PANAMA CITY— With the wave of a magic wand and an “alakazam”, 9-year-old Skylar Ritz made a rabbit appear out of his top hat in front of a full house at Margaret K. Lewis School on Friday.
Skylar got a hearty round of applause from his teachers, classmates and Noah Wells, a master illusionist who paid a visit to give students at the special needs school a well-deserved performance.
“It’s to celebrate their good behavior,” said Principal Lori Hast. “Our expectations for them are that they be successful, optimistic, ambitious and responsible.”
MargaretK. Lewis Schoolis a public school and special education center for students aged 3 to 22 who qualify for services due severe physical and cognitive disabilities.
For Hast, the real magic on Friday was seeing her students rewarded for thriving with the school’s positive behavior support program that teaches special needs students how to manage the challenges of daily living through behavior modification and better communication skills.
The school regularly hosts special events and entertainers to give students something to look forward for their hard work.
“The teachers use it as an incentive,” Hast said. “The students work all month to earn ‘nickels’ by showing us that they’re trying to communicate better. It could be with an electronic board or a gesture or another means appropriate for that student.”
The students had no problem conveying their enjoyment during Wells’ magic show in his second time performing at the school. He said the crowd at Margaret K. Lewis School is not his usual audience and poses unique challenges during his routine that relies heavily on predictable audience participation.
To prepare for his performance, Wells drew on an important piece of advice he heard as a budding magician.
“This morning, I was thinking ‘be a pro, talk slow’,” he said. “I talk very quickly, and I felt like I wanted to slow it down and take more deep breaths.”
He said this technique allows him to relax more during a show and hone in on growing his skills as an illusionist.
“That’s why I jumped on the chance to come back here,” he said. “It makes me a better entertainer.”
Wells is a seasoned magician whose main gig is performing a family friendly Las Vegas-style show several days a week at Gulf World and for guests at the Holiday Inn Resort in Panama City Beach.
He performs with his wife and assistant, Heather Wells.
“She gets sawed in half and levitates in the air,” he said.
The pair incorporates traditional magic tricks with grand illusions, comedy and mentalism to keep audiences guessing.
Wells said he knew he wanted to make his living as a magician since the age of 7 after seeing his first magic show. He said he got a magic set and practiced tricks every day until he got better.
In his teens, Wells got into the business of entertaining as an illusionist by assisting and learning from established magicians in their shows. He started performing magic at Gulf World in 2005 and eventually worked his way up to becoming a main attraction.
“We’re living our dream,” he said.
