This past Friday, I went to see The Magic Play at Portland Center Stage, running through April 1. The Magic Play follows a young magician (performed by actual actor/magician/illusionist Brett Schneider – this role was written for him) trying to get through a live show just hours after his partner (actor Sean Parris) has left him. As the performance progresses, he confronts the fact that the tricks of his trade don’t serve him as well when it comes to building truthful relationships. You the audience bear witness not just to a dozen demonstrations of magic throughout the show, but also the effects of a heartbreaking love story.
Brett Schneider as The Magician in The Magic Play at Portland Center Stage at The Armory.
Photo by Patrick Weishampel/blankeye.tv courtesy of Portland Center Stage at The Armory. Script By Andrew Hinderaker Directed by Halena Kays
The play is different every night because there are multiple points where audience participation is called for that can affect the energy of the show and the ending. Here’s a bit of a hint/sneak peak of a scene early on that shows a bit of the magic of Brent’s prowess with cards while simultaneously interacting with an audience volunteer and telling a story and acting the emotional connection with his fellow actor/partner character.
