How I Booked My First Big Show (And What I’d Do Differently Now)

trinomagic
May 28
3 min read

Every magician remembers their first “big” show. The one where everything suddenly feels real. The room is bigger, the crowd is louder, and the stakes hit different. For me, that moment happened during college, and it still sticks with me today. The show was the Michigan Special Olympics State Winter Games at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City. At the time, it was the largest audience I’d ever performed for — over a thousand people, including athletes, volunteers, families, friends, and donors. It was a packed house, and it was electric. The event was part of the Special Olympics Michigan program, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Athlete on stage with magician — These athletes brought the energy and stole the spotlight — easily one of my favorite moments on stage.

I had done a couple of bigger theaters before, but this was the largest private event I had ever booked. These were athletes who had been training for months. They were excited. They were dialed in. And the night was built just for them. I got to be part of their celebration — a night of magic in the middle of a weekend focused on competition, pride, and pure joy. That energy is something I’ll never forget.

Volunteers from CMU for Michigan Special Olympics Winter Games

At the time, I was in college — maybe my freshman or sophomore year — and I remember how big it all felt. I had gone from doing shows on the street to standing in front of a thousand people in a hotel ballroom. That gig gave me confidence that I could handle big rooms. That I belonged in those spaces. That this wasn’t just a hobby anymore.

I knew I could make this a career. I knew I could do this for a living. And that realization was exciting.

I thought a lot about how to build a show that would work for that audience. I picked routines that would connect with the crowd. Things that were visual, high-energy, and easy to follow in a large room. I made adjustments to my material so it would fit perfectly for that night putting athletes in the spotlight.

If I did that same show today, the set would probably look completely different. That’s not a knock on what I did back then — it’s just growth. I’m proud of the magic I share now. I’ve refined what I say and how I say it. My performance is sharper, more personal, more real. The goal’s always been to get better.

If you’re a younger magician trying to land that first big event, here’s my advice. The big opportunity is probably never going to just land in your lap. You have to work for it. And if it’s not coming to you yet, take that as a blessing. Maybe you’re not ready. But if you truly believe you are, then you need to be in that arena. Seek it out. Find it. Offer to do it for nothing if you need to. Just get in the room.

You’ll probably be ready before you think you are. So keep going. Keep showing up. Keep putting in the reps.