Auditioning for Dr. Collins

I recently learned of the passing of Dr. Geraldine Collins, my piano professor at Mississippi State University. In discussing memories of her on Facebook and on www.gerriecollins.com, I remembered the story of how I came to be admitted to her studio in the first place. It is too long a story for a Facebook comment, […]

The Classics Are Evergreen

I was recently booked to entertain at a conference in downtown Atlanta. My appearances took place over the course of two days. The first event was a four-hour hospitality event for about a hundred people, mostly Canadian, who worked at various companies that partnered with my client organization in some way. The next day I […]

Best Trick of the Trade Show

While working a trade show booth recently I found myself in a short lull — that time when there’s a big assembly of some kind and the traffic in the room is diminished. I was standing at the corner of the booth rolling a worn 1972 Eisenhower silver dollar across my fingers, biding my time […]

Another Day at the Office…

I recently had another event/giglife adventure. I was booked to emcee a charity gala, with a bit of strolling magic plus some magical material during the main show which was to be both in-person and streamed on YouTube and Facebook. Attendees would enjoy a buffet dinner and drinks, bid on silent auction items, then enjoy […]

Upcoming Performance: Atlanta Magic Night with Eric Anderson

Just a quick note to share some good news. The show that Mark Johnson and I have co-produced since May 2014, Atlanta Magic Night, is proud to announce that Eric Anderson will be joining us for the August performance! I’ve been a fan of Eric’s work since I moved to Atlanta in the early 1990s. […]

The Magical Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

For the last five and a half years I’ve been a producer of Atlanta Magic Night, a monthly magic, mentalism, and comedy show with a rotating cast of local and national performers. I get to perform and MC the show sometimes, but I am also one of the “on call” people if a booked performer […]

12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3

12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 3   We’ve reached the conclusion of this short series – better late than never! Though the cruise itself is long past, the memories and lessons learned in each port remain. Out of curiosity – are you paying attention to the experiences you […]

Atlanta Magician Turner to Perform on 2015 K-LOVE Cruise

Atlanta Magician Turner to Perform on 2015 K-LOVE Cruise Happy New Year, everyone! 2015 is already shaping up to be an amazing adventure – let me give you a quick rundown of a few things coming up soon. It’s cold in Atlanta, but this morning I’m sitting at the airport headed south for a few […]

12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1

12 Amazing Audience Engagement Ideas I Learned on a Cruise – Part 1 I recently returned from performing magic on a couple of European cruises which combined to fill nearly the entire month of August. My wife joined me on this adventure as the dates overlapped our 19th wedding anniversary. We started with five days […]

The Gratis Factor: 5 Tips for Convincing Performers to Donate Shows

The Gratis Factor: 5 Tips for Convincing Speakers or Entertainers to Donate or Discount Fees (Note: The original version of this article appeared in February 2011.) Last week I had the opportunity to be part of a wonderful tradition here in Atlanta. Bert Weiss, host of Q100’s “The Bert Show,” created a foundation (along with […]