Andrew Brindley is a magician with 10 years of experience on his back. The junior architecture major became fascinated with magic and illusion when he went on a cruise at the age of 12.
"I saw a magician on a cruise ship, and thought that it would be a great way to meet people," Brindley said. "I practiced and ended up going on another cruise and doing all my magic from the ship."
Brindley started performing at the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines when he met the cruise directors and did magic tricks for them. Now he performs with small crowds when he is on board.
"It's a lot of walking around with magic and interacting with people as they are starting to come and go from shows that are offered [on the ship]," he said. "I also do tricks when they are embarking and coming back on the ship."
As Brindley became more familiar with his tricks and illusions, he began performing on stage in the Broad Ripple Village in Indianapolis, Housing and Residence Life programs and open mic nights at University Program Board events.
Street magic involves pen and card tricks with little risks, but Brindley is also an escape artist who does grand illusions. He has someone tie a 100-foot rope around him where he must escape without damage to the rope. There are other dangerous tricks he does as well.
"I have an underwater trick where I'm tied down in 75 pounds of chains, locks and shackles and thrown into a pool," Brindley said. "I have one breath and have four [to] five minutes to escape."
Sarah Peters, a junior in art education, started going to a magic shop in Nashville, Ind. with her brother when she was 8 years old. The owner would show them how to do a magic trick once they purchased an item.
"He would take us behind this curtain and show us how it was done," Peters said. "He would tell us that we couldn't tell anyone how to do this, that I'm officially a part of the magician's code."
Once Peters came to college, she started doing open mic nights because a friend suggested it as a joke. At these events, she was on stage for five minutes and performed tricks she did for people at parties.
Dustin Hoffman, a junior public speaking major, met Peters outside of Be Here Now when she mentioned that she was a magician.
"I was so enthused that we had a student magician in Muncie, and I asked her to come to open our show at Doc's [Music Hall]," Hoffman said.
Peters' performance at Doc's Music Hall was her second show.
"For her second show, she held herself well in front of an audience," Hoffman said. "She approaches an audience like she would engage with people."
What Hoffman said he really enjoys about Peters is the comedy she puts into her magic.
"My tricks are easy and childish, which makes it fun for me," Peters said. "I do it as a joke."
Before she does a trick, Peters warms up the audience to simple jokes such as knock-knock jokes. A few giggles later, the audience applauds as an illusion takes place before their eyes.
Peters said she thinks magic fascinates people because it is surreal.
"You think you know how things work, but once you see an illusion, it makes you think differently," she said. "Some people won't sleep till they figure it out."
Brindley has a similar theory.
"We live in a world where you can find anything on Google," he said. "When someone can perform the impossible, it makes you question the reality of your own life. It gives you inspiration to push through."
Brindley said performing magic and illusions is like a drug for him.
"I know it's clich+â-¬ to say, but the look on people's faces when you have just succeeded is amazing," he said "You're constantly trying to push yourself to do something more difficult. The more you challenge yourself, the more there are reward incentives. I find the balance and edginess - always being so close to failure but succeeding in that challenge - to be extremely rewarding."
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