Tightrope

After a couple of showings of the new season of Pure Magic I think it's safe to start talking about the new routine I referenced in a past posting.

We created a piece of magic to help tell my story.

I so hope you all have seen The Greatest Showman by now, it's honestly one of the best movies I've seen in years and I'm not exaggerating when I say we listen to the soundtrack atleast 4 times a week even after over a year of it being out. Sometimes a movie and music just speaks to you.

This movie hit home with me more than anything. A story about entertainment, a boy with dreams who grows up into a man who chases them down and the girl follows along and helps make those dreams possible.

"However big, however small, let me be part of it all. Share your dreams with me."

Brandon has always been the dreamer, and while I am the realist, I'm still always there rooting for him and pushing him to keep going no matter how hard the going gets.

I was a normal teenager, going to high school, I finally decided on my major and was heading down the music path. I loved playing music, I still do, and thought I would become a high school band teacher. Oh how I loved marching band, I still miss that. Then came Brandon, the cute guy I was majorly crushing on and despite the fact that I had a boyfriend, my best friend was absolutely in love with him, and that Brandon was 3 years older, it still didn't stop me.

I went to his first magic show on a date to try and make Brandon jealous (it didn't work in case you were wondering) but atleast he was interested in me. The magic he did fascinated me almost as much as the guy doing it. I had hated magic for quite some time at this point but the guy I was watching onstage changed that. I wanted to do that. And most importantly I wanted to do that with him.

A few weeks later we started dating, and little did I know how much this one guy would literally change my life my sophomore year.

I followed him around to shows and things just because it seemed like the girlfriend thing to do, just support him. Once we got two months into dating it was time for him to part ways with his assistants. While it was a frustrating time, it was best for everyone all around and took away a lot of stress. But then the part where he needed a new assistant.

Oh how I begged and pleaded. Obviously this was the way to get even closer to his heart was through the one thing he may have liked more than me (he definitely did and still might somedays haha)

It finally happened, he caved, despite telling me no a thousand times. He didn't want it to cause a strain on our relationship and make us break up (it did but we got back together). I remember starting to work with him and rehearsing and the excitement of it all but I don't remember making that decision.

That big moment when my brain flipped a switch and said this is it, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I think at first it might have honestly been out of jealousy. I just didn't want him working super closely with a girl that wasn't me for the rest of our lives but then it changed. I genuinely started to love it and obsess over it.

I remember taking my playing cards and tricks into school with me and even rehearsing choreography every second I got. Every bruise was a badge of honor. My friends all thought I was crazy and even started to distance themselves from me but I didn't care, I was having the time of my life.

We were having fun performing around town and even traveling every now and then but I always knew he had big dreams. He wanted to move to Myrtle Beach and have an illusion show in a theatre. While I always thought deep down that it might have been a bit too big of a dream, I was there. I supported.

By the time I became a junior, that summer had changed me. We performed together constantly but we had also broken up which made me even more determined in the magic. I mean how else was I going to spend time with Brandon?

By the time I got halfway through the school year my counselors were threatening to fail me for missing so much school due to shows. And literally over a weekend I switched to online school. Just like that. I changed it all.

I dropped my dreams. I was 100% committed to helping Brandon now chase his. And boy have I followed him to lots of places.

I graduated early, we seemed like we were about to hit it big time and finally moved to the beach on a dream that crashed and burned just as quickly as it had come. And while Brandon may have lost faith in himself and doubted this was what he should really be doing. I didn't. I mean how could I? I had nothing to lose anymore. I left my school path, my family, my friends.

People actually ask me all the time if I regret it, do I ever wonder what life would be like if I had just chosen to keep to my normal track in life? At this point, almost 10 years of being with Brandon. The answer is absolutely not. I think I can very well guess how my life would have gone had I stayed in Columbia. I'm pretty sure of where I would have gone to school, who I would have married, where I would have been going to church...

But that life wasn't for me. I risked it all for him. And every. single. second was absolutely worth it. This wonderful, crazy, amazing, stressful, magical life that we have created together.

That dream of his became our life. And together we walk on this tightrope called life but holding his hand, he taught me not to look down, just take the steps forward despite the fears and we're making it.

We're here. We're in Myrtle Beach doing our illusion show at the theatre he so desperately dreamed to be apart of. This is our circus.

I'll never forget hearing this song for the first time while watching the movie in the theatre. I leaned over to Brandon, whispered "This is my life" and squeezed his hand.

This song literally came from my heart somehow and will forever be my anthem.

Some people long for a life that is simple and planned

Tied with a ribbon

Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land

To follow what's written

But I'd follow you to the great unknown

Off to a world we call our own

Hand in my hand and we promised to never let go

We're walking the tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below

We're walking the tightrope

Never sure, never know how far we could fall

But it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view

Walking the tightrope

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you

Mountains and valleys, and all that will come in between

Desert and ocean

You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream

Always in motion

So I risk it all just to be with you

And I risk it all for this life we choose

Hand in my hand and you promised to never let go

We're walking the tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below

We're walking the tightrope

Never sure, will you catch me if I should fall?

Well, it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view

Walking the tightrope

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you

Our Story Without Words

Season 3 of Pure Magic opened this week. That sentence is crazy to type out. To think back to when we were just teenagers with a dream to perform in Myrtle Beach to where we are now feels like an inception of a dream within a dream. Then expanding the dream to wanting to perform at The Carolina Opry. And then going beyond even that to dare dream to have our own show in a venue that's never had magic before. The fact that we've done it and are already in our third year is incredible. I'm so proud of Brandon for always dreaming big, even when I, as the realist, sometimes told him his dreams might be a little too big, he keeps pushing and makes them happen.

Surprisingly the opening went extremely well. I definitely lost sleep the night before after having a rough dress rehearsal earlier that day. It's currently the same show we did last year but having not performed it since October, especially with some physically demanding illusions in the show, it was nerve-racking.

We actually received two standing ovations during the show and most things went off without a hitch. I rarely think there are such things as a perfect show. Not saying it doesn't happen, because it can, just not all the time. Performers who claim to have a perfect show every time obviously don't have very high standards. There's no reason to improve if everything is always "perfect".

While doing meet and greet in the lobby after the show as we always do, we had the opportunity to get to know a group of high schoolers from a theatrical school who came to see us. They were super sweet supportive kids but because they were performers as well they were quite intuitive. One girl came up to tell us how much she loved that we incorporated the story of us into our show.

This version of our show with that "story" was created last March and not one person has mentioned it to us because it is so subtle, it was really more for us. I knew of the two parts back to back that probably seemed story driven but realized another after doing some thinking.

Now I always have to debate on here about whether or not to use the names of illusions and effects, I know it's mostly magi that read my blogs but muggles do too and I don't want anyone looking up secrets just because they know the name of something.

One of our oldest illusions (pictured below) is a rather sensual routine for us. While it used to have some weird danger princess ritual story thing, now it's just more of a back and forth in my decision. It's all tension and me wondering if I want to be with Brandon or not (which then I go in a box and he stabs me with swords... so obvious love story) but still at the end I chose him. Actually now that I think about it, yes, that is exactly our love story. I choose him everyday even though he tries to stab me with swords.

A little later in the show Brandon performs a classic effect of magic but of course with his own personal twist on it. It's no secret in his routine that the ball is meant to be the moon and is inspired by the classic movie "It's A Wonderful Life". So in his demonstration of his love for me, Brandon literally gives me the moon and goes down on one knee. So onto engagement.

The show flows right into the next illusion. One of our newest and hands down the edgiest. Still every time right before we go to perform this one I slightly panic that between the music, choreography, and insinuations, it might be too much. I crawl through his body. It's our raw togetherness piece. But I think because we developed such a passionate but romantic piece for us, the audience always loves it. It was a hard routine to get in the right mindset for and it was one we mostly created ourselves just to make sure that it was purely our emotions involved in it's piecing together. At least that's how I thought it through, I may have overthought it, but it was important to me that way.

As for the current show, in the midst of everything else, that's as much of our story in magic as you get. Of course all of our routines are us but I mean the ones specifically involving our love story. There's a new piece we are creating to add in for this season's show that I hope will be amazing. I will get to tell the audience my side of the story.

I was actually going to tell you about some of it on here, but realizing now how long this entry is, I'll do that in another posting. Sometimes that happens when writing, I came here to get one point across but my heart lead me in another direction.

With this new routine I'm really excited to share this realization and connection to a character that's been on my heart for a little over a year now and Brandon thought of the perfect effect to go along with it... Which we are actually about to rehearse right now so I'll finish this here. We can't wait to share this piece of magic with everyone.

Assistant Appreciation

A hard thing I have to deal with in magic is not always being or feeling appreciated. It's a hard stereotype to always fight that only the guy can be the magician but it's the world we live in.

It gets me down hard somedays when even friends only want to address it as Brandon's show. I do a lot to try to prove we're equals. The assistant does so much in a show that people never even know about and granted I get it, it's because a lot of it is while we are literally in a box or backstage but what we do is important.

Photo by Katie Shuler

I had a journalist reach out to me recently and conduct an interview about how important magic assistants are and you guys my heart soared! The fact that a complete stranger who's never seen our show or anything was just genuinely interest in what goes into this job and how it does matter made me so happy. I hope I did us justice. It's hard to pour your heart out about something you're so passionate about into just a 30 minute phone call.

And to come to find out, he found me because of this blog which is super cool! I'm glad it seems to be making it out there on the internet as something about magic assistants!

Read The Article Here

I've been in this job for 8 years now and honestly it's pretty rare to get such cool opportunities like that for just the assistant. We've done tv spots, articles, and podcasts as performers together but other than this interview and my magic club lecture that's been about it. But hey if anyone ever wants to interview me for another podcast but just about assistants (GreenWolf and Bella I'm looking at you 😉) I'd totally be down for it!

Another happy assistant thing as of recent was this part of a review we received...

And then there’s Hannah who is not only beautiful, but participates in the show and does her own magic and is more than just a pretty face. Thank you for being such a good role model for my daughter and showing her that girls can do anything, even magic! Love seeing a woman take the lead in something that is usually considered a boys club. Way to go Hannah! Looking forward to seeing even more from you in the future.

This review right here made me cry. She left a long super positive review about how much of an impact we made on her and her family and she has no clue how much she impacted mine. I'm used to a lot of the reviews just talking about Brandon and sometimes having them be about the both of us but to read this was so refreshing. I mattered to someone. My role onstage does matter.

Since starting this post I actually was reached out to and interviewed for The Magic Assistant articles. I was super excited to be asked for this one because I used to print out all the articles and study them in my assistant binder and now to be included is just amazing!

I've been adding to this book for almost my whole magic career, it contains all my secrets!

I love getting to be apart of this community and though sometimes it feels like others try to knock us down, the assistants are always so strong and supportive of each other and I've made some friends that I hope will last a lifetime because of it!

Assistant Accessories

One of my least favorite things about magic is how few of resources and products there are for assistants versus magicians. Today we'll just focus on the products though.

I mean I get it, there's technically "more" magicians, even though some magicians literally have 6 assistants. And most magicians actually stay in magic longer, while sometimes assistants are just a fill in girl for a show and they don't do it again but there's a lot of us who are in this for the long haul. And we deserve cool things too!

Recently through a modeling gig I acquired this adorable hat from LD Bags & Gifts that I had personalized to say Box Jumper and it got me thinking we need a LOT more assistant accessories!

Chris Perello Photography

Invisible Threads has two cute things, their "Saw Girl Hoodie" which I've seen different variations of over the years, but this seems to be the only one still around and I love it, I just wish there were different color options. Red doesn't always look great with red hair unfortunately. And then they have "Magician's Assistant in Trunk" car window sign which I think is hysterical and we will definitely be getting one. Yes I know I know sometimes they have those pink female magician shirts but honestly it's not the same. I want assistant things.

https://shop.invisiblethreadsclothing.com

Artwork is always an easy route to go whenever you have a unique thing you're obsessed with and assistanting is no different. There's some cute paintings, cartoons, etc to find out there. My favorite possession is still my doll from Robyn Fabsits. She did a trio of assistants for a one time collection she put out, I wish I'd had the money for all three of them at the time, but I did atleast get the redhead!

Daytona Magic actually has some beautiful wood pieces that feature assistants. We were lucky enough to get the floating lady as a wedding gift but I'd love to collect them all someday!

https://www.daytonamagic.com/awards-gifts

One super fun assistant thing I haven't gotten yet is the adorable knife sharpener that pretty much every magician I know owns. It's called Sharp Act and is put out by Fred and Friends. Thus far I've only been able to really find it on Amazon and since it's Prime Day their website is pretty much broke so I guess I'll buy it another day. But so cute!

So far those are my favorite assistant products I've found, I hope there are more out there but...

Leave a comment, send me link, what are your favorite assistant products? 

I'd love to compile a list of all the cool assistant accessories out there!

Looking forward to hearing from you guys to find new things to spend my money on!

A New Season

Yesterday, Tuesday morning I woke up around 10:15 and that was simply magical. Wanna know why? Because the past couple of months on Tuesdays at that time I'd be doing last minute preps/stress before Pure Magic started. Guys, 10:30 doesn't seem that early in the morning but let me tell you, it is!

We've done lots of early shows over the years with libraries and private performances but those weren't ever illusion shows. And usually when we did those "briefcase shows" we would go to bed early the night before.

In case you haven't heard, we're now doing The Carolina Opry shows 3-4 nights a week on top of our Pure Magic and Thunder & Light performances and we're loving it! But getting home late from a show to get up super early to do a magic show has been making it complicated. Luckily though the 10:30 AM shows are done at the moment until September. We actually have a few weeks off from Pure Magic and Thunder & Light right now until those kick in as afternoon shows so that's awesome.

Photo by Jordan Watkins

We've decided to take this time off to work on some new material. We're actually getting a new illusion this coming Monday and we're super excited about it! It will actually be thrown in a lot quicker than we normally put in a new illusion because we're planning to put it in Thunder & Light where we'll be redoing all of our material in that show before it starts back again next month.

This year's Pure Magic was a really new show for us. We had some brand new illusions to premiere and some illusions and effects that haven't been on the big stage yet but had plenty of testing time from smaller shows. And I'm sure most of you have gathered by now we're pretty secretive when it comes to new illusions, even after they have been testing a little bit. But if you do want to see stuff first, usually my personal Instagram is the first place it's posted so always be on the lookout there! @mrswagstermagic

Photo by Jordan Watkins

That was the first place we posted photos of our newer illusion routines for this year such as broom suspension (which has definitely become a new show favorite) our new regular season version of twister (we'd only done Christmas before) and our newest illusion which has been interlude.

Photo by Katie Shuler

Every time we get a new illusion I gain so much respect for my fellow peers in magic. Interlude literally kicked our butts when we got it a couple of months ago. The bruises and pain I experienced from it was like nothing I'd ever done before. But it has turned out to be hands down one of my favorites in our show and I wouldn't trade those rehearsals for anything. Now it doesn't bruise me anymore it just likes to rip my tights or like a few weeks ago it literally tried to eat my shoe.

It's been our edgiest routine yet, which definitely made it scary to perform for the first time. We are in the bible belt after all and people are very vocal these days if something offends them but thus far it's been all positive response *knocks on wood desk in front of me* But we tried to make it a part of our love story in the course of the show we currently have running and I think it's coming across that way.

Photo by Katie Shuler

With that being said about new illusions, this newest one we get next week will be the first time we've gotten an illusion before we've really prepared for it. We usually find a song, pick the illusion to go with it and then choreograph the illusion long before we get it. This time we're going a little backwards. We have no idea on the music and regardless of what Brandon is trying to tell everyone his current selections are horrible and I won't make you guys suffer like that haha. I'm interested to see how well this goes considering it's premiere is June 28th. So the stress begins! Other than that for our break we'll just be getting ready some other new pieces for that show as well. We're doing my first instant appearance and we can't wait to see the reactions that will receive.

Also we're getting a little more footage later this week from this season and we'll officially be working on the new promo for Pure Magic that will have clips of all our new pieces we can share with you guys! Here's last year's in case you guys missed it...

Pure Magic Promo

While you're on our Youtube channel check out some of latest Behind The Scenes videos, we've been sharing some fun stuff lately! We had a super cool gig last week we shared on there!

And if you haven't seen it on my facebook, I did a photoshoot with the amazing Nateographer again and he captured this incredible shot that I'm planning to work into the top and logo of this blog. Thanks Nate for such an awesome photo!

Photo by Nateographer

So there you have it, current life of The Wagsters. Looking forward to keeping you guys updated on all our new stuff and sharing it soon!