Construction

Since my last update in January, We’ve completed construction on my room. We haven’t come up with any clever name for it, it’s just my room or the magic room.

Here is the video I uploaded to Facebook a few weeks ago:

Covid

I got both my shots of the Pfizer vaccine and full efficacy will be May 8th. I’m an introvert and even I am looking forward to getting to be around people again.

Faires, Festivals, etc.

Made a brief trip to Central Missouri Renaissance Festival this past weekend. It was good to see many faces I haven’t had in person contact with for more than a year. I talked with the Entertainment Director there, and talks are underway to bring me to the event, maybe this fall after Kansas City (depends on timing), but definitely next spring. I feel I’m a good fit for the event and will bring some new energy.

One thing I did notice is that all acts had QR codes printed and placed near the front of their stages for touchless tipping. I’ll need to do that for Kansas City this fall.

Performing

I performed in March for the Kansas City Magic Showcase’s online show. It was a little rough, I admit, but I was working in a brand new space and had never worked for a camera before. Plus having no audience to work with it made things, for me anyway, more like demonstrating and not performing. I did an effect with new script, an old trick that always plays well (in person at least), an effect I tried at Renfest a couple of years back that I ended up dropping because it needed more work, and a completely new effect with mind reading. I went back and re-watched and there are certainly things I’ll do differently if the opportunity arises again.

Live shows

My first live in person show this year will be at the June Jaunt in Great Bend, Kansas June 5th. I am excited and a little nervous since it’s been well over six months since my last in person performance. I know it will work out just fine, they love me down there. I am working on some new things to present and some old things in new ways.

I had thought I’d be up in Nebraska in May but because of a communication SNAFU on his end the entertainment director/owner didn’t think I was interested. He put me on the list for next year so we’ll see what happens.

KCRF

I was asked this weekend if I thought Kansas City Renaissance Festival was going to happen this fall. I told him, and I believe this, that there is a very slim chance it wouldn’t happen. As vaccinations increase and new infections decrease in the area it will happen. It may look a bit different than previous years. Since it doesn’t start until September, it’s hard to say, but it may have social distancing rules, attendance caps, temperature checks at the entry points. Again, at that point it will be the “normal” we’ve all lived with for the last year and as things return to a new normal we will all adjust accordingly.

Final thoughts

This last year has been hard for many of us that make a living being in front of people. Some will undoubtedly jump in with both feet the first chance they get. Some of us, like me, want to take it slow so that all precautions are taken to limit the spread of COVID and ensure the safety of our audiences.

I cannot wait to hear those words again…”Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Marvelous Matt!!!”