Jamie Masterson Close-Up Magic Lecture at The House of Magic, Glenside PA

On a cool December evening in Glenside, Pennsylvania, The House of Magic - 101 S. Easton Rd, Glenside Pa, 19038 hosts a rare close-up lecture by Jamie Masterson (Jamie Ianocco). The event blends showmanship with practical technique, offering an inside look at sleight-of-hand that thrives in small rooms rather than stadiums.

Masterson’s lecture focuses on working material: cards, coins, balls, dice, and Cups and Balls — the bread-and-butter of intimate conjuring. He brings three decades of close-up performance and authorship to the stage, drawing on training from Vernon, Marlo, and Slydini and mentorship with Jack Carpenter, Allan Ackerman, and Tim Conover. Attendees hear about routines designed for real audiences, and see sequences adapted from his voluminous reference Card Table Artifice for Conjurors, a 450-page collection with over 700 photographs.

The scene here is immediate and tactile: low stage lights, a curtained proscenium, and a room set for general admission seating where spectators become part of the trick. Key features include the lecture’s emphasis on practical handlings at the card table, close-up coin work, and classic Cups and Balls mechanics. The format favors demonstration followed by explanation, so performers and hobbyists leave with actionable methods rather than abstract theory.

Why book this? For students of technique it’s uncommon to find a teacher who straddles both rigorous, published scholarship and commercial performing material. Masterson’s lecture is a bridge between workshop-level detail and audience-ready routines, making it valuable for working magicians and curious fans alike. It’s also one of the few opportunities in the suburban Philadelphia area to see underground-level close-up material in a public forum; the recent GGG Convention in Florida showcased his work to insiders, and this lecture brings that caliber home.

Practical details matter: doors open at 7:00 p.m., the lecture starts at 7:30 p.m., and seating is general admission except for handicap seats. Expect a social crowd of fellow enthusiasts, tangible props you can study at arm’s length, and a compact event that runs like a masterclass crossed with a performance.

The House of Magic sits within a walkable stretch of suburban Glenside where after-show conversations spill into nearby cafes; plan to arrive early to grab a front-row vantage or to mingle with other magicians. Tickets are available at smokeandmirrorstheater.com and at the door; buying in advance for $25 saves you a few dollars versus $30 at the door. Bring a small notebook, keep your phone silent, and leave time to practice afterwards also.