By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–When veteran magician Jason Bird comes to work his magic in Westport and West Hartford, Conn., he promises an intimate evening of tricks and occurrences that seemingly just can’t be.

A veteran of Las Vegas, television and corporate shows with more than 25 years of experience, Bird will perform his Parlor of Impossibilities six times in Delamar hotels in Westport and West Hartford before the end of the year.

That’s not all. Having moved with his family to Glastonbury, Conn., he is working on establishing a regular presence performing in smaller rooms in the state, the way he has wanted to for some time.

“When we moved out here from Las Vegas, I thought this would be kind of a good time to get this up and running,” he said.

These are not grand performances, like at a corporate show in which he makes a helicopter with a CEO appear on stage. And it’s not close-up, small-group illusions, but the “perfect in-between,” he said.

He presents his sleight of hand, psychological illusion, mind reading and impossible predictions in parlors with a maximum of 60 audience members. In one trick, people in the audience choose items that form a puzzle. Another starts with everyone getting their own deck of cards. 

“I can really look people in the eye, I can ask questions and give feedback,” he said.

He’s even written a book on this type of magic called Strolling for Dollars.

Bird has presented more than 9,000 performances. In addition to headlining in Las Vegas, his television appearances have included NBC, FOX and The CW’s Masters of Illusion, his press release says. His audiences have included Fortune 100 executives, professional athletes, celebrities and royal families.

His scheduled Parlor of Impossibilities shows are: 

Delamar West Hartford, 1 Memorial Road, West Hartford, Conn.

• Oct. 18
• Nov. 15
• Dec. 20

Delamar Westport, 1595 Post Road East, Westport

• Oct. 25
• Nov. 22
• Dec. 13

In each case, the atmosphere is set when audience members walk into a room decked out to evoke bygone days.

“It’s patterned after a Victorian drawing room (with) old Vaudeville magic posters, an old Victrola playing old-timey music when you come into the space,” he said.

He has already done a few single shows since coming to Connecticut. In the Northeast, he enjoys the change of seasons he missed in Las Vegas, that remind him of growing up in Wisconsin.

And he has found the audiences in his new home state to be welcoming.

“Every show that I’ve had (in Connecticut) is sold out,” he said. “It’s a good crowd. I really like the audiences out here.”

Ken Valenti

^{_{A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.}}