A Magical Night by Robin Gorman Newman
My son has always enjoyed magic, so when we learned of A Taste of Magic, through its dynamic and talented director Kent Axell, we jumped at the opportunity.
Kent is a mentalist and magician, with a background in theater and the arts, and a deep interest in philosophy and the sciences. He has presented over 200 shows for celebrities and others in the past year alone. And, he has been featured on Off Broadway stages and television, most recently on the Emmy Award-winning National Geographic program Brain Games.
A Taste of Magic is held at restaurants around NYC including Tout Va Bien Bistro, Gossip Restaurant, Dock’s and Ben and Jack’s Steakhouse. Between each course, magicians visit each table for a closeup demonstration of tricks, including audience participation, that is both entertaining and mystifying. There is also an MC of sorts who keeps the evening flowing, and it’s a well orchestrated, highly engaging experience, whether for couples, girls night out, or a family outing.
We attended an evening at Dock’s – in a private room (specializing in high quality seafood), and the ticket price includes a three course meal — the food was very good — with soft drinks, liquor, and tip being extra. The seating is cabaret style….so you can request to be seated with people you know, and others might also be seated with you, depending on how the tables play out. We went with friends, and a couple from Australia joined us, and they were good company.
The Magicians
The performers we saw included Kent, plus: Ross Moreno, Eric Brown, Matt Cooke, Kevin Kapinos, Mark Lichtenstein, Herb Scher, Sho Kitta and Siqi Wang. Each had their own fine-tuned style, but all held your attention….whether presenting card tricks, working with hoops, rubber bands, etc., etc.
Kent and Seth’s Private Lesson
Before the show, my son, Seth, 12, took a one hour private magic lesson with Kent, which he totally enjoyed. Kent is great with kids, and Seth thought he was very cool. He learned card tricks, and was amazed by Kent’s facility in shuffling. It was fun to see Seth’s jaw drop when he was stumped by the dynamics of a card trick. My husband and I found it interesting to watch as well. Kent offers 50% off your first lesson.
Kent is also available for special bookings and performances. And, as soon as our evening was over, Seth asked me when we might return. I know we will one day.
In addition to his magic prowess, Kent is a New York and L.A. based Mentalist and Mind Reader. In his newest show ‘Determined’, he explores the concepts of Prophecy, Determinism, and free will. He says that “the audience will truly feel that their freely made decisions must have been Determined.” It is being presented at the historical Teatro LATEA on October 30th at 8pm. A portion of the proceeds will go to support the Lupus Foundation of America. For information and to purchase tickets, visit www.kentaxell.com.
Note: We were invited as guests to attend A Taste of Magic and the private lesson, but our opinions are our own.
Tags: family friend night out, kent axell, magic, mentalist, nyc show
