Some events stick with you. On June 8, 2023, I fought the usual 405 traffic and drove to Santa Monica to perform for one of the sharpest audiences of the year: the summer interns of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
The show went down at Illusion Magic Lounge, a professional 150-seat theater just steps from the Third Street Promenade. As an experienced Los Angeles mentalist, I’ve performed at (and visited) this venue more times than I can count, but this particular night had a few surprises built in.
I shared the stage with fellow performer Dave Cox, and I stuck around afterward for a bonus close-up show I almost talked myself out of doing.
Event Details
- Client: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (summer associate program)
- Occasion: Summer Associate Event
- Date: June 8, 2023
- Venue: Illusion Magic Lounge, 1418 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
- Region: Santa Monica / Greater Los Angeles
- Format: Stage show (double-act) plus a bonus close-up show
- Duration: 90 minutes on stage (two acts with a 15-minute intermission), plus a 20-minute close-up show for VIPs afterward
- Attendees: Approximately 60 summer interns and staff, mostly ages 23–33
- Platform/Seating: Professional 150-seat theater stage
- A/V: Provided by the venue; full sound check and cue coordination two hours before doors
- Co-performer: Dave Cox, comedy magician
Walking Into a Room I Already Knew
Most corporate events come with a list of unknowns. What’s the lighting like? Will the sound system be loud enough? How’s seating? This one was different. I’d been visiting Illusion Magic since Penn & Teller attended the grand opening in 2000 (it was called Magicopolis back then).
So I walked in already knowing the room: 150 seats, every one with a clean sightline, and professional-grade lighting and sound. That familiarity let me focus entirely on my show instead of the logistics.
I arrived two hours early for load-in, sound check and lighting cues.
I control my music cues myself with a state-of-the-art music cue system, but lighting was out of my control. So it pays to be early.
As the audience slowly took their seats, I sat backstage with my friend Dave (more on him later).
A Welcome 42 Years in the Making
The night had a personal touch built in before I ever stepped on stage. Most of my shows begin with a pre-recorded audio or video introduction. But that night, the venue’s owner, Randy, walked on stage to welcome the crowd himself. Why? Because 42 years earlier, Randy had been a summer intern at that very same firm! Randy became a very successful attorney (the theater is his family’s passion project), and It was a genuinely inspiring moment.
Two Performers, One Show, No Ego
This was also one of the rare nights I shared the stage. I split the bill with Dave Cox, a very silly (and very clever) comedy magician I’ve known since 2004. Dave’s signature performance piece involves a stuffed monkey he calls “The Evil Hypnotist Monkey.” It’s wonderfully ridiculous, and it will fool the pants off ya.
Quick note: Double-acts work best when both entertainers have very different styles. It keeps the audience on their toes, and creates variety. Dave handled the comedy & magic, and I handled the mentalism & mind-reading.
Despite our different approaches (I focus much more on “wow” than laughter), we both believe in putting the audience first, and doing what’s best for the show. I think that mindset matters in a corporate room and on a theater stage. The night stays about the audience, not about which performer gets the more applause.
Reading Minds (and Name Tags)
The crowd made the night. As a corporate mentalist, I always look for small ways to make the material feel personal to the room, and this crowd made it easy. They were quick, curious, and a little competitive. Mentalism is built for smart audiences, and this was exactly my type of crowd.
One nice thing about corporate events, that I NEVER get in a theater show, is the use of name tags. Not only does in 100% guarantee that I won’t forget a name, but I get to make a fun joke about how a real mind-reader wouldn’t need them.
Dave and I split the show into two acts with an intermission between them. I closed the night with my nail-stab routine.
The Encore I Almost Talked Myself Out Of
Fun story: when I initially booked the event, Randy asked if I’d do a bonus close-up show for a small group of VIPs after the main performance. My honest first reaction was hesitation. Who sits through 90 minutes of comedy, magic and mind-reading and thinks, “I’d like more, please”?
Turns out, plenty of people do. I said yes, and the 20-minute close-up show afterward ended up being one of the best parts of the night. Twenty minutes of close-up work with a small, engaged group hit in a completely different way than the stage show. Randy’s instincts were right (he HAD been the former president of the Magic Castle, after all), and the reactions told me I’d been wrong to worry.
Results
Randy followed up by email after the show:
“Thank you for the great shows, and I agree the close-up knocked it out of the park.”
– Randy S., Owner of Illusion Magic Lounge, Santa Monica, CA
The booking for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher turned out to be the start of something big. Illusion Magic Lounge booked me again the very next month, then for Randy’s personal birthday party in January 2024, then for a two-night, 90-minute solo run in March 2024. I most recently worked the club in 2025.
Even better, Randy also referred me directly to the Jonathan Club (one of the most exclusive private clubs in the country) for a few of their member events.
I didn’t make a note of all the nice things people said after the show, but I remember being approached many times after the show. I wish I had written down the wonderful things they said.
Book a Corporate Mentalist in Los Angeles
If you’re planning a corporate event in the greater Los Angeles area and want an interactive show your team will actually talk about afterward, I’d love to hear from you. Click this link to learn more about booking me as your Los Angeles mentalist.
