I’ve raised a few spirits at Yarnival. Organizer Blake Christiana put his reaction rather well:
“Man, you have a HELL of a stage presence. Love what you do!!”
I’ll take that. “HELL of a stage presence” is reassuring feedback for a necromancer. It suggests I’ve at least been networking in the correct direction.
Yarnival is one of the festival appearances behind my work as Timothy Starnes, necromancer and comedy conjurer. For anyone considering comedy magic for a festival or fair, an organizer’s own words provide a useful place to start. The next step is working out how the entertainment would fit your particular event.
Give people a reason to stop and watch
A festival offers plenty to look at. The question for a magician is how to give people a reason to become involved in what is happening right in front of them.
My work combines close-up magic and comedy with an interest in the strange, the suspicious, and the easily overconfident. Cards, props, con games, and dice can give a small group something to follow together. Guests can make choices, watch the results, and discuss where their explanation went off the rails.
I’m most known for my comedy séance show, Timothy Starnes & His Many Night Visitors, which I tour along the East Coast. I’m also a trained comedy and bar magician. That gives us several possible directions to discuss; a festival booking doesn’t automatically mean the full séance.
Choose an arrangement that suits the festival
For a new booking, I work from a dedicated performance station. Guests can find the entertainment and approach when they want to watch. The location needs room for the audience without obstructing a walkway or neighboring activity.
Tell me what will be happening nearby, particularly amplified music. I don’t use a sound system, and close-up magic needs guests to hear and see the action. A quieter location or carefully chosen performance window may be necessary.
My basic setup is a table and three chairs, or a coffee table with suitable seating in front and to the sides. Outdoor plans need a discussion about shelter, lighting, weather, and access. We’ll agree on the practical arrangement before the date is reserved.
Make the audience clear
My performances are for adults 18 and up. A festival with mixed-age attendance needs a suitable adult area or clearly designated adult performance arrangement. I don’t present this as children’s entertainment.
If your program includes an intimate seated experience, we can discuss the theatrical séance. It requires two hours, with a suggested audience of about 10–15 or as many as the dining table comfortably accommodates. It combines spirit magic, haunted storytelling, dark comedy, and audience involvement. It is entertainment, not a mediumship reading or a promise of contact with deceased loved ones.
You can read what happens in a comedy séance before choosing that direction.
Discuss your festival or fair
I’m based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and travel for performances. Text Tim at 704-698-7286 with the event name, dates, location, audience age range, proposed performance area, and schedule. Include any vendor or performer access requirements so we can discuss them early.
See my magic and booking information for the next step. Tell me what kind of experience you want to add to the program, and we’ll work through the format and quote.
Blake supplied the endorsement. Your event supplies the next room full of people who think they know what’s about to happen.