On Music: Illusionist Leon Etienne talks about performing all the big TV stuff

I don’t get to do many magic acts for these columns, although I did talk with Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller fame) a number of years ago. Anyway, I recently got the opportunity to chat with illusionist Leon Eitenne about his Magic Rocks! show that’s coming to the Waterville Opera House on the 1st of November.

He called me from his office in Buffalo, New York, and I got the opportunity to find out a little more about him. You see, I was really impressed with his performance on “America’s Got Talent” in the past and the rave endorsements he’s received from the likes of Howard Stern and Heidi Klum made me want to interview him even more.

I began by asking him what the difference is between a magician and an illusionist — is it just semantics?
A: Yeah, pretty much — different words to describe the same thing. Traditionally the general public throughout the history of magic would associate an illusionist as someone who does bigger, grand illusions like Las Vegas-style stuff like David Copperfield-kind of size; and then they would think a magician is someone who still does good magic but just not as grandiose. You know what I mean? But basically it really just boils down to a marketing term (laughter).

Illusionist Leon Etienne Submitted photo

Q: Got it, thanks. Now have you ever performed in Maine before?
A: Ya know, not publicly — I’ve performed at several colleges in Maine and it was years ago, but for whatever reason I got sidetracked for about nine years of my career: I got locked into the cruise ship lifestyle and you don’t tour during those times because you’re on-ship. I was doing almost nine month a year on cruise ships and then those extra three or sometimes four months a year that I would have off I would work on props and get ready for the next cruise line contract. So I did a bunch of shows when I was doing colleges and then I went on cruise ships, and now that we’re back touring the actual, physical States, so this is our first time back in Maine in probably 10 years.

Q: How long have you been doing this?
A: Twenty-seven years. I started when I was 12 and I’m just about 40, I literally have never had another job. I paid my way through college with card tricks, literally. I would go to a good restaurant and do strolling magic table to table on Friday and Saturday nights. I would work for tips, work for a low guarantee or low wage, and that’s how I built my business just through referrals, and people would see me perform at these restaurants and in veritably you have someone say, “Hey, do you do birthday parties?” and I would say, “Well, yes I do!” And then someone would say, “Hey do you do corporate functions?” and I reply, “Well, yes I do!” and you just build your business from there — the old gorilla-marketing kind of way.

Q: How was it starting out?
A: Well, when I started there wasn’t much social media, there wasn’t much internet so I’ve had to grow with the technology over the years; but basically, as a 12 year old I was grounded by my mother, I was bored out of my mind and I started reading a magic book that was under my bed with my trucks, my hockey equipment and my baseball stuff. When I learned my first-ever magic trick, I showed my mom and watched this grown woman’s mind be blown, and that was like the coolest feeling in the world for a 12 year old, and that’s really what got me hooked.

Q: How about your father?
A: After me doing this for three or four years my dad realized that I was not going to give it up and he didn’t know anything about magic so he looked in the phone book for other magicians. The first one he called told him about a local magic club that I could join if I was serious about learning more, and that lead me to the national magic club, so that’s really what fostered it all. I had mentors, as well, who helped me on all the aspects of performing like making props — the guy who worked with me did that with David Copperfield — and I had a business mentor, too. So I’ve been pretty lucky, man — 27 years and still growing. We still have goals and are nowhere near where we want to be, and we’re so happy to be coming to Waterville.

Q: Well, wait until you see the Opera House there, it is pretty amazing and beautiful, to boot!
A: I love performing in opera houses, I really do. They were built for big shows but it still feels really intimate and that’s why I love them so much.

Q: So what can folks expect from your upcoming show?
A: They are going to see grand illusions, some of the best close-up magic in the world, as well. It’s a big production but we also bring video elements to the show, as well. So that way I can actually go into the audience and interact and perform right in front of people’s eyes, it’s one of the favorite parts of the show.

Q: So folks get to see the big illusions on stage and then you go out and mingle with them doing close-up magic, as well?
A: My tech team likes to call it when I ‘lay down the law.’

Q: How so?
A: Well, during the opening and middle of the show it’s like — Okay, he’s doing these cool things — the big stuff. The production value that you expect out of an illusionist, but then he actually goes into the audience and proves that oh, wait!, he’s got some chops in that department, as well. So it kind of humanizes you at that point. It takes you from a guy being on the stage to where you break the fourth wall and walk out there with the audience and just having a great time.

Q: Any other aspects they should know about?
A: It’s completely family friendly … our marketing is edgy on purpose to get people’s attention but it’s 100% family friendly. There’s nothing dirty or off-color in the show. We have hundreds of five-star reviews on Ticketmaster from families all around the country. As far as what they can expect, they’re going to see everything I’ve ever done on “America’s Got Talent,” everything I’ve done on Jimmy Fallon, and I’ve even fooled Penn & Teller on their show; so they’re going to see all the big TV stuff that I’ve done but live and in-person, obviously.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to pass on to the folks reading this article?
A: Yeah, our mission is really simple and it’s on the wall here in my office — The world needs magic now more than it ever has before and I’m on a personal mission to bring it to as many cities around this beautiful country as I can. So if people are looking for good, clean family entertainment, you’ll want to get out to the Waterville Opera House!

Lucky Clark, a 2018 “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award winner, has spent more than 50 years writing about good music and the people who make it. He can be reached at luckyc@myfairpoint.net if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

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