A Magical Weekend in Pensacola

Pensacola Coast Gulf Coast Magician Guild puts on a night of magic in Pensacola.

by Bill Riales

Published: Mon, November 16, 2009 - 5:16 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, November 19, 2009 - 7:30 pm CST

PENSACOLA, Florida - You may not consider magic serious business, but one up and coming performer in Pensacola takes it very seriously. You'll get the chance to see him perform at the annual Gulf Coast Magician's Guild's annual show in Pensacola.

At just 20 years old magician Nathan Nickerson has already racked up a lot of stage time and he's looking for more.

"A lot of its actually word of mouth--with magic it seems its something that seems really interesting nowadays," says Nathan.

He's performed for charities and civic groups, at art shows and fundraisers. Since many of those events are private, the public in general hasn't had much of a chance to see him perform. But, he'll be one of eight magicians at the Gulf Coast Magicians Guild's annual show. Nathan says as a audience member, you could even end up in the show.

"I think the more you use people out of the audience it gets a lot more people interested in what's going on on stage," he says.

While he delivers slight of hand for our camera, you can expect a much bigger display when Nathan and his colleagues take the stage.

"I've been transitioning bigger and bigger," Nathan says. "When I first started out it was a simple coin trick or card trick, now its getting into bigger props which you have big cases for, you have to have a trailer to haul stuff in."

Up to this point in his young career Nathan has really only done shows in and around the Pensacola area. He hopes the next step will be a tour.

"I have a couple of friends that are on the college circuit, perform magic, traveling around performing at different colleges. That's something I'd like to do in the future."

And don't expect just card and coin tricks. How about some toe-curling magic using a jagged broken beer bottle and paper bags?

"I smash three of the bags and one is left and underneath is the glass bottle with the jagged pieces sticking up."
To be sure, the paramedics will be standing by.

Eight magicians will perform at the Magicians Guild show. It's Saturday, November 21st, at 7pm at the Bay View Senior Center in Pensacola.

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