Talent Buyer's Guide



Whether You Need To Hire A Local Or Corporate Magician, Illusionist Or Entertainer The Talent Buyer's Guide Is Here To Help You Hire The Highest Quality Entertainment


And Show You How Aedryan Methyus Differs From "The Norm"...


Find Hire A Local Corporate Magician Illusionist Entertainer



Where Do I Even Begin?


Find Hire A Local Corporate Magician Illusionist Entertainer


  • Were you elected to hire a magician, illusionist or entertainer for your company’s event?
  • Are you afraid that if you hire a bad entertainer your event will be ruined, as well as your reputation?
  • Are you feeling pressure to hire the best entertainment possible, so your company’s event will be a total success?
  • Are you confused, because you don’t know the difference between good magicians, illusionists or entertainers and bad ones?
  • Are you confused, because you aren't familiar with the different types of magic and illusions that magicians and illusionists perform?
  • Can’t decide what type of entertainment would be best for your event?

One thing is for sure...

You DO NOT want to hire a magician, who claimed he would “make your next event a totally unforgettable success”, showing up in a cheap suit with a briefcase full of cheap “tricks” to entertain your group!

If you have already decided that you would like to hire a magician or an illusionist, Aedryan's website will help clear up a lot of your confusion about what type magic or illusion show would be right for your venue, event or group before you ever even initiate contact. Aedryan has just about every type of magic show there is for you to select from (over 13 different show packages). We highly recommend that you take a few moments to view Aedryan's Magic And Illusion Show Portal to see the many different types of shows he has available. There, you will find a brief, generalized description next to each of the different types of magic or illusion shows he has to offer to help put you in the right direction. If one of the shows sounds like it might be what you're looking for, click on the name of the show to view extremely detailed information about that particular show package. Each of Aedryan's show pages were designed specifically to give clients a clear understanding of what each show entails and make it very easy to see if it will suit their needs.

At least one way Aedryan differs from "the norm" should already be obvious... Aedryan has A LOT more shows, options and versatility than what you will find with most other magicians and illusionists you will find. [Back to table of contents]


Different Types Of Magicians And Magic Shows


Illusionists • Illusion Shows


The first thing we should point out is, the terms "illusionist" and "illusions" in more recent times have become used very loosely by both magicians and laymen alike. For example, Aedryan receives a lot of phone calls from clients wanting to hire a magician for a children's birthday party in someone's home or close-up magic engagement in a restaurant and they will say they want him to do "illusions" or ask if he will do "illusions like Criss Angel". Firstly, Criss Angel is not known for being an illusionist... David Copperfield would be a much better example of an illusionist (and entertainer for that matter). Theoretically, any kind of magic could be considered an illusion, because nothing is as it seems to the eye. But, "Illusions" in the truest sense are very large boxes, which either the magician or his assistant get inside of and is typically choreographed with a dance routine or other theatrics and performed silently to music. Levitations are also considered to be illusions. Aedryan's Strange Happenings, Forbidden Magick and Illusions By Aedryan performances all contain illusions and mega illusions (extra large illusions). So, to sum it up, if you are looking to hire an illusionist, you will need to plan on having your event somewhere with a very large stage or a lot of extra floor space, because illusions require a lot of space onstage and offstage and they can't be wheeled sufficiently enough on carpeted surfaces to be performed well, because they are heavy.

Standup Magic Shows • Parlor & Cabaret Magic Shows


Standup, parlor and cabaret magic shows contain relatively the same type of magic and consist predominantly of audience participation type magic. Standup magic shows are generally smaller shows, which contain smaller magic effects and do not require as much room. Often, when people hire a magician to do standup or parlor magic shows he does the show by himself without the use of an assistant and his entire act will fit inside of a single briefcase and the act may or may not include music. Parlor (or parlour), by definition, relates to a room for the reception and entertainment of visitors to one's home. In other words, a living room. Cabaret, by definition, is a form of entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation or drama. It is mainly distinguished by the performance venue, such as in a restaurant, pub or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, does not typically dance, but rather sits at tables. Cabaret magic shows can include magic you would see in a standup or parlor magic show, but should also contain larger, more visual magic, which would be visible even from the largest of stages. A cabaret magic show should also have music, lighting and a lot more theatrics than standup or parlor magic shows. All three of these types of magic shows can be performed either on a stage or on the floor.

Four different examples of these types of shows would be Aedryan's One Man Standup/Cabaret Show, ADULT Comedy Magic Show (not suitable for all audiences), Las Vegas Style Cabaret Magic Show and Children's Magic Show packages. To be completely honest, even the smallest of these shows is still not even close to being only a "briefcase magic act" and is much larger than you will find with most magicians for hire with these types of acts. They all include a sound system and have music throughout the show to set the mood of each piece (before, during and after). Regardless of whether the show is a children's birthday party in a client's living room or a mega illusion show in the largest of civic arenas, Aedryan presents every show as if is were for 20,000 people.


Though, showmanship, presentation and how well a magician captivates his audience are the most important elements of magic no matter how large or small the show is, if you spend some time comparing you will find that a lot of magicians for hire online have the "packs small/plays big" mentality. These are known as "practical magicians" and though, some are very capable entertainers they will bring as little as possible. If you want to hire an entertainer that is going to provide the highest quality entertainment for your money this is not the kind of magician you want to hire. Aedryan chooses theatrical over "practical" every time...

Comedy Magicians • Comedy Magic


If you are looking to hire a comedy magician you have to be very careful for a couple of different reasons. You don't want him to be too risque' if it isn't going to be the right kind of group. On the other hand, you definitely don't want him to be too silly or "corney" either. You will find that most comedy magicians for hire are the latter. You don't want to hire a magician to entertain a group of adults and have him doing "tricks" with sponge balls, balloons, vanishing ketchup bottles and the highlight of his performance is a regular old strate jacket escape routine. That type of magic might be amusing for children, but not so much for adults.

As you may have already found, Aedryan does offer an adult comedy magic show (and it is an ADULT comedy magic show), which is defnitely not suitable for all audiences. But, every one of his other acts contain lots of comedy magic, gags and bits of business that is suitable for all audiences. All of which is adjusted accordingly during his shows to suit the audience. 16 years of performing worldwide for audiences of all ages and from all walks of life has taught Aedryan how to gauge his audiences to see what kind of humor will be well received by them.

There are many other types of magicians and magic shows, but these are the most popular. To explain all of them would go far beyond the scope of this guide. If you spend some time on Aedryan's website you will see that not even half of the different types of magic Aedryan performs in his shows have been mentioned. You can learn much more about the other types of magic he performs on each of his show package pages. [Back to table of contents]

BEWARE Of Online "GIG" Booking Websites


There are more and more of these, “Hire A Party Magician!” or “We Have The Best Magicians” websites surfacing on the internet all the time and there are a lot of things talent buyers need to be aware of about them. Many of them are actually the same company disguising websites with different names and spamming the internet with duplicate sister sites to try and dominate the search engine results. Firstly, magicians and other entertainers simply pay a pretty hefty fee, as well as commissions for bookings to be listed on these websites. NONE of the entertainers are screened in any way, shape or form. These websites will gladly list any entertainer on their website, who is willing to pay to be on there. When someone, who wants to hire a magician, illusionist or other entertainer registers on one of these websites (with their email address) and submits a form, the "lead" is sent out to numerous entertainers. Regardless of whether or not the talent buyer finds what they are looking for or not, they can be rest assured that their email address is being placed into MANY email lists and they will be spammed to death with ongoing emails from the website, as well as every entertainer their lead was automatically sent out to and there is always the possibility of the talent buyer's email address being sold to other parties, especially when it is sent out to that many people to begin with. [Back to table of contents]

Why Should I Hire A Magician Or Illusionist?


The answer to that is very simple. Magic is a very universal and versatile form of entertainment. You could hire an entertainer, such as a comedian, but not every comedian's brand of humor is going to strike everybody's funny bone. A country band band isn't going to go over well with those of your guests, who like rock and roll. You could hire a DJ, but not everyone likes to dance. And, so forth. Most people would agree that there aren't too many people, who don't like magic. When you hire a great magician or an illusionist, who truly knows how to connect with his audiences and captivate them it is a sure-fire way to make sure everyone in the room is entertained. [Back to table of contents]

Why should I hire Aedryan Methyus?


Aedryan has been performing worldwide professionally for over 16 years for some of the largest and most prestigious corporations and organizations in the world. He has performed for audiences of all ages and from all walks of life in just about every imaginable performance environment, some of which were in far less than desirable performance conditions, but Aedryan never fails to deliver. The rave reviews Aedryan receives from clients and audience members folowing every performance is his greatest reward. Experience has taught him to be prepared for the worst, to adapt and to persevere in life, love and art. All three of which are one and the same for Aedryan. Talent, vision and an unimaginable amount of hard work and dedication have awarded him his tools and skills. All of these things combined with an "otherworldy" amount of passion are what earned him the title of Master Magician/Illusionist. [Back to table of contents]

Why Not Just Hire A Cheap Local Magician?


Obviously, cost is one of the concerns for most talent buyers. However, the old adage - "ya get what ya pay for" could not possibly be any more applicable here. The local magicians, who only perform in their immediate surrounding areas are the ones we advise you to be the most weary of. There will of course be some talented local magicians out there, but generally speaking, a lot of the local magicians tend to be the old guys that belong to every magic organization in existance (I.B.M./S.A.M., etc), which means absolutely nothing, with regards to their credentials or talents. It basically means they pay yearly dues for a magazine subscription. Unfortunately, many of them never bloomed beyond the ole' “Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat” or pulling the never ending silk handkerchiefs out of a clown-esque' looking box, which sits atop a tassel covered table way of thinking. That might sound a bit harsh, but that is the sad reality of it. The younger local magicians are just that - young and inexperienced. So, before you make the decision to hire a cheap local magician, ask yourself if "cheap" is what you really want for an important event? Or, do you want awesome? [Back to table of contents]

Compare Before Your Hire A Magician, Illusionist Or Entertainer


We know that it can be stressful and confusing trying to find and hire the best entertainment when you need to hire magicians, illusionists or other entertainers for an important event. Especially if you are not familiar with the particular type of entertainment they provide. The best advice we can give you as an entertainment buyer is, to compare before you make the decision to hire a magician, illusionist or other entertainer.

The single most important thing you can do when you are looking to hire a magician, illusionist or other entertainer and comparing candidates is, insist on seeing promo videos. While you are comparing the promo videos make certain that they contain clips from actual live performances and not just "staged" video footage. It's very easy to tell the difference. Be sure to watch and listen to the audience member's reactions. There should be lots of laughter and clapping, as well as, "eeeews" and "aaaws". While you are comparing the available magicians, illusionists and entertainers for hire, one of your primary concerns should be that they are able to make the audience genuinely laugh. Without that ability it is very unlikely that the performer will be able to connect with your guests.

Two of the other most important things are to ask for a resume' and references from past clients, along with their contact information. While you are looking over the information be sure to see if they have ever performed at an event/venue that is similar to yours. Afterwards, you will want to contact at least a couple of their references by phone and speak with them directly.

One last thing you will want to find out before you hire a magician, illusionist or any other entertainer is, if they perform professionally for a living. Or, just for extra money or only as a hobby. Though, not always, it is much more likely that a working professional will have much more refined showmanship, choreography and experience in performing for people from all walks of life in many different performance settings than a hobbyist. You owe it to yourself, your guests and to the success of your special event to only hire a professional magician, illusionist or entertainer. [Back to table of contents]

A Few Last Words


Performance Environment


Once you have decided to hire a magician, illusionist or other entertainer, perhaps the most important things you can possibly do to ensure the success of your event (and the entertainer) is to find out exactly what the entertainer's specific requirements are for the performance environment in order to perform their act to the best of their ability. Firstly, the entertainer should clearly detail their minimum performance space and seating requirements. And, secondly, the talent buyer, entertainer and venue should all then be in communication to make certain that those needs are met as closely as possible. As a professional, working magician/illusionist I can tell you with absolute certainty that if there are three things, which can ruin a performance, cheapen the integrity of an act and create unnecessary problems before, during and after a performance, it is poor planning (on the part of the talent buyer), poor seating arrangements and in general, less than adequate performance conditions. I have personally found that more often than not, talent buyers and/or venues must either choose to simply ignore my specified performance requirements for a given show package or perhaps never even read them in the contract. After years of this happening time and time again I learned to bring alternative magic routines to perform just in case. I even have alternative versions of some of the effects I perform. So, one way or the other I am always able to do the show, whether I have to cut and/or replace routines or perform alternative versions. But, in any case, that prevents me from performing my act in it's best possible form. Though, the audience will never even realize it, it is still very unfortunate and in most cases, would have been unnecessary if my minimum performance requirements had been given consideration. [Back to table of contents]