Audiences were astounded on Friday, Jan. 13, as the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas welcomed renowned illusionist Craig Karges to the stage. Karges, who is an award-winning entertainer and nationally recognized speaker, as well as an author, stunned his spectators by reading their minds and performing feats, like making a table float, without hesitation.

Early in the show, Karges brought Brandon Bair, a local, to the stage. The audience watched intently as Karges blindfolded himself, with not only a piece of black cloth covering his face, but also five pieces of masking tape and coins covering his eyelids. Everyone in the auditorium observed Karges closely, seemingly full of skepticism, while he spoke of what he planned to do. Still blindfolded, Karges instructed Bair to choose a word, any word, and write it on a white board. In a move that shocked everyone, Karges wrote the same exact word on the board, just below Bair’s own handwriting. Gasps and whispers could be heard throughout the auditorium, but there was still more to come.

Karges continued to pick audience member after audience member from the floor during his two-hour performance. There were moments where volunteers delightedly raised their hands, but at other times, Karges chose individuals himself, as if he were drawn to them for some odd reason.

A woman named Linda stood up and after Karges explained his wife’s nickname was Reese, he asked Linda what that name meant to her. Linda quietly admitted that it was her own last name. How did Karges know?

One of the more involved tricks Karges performed was one that equally surprised the audience. The man on stage chose four individuals at random, asking them to make up an imaginary car, deciding on the model, color, license plate and price. The group finalized the details of their Porsche Cayenne, and like magic, Karges pulled a sealed envelope from within his jacket, tore it open, and Tuscarawas County’s own Megan Sauser read a pen-written note, describing each aspect of the make believe vehicle the audience had picked not five minutes before.

It was almost impossible not to notice the change in the audience as the night went on. In the beginning, applause was soft as everyone attempted to figure out how Karges was accomplishing his feats. By the end of the show, audience members no longer held back their enthusiasm, as they willingly burst into applause and stood to recognize Karges’ obvious talent.

Kent State University at Tuscarawas brought yet another incredible talent to the valley, and audience members noticeably enjoyed their Friday night out at the Performing Arts Center. More shows are to come, and tickets are still available for many, including John Tesh: Big Band Live!, Wynonna and The Big Noise, The Official Blues Brothers Revue, Riverdance, The Pirates of Penzance and many more.