James Alan proves that magic really is for grownups. For nearly twenty years he has built a reputation for performances that are "thought-provoking, funny, astonishing and thoroughly entertaining." More than ten years ago, he created a show specifically for seniors no longer living at home, which has been offered ever since in partnership with a variety of community and non-profit organizations.
Magic Moments is a 45-minute, live interactive magic show built for retirement and long-term-care communities. Performances run year-round, or can be scheduled around Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Halloween, or the winter holidays — a natural opportunity to invite residents' families to attend. The show is fully interactive, but never one-size-fits-all: the level of audience participation is adjusted to match the physical ability and comfort level of each audience.
Performances are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Or contact us at (416) 995-1736 or reach out to Isaac Blaise at secrets@jamesalan.ca.
Good Questions
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The show is intended for retirement residences, long-term care centres, adult day programs and seniors community centres.
But if you think the program will be a good fit, feel free to get in touch.
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All of our performance are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Most centres book 3-10 weeks ahead, with dates around major holidays filling up sooner.
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The show has been designed to be easy to see, hear and follow. A magic show is split into individual tricks, much like a concert is divided into individual songs. It is not necessary to remember what happened in the earlier parts of the show to understand (and enjoy!) what happens later.
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The show was developed over a period of four years. As a result it doesn’t change much. Once every 12-36 months is ideal, depending on how much resident turnover you have.
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The show is self-contained. We typically also provide all of the sound equipment.
The show needs an open space about eight feet wide and six feet deep, and we use one outlet (two plugs) for the sound system. After that, all you need to provide is the guests!
We’re also happy to provide you with a customized poster with the date, time and location of your performance.
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Magic Moments performances don’t require a deposit and you can cancel at any time. So if you need to reschedule because of an outbreak or other unforeseen circumstances you have the flexibility to do so.
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Generally yes. We just need to allow 15-30 minutes in between shows to move things over, depending on how far apart the spaces are.
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This program is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis. It has a suggested fee of $350 plus HST but we’re happy to work within your budget.
What other communities are saying…
“He was absolutely fantastic! He kept everyone entertained, engaged, and laughing the entire time. It was truly a magical experience from start to finish... everyone was having so much fun, we didn’t want it to end!”
“I wanted to let you know the residents LOVED the show-they talked about it all weekend! Thank you for making so many of them smile! I can’t tell you how awesome it feels to know they enjoyed your performance... We hope to have you back again! ”
“James was amazing... [his] Performance was incredible and very much enjoyed by both staff and residents.”
“The show was simply AMAZING!!!This group was a very hard group to engage. James Alan did NOT disappoint. His jokes and just plain fun kept our group laughing and interested.”
“Our residents loved James’s show. He was funny, enthusiastic and very engaging. He also had residents participate in his show, and was very interactive! He is great with seniors!”
“Our Residents loved the magic show. James did a great job of interacting during the show with the residents which really got them engaged in the fun and the performance was the perfect length.”
“Great show, funny and engaging. The residents truly enjoyed this entertainment and were amazed at the magic happening right before their eyes.”
“Thanks for your wonderful service... my residents and family members expressed nothing but great comments about you and your performance. I hope we can continue this connection and book you for future events.”
“The performance was exceptional. James is personable and funny. He engages the audience well by inviting some to be part of the magic. There was so much positive feedback from the attendees. ”
“Our guests absolutely loved James’s show. They were so intrigued... James made it such a fun and engaging show by involving the audience. It was a great time!”
“The residents really loved your performance, and we all had a lot of fun. I appreciated how you included everyone and joked around with them. I will definitely recommend you to my fellow activity coordinators.”
“You were amazing ... Your act was pure entertainment. As for the residents, many are still talking about it!”
“It was a great hit and our residents loved the performance! We would be thrilled to book again...”
“The magic show was a wonderful experience for our residents- they absolutely loved it! James had great interactions with everyone, keeping the residents fully engaged and entertained throughout the show.”
“James did a great show that kept our group, mostly a retired audience, enthused and bewildered... [he] was very interactive with lots of laughs, oohhs and applause. ”
“His show was such a hit with the Monday seniors group at Holy Blossom Temple. He is funny, engaging, and the magic was really fantastic. It takes a special person to engage seniors with patience and honest care.”
“I really enjoyed James’ performance. He was funny and he blew me and [our clients] away with his interative magic tricks.”
“It was such a great Magic show! Everyone loved it!”
“Residents truly enjoyed the performance and appreciated its uniqueness... I will definitely recommend the program to others within our company. Thank you so much for everything you did for the enjoyment of our residents.”
“Thank you again for coming out to perform for us! The members have not stopped talking about it... They were engaged throughout the performance and lots of laughter was heard throughout. ”
“Thank you for your wonderful performance and for bringing smiles and joy to our day!”
“James Alan... wowed our guests with his talents. We could not have asked for better entertainment.”
“A great magician and performer... the highlight of a very successful luncheon.”
“James was extremely personable, humorous and knew his craft! We all enjoyed his performance so much!”
Artwork by Kurt Firla