had too many cool ideas.  They’ll have to wait for another show.”

The performance features mind reading miracles, such as the phone number trick, as well as optical illusions, demonstrations of telekinesis, and lots of audience interaction.  Toss in the energy and situational comedy Matt and Peter are known for, and you have a show that’s entertaining for a wide audience.

“Our goal is entertainment first.  We hope to fool you in the process, but it’s less about ’solving the puzzle’ and more about having a great time watching a magic show with your family” Peter noted.

“Magic of the Mind” runs August 8 – 15 at the Howard County Fair, located on I-70 between Frederick and Baltimore.  For more information about the Wood Brothers, including their performance schedule at the Fair, visit their web site: www.ShazamMagic.com

We were thrilled to be a part of the Babies R Us Grand Opening in Owings Mills, Maryland this afternoon, filled with a variety of colorful characters … including Matt & I!

It also marks a Shazam Magic first being tucked away in the baby crib department.  Between shows we browsed the inventory, and can tell you all about tiny mattresses and baby bedding.  Really important info, I assure you.

Major kudos to the Toys / Babies R Us team for pulling out all the stops, and for putting on a great shindig for all in attendance!

A great mix of families, one-of-a-kind location, and excellent weather all made for a top notch experience.

We performed some of our staples, such as Magic Milk, the Harry Potter Book Test and sponge balls, as well as some of our lesser-seen routines, like Peanut Butter & Jelly.

A big thanks to everyone in attendance, and for making Shazam Magic feel welcome.

Held at the beautiful Willard hotel in downtown DC, I arrived a few minutes early and strolled over to their neighbor, the White House (see photo).   Always a pleasure doing magic in our nation’s capitol!

Had a great time this afternoon at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Rockville, doing some strolling magic for their picnic. Lots of fun audience members, excellent weather … couldn’t have asked for more.

Several of the folks in attendance took photos, and some were kind enough to pass them along to me.  Always ideal

If there’s anyone who we’d want to have an up-to-date status of, you think it’d be the president. Oh well …