"If you've ever encountered Brad Henderson in an on-line discussion, you'll know that he has very strong opinions, and is not afraid to express them emphatically. If you see him perform, you'll realize that he backs up everything he says: Brad walks the walk, to the benefit of his audiences."- Max Maven

"Brad Henderson has shown me, time and time again, how much he truly cares about magic. He bestows that care upon his students so that you can learn from the inside out what makes a trick… magic." - Steve Cohen

 “I have known Brad for over 25 years few magicians in the world can match his abilities. He is one of the deepest thinkers in magic today. Not only does he know his history and theory, but is a masterful performer who can engage and hold an audience with intelligent and thoughtful magic.” - Jeff Mcbride

"Brad Henderson has been in the Inner Circle of top flight magicians for decades. Most of his time is spent out of sight of the magic community because he’s either performing or creating miracles for paying audiences. Brad is one of the most knowledgeable magicians I know. A perfectionist in both performance and method. When Brad talks, I listen. When he publishes such as his incredible book "The Dance" I read. If I see him performing I watch. All I can say is don’t miss this opportunity to witness and learn the real secrets from of one of our very best."-  Bob Kohler

"Brad Henderson, has been instrumental in my understanding of performance, presence and magic. Those lessons he teaches are always displayed whenever he performs. Now is your chance to learn a deeper form of magic!"- Marcus Eddie

What will he teach? 

The Soiree-
This show was designed for small groups around a table. It is a theatrically intimate experience relying heavily on the personality of the group. The show is structured to meet the audience on its own terms and gradually open them to the possibility of experiencing “real magic.” It is a close up show, where the performer is right in the mix with the guests. I most often perform this show after dinner when the guests clear the table and we all gather around. The show is a perfect fit for small close up magic dedicated spaces like the Close Up room at the magic castle.

A Demonstration of Skill- Play it Straight Triumph
Closer to Magic- Copper Silver Transposition
The Birthday Diary
My Least Favorite Trick- Gadabout Coins aka Two in the Hand
The Bunnies- Sponge bunnies
Chop Cup
Sandsational- (Performance Only)Theory

Who is he?

Brad Henderson has been a student of magic for his entire life and has been a professional, working magician since his high school days in Frankfort, Ky. Though specializing in sleight of hand magic and mind reading, Brad has explored nearly every branch of the Mystery Arts and has gained a reputation for being one of magic’s most vocal defenders and critics.

Brad has been teaching magic for over 26 years, specializing in lessons for amateurs and interested non-magicians. His book, The Dance, is considered one of the most important texts ever written on the art of Cold Reading, his Satanic Book Test was hailed as a comedy Tour de force, and his limited release lecture notes remain in high demand.

He has written for MAGIC, Genii, MUM, and the Linking Ring as well as numerous other small magic publications. He has consulted on and contributed to numerous projects including The Michael Ammar Easy to Master Card and Money series, The Complete Cups and Calls, Bob Farmer’s Bammo Ten Card Dossier, Jon Racherbaumer’s M.O., ABC Family’s Exploring the Unexplained, Mattel’s line of Harry Potter Magic Toys, the MIT Blackjack Team, TLC’s Mysterious World of Alain Nu, History Channel’s Lost Magic, and was a noted participant in the recent Our Magic documentary. He was a facilitator for Jeff McBride’s Mystery School and currently enjoys the challenge of bringing a magician’s perspective to various industries through his customized talks and interactive experiences. Brad makes his home in Austin, TX surrounded by his collection of things strange and unusual.

While Brad is an accomplished performer and event designer – having performed at and produced events from places as remote as a secret Russian air force base to a centuries old Chalet outside of Paris – he is perhaps best known for his analytical (and argumentative) approach to thinking about magic as an art form. He hopes to share some of the theories and strategies which underlie his approach to creating an act so that magicians throughout the world may better realize their own creative visions, allowing them better to convey unique feelingful response to their audiences, whomever and wherever they may be.

Where can you see the greatest creators and performers share their professional magic act in front of a live audience and then teach you to do it? Only Penguin LIVE: ACTS!

 

The world's best magicians spend years developing the perfect act. Magic fans almost never get a chance to learn the real secrets behind what makes the top pros act so amazing. Until now. Penguin Live Acts gives you exclusive access to the biggest names in the industry, as they share how to perform their powerful A-material.

First you'll get to watch the show, performed for a real audience, from start to finish. Then you'll go behind the scenes to learn about the routines, and the real secrets about building an act that can take decades to learn.

Many of the ideas shared have been held back for years, and you can only learn it at Penguin LIVE: ACTS!