Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Matson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Michael thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
I spent a good portion of my youth in the local library. From the ages of 7-16, I read every book I could on the subjects of sleight of hand & theatrical magic. I was even able to borrow books from libraries in surrounding towns that were part of the library system. During those years, there seemed to be an endless amount of material & resources at my disposal that contributed to my education in enchantment!
One day, when I was 16, the librarian who had watched me grow from a young boy with an interest in magic into a young man who clearly never lost that passion, asked if I would like to perform a magic show at the library. This was the moment I was waiting for; an opportunity to showcase what I had learned after all these years and jump start my career as a professional magician. In my mind, this was my big break! As my excitement grew, she went on to say that it would be a paid performance for a one hour show open to the community. My first paid public performance! Up until this point, I had only demonstrated magic tricks at my family gatherings, at school for friends, and during a couple of younger kids’ birthday parties mostly for fun. Now, I was going to have my own one-hour magic show and I wanted it to be the best show possible!
I’m proud to say that it was! Now, of course I’ve learned a lot since that show and have improved my performances greatly since then. But, it was the best show I could possibly do at that point in my journey and, surprisingly, I was right about it being my big break! It turns out that the show received such a positive response from attendees that the same librarian recommended me to the local historical society that was getting ready to produce their summer concert series. They were looking for musical acts but, based on the success from my recent appearance, the librarian was able to convince the historical society president that having me in the line-up would add variety to their program. So, that summer, with the support of the historical society, I had my next big paid public performance.
Peering into the audience I saw smiling families bringing their children for an evening of magical entertainment that I was all too happy to provide. Unbeknownst to me, those families included town business folk, restaurant owners, & government officials who would go on to hire me to perform for their children’s birthday parties, amuse guests in their restaurants, provide entertainment for future town celebrations, & more!
My first real client was my local library and because of one librarian who gave me a chance, others were able to see potential in me which helped to grow my business and allow me to transform my passion into a profession!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Michael Matson. I am a professional magician and variety artist based in Orlando, Florida.
My interest in magic & illusion began when I was 6 years old with the simple act of my grandfather pulling a quarter out of my ear. From that moment, I discovered the feeling that magic can produce and wanted to learn all I could about this unique art form in an effort to bring that same feeling of mystery & wonder to others. In my quest for knowledge, I turned to my local library. I read countless books on the subjects of theatrical magic & sleight of hand. For years, I studied, practiced, & honed my craft. By the time I was in my teens, I was performing for children’s birthday parties, library programs, & town celebrations. I continued to build my skills & repertoire as a street entertainer appearing at fairs, festivals, & markets. This helped to showcase my talents to an ever-growing list of new clientele. I celebrated my 21st birthday by entertaining attendees at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser in my hometown. This lead to me working with a number of different charitable organizations such as The Gift of Life, City of Hope, & Wounded Warrior Project bringing my magic entertainment services to their many galas, banquets, and fundraisers. This momentum continued into my mid 20s as I was booked to appear at carnivals, restaurants, theaters, and much more!
In 2005, after having gained over a decade of experience performing for a variety of events and built a fairly successful small business filled with consistent weekly gigs, I moved to New York City where I became resident magician at the world’s largest Toys R’ Us store in the heart of Times Square. I amazed customers daily demonstrating magic tricks for two of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of magic-based toy products. I auditioned for the Times Square Alliance, who are in charge of programming different events and activities throughout the Times Square area, and became the first magician to be granted scheduled spaces & times to perform as part of their “Best of the Buskers” series bringing performance art to the public on the streets of Manhattan. I was surrounded by theatre and Broadway. Soon, I was being hired as a magic & special effects consultant for theatrical productions around the city including the New York Fringe Festival’s “Alchemist of Light”, a play about magician George Melies who pioneered cinematic special effects!
I spent almost 8 years in New York City and, during that time, I scaled my business by forming my own company known today as MatsonMagic Entertainment. Becoming a company meant that I was no longer an individual but rather an entity in the marketplace. This brought new exciting opportunities. I had the pleasure of performing for some of New York’s most prominent comedy clubs & variety shows. “Kiddie Cruise”, a 2 hour paddle boat cruise along the Hudson River designed for the enjoyment of children, booked my company to perform a magic show and twist balloon animals & art onboard for the kids during the weekends for several summers. I even broke new territory, launching my services into the arena of corporate trade shows as an infotainer spokesperson wherein I utilize my skills as a magician & marketer to assist exhibiting companies in drawing attendees to their trade show booth, generate interest in their products and/or services, and relay key information in an effort to qualify leads. I discovered that I excel in this area and truly enjoy this type of work!
In 2012, in search of warmer weather, I moved to Orlando, Florida to work at Universal Studios theme parks, performing 20+ mini magic shows per day for hundreds of guests. It was an amazing experience! After a few years, I transitioned from Universal Studios to “The Great Magic Hall”, a now-closed performance venue that offered daily live magic shows as well as an entire magic trick / class-in-a-kit product line for sale. I crafted an all-new full hour magic show experience especially for this venue that I was fortunate to perform 3-6 times per day! In 2019, Disney started regularly booking me as an independent artist / entertainment vendor to perform for theme park guests and V.I.P. events on Disney property. Then, in 2020, the COVID pandemic halted the entertainment industry, quickly putting in-person performances and social gatherings on pause for an undetermined period of time. As with so many others, this was a major set back for me both personally and professionally.
After 6 months without work and seeing a desperate need amongst the public for some kind of social interaction and entertainment, I decided to create an opportunity for myself to perform once again and fulfill the desire within the community to get out and do something! For years, I toyed with the idea of developing a haunted walking tour / ghost tour that combined eerie illusions with spooky storytelling and historical facts. I heard through a friend about a historical home in Longwood, Florida called the Bradlee-McIntyre House with a somewhat strange past that would be perfect for such a tour. I approached the Longwood Historic Society, who owns the home, with the concept of a 90 minute haunted history walking tour of the house, limited to just 8 guests per tour, as a fundraiser for the society during the weekends throughout the month of October. Thankfully, they agreed and the Longwood Haunted History Tour was born! I understood the risks involved and did everything possible to ensure the health, safety, & comfort of both myself and guests. We advertised the tour through mailing lists and social media, complete with appropriate health warnings, social-distancing, and mask requirements in place. That October, we were pleasantly surprised by the turnout and support of the local community. We had press, media, town officials, & fans of frightful fun visiting each weekend to take part in this brand new attraction just in time for Halloween and I was quite proud to be able to transform a dream I had for years into reality despite the challenge that the pandemic posed. It was so successful in 2020 that the Longwood Haunted History Tour has now been running every October for the past four consecutive years! Keep an eye out for details and tickets to the Longwood Haunted History Tour this October 2024 at https://matsonmagic-entertainment.square.site/longwood-haunted-history-tour or visit us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LongwoodHauntedHistoryTour
Now, having been in business for 25 years, MatsonMagic Entertainment specializes in adaptability & versatility, customizing our magic entertainment services into unbelievable unforgettable experiences that can suite nearly any venue, theme, or need. We provide incredible interactive magic shows for adult, children, & family audiences that combine illusions, comedy, and audience participation into a whirlwind of wonder everyone can enjoy. For weddings, cocktail hours, galas, restaurants, private parties, and more, I offer award-winning close-up sleight of hand entertainment wherein miniature magic miracles occur directly under guests’ noses, inches away from their eyes, and even in their own hands! In my pursuit to create “trade show solutions through sleight of hand sorcery”, I work directly with corporate clients to enhance their visibility and reach on the expo floor at conventions & conferences throughout the U.S. When not appearing at private events and business functions, I can usually be found performing at one of Central Florida’s popular hotels and/or resorts. Whatever occasion or event you may be planning, MatsonMagic has what it takes to help make it a magical & memorable one! To learn more about bringing a touch of magic to your special event or to see where you can catch me performing next visit: www.Facebook.com/MatsonMagicEntertainment
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Working within the entertainment industry means you are no stranger to rejection. Performance artists are told “No” so often that they either develop a thick skin and push harder to achieve their goals or give up entirely. This story of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and persistence illustrates the importance of continuing to try after experiencing failure, changing your strategy, & taking risks!
When I was 17, I was booked to perform a magic show for my home town’s summer concert series hosted by my local Historic Society. That night, the audience was packed and I did my best to deliver a sensational performance. After the show, I took some time to meet & speak with audience members, thank everyone for their support, shake hands, sign autographs, and take photos with new fans as I always enjoy doing. Out of nowhere, a woman approached me and asked, “Have you ever worked for the mouse?”. It took me a minute to understand what she was asking. This woman was a Disney representative on vacation in my hometown who just happened to bring her family to see my show that night. She kindly complimented my performance and said that if I was to ever be interested in performing for Walt Disney World theme parks, she would be happy to facilitate a meeting with their casting department. As luck would have it, I was traveling to Orlando, Florida the following week for a vacation myself and exclaimed that I would love to meet with their casting folks to discuss bringing my magic to the parks!
That entire week I was buzzing with excitement. This meeting could be the next make or break moment in my career. I didn’t know what to expect but I imagined myself performing brief magic acts or shows on stages throughout the theme parks or maybe they would have me stroll around entertaining Disney guests with random yet astonishing moments of close-up magic before disappearing into the crowd. Whatever they had in mind, I knew it would be an amazing opportunity to share my magic with a brand new audience at the happiest place on earth!
Upon my arrival to Orlando, my contact reached out to let me know that she told the Disney casting department all about me and they were excited to meet. Before I knew it, I was on the back of a motor bike being driven through the fields and back lots of Animal Kingdom en route to the Disney Casting Building. I felt like a V.I.P. being driven directly to the executives and casting agents who were eager to learn more about what I do and discuss how we can work together to enhance Disney guests’ experience through my magic entertainment services.
I walked through the doors of the Disney casting building into a sea of hundreds of people. I wasn’t sure what was happening or where to go so I found the only person who looked like they were in charge. After introducing myself, I explained that I am a magician, and that I had an appointment to meet with the casting department. I was directed to join a small group of individuals and wait. I assumed the folks in that group all had appointments as well and I simply had to wait my turn. Suddenly, the whole group was moving, being lead down halls into a smaller rehearsal room with three individuals from casting where it was explained that this portion of the audition process was to assess our movement skills. This seemed odd so, as the rest of the group proceeded to stretch their bodies and be lead through different warm-up exercises, I walked over to one of the casting agents in the room apologizing that I may have made a mistake and be in the wrong room. I explained who I was and that I had a meeting with the casting department to discuss performing magic for guests at the Disney parks. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be at the movement audition but I’d be happy to stick around and go through the process if it was needed. They asked where my application and paperwork was to which I replied, “I’m sorry. I don’t have any paperwork. I’m just trying to figure out where I need to go for my meeting.” I was informed that I needed the proper paperwork to be seen by casting so I was whisked away again, this time on a golf cart, to a different building and told to wait in the lobby, fill out an application, and stand when my name was called.
By this point, I was thoroughly confused. I was expecting to walk in, tell them my name, and be directed to a meeting room or someone’s office. My contact supposedly set-up an appointment that I was now very late for. Not the great first-impression I was hoping to make. I felt annoyed that the casting agents were expecting me and I was missing my opportunity, jumping through hoops that didn’t seem to be getting me any closer to my goal. Finally, after another 30 minutes of waiting, with a completed application in-hand as requested, I was brought into a gentleman’s office along with another young woman about my age.
Again, I thought this was odd, but I was just happy to finally be sitting down with someone who seemed like they wanted to talk. At first, the gentleman asked the young woman a couple of questions like, “Why do you want to work for Disney?” and “What skills do you possess that make you think you’re right for this role?”. Then, surprisingly, he turned to me and asked the same questions to which I responded in-kind. I assumed the young woman was another performer – maybe a singer, dancer, juggler, or circus artist they were thinking about casting in a show just like how they were considering me to fulfill the role of a magician. I figured I must be in the right place because the interviewer was asking a lot of questions. The interview lasted another 15 minutes with this gentleman asking us similar questions to which we must have answered satisfactorily because, at the end, he said “Well, I think you’re both perfect!” Turning to the young lady he continued, “If your schedule permits, we have a position you can jump into immediately!”. He turned toward me and uttered the words I will never forget, “And, based on your height, you’d make a great Tigger!”. I was dumbfounded! My brain scrambled to make sense of what this man just said. I interrupted, “I’m sorry. There must be a misunderstanding. I have no interest in being Tigger. I’m a magician. I was asked to come in today by a Disney rep who saw me perform. I’m supposed to have a meeting with the casting department to discuss incorporating my magic into the Disney theme parks.” By the look on his face, I could tell he had no idea what I was talking about. The gentleman simply replied, “We’re only accepting applications for costume characters right now and holding dance auditions for a new show. For what you’re talking about, you’d have to attend one of our open calls for specialty acts.”
Years of studying, practicing, & performing magic. A week’s worth of anticipation, plus hours spent that day traveling here, there, and everywhere speaking with multiple individuals just trying to find the person or person(s) I was supposed to meet only to now realize… nobody from Disney was ever planning to speak with me about my magic entertainment services. If they were, surely, somebody would have known something or they would have found me by now but, after three wasted hours, it was safe to say the opportunity had passed. So, feeling naive and disappointed, I thanked everyone for their time and promptly left.
A little over a decade passed before I found myself back in Orlando and remembered this experience. Inspired by my previous failed attempt to get hired as a magician by Disney, I decided to attend one of their open auditions for specialty acts. Now, the specialty acts Disney was specifically seeking at that time included musicians, acrobats, and puppeteers. But, I took a chance and signed up for an audition slot anyway. When I entered the room, I explained that I was a magician and just wanted to show them what I can do in case they should ever have a need for my services. Instead of kicking me out immediately as I was expecting, they asked for my headshot & resume which had grown significantly since the last time I was in the Disney Casting building. As they looked over my promotional material, I noticed a distinct shift in their demeanor. They seemed to relax and started asking some basic questions. A casual conversation followed, intermixed with some demonstrations of sleight of hand magic from me that they seemed impressed by. Our interaction felt effortless. Plus, I think they were just thankful to see something a little different that day which probably helped me to stand out and be more memorable.
It was a good audition but I wasn’t expecting much from it. I was just happy that, this time, I not only got to speak to Disney Casting agents about my magic but was able to showcase my talents as well! I must have made a good impression because, almost a year later, I received a phone call from the Disney casting department asking if I would perform my close-up magic at a celebration for the residents of Disney’s Golden Oak community. I replied, “Absolutely! As long as I don’t have to dress up like Tigger!” And, that wouldn’t be the last time I worked for the mouse. From 2019-2020, I was booked to entertain guests regularly during multiple special events on Disney property. I was very pleased that my persistence paid off!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The best source of new clients for my business has always been word of mouth. The old saying, “You’re only as good as your last show.” is absolutely true in my industry. When people experience something for themselves and see how good it is, that forms an emotional connection making it way more likely they will recommend it to others. I think these personal recommendations from a trusted family member, friend, or colleague hold far more value than any other form of advertising. I view any and every opportunity I have to showcase my services as an audition for potential new clients’. If they like what they see, chances are good they will book me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://matsonmagic-entertainment.square.site/
- Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/MatsonMagicEntertainment
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Phone: 407-917-6323
Image Credits
Kelly Rogers Photography
Michael Eaton