Magical Duda
Childrens Magician
(no reviews)Based In: Toronto, Ontario
Performs: Nationwide
From: Contact
Description
The Magical Duda is a professional magician based in Barrie Ontario.
The Magical Duda specializes in children's magic shows, and family entertainment. Magic shows include LIVE animal productions, making birds and a bunny appear right before your eyes! Other options include, but are not limited to: Balloon sculpting, loot bags, Teaching Magic Tricks, Close up magic, etc. Each performance is filled with laughs, surprises, and tons of audience participation. Make your child's next birthday truly memorable with the “Magical Duda!”
Here is what Kristi had to say...
"...It's the litt
... le things that matter."
"Matthew wanted a Magician for his 7th birthday party and after plenty of research, phone calls and emails we sure are glad that we came across the Magical Duda! Not only was he professional and accommodating to us, he was AMAZING with the kids and put on QUITE the show. His quick humour and easy-going personality made the show a pleasure to watch. The kids couldn't stop talking about it! Magic Duda even took the time to send a card to my son after the show .. and anybody with kids will know that it's the little things that matter. You can tell that The Magical Duda is in his true element with kids and we would highly recommend this performance to anybody! He is Fun, entertaining and great for all ages. "
For more testimonials and information about the shows, please visit:
http://www.magicalduda.com
or call today, TOLL FREE 1 855 223 3832
We look forward to making your next event one to remember!
Biography
Cory Clarke is a magician specializing in children’s entertainment. Children know him best from his on stage persona, The Magical Duda.
Cory combines his natural knack for children and his heartfelt interest in magic of over twenty years to produce a show that will truly fascinate your entire family. Cory’s magical show is custom tailored to the event being held, your child’s interests, the size of the guest list, as well as the venue.
During the course of his stage show, Cory will capture your child’s interest and imagination and will hold it for the entire duration of the sh
... ow, during which he will make live animals appear out of thin air, objects vanish right before your very eyes and have your child giggling like you’ve never seen before. And of course, what children’s show would be complete without balloon animals?
While Cory’s main focus is on children’s entertainment, he also does adult magic shows on a regular basis. Again, the show is customized to the client’s interests, nature of event, size of the guest list, as well as the venue. Cory’s adult magic entertainment takes one of two forms: a stage show or a walk-around performance. During the course of a stage show, Cory will perform illusions on stage that will have even the most skeptical guests amazed. The walk-around performance is a more up-close and intimate interaction between Cory and a handful of your guests as he walks around from table-to-table at a restaurant, or from one group of guests to another at a reception entertaining them with his up-close magical performance.
Cory’s success in mastering his illusions and delivering a riveting performance is fueled by his true love of magic. While entertaining your family and friends is his job, it is also his passion.
The Magician at my 8th Birthday Party! PRESSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT
A little more about me...
December 2011, NEWSFLASH! “A very special guest made a surprise visit during the Magical Duda’s Magic Show at the Kozlov Centre last month! Santa Claus -- the man himself -- appeared when a guest from the audience waved the giant magic wand, while the crowd sang the magic words, "Doodley Doodle Doo!”
This moment was the pinnacle of my career so far -- it was one in which I became aware of how far I’ve come, of how dedication and hard work pay off!
As a young child, I was always fascinated by magic and I remember staying up past my bed time to watch a special program featuring David Copperfield. I remember being on the edge of my seat as he performed many different feats of magic! He asked us, the home audience, for a volunteer to participate in a trick. I was so excited I quickly scrambled off the couch, called and became the home volunteer. Copperfield told me to choose an item on the television screen -- and he was magically able to figure out which item I had chosen.
Each year, as birthday and Christmas celebrations came and went, all I ever asked for were new magic sets. Of course my parents would get me just what I wanted! I remember staying in my room, practicing new tricks, and then running out to the living room to put on a small magic show for my family … and, you know, I still do that today!
On my eighth birthday my dad and my brother distracted me with shopping for a couple of hours while preparations for a big surprise were taking place at home. The house was filled with friends and family and “SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!” everyone yelled together as we entered. But, even more, they had hired a magician to perform at my party! ( Presswood Entertainment ) I couldn’t believe it … I ran up to my mom and landed on her shoulders! Good thing I didn’t knock her over! The magician made me the star of his show and he even made a bunny and a dove magically appear! This birthday party has provided me with a memory that I will carry for the rest of my life … and, the important piece is that I am so happy to be able to do the same thing for children today!
A few years ago I was very stuck in terms of my life and where I was going with it. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I thought perhaps I would make a good teacher as I’ve always enjoyed being around children and children always seem to connect well with me. I was then working a night shift job, one mind you that was full time, paid well and came with benefits. But I did not like it and was generally not in a happy place in my life.
One night I happened to be at a party where it turned out that a magician was there as well. He performed a few magic tricks for fun … and that amazing sense of wonder came over me again, just like back when I was a child. I felt that old excitement and, talking to him later, told him about the desire I had had as a child and how much I had always enjoyed magic. I went home and thought to myself, if he can do this, so can I! We became friends and I expressed my desire to be serious about learning this art. He was very helpful, taking me to a magic shop where he showed me some great beginner books, DVDs and materials for magic tricks.
And so it began. I found myself staying up all night on those days I had off, reading and practicing basic tricks. It took eight hours to learn how to properly fan a deck of cards using only one hand! It was very frustrating at first, but once you get it down -- you’ve got it, much like learning to ride a bicycle. The typical “loonie from the ear” trick took countless hours of practice. For just one simple movement, there are so many steps that need to be learned. The most difficult part for me in learning the art of magic was in overcoming the deception in misleading people -- an example: “I’ll take this loonie in my right hand, and when I blow on it, it will disappear!” In actuality -- the whole time it is concealed in my left hand. And so, learning to be able to say, in a convincing way, “it’s in my right hand” as I focus on my empty hand, was very difficult for me. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.
Learning the art simply became a new hobby and I had a lot of fun with it. I had no aspirations at that time to become a full-time successful entertainer -- I was very shy and would never even think of going on stage in front of an audience! But I became more and more comfortable doing magic and, after working with two beautiful doves given to me by my parents, I thought I might try to put on a magic show for my little brother’s birthday party! I worked on making the tricks flow, one into the other, and finally committed to this birthday show. I ended up wishing I never had as my nerves were going crazy -- I couldn’t sleep, eat, or focus on anything! The day of the show, as my parents’ living room filled with family and friends, I just kept going over and over my act, and it turned out OK. (To this day, just before a big event I’m very nervous about it -- until I’m on stage and then everything flows nicely from there and my jumbled nerves subside.) I so enjoyed the success of this first show that I was inspired to work harder towards the possibility of becoming a performing magician -- I therefore continued to offer free magic shows to family and friends and even performed for children in the schools. And I loved every minute of it.
Over the next few years, as with all of us, “life happens” and personal issues interfered, on and off, with my dream of becoming a magician. Months went by in which I did not practice or even think of magic. Then something would come up -- another family member would push me back into it and hire me for a children’s birthday party. One time I even received a phone call from a lady who had enjoyed one of my shows and wanted to know how much I would charge to perform for the children at a Buck and Doe event. A sudden rush came over me as I was speaking to her… she thought I was an actual entertainer! I had to improvise, to fake my way through the call. She did book the show with me and I was thrilled! I could make money at doing what I loved. I was still a very confused young man, however, and allowed myself to lapse in the field of magic after the adrenaline rush of this show passed.
My twenty-fifth birthday turned into a life-changing experience for me. I sat down and took stock. I collected all my thoughts about life and thought to myself, “I am in a happy and healthy relationship, I live in a beautiful townhome, I’ve got two dogs, I have an amazing family and many good friends. What am I doing?? -- sitting at home and, at this point, collecting unemployment because I had been laid off. I am happy in all areas of my life, except for my career.” I looked at all the magic props surrounding me and thought of all the hours of hard work and dedication I had put into this work. It was time to get serious -- time to start advertising, time to practice again, time to do research, time to clean up my act! And the “Magical Duda” was born. Within a few weeks, I received my first call (for which I was prepared this time round) and, before I knew it, the phone was ringing off the wall and I had booked more than ten magic shows! So, from that day on, I have been performing on a regular basis -- and am now learning the managerial aspects of owning my own business!
Magic has become my life, it is my passion, and I am so lucky to be able to do what I love! I take on every challenge that comes my way. I am becoming a bit of a local celebrity, having been written up in the newspapers and appearing on television and radio. Last year I was given a new challenge -- the Kozlov Mall hired me to put on a magic show to introduce Santa Claus at the mall for the Christmas season. This meant I had to brainstorm on how to build a really big illusion -- one in which I could make Santa magically appear. With help and support from my family, we designed and built a HUGE production box and, as said in the opening lines of this article, “the children sang the magic words “Doodley Doodle Doo” and helped the Magical Duda make Santa appear!
The “Magical Duda”, you say? How did you ever get that name, you ask? Well, I would like to end my story by telling you. When my little brother Cody was born I was twelve years old -- quite the age gap. I became his babysitter, spent a great deal of time with him and we became quite close. In teaching him to talk, I would point to pictures of family and say “Who’s that?”, and he would answer, “Mommy, Daddy, Jeffrey, Jesse” and so on. But when I pointed to me, he would say, “Duda!”. I would correct him and say, “No! It’s Cory!” Cody would laugh and say, “Duda! Duda!” I was upset at first because he refused to say my name. So I was “Duda” to the entire family for years! Then, as names do, “Duda” slowly faded … until I reclaimed it for my career! Now all the children know me as the “Magical Duda”! And Cody, who frequently acts as my assistant, has become known as the “Magical Doo Doo.”! Payback time is such fun….
… Cory Clarke
“A dream is just a dream.
A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
Harvey Mackay
Experience
Over 15 Years of experience
Previous Clients
Magical Duda has worked with many organizations, including but not limited to...
iTravel 2000
Montana's Cookhouse
CIBC
Markham Public Libraries
Kerry's Place Autism Services
Alliston's Potato Festival
Gilda's Club Simcoe Muskoka
Crabby Joes Tap and Grill Restaurant
Marlin Travel
Target Canada
Tim Horton's Camp Day
UGOT Canada - magic lessons
Boston Pizza
RioCan Georgian Mall
Daycares, Schools, and Libraries
Countless Birthday Parties,
and More!!
Magical Duda is able to make Santa Appear at your Holiday Party!
Suitable for
Bar / Bat Mitzvah Birthday Party (Adult) Casinos Christening Christmas Party Cocktail Party / Drinks Reception Corporate Event Dinner Party Jewish Wedding Private Party Product Launch / Promotion Trade Show / Exhibitions
Additional Information
5 million dollar Liability Insurance
Vulnerable Sector Check on File
Full Time Professional Magician
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