List your services
Log In
Overview
I am a member of the Hollywood Magic Castle and have been performing for over 20 years. I offer a variety of services from children's shows to corporate events, strolling magic to stage mentalism. All of my shows are fun, interactive, and loaded with audience participation.
Give your guests the gift of eye-popping, mind-blowing, highly impactful magic!! Fun for all ages!
Choose 'Richard The Magician' for adults (13 and up) or 'California Joe' for children (12 and younger).
My goal is to make your life easier. That means being punctual, getting all of my paperwork in on time, easy setup and breakdown, I provide my own tables and sound system, and your guests will be treated like royalty!!
15 Reviews
Show was great and kids loved it! Would definitely recommend and book him again myself!
Comedy Magician
California Joe was a big hit in my daughter’s 6th birthday party. He is so good at interacting with kids and accommodating party theme. Kids absolutely love his performance! I would definitely consider him in my next kids event.
Children’s Party Magician
Photos from this event
Richard did a great job. Highly entertaining for both adults and kids at our party. Would highly recommend him!
Magician
Richard brought joy and amazement to my husband’s 40th birthday party! Kids of all ages had a blast. We’ll be recommending him to everyone we know. Thank you, Richard!
Magician
Richard the magician (California Joe) was very professional and did a great show for my son's birthday party. I was really impressed by how complete the show was including music, props and the show itself. We picked the Dino magic show and it turned out to be really cool, everyone had a great time including the grown ups!
Children’s Party Magician
Photos from this event
We were celebrating a milestone birthday for a grand gal who didn't want too much fuss. Enter Richard! He was engaging, entertaining, and respectful! He brought our guests and guest of honor so much happiness, kids and adults alike! Would definitely recommend him and hire him hire him again.
Strolling/Close-up Magician, Magician
Professional, on time and great with the kids.. the kids loved the show!
Children’s Party Magician
California Joe was upfront and honest, not to mention, very, very punctual with communications. Kids loved him! If you're in need of a Magician, look no further.
Children’s Party Magician
Very disappointing. There’s so much I don’t know where to start. Before booking I asked him SPECIFICALLY if he has ever worked with special needs toddlers. He said he has. I told him my granddaughter is autistic and so will be other toddlers that will be attending . He reassured me he has worked with Special Needs. Mind you. It is a 4 and 5 year old-birthday party. He came and started and could NOT get anyones attention not even the adults. I paid for a magician. I didn’t receive that. He talked about pharaohs. WTH!!!! He did a ball over a cup and asked the kids I swear so many times where was the ball that they gave up. It was toooo many times. It was unnecessary. I mean the adults were like come on. What’s happening here? Then he showed pictures of animals. Made no sense and then made a loud animal noise in the speaker that the kids with sensory issues covered their ears. My granddaughter got up and asked me if she can leave and go play. No one understood whatever he was talking about that we were so livid. I told him to just pack up and leave. There was 15-20 minutes left. Not to mention he was so rude to my husband and another guest that had to pass by him. This man did NOT deliver what I paid for. VERY UNHAPPY!!!!!
Children’s Party Magician
Response from Magic Makers Entertainment:
Juana, I'm so sorry you're disappointed with my services. You mentioned to me that you were disappointed with the last entertainer you hired and I was hoping to do better. I sent you a full refund. All the kids were saying how much they loved the show as I was leaving. One little said I was the best magician she'd ever seen. I had no idea yoi were unhappy. It's clear that I wasn't a good fit for your party and I'm genuinely sorry for that. In my 20 years of performing I have done hundreds for children on the autism spectrum. I did the best I could under the circumstances. Everything I did was to help ensure the kids could stay engaged and have a good time. Even though it ended a little early (which can happen when performing for children with special needs) I did offer to stay and perform close up magic for the adults to fill in the rest of time (which was really about 10 minutes because I started early). Having the waterslide going right behind the kids also made it difficult to hold their attention, especially with the noise. Even with all that, the kids still had a good time and your granddaughter got to come up and help with the tricks. As for the content of my show, talking about Pharaohs and such, it is an explorer theme. I talking about ancient Egypt, juggle animals, and magic from around the world part of that theme. As for the "loud animal noise," it was my elephant impression which the kids asked me to repeat. Then I taught them to do it and an elephant appeared on the front page of my sketchbook, which your granddaughter got to keep. Most people consider my show as a unique take in the birthday party experience. A standard magician might be a better fit for your next part. As for me being rude, I honestly don't know what you're referring to and would be happy to discuss it with you. I hope the refund helps.
Best magician we've ever hired! I would highly recommend California Joe! The kids and Adults had a great time.
Comedy Magician
The kids and adults loved his show! He kept 30+ kids entertained plus their parents.. He was funny and made the kids laugh while keeping them excited with the interesting tricks he was doing. He gave special attention to my twins since it was their birthday and made them feel really good! The kids LOVED the balloon twisting too! I had many parents come up to me to compliment me on the show. I definetely recommend him!!
Arts/Entertainment Speaker, Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Magician, Comedy Magician, Magician
Photos from this event
California Joe did a great job. I hired him on the theory that when you're putting together a children's party, it's better to look for someone who focuses on magic shows for children (as opposed to a standard magician who scales down an adult magic show). California Joe has an excellent rapport with young children. My child (who is five) thought his jokes were hilarious and was completely amazed by his magic tricks. The balloon twisting was fun, too, and was worth the relatively small extra charge.
He was also very easy to work with in making the arrangements. He responded promptly and courteously every time I had a question, and I appreciated his flexibility. He showed up exactly at the time he said he would.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Magician
California Joe was great with the kids, very professional, communicated with me thoroughly in planning for the event, flexible with the setup in our home, and punctual! We chose the science magic show since my 10 year old daughter loves both science & magic. California Joe was very informative, teaching the kids about science while also showing them a lot of neat tricks. All of the kids had a blast! I would not hesitate to recommend him to my friends & family!
Children’s Party Magician
This was my first Blue & Gold celebration and my first time planning it! I decided to go with a magic theme but wanted to stay with a more nature inspired motif rather than black top hats, deck of cards and lights. I set out to find a magician and came across California Joe a Magical Adventure. He fit the part perfectly! He had tons of positive reviews. I reached out to him and found out he was a Boy Scout! He could not be more perfect! He stayed in contact with me until the day of the event, was professional and supportive. The event could not have gone better! He was a hit! So I was a hit! He was fun, approachable, funny and magical! The kids and parents loved him. I received so many complements for his performance. Thank you Joe for helping make a memorable experience for our pack!
Children’s Party Magician
Richard did a great job entertaining our guests at our annual holiday party. His close up magic was very entertaining and wow'ed everyone who had a chance to see. We highly recommend that you book Richard if you ever need a strolling magician that can entertain a large amount of people.
Strolling/Close-up Magician
Booking Info
Price Range: $325+
Gig Length: 30 - 120 minutes
Languages: English
Insurance: $1,000,000 - Special event insurance
What to Expect
When I developed California Joe, I made the decision to respect the children's intelligence and find ways to perform the same type of magic I would for adults at the Magic Castle. I essentially took my corporate act and put a new skin on it. The real difference between performing for children and performing for adults isn't in the tricks I perform, it's the fact that kids don't want to "watch" a magic show, they want to be "in" a magic show. Knowing this has allowed me to perform very similar effects but in a fun, colorful way.
The other advantage of adapting magic effects designed for mature audiences for children is that it allows the adults in the room to enjoy the show too. I think of it as the "Disney factor:" children will enjoy it on one level and adults will enjoy it on a completely different level!
What I feel sets me apart as 'Richard The Magician' are the painstaking efforts I put into finding the most impactful magic and mentalism effects one can perform. Every effect can be a show closer!!
I also went to great efforts in both of my personas to be inclusive and respectful. My philosophy is if you can't be funny without offending someone, then you simply can't be funny.
About
Greetings! I am 'Richard The Magician' (ages 13+), but the kids know me as 'California Joe: The Explorer Magician' (12 and younger)!! I am a member of the Hollywood Magic Castle and have been performing for over 20 years. I have two theatre degrees which have served me well as a magician. My education has given me the skills necessary to create highly impactful performances and my years as a professional working magician have taught me how to best serve the needs of my clients. I want you to feel as though hiring me was the best decision you've ever made!
Why two personas? The obvious reason is because children respond much better to a softer, colorful character rather than a guy in a suit. It also helps to avoid brand confusion. I have two separate websites with different color schemes and art styles. It is no different than any other corporation with multiple brands. I have both of my personas mixed here on Gigsalad because I don't really have much of a choice. I feel it would be more confusing to have multiple profiles.
Some more history: I incorporated my business in 2003 as Magic Makers Entertainment. Originally from the state of Florida, I moved to Southern California in 2014 and became a magician member of the Hollywood Magic Castle in 2015. Also in 2015 is when I developed the character of 'California Joe: The Explorer Magician.' One of my mentors told me to "dress for the job you want." So, I started dressing like a version of Indiana Jones who can perform magic tricks!! LOL
Additional Booking Notes
I am completely self contained with a portable, wireless, PA system and my set of is fast. All that I require is a 6 by 4 foot playing space and a smiling, happy audience.