If you ever wanted to know

Haven't written here for years. The view is a tiny bit difference with age and more performances. Ease in by sharing an interview from a few years ago. 

A client who is an artist herself (author) was helping a budding author working on a (now published) book (wonderful, meaningful book, "Super Jake & the King of Chaos"). The one of the main characters was a budding magician, the call went out on line and I was able to answer a few questions for author Naomi Milliner and had the pleasure to perform at the book release for Super Jake & the King of Chaos .

 Q&A With Illusions by Vick
 1) You reference “very challenging” past performances – could you discuss one of them?
   For 3 years I was part of the live entertainment at a Movie Theater Multi-plex (24 screens).
  The theater complex was very popular but had patrons waiting upwards of an hour to see their movie. The theater thought live entertainment would be a good idea. We (myself, another magician and 2 stand up comics) did some crazy stuff. At first it was incredibly challenging, walking into a theater of 500 who have been waiting in their seats for 20 minutes for the film to start, they have no idea what you are there for and then try entertaining.
  After 6 months we were (somewhat of) a hit (patrons would come in and ask for us and the company tried to replicate what we were doing in their other multi-plexes).
   For the next 2.5 years it was just myself and 1 stand up comic. We created characters and played characters from hit films (launching a side business of appearing as Professor Snape).
  We were given free rein to preform what we wanted. We wrote our own scripts, became more skilled at improv and did our own costuming.
  There is nothing like the experience of performing a new routine 25+ times a day, 3 days a week for live audiences.
   On top of that we had to keep the material fresh as there were patrons who came to the theater every week.

   For 6 months I was the featured Illusionist in a 1940’s theme weekly burlesque review at a nightclub in Washington, DC.
  Imagine being the magician on before the very popular featured burlesque artist, in front of inebriated patrons, in a DC nightclub where patrons are paying $40 for a seat. 2- 3 times nightly.
 I was lucky and it went well.
  These challenging situations gave me great experience that you can’t get any other way. To be good a magician has to have a place to be bad first, I already had that, these challenges made me a very good performer good very quickly

 2) Who are your favorite magicians, and why?
Teller ~ (of Penn & Teller) he’s brilliant, incredibly talented, dedicated and a great man.
S.H. Sharpe ~ Sharpe wrote the most important books ever on performing magic and theory, absolutely brilliant.
Rocco (Silano) ~ One of the most real performers anywhere, the man you see on the stage is the man you get in real life. Had the opportunity to speak with Rocco for a bit after a lecture he gave. Funny, insightful, smart and very well versed in magic.
Denny Haney ~ Denny performed all over the world for 30 years, then semi-retired and opened a magic studio (magic shop). His caring and passion for the art are evident. He won’t sell poor quality effects and he’s more concerned about helping someone in the art than making a buck.

 *On January 23, 2019 our world got a little darker as one of it’s brightest shining lights, Denny Haney left. Am incredibly fortunate to learn from and to be friends with Denny. I owe Denny more than I could ever give back, so the thing to do is keep performing and sharing the gifts Denny shared and keep Denny’s memory alive.

...... more soon