Popular New York magician Patrick Davis ’11 brings his show — along with some insights into skepticism — to his alma mater of Transylvania University later this month.
On Sept. 21 at 4 p.m, Davis will speak at this year’s Academic Convocation on the topic “Ethical Deceptions: How Skepticism Has Guided Magicians in the War on Frauds, Cheats and Charlatans.” The next evening at 7, he will perform a free, public magic show titled “Thinking Like a Magician: A Skeptic’s Guide to How Magic Works.” Both events are in Haggin Auditorium.
Davis, who’s one of Manhattan’s most sought-after magicians, performs regularly at Speakeasy Magick and is a magic consultant for television and stage. He also came up with and produces the puzzle-focused Society of Conjurers And Magicians (SCAM).
His upcoming visit to Transylvania kicks off the university’s 2023-24 Creative Intelligence series, which will explore the theme “Skeptical Odysseys: Through a Glass Darkly.”
Professor Greg Partain, director of Creative Intelligence, noted how the series will be an odyssey through skeptical inquiry. “Guided by inquisitive leaders in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences — thinkers who dare to question — the journey will surely deliver surprises as well as insights.”
Davis, a theater major who has previously performed at Transylvania, was spotlighted by the university back when he was getting his start in the Big Apple. “My training as an actor at Transylvania helps me exude a kind of charm that puts people at ease and lets them have fun with the magic, rather than just showing them something to be awed by,” he said.