How See Magic Live Vets Its Magicians: The Standards Behind Our Philadelphia Roster

Every magician who performs at a Philadelphia event through See Magic Live has been vetted by our founder, Kostya Kimlat. Kostya fooled Penn & Teller on Fool Us and has performed in hundreds of cities on five continents, so he judges performers the way a working peer would. Here is what he looks for, and what every performer agrees to before joining the roster.

Skill Gets a Performer Considered

Kostya starts with the magic itself. Is the sleight of hand clean at arm’s length, with a guest watching the performer’s hands? Does the material hold up for a skeptical adult audience? Does each set build toward a strong finish? A polished video can hide a lot, and Kostya has performed in enough live rooms to tell a good showreel from a performer who can carry a real crowd.

Skill gets a performer considered. The rest of this list decides whether they stay.

Character: Someone You Want in the Room

Our standards ask for performers who are excellent magicians and good people to have at your event. That means warmth with guests, respect for the people who volunteer, and sound judgment about what a particular audience will enjoy. The magician at your event represents you in front of your guests, and we choose people who take that seriously.

Professionalism: The Work Around the Magic

Every See Magic Live performer agrees to a written set of team standards that Kostya created. They cover everything that happens around the performance:

• Material chosen for your specific audience. A corporate gala and a bar mitzvah get different acts.
• A pre-show checklist completed before every event, from props to running order.
• Attire suited to your occasion.
• Planned, reliable transportation, because arriving on time is part of the job.
• Homework before arrival: who your contact is, what the schedule looks like, who the guests are, and what a successful event means to you.

Because the roster works as a team, we make every effort to find a replacement if a booked performer becomes ill, and anyone we send meets the same standards.

Development: Giving and Taking Blunt Feedback

Years ago, while lecturing in Spain, Kostya noticed a difference in the magic clubs there. In the United States, magicians tended to applaud each other’s acts whatever the quality. The Spanish magicians told each other exactly what was working and what was not, and their acts improved because of it.

Kostya brought that approach home. Every performer who joins See Magic Live agrees to give and receive direct feedback from the rest of the team. Performers review each other’s work, name what falls flat, and push each other to fix it. Openness to feedback is one of the qualities Kostya screens for, and he invests in the ongoing development of the performers on the roster.

What This Means for Your Philadelphia Event

When you book through PhiladelphiaMagicians.com, the vetting has already happened. You tell us about your audience, venue, and goals, and we recommend a performer whose strengths fit them. Read the short version on our how we vet page, meet the performers on our Philadelphia roster, or request a magician for your date.