By Matt Merino
Ben Seidman, a highly acclaimed magician and comedian, delivered a performance to remember upon the main stage of Kenan Hall on Jan. 16.
Students could be seen before the main show excitedly gathering together in the Kenan lobby, helping themselves to the various snacks and goodies provided by the WPU Campus Activities Board.
As students neared their seats, they would notice various trinkets and props on stage; a chair, a bag, a box, and a microphone front and center. The interpretation of what was to be done with these props was up to the viewers.
And then the show began.
What followed were a series of mind-bending tricks, almost all of which were involving the audience’s interaction. Many of these tricks were based on an essential theme: fate.
One such trick involved a series of numbers that were solely determined based on what numbers the audience found important, meaning that these numbers were completely random. These numbers, to the audience’s surprise, ended up being the exact serial number for a one dollar bill on stage that Ben Seidman had not touched the entire show.
[pullquote speaker=”Ben Seidman” photo=”” align=”left” background=”on” border=”all” shadow=”on”]What matters to me is the perception in the audience’s mind. So if they feel that moment of amazement even for a moment, I’m conveying what I’m trying to convey[/pullquote]
This trick and many others went to show the expertise in Seidman’s craft of magic. According to Seidman’s website, benseidman.com, he has had many experiences in the field of magic, some of which include directing magic for SVT (Sweden’s biggest TV channel) and designing illusions for Criss Angel on the A&E show Mindfreak.
Seidman’s passion for magic and creating an experience that the audience will never forget largely attributes to his success.
“Tonight I met a girl who said she’s been a fan of mine since she was 10 and that she was having a really rough week, and that I blew her mind that she saw the show and got to meet me,” said Seidman. “When I have moments like that I’m like, ‘Oh yeah that’s why I do it.'”
The robust background and passion of Seidman certainly contributed to the audience’s reactions after the show. Tabitha Barnes, a sophomore at Peace pursuing a major in biology, attended the show.
“I took away from this show that life is always mysterious and that fate basically has its own way of communicating with us,” Barnes said.
Barnes’ observation from the show relates to its main theme of fate. This idea of fate is something that college students may find themselves pondering, trying to figure out if they are on the right path or if they need to pursue a new one.
Seidman has some words of advice for students in this position.
“Live. Do lots of things. Try on lots of hats. Try things that you think you might not like. Do things that scare you. Try to meet people who you wouldn’t have normally tried to meet,” Seidman said. “Put yourselves in as many different situations as you can that allow you to experience life from other perspectives, and eventually your passion will come knocking on your door.”