The Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center in Elizabethtown will host a family magic show next week that features grand illusions, interactive magic, daring escapes and mind readings.
The show will be presented by the Champions of Magic, a UK touring group made up of a team of professional magicians. The performance is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Alex McAleer, a British mentalist, is one of five performers on the show. McAleer uses crowd participation to show off his brand of mental magic.
McAleer said the show consisted of individual segments for each act, as well as segments involving the entire cast.
“That makes it kind of unique for a show like this,” he said. “Normally you just see one magician then another, then another, then another. On this show, you see us many times doing different things and also coming together to create something very special.
Along with McAleer’s performance, the show also includes performances by British illusionist combo Young & Strange, American magician Hollie England and American escape artist Fernando Velasco.
The Champions of Magic are continuing an extensive North American tour, performing in theaters, performance halls, convention centers, auditoriums and casinos across the United States. The show could not be held last year due to COVID-19.
“It’s good to be back on the road after such a long involuntary sabbatical,” McAleer said.
Champions of Magic performance is enhanced by an arena-ready lighting system, as well as explosive pyrotechnics.
“It’s a great experience,” McAleer said. “It’s like, even though you’re in the back of the room, you’re really involved.”
McAleer said those who have only seen a magic show on television or the Internet have not fully benefited from the experience.
“When you see it live on stage, you can’t deny what your eyes and your senses are telling you,” he said. “Seeing someone disappear live on stage, for example, feels much more like it actually happened than on a screen.”
In addition to the public performance, the Champions of Magic will participate in a school performance Wednesday morning at PAC, which is located on the campus of John Hardin High School.
Tickets for the public performance are $30 for balcony seats and $35 for orchestra seats and can be purchased by visiting thepac.net. The lobby and theater will open at 6:30 p.m. on the day of the show.
“It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before,” McAleer said.
Andrew Critchelow can be reached at 270-505-1413 or acritchelow@thenewsenterprise.com.
