Q & A with John George

He often performs at the Magic Castle www magic.about.com/od/magicvenues/a/magiccastle.htm in Hollywood, CA and is entertaining at *Disneyland* during the holiday season.

*Wayne N. Kawamoto*: I understand that Disneyland played a role in your becoming interested in magic. Please tell me about your experience.

*John George*: Disneyland played a large part in my interest in magic. My Dad worked at Disneyland (and still works there) and would take us regularly.

The people in the magic store knew me by name and were always showing me new things. I also saw my first live magician at Disneyland.

There were jugglers and magicians that performed mostly in the Fantasyland area. I knew their schedule and would try to watch as many of their shows as I could. At this point, I was interested in both magic and juggling. I had a devil stick and juggling clubs and balls and all sorts of magic props. I was amazed by these performers. They were great at their craft and very entertaining to watch.

*WK*: Do you find that you have to adjust your magic when you're working at Disneyland? What's different about the crowds and venue from your normal shows?

*JG*: I am working at the "Reindeer Round-Up Ranch" and did have to adjust my magic for the Disney shows. I showed the creators of the show about two hours worth of magic and they chose the 15 minutes that they thought would be best. We developed that fifteen minutes into a storyline that worked for the ranch, a Christmas-themed show set within the confines of a ranch.

My shows are already family friendly so it isn't a stretch for me to make my shows work at Disneyland. I have done 42 shows there so far and been having a blast. By the end of this season I will have done another 84 more shows.

I love the audience that you get there. They are the perfect audience. They came to Disneyland to experience magic with their family and they don't want to mess that up.

They want to experience it and are friendly and nice, and they want you to succeed and amaze their children. They are willing to suspend any disbelief they may have.

A difference that I have experienced are the distractions. At Disneyland, I am not the main attraction. I am a small part of what makes Disneyland so special. There are so many different things to excite people. I am sometimes doing a show and Pluto walks out or Santa walks by. I don't care who you are. That is a big distraction. Mickey or any of the characters can easily steal the show.

Fortunately, we are all working toward the same goal and they do their best to try to make the magic shows even better. It isn't uncommon to have Chip or Dale on stage helping with a trick. This is unplanned and unrehearsed. The audience loves the interaction. So do I.

*WK*: Anything else you would like to talk about regarding Disneyland?

*JG*: I am just have a blast performing there. I didn't realize how much fun it would be. I am glad that I have this opportunity.

I have seen a lot of familiar faces in the audience. That is always nice. There hasn't been a day that I worked there that I didn't see someone that I knew.

*WK*: Please tell me about "The Magical Misfits."

*JG*: "The Magical Misfits" are the magic duo consisting of *Doug Brewer*and John George. The show is booked as magic, comedy, and mindreading. We do many corporate events but lately we have been trying to do more public performances.

We have been doing shows at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. Last Month we did a show and actually got a standing ovation before the intermission. It was unbelievable. It was a great audience and everything just seemed to be working perfectly that night.

Doug does all of the magic while I stick to all of the Mental effects. Doug is more loud and funny and does a great job of getting the audience laughing.

*WK*: At this phase in your magic career, what is your favorite magic to perform and why?

*JG*: Mentalism is my favorite. It seems real and is believable.

My favorite card trick is "think of a card" and always has been. You think of a card and I tell you what you are thinking. I have worked on this plot for years.

I have many versions. In fact, one of the routines in the Misfits Show fits this category of a trick. It is an elaborate version of "think of a card." It is like a "tossed-out deck" except all 52 cards are handed out to people in the audience and I am able to tell who has which card. I love performing this effect. It seems like real magic.

*WK*: Any thoughts of returning to competition?

*JG*: As for competing, I don't have any plans either way. I can't say that I will never compete but I have no plans to compete. Competitions really helped my career along. They forced me to get better.

*WK*: What are you working on these days?

*JG*: I am currently focusing on The Magical Misfits act. We would really like to have a permanent home for the show. I am always working on new effects for walk around and the Misfits show.

I may work on a new DVD in the near future but I am not sure yet. I have plenty of material for the DVD and have had many requests. My first DVD went over really well and many people have been asking for more.

Credit:
magic.about.com/od/qawfamousmagicians/a/121107george.htm
Q&A with John George From Wayne Kawamoto www.magic.about.com/mbiopage.htm