River Cruise Ship Magician
When you think of a cruise ship magician, large cruise ships in the Caribbean come to mind. Since 2014, I’ve been the resident magician aboard the Canadian Empress. It’s home base is Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Each season, from mid-May to mid-October, they have tours that last from 4 to 7 days long. They primarily sail between Kingston and Quebec City on the St. Lawrence and a few cruises each season travel the Ottawa river between Montreal and Ottawa.
Cruise Ship Entertainment
When I was first hired to perform on the Canadian Empress, the owner, Robert Clark, saw a photograph in a local newspaper from when I performed at the annual Christmas party of the local Chamber of Commerce. We worked out a deal and I was set to perform 34 shows at different ports the ship stopped at each evening. I would drive to the port and perform a 90-minute show for the passengers and then drive home. I love performing on the ship because their capacity is 62 passengers. It makes for an intimate gathering and I get to know a few of the passengers. They come from all around the world and the cruises are for adults only.
Magician presents a 90-minute show!
In the entertainment industry “A” material refers to how well created are segments of the show. In a magic show, the tricks that have been refined and polished over many years earn their place in the show and are considered “A” material. Many magicians never even acquire 60 minutes of “A” material. If you’ve seen magicians on America’s Got Talent, they have under 2 minutes to impress the judges. That is what I consider a sprint. Those performers aren’t necessarily great for 60 or 90 minutes. Performers that excel in that format are the marathoners of the entertainment industry. It takes persistence and constant attention to refining the minor details. Not every performer has the patience to do the required work.
Unique Cruise Ship Magician
What I really enjoy about being a magician is creating my own tricks and also reinventing classics. There are certain tricks that many magicians perform because it was available online. There are a select few performers that enjoy tailoring their show to their own personality. Those are the performers that stand out from the crowd. They are the ones that aren’t satisfied with “good enough” and go the distance to keep improving. Even though, I’ve been a full-time performer for over 35 years, I haven’t ever become complacent with my show. I continue to learn and evolve. That’s what makes my job fascinating.
End of the Season
As this cruise season is drawing to a close, I’m already imagining and designing new pieces for next year’s launch. It is always great to see the crew members that have been on for many years and also the newbies. And I also look forward to the new audiences and the passengers that return. We always have an amazing time!