by Eric Hiett

It is almost time for Rogue Festival again–it will be taking place March 6-14 in the Tower District of Fresno. This week we are posting the last of the Performer Preview articles. This year we have added a special category where you will be able to find all of our Rogue Festival articles. During Rogue we will be reviewing shows as usual, and we also have a Rogue Festival event page with more information!

At the age of 7, I, Eric Hiett, became fascinated with magic. Owning a couple books, I was able to put a show together to perform before some friends in the neighborhood. My first real show was when I was twelve and in the eighth grade and performed before the entire school. Everything went wrong and ended up more as a comedy show than a magic show. I continued practicing magic and when I entered college, I was performing before fraternities, sororities, and other college organization.

After I graduated, I joined a nonprofit Christian organization, Campus Crusade for Christ. My first assignment was joining the staff of Andre Kole, a world-renowned magician. He would use his magic to draw people to his show, and later share his testimony about his relationship with Jesus. I was one of his stagehands as we performed on college campuses throughout the United States. During our travels, Andre taught me much about magic.

After two years working with Andre, I started performing shows at high school assemblies, churches, and college campuses. Later I traveled with Campus Crusade for Christ overseas, performing magic in the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia. I had the opportunity to perform several shows on Pier 39 in San Francisco. Following, I took a break and it was until just recently that I joined the Fresno Magic Club and began again to perform magic. As a member I have performed at the Boys and Girls Club each year during the holidays and at the Moravia Winery each summer on a designated Friday night anytime from May to September entertaining families. I find it a great privilege to make people laugh, puzzled, and mystified. This is my first time performing in the Rogue Festival.

My show is unique as it blends the various forms of magic to make a very unique presentation. It consists of mentalism that allows me to read thoughts, control minds, or predict events, and classical magic that includes levitation, transformation, penetration, and restoration. I enjoy using water in my effects as it is difficult to manage because of its unique properties.

The Magic of Eric will be performing at the Spectrum Art Gallery located on 6098 Olive Street in the Tower District on the following dates, Saturday, March 7, at 1:45 p.m., Sunday, March 8, at 4:15 p.m., and Thursday, March 12, at 7:15 p.m.