"When Daryl told me that he planned on making his living doing shows in an area that would have him sleeping at home every night I thought he was crazy. You have to travel to make a living in magic. He wouldn't succeed, I thought! HE DID." - Hank Moorehouse
There is room in every town for the magic collector, the magic hobbyist, the magic club and the novelty shop. There is also room for clowns, jugglers, and sideshow acts. Yet it requires a dedicated and competent performer of magic shows, with a proper magic table at their side, to become a true Hometown Magician. Someone whose claim to fame isn't about winning a magic contest or making an appearance at the Magic Castle, but rather the admiration of kids and those who remember being kids. Someone who understands that people don't care how much a magician knows, but rather knowing how much they care. If the hometown magician can achieve that, they will be embraced and loved by a community that will consider them one of their own.
Hometown magic shows are "for all occasions" and are performed wherever people gather, broadening the concept of venue to include homes, schools, churches and community halls. By presenting in familiar places where audiences are comfortable and relaxed, a heightened awareness is achieved that enhances the magical effects. The seasoned entertainer will likely become a local personality who is valued less by what they present and more for just being a welcome presence in a local gathering.
In his 40-page guide to 'Finding Success as a Hometown Magician', Daryl Hurst explains in great detail his approach to being that local celebrity, covering topics like Why Every Community Needs a Hometown Magician, Hometown Magic as a Genre, The Persona of the Hometown Magician, Branding, Putting in the Hours, Storytelling, Playfulness, Artistry, Education, Business Basics, and a Hometown Magic Repertoire.
1st edition 2025, PDF 40 pages.
word count: 18786 which is equivalent to 75 standard pages of text
