Meet Darryl Charles | Magician & Mentalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darryl Charles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darryl, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I think the world is inundated with so much information in this day and age, and a lot of it is negative and stressful. People are looking for a way to just enjoy themselves, if only for a short time. This is why I think that my magic is important to the people I have the honor of performing for. It gives my audiences a chance to leave their hectic lives for a short time and go to a place in their hearts and minds where anything is possible!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As I said, my journey in magic started when I was 9 years old and would watch Chuck Jones the Magic Man on our local channel 13. From the first, I wanted to be that guy! I just knew he had the secrets to real magic and I wanted to know what he knew. 18 years ago I finally got to meet and become friends with Chuck and his wife Jan… Dreams do come true!
I got my first paid gig at the age of 12. It was a birthday party down the street from my house. I did a few tricks and got great reactions. That’s the drug… from that point I wanted to get those reactions and more. And to egg me on even more… I got paid $5.00 (not bad for 1970) and got Cake & Ice Cream to boot! What could better!
My parents, although supportive of my interests, did not think that being a magician was the path I should be pursuing for my vocation. They always said it was a nice hobby, but I should get a “real” job to pay the bills and build a career.
So, magic has always been a part of my life and I performed whenever I could, but I ended up in a couple of other branches of the entertainment business anyway. I am also a musician (that wasn’t my parents plan either) and have performed with many bands over the years for audiences that ranged from several thousand to several… period. My longest run was with my music partner, close friend and fantastic musician, Johnny Walker (no link to the libation… darn), who I created and performed with for 21 years.
During this time I also worked for several post production companies as an audio engineer. 16 of those years with Technicolor and 10 of those 16 in upper and executive management.
When I finally retired in 2022. My wife urged me to finally focus on my childhood dream of performing magic full time.
It was tough at first. Starting this endeavor at my age was a long shot, but with the help from my true friends in the art, I have been able to rapidly hit some of my goals and aspirations. Even though I do many of my shows solo, I have performed with some of the most wonderful magicians in the world. My collaboration with Sharpo on magic events and his Magic/Murder Mysteries has been amazingly fun and has given me new outlets for my magic and my improv skills!

If I had to describe my presentation of magic, I suppose I would put it this way: I love to take my audience on a journey. Each phase of my “show” is a little piece of my life or experiences that I wish to share using magic as my canvas. My shows are very interactive and audience members get to participate directly. As a mater of fact, 80% of my show is with audience members. So they become part of the show and they are the stars! I have been told that my presentation is sophisticated, with a dash of humor and a pound of wonder. Those are very nice words, but I would say that my goal is to take my audience on a journey to a place where anything is possible. Where the worries and pressures from our daily lives can be put aside for the few moments that we have, and we can experience, together, the wonder and amazement that we had when we were young and life was much simpler.

Through all of this, there are two things that I have learned. 1) It is an honor to perform for my audiences. People are investing their hard earned money, with the hope of a return that includes being entertained, experiencing wonder and taking with them an unforgettable memory that they can share with others. I don’t take that lightly or for granted. I want my audience to walk away with a feeling like they have been part of something special… and it is special, because each of them are unique and bring something new and exciting to each performance. 2) You never stop learning, creating and perfecting. Magic is not a destination, it is a lifelong journey that is always evolving.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, the first place I would take them is our home away from home, The Magic Castle. Not only is there the most spectacular magic entertainment (thanks to Mr. Jack Goldfinger, who books all of the acts), but they also have an amazing restaurant with incredible epicurean delights! We might spend one day down at our beautiful beaches and maybe check out the Malibu and/or Santa Monica Pier. If they came in the right season, they would have to go to a Dodger game and have a famous Dodger Dog, an ice cold beverage and a double bag of peanuts! Also, if in season, an evening at the Hollywood Bowl is a must. Add to that a picnic dinner and some wine under the stars and you are in for an evening you won’t want to miss. If they are art lovers, then we would have to spend a day at the Getty Museum and then maybe head into Burbank for a wonderful dinner at The Smokehouse. As Long as we are near Burbank, They may want tot go on one of the studio tours that are offered.
For an elegant dinner, an evening at Lawry’s would be a delight. But if they want a bit of history and a great place to hang out, the original Bob’s Big Boy is the place to stop in Burbank. If they are looking for a true delicatessen and want to see where many big Hollywood deals were sealed… Art’s Delicatessen on Ventura Blvd. is the perfect stop. And of course no trip to SoCal would be complete without a trip to Disneyland!!
This is only the tip of the iceberg! If they are truly my best friends, I would have to make them promise to come back again and again, to soak up the wide variety we have to offer here!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had many mentors and those who have supported, loved and encouraged me over the years. Starting at age 9 when I would watch Chuck Jones the Magic Man on channel 13 in the L.A. area. I have also had the honor of becoming friends with Chuck and his wife Jan in my adult life and he continues to inspire me every day. But there are others who also inspire me and have become friends over the years: Paul Green (mentor, inspiration, teacher and my sponsor when I joined the Academy of Magical Arts), Jeff McBride (mentor, teacher and the one who helped me develop my persona and act), Mark & Nani Wilson (teacher, legends and friends), Richard Burr & Josette (mentor, teacher, inspiration and dear friends), Pop Hayden (mentor, legend, friend and amazing creator), Howard Hamburg (teacher, creator and friend), David Regal (mentor, teacher, inspiration and one of the funniest people I have had the pleasure to meet) and my dear friend Eric “Sharpo” Sharp (dear friend, wonderful actor, fantastic magician and wonderful collaborative inspiration). Most of these wonderful artists & performers I have either met or cultivated relationships with through my 21 years as a member of the Academy of Magical Arts, housed in the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. I also want to mention the most important person, my biggest supporter, inspiration and love of my life, my beautiful wife Kim. She lifts me up when I am down and keeps my grounded when I need to be centered. She is an amazing and beautiful person, inside and out.
There are, of course, dozens and dozens more! Magic puts me in contact with some of the most creative and inventive individuals in the world. I am blessed to know so many that truly inspire me and help me grow in my craft.

Website: darryl@darrylcharlesmagic.com

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