Vegas-style magic show presented
Joining the family area of this year’s 48th annual Fayette County Fair are the International Stars of Magic, David and Kathie Haines, who entertain crowds with their show three times a day. “We try to target our show for the entire family and do a range of tricks that entertain everyone young and old. It’s really a Vegas-style show,” said David Haines, who stars as the lead magician in the act.
Haines said that he got his start in the magic business at a young age and that it eventually evolved into its present day format.
“I’ve been in magic my whole life. I started out just doing birthday parties and school shows. It grew from there and the rest is all history,” Haines said.
The Haines have also been frequent performers at resorts such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas. But he said they also enjoy performing at county fairs as well.
“It’s a good opportunity for the public to see the illusions live and up close. It plays really well at a fair like this,” Haines remarked, adding that this was the duo’s second trip to the Fayette County Fair.
Throughout their regular show, the Haines also try to involve audience members as much as possible. Chris Layman, of Lemont Furnance, was one the lucky audience members selected to help the couple during a recent show.
“It was a lot of fun being up there. It was really great,” said the Layman, 12, who assisted the magicians with a rope illusion in the middle of their act.
Haines said that involving the audience in his show is integral to its popularity and success.
“We always try to involve the audience. It gives them the chance to be the star of the show for awhile,” Haines said.
The couple performs a wide variety of illusions throughout the half-hour show, including a spectacular grand finale involving an escape from a chained box.
“The finale is dedicated to the great Harry Houdini,” Haines said.
For at least one of the audience members, the couple provided inspiration for a possible career choice. Eight-year-old Smithfield native Jacob Proud said that he would like to entertain audience himself someday with magic tricks.
“I have been learning a couple magic tricks right now,” Proud said, adding that he was a veteran of magic shows, even at his young age.
“I have seen a lot of magic shows and I really like magic a lot,” Proud remarked.
The International Stars of Magic are a free show performed daily at 4:15, 6:15, and 8:15 p.m. in the Family Area of the fair.