Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon and Hannah Wagster.
Hi Brandon and Hannah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I (Brandon) have been interested in magic since I was 6 years old after receiving a magic kit from my mom and dad for Christmas. I grew up in Columbia, SC. At that point in my life, I was acting on stage in community theatre, auditioning for movies, tv shows, commercials, and print work, plus beginning to start doing small shows for family. By the age of 11, I was doing magic tricks and balloon animals at a local restaurant one night a week. By 16 I knew that was where my future was headed. Performing magic full time. I was still working a restaurant on the weekends, doing birthday parties, school, and church events, going to magic competitions through the southeast, placing and winning at several, and starting to perform in smaller theatre venues in the state with other magicians and by myself.
Hannah and I met in 2009 and within a few months we started dating. Within the first few months, my stage assistants and I parted ways. In a rush to find a new assistant I reluctantly gave Hannah a chance. After the first rehearsal, I knew we were golden. Even during a season of being broken up, Hannah stuck around and continued to do shows all over the state. From 2010-2012 we traveled to Las Vegas for magic competitions, performed for 2 large magic conventions, all while continuing to fine-tune our shows performing for all kinds of events throughout South Carolina, and performing twice at a local community theatre to sold-out crowds.
In 2012 the opportunity to relocate to Myrtle Beach from Columbia presented itself. We moved there that summer and did 3 months at a, now closed, theatre venue. It was 900 seats, and our average audience size was 15 people. After leaving there we struggled for 2 years working anywhere we could. In 2013 we tied the knot and later that year decided to rebrand our show to be equal billing, putting Hannah and I as equal partners onstage and not just magician and assistant. We went from The Magic of Brandon Wagster to The Wagsters. In 2014 we got a call from The Carolina Opry here in Myrtle Beach, and from September 2014-March 202o we did 850 performances in a variety of shows held there including our own featured show that we called “Pure Magic”. Since the start of the pandemic, we are no longer a part of The Carolina Opry. It was time for a new chapter and new challenges. Where will we end up next? Only time and fate will tell.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not!
We are a married couple working together 24/7.
When we moved to Myrtle Beach, we were children and had no clue about anything.
Our first residency here ended after 3 months because we couldn’t sell tickets and were fired.
We essentially lived in poverty for 2 years working odd jobs, trying to book shows, and just survive.
Getting people to take a magic show seriously and realize that it isn’t just for children and that it’s a serious art form.
Even at The Carolina Opry, we were sharing the stage with 30 other talented artists, and 3 other shows. Staying motivated to work around busy schedules of rehearsals and planning shows all while learning to negotiate and work with other industry professionals who had never been involved in a magic show before.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are Illusionists. We perform large-scale stage magic with a theatrical flair. In our show you will see Hannah cut in half, float in the air, vanish, and reappear. We do everything from sleight of hand magic and comedy to mind reading and escapes. All of this is wrapped up in stories from our personal lives and the opportunity to get to know us better and help our audience escape their reality and experience wonder for an hour or so.
In 2011 I competed against 40 of the best young magicians from around the world in Las Vegas, was named the 3rd Best Teenage magician in the world. I was also the first and only magician from South Carolina to ever place in the competition.
In 2020 we were award magic’s highest honor, The Merlin Award, from The International Magicians Society. The Merlin is the equivalent to the Oscar, The Tony, and The Emmy in the world of magic. We were honored with “Best Theatrical Magic Production”.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the latest news, projects, and where we will be performing next. We also do magic consulting for theatrical productions such as stage plays and musicals.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@wagstermagic.com
- Website: www.wagstermagic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thewagstersmagic
- Facebook: facebook.com/thewagstersmagic
- Youtube: youtube.com/thewagstersmagic
Image Credits
No Fear Photography
Nateographer
Katie Shuler
Russell Adair
