20+ years full time 200+ schools every year
School Assemblies & Library Shows
Middle School Assemblies
NY · PA · OH · CT · MA · NJ $500 guarantee, never claimed
20+ years full time 200+ schools every year
School Assemblies & Library Shows
Middle School Assemblies
NY · PA · OH · CT · MA · NJ $500 guarantee, never claimed
A 60-minute hands-on magic workshop for ages 9 to 15. They learn six real tricks, keep everything they need to perform them, and get pointed at the sections of your library that let them go further.
Looking for a program that genuinely grabs young adults? This is that program.
If you have looked at other pages on this site you may have noticed I am a bit obsessed with magic. It started as a goofy hobby my mother did not understand — and still does not — and turned into a fun and creative way to make a living.
While plenty of people dismiss magic, the truth is that it promotes creativity, patience and problem-solving. And children ask me to teach them after every single show. So I finally built the workshop they kept asking for.
Here is the part that matters to a librarian: because the workshop is so interactive, the very nature of it stimulates further reading. A young person who has just learned a trick wants to learn ten more, and the place those live is your shelves.
They come for the secrets. They stay because you have three shelves on the subject and nobody had ever pointed at them.
Not the main event — just enough to show them what the skill looks like when it is done well, and to earn their attention.
Beginning-level, properly taught. Not just the secret, but how to perform it — which is the part most people skip and the part that makes the difference between a trick and a performance.
A brief history of magic and the people who shaped it, plus the psychology and stagecraft behind it — and the specific places in your library where they can learn more.
There are summer program performers and authors who do not quite live up to their promotional material. Some are genuinely good at their skill but not nearly as good at teaching it. Those are different abilities.
It takes something specific to not merely hand a group of eleven-year-olds the information, but to make sure they understand it and can actually use it before they walk out of the room. That is what this workshop is designed around, and it is why the tricks chosen are the ones that survive a nervous first performance in front of a sibling.
“We have had Cris perform at our library two times now, and he’s always a hit! I have received numerous patron comments about how much they enjoyed his performance. One of the great things about Cris is that he has multiple shows – so the material he performed most recently was completely different from what was in his previous show. In addition to putting on a great show, Cris is super-easy to work with. He’s friendly, courteous, and easy to communicate with. I know I can count on Cris to be on time and well-prepared. I definitely recommend scheduling Cris for your next event!”
Amy HollandChildren’s Services Librarian
Irondequoit Public Library Rochester, New York
“Hi Cris, all the participants had nothing but good things to say about the program and they loved the take-home magic trick. Staff could hear the laughter of the audience all the way out at the reference desk and I believe that is the mark of a successful program. We look forward to having you again.”
Jennifer VillaLibrarian
Julia Boyer Reinstein Library Cheektowaga, NY
“The audience enjoyed your interactive and funny magic show. It was suitable for younger and older (adult) patrons, everyone thought the show was amazing. All of the magic books we put on display were checked out after the program. The show was amazing, awesome and we would love to have you back again.”
Tanya TaylorChildren’s Librarian
Geneva Public Library Geneva, NY
Yes. Everything needed to perform all six tricks is theirs to take home, which is the difference between a workshop they enjoyed and a skill they still have next month.
Nine is about where the manual dexterity and the patience arrive at the same time. Younger children love watching but get frustrated trying, and frustration spreads through a workshop quickly. Fifteen is the top end because above it they would rather learn from a screen than in a room, which is a battle nobody wins.
A power outlet, somewhere for the group to sit, and roughly 10 feet by 10 feet. I bring my own tables, PA system, microphone and every material the program uses. Nothing needs to be ordered or borrowed.
About 30 minutes, and I arrive with enough margin that a difficult parking situation or a locked side door never becomes your problem.
For a workshop the practical limit is how many you can seat with elbow room — everyone is working with their hands. Thirty is comfortable and more is possible. Tell me your expected numbers and I will bring materials for more than that, because a workshop where somebody misses out is worse than no workshop at all.
My regular library area is roughly a three-and-a-half hour circle around Niagara Falls — Western New York out toward the Finger Lakes, plus parts of Pennsylvania. Further is possible when several libraries in a system book within a concentrated span of days, and that works out cheaper for each of them rather than more expensive.
Yes, and it is the most economical way to do it. Two programs at one branch, or one each at two branches in the same system, share the travel between them. System coordinators are often surprised how much difference it makes.
Summer fills first and fills completely — in recent years I have had to turn libraries away because the calendar was already gone. For a summer reading slot, ask earlier than feels necessary. The rest of the year is a good deal more relaxed.
Yes, fully insured, and I will send a certificate the same day you ask. Most library systems need one on file before a purchase order can be raised.
I bring everything, including all the props each attendee keeps. Set-up takes about 30 minutes and I need roughly 10 feet by 10 feet plus somewhere for the group to sit and work.
If you are unhappy with the program for any reason you receive a full refund, plus $500 donated to your library. In more than 20 years, nobody has ever taken me up on it.
Tell me your dates, your grade levels and what you are trying to accomplish, and I will come back with real answers — not a brochure.
Prefer to talk? (716) 940-8963
No obligation and no sales call — you get program information and a real answer from me, usually the same day.
Cris Johnson's Amazing School Assemblies · Niagara Falls, NY ·
(716) 940-8963
Serving New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts & New Jersey