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Naathan Phan has been on the road charming audiences as a member of the latest Masters of Illusion tour. The multi-talented performer is also taking a turn on the small screen. He recently tweeted that he filmed an episode of an upcoming show called Junk Drawer Magical Adventures. The premiere is May 5 on Universal Kids, and Naathan is credited as simply playing himself.

The new show was inspired by a YouTube show titled Junk Drawer Magic, where two young performers teach viewers magic tricks that you can do with everyday objects. Both programs are from DreamWorksTV and star hosts Akira Sky and Walker Satterwhite.

While the YouTube version is pretty much a well-produced magic tutorial series, it seems like the upcoming television series will have a fictional and fantastical bent: the description of the first episode on imdb.com mentions both ghosts and resurrections. But the duo will probably use a mix of magic and MacGyvering to get out of the supernatural shenanigans.

Few people in the world are as charming as Naathan Phan. He chatted with The Aquarian Weekly to talk up his current work on the Masters of Illusion tour, where he’s performing his signature blend of updated classic tricks. Phan also shared the story of his multifaceted creative background and how it helped mold him into the magician he is today:

When I was in high school I started doing musicals, which taught me a lot about stage presence, and how to stand there with people staring at you. I used to do standup comedy, which really teaches you how to handle crowds in a different light than hide behind props, and how to find your voice on stage and use it. I also trained as a writer for several years. I went to the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. It was a fantastic place and I had brilliant teachers, many of whom are New York Times bestselling authors. That is where I learned to find my voice — and my writing, how to create a story. I also had a bit of improv. training so when things go crazy on stage or someone from the audience wants to say something to me on stage or off it, I know how to react.

Watching him on stage, it’s clear that the breadth of his training has paid off. Phan has a keen understanding of how to hook an audience, and that’s as critical a work of magic as any disappearing coin or appearing signed playing card.

Acting will help lead the audience into the world that you are creating. You want the audience to believe the objects are floating through the air. They can’t buy into that. A woman is floating through the air, they can’t buy into that. They can’t suspend their disbelief unless you truly believe that as well.

Read the whole interview here.

Naathan Phan’s had a run of fantastic television appearances lately, from America’s Got Talent to Masters of Illusion and Penn & Teller Fool Us. And if you’re in Buena Park, California on November 30, you can watch him perform his unique blend of magic and comedy over a cocktail or two at Teatro Martini.

From the event page:

Teatro Martini proudly presents “Martinis & Magic,” an evening of cocktails, conjuring, and classic showmanship with TV’s Naathan Phan (America’s Got Talent, Wizard Wars, Tengo Talento Mucho Talento, Masters of Illusion,Hollywood Christmas Parade, Penn and Teller: Fool Us, & more)! Naathan will dazzle and delight you with his signature combination of comedy, sleight-of-hand, psychology, singing, impressions, storytelling, and improvisation on stage, live and in person. See for yourself why people are calling him the most talented magician alive today!

Reservations are currently available, and prices range from $20 for general admission to $35, which includes a plate of appetizers and two free drinks. Call (844) 249-7865 or email sales@teatromartini.com to reserve your spot, or head over to the Facebook event page for more info.

Legendary Hollywood entertainer (and crime-solving doctor) Dick Van Dyke is hosting a fundraiser November 4, 2017 to benefit the launch of the Dick Van Dyke Foundation for the Performing Arts. Lucky attendees will be treated to an evening of music, magic, and general whimsy at the Garner Holt Productions animatronic factory in San Bernadino, California.

Hosted by Tom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars), the fundraiser will include musical performances by Broadway star Michael Leon Wooley (Disney’s The Princess and the Frog), a magic act by Naathan Phan (America’s Got Talent), a closing musical number by Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastix, along with a handful of other surprises.

General admission tickets are available at the fundraiser’s Eventzilla page for $250, which includes a self-guided tour of the factory, admission to the event, and access to the silent auction.