We had a GREAT time in Farmington, MO at the Centene Center for the Arts. The local presenter here, Betty, had worked very hard to make this event happen. “Cardinal Fever” had overtaken the area since the St. Louis Cardinals were playing in the World Series. Our show was a 3pm Sunday matinee but the game didn’t start until around 5:30pm. We were hoping that was going to pull people in – and it did. We had one of their biggest crowds and the audience was wonderful. The crew of the Center was organized and the show came together well. I love performing in these smaller communities where most people know one another. The audience interaction takes on a whole different feeling. We were mostly impressed with the number of young adults (18-25) who were at the show! We’ve already received several emails from people commenting that they had a wonderful time.
The next morning we took off to spend a day or two in Branson, MO – the “Vegas” of the Ozark Mountains. We pulled in around dinner time and I had the chance to get together with an old friend and great magician – Kirby VanBurch. Kirby brought his production to Branson in the early 90’s from Vegas – big cats and all. While several other magicians have since set up their shows here, I still think he’s the best magician in Branson – “The Prince of Magic†as his advertising says.
Yesterday in Branson was really full. We headed out for a quick lunch and then went over to the Branson Mall to watch Taylor Reed perform in THE MAGIC OF TAYLOR REED. The show moved very quickly with lots of energy and some good illusions. He was very gracious to us and we had the opportunity to get together after the show and talk while enjoying a soda.
After our time with Taylor, I gave Kirby a call and all of us – me, Cindy, David, and Kylie – met him over at his theatre. He’s in the middle of setting up his Christmas show that opens November 2. He gave us the “behind the scenes” backstage tour of the building, including the area where he keeps his tigers, panthers and lion. Kirby’s a really great guy and we appreciated his time very much.
Last night we checked out another magic show here in town, Justin Flom. Justin is the youngest magician performing in Branson and still has some things to learn, but the show was fun and his energy was great – especially in such an imitimate show room (only holds about 100 people). One of the greatest moments of the evening was connecting with another friend, Gary Bartlett, who was also at the show. We’ve known Gary for a long time and have talked/emailed several times over the last few years but it’s been more than 10 years since we’ve actually seen each other. It was a nice surprise!
As I write this, it’s early and I’m going to get together for breakfast with Kirby before we head toward Council Bluffs, IA. The weather is turning colder and the seasons are changing quickly. We’ll be driving most of the day today.