On Friday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., Northwestern will have the pleasure of having a free performance by magician John Michael Hinton. It will be held at Christ Chapel and is co-sponsored by NW and the Orange City Arts Council.
Doors open for NW students at 7 p.m. and for the community at 7:10 p.m. Masks are required, and capacity is limited to 50% due to COVID-19. No ticket reservations are necessary.
Hinton is best known for his featured performance on CW’s hit show “Penn and Teller: Fool Us” in which aspiring magicians try to impress the seasoned illusionists Penn and Teller with tricks that they themselves are unable to duplicate. Penn and Teller commented that Hinton “completely blows away” his audience.
“I am excited to see someone on the top of the field that fooled the great magicians Penn and Teller,” said junior Noah Kryfka. “Penn and Teller are some of the best magicians out there. If he can fool them, I want to see him.”
In addition to CW, Hinton has also performed for networks ABC and NBC. He has traveled to Christian-focused businesses like Thrivent Financial, Humelake Christian Camps, Upward Sports and Chick-fil-A. Hinton has even performed for Disney.
His tagline boldly pronounces that Hinton is a speaker, magician and redhead. He applies illusion, storytelling, humor and magic while using everyday objects to astound and amaze his audience. To help the audience, there will be a close-up camera projection shown during the performance so that every audience member can connect with Hinton and catch a glimpse of the magic.
According to his website, he is “driven by a passion to encourage people to embrace joy and find purpose.” His hope is that people will be happier having seen his shows and that he will have made an impact, even if only to one person.
When not on the road for shows, Hinton spends his free time “sharing large cups of black tea” with his wife and “wrestling on the floor with his three children.” He also enjoys the little things in life like “In’N’Out burgers, ice-cold root beer, a good suspenseful movie and family trips to Disneyworld.”
“I am excited because I would love to gain a greater appreciation for magic and what it’s all about and the way that it is practiced,” said senior Cole Verbrugge. “When I think about magic, it’s not just about magic; it’s about enjoying the work of another person.”
