Magic by Brielle
I sat down with the magician Brielle who mixes psychology with magic!
If you know me, you know I love magic. Especially mentalism. Mentalism is a branch of magic that mixes psychology with magic. It puts the psychology into magic but it also puts the magic into psychology! If you know me, you’ll also know that one of my favorite TV shows is Penn & Teller Fool Us. As I was watching the most recent episode, I was blown away by the mentalism of Brielle. She mentioned she had a background in psychology and when I went on her website I saw she is also into musical theatre, improv, and all the awesome things. So I knew I had to reach out to her!
SBK: When did you first get interested in magic?
Brielle: I have always loved watching Magic and I have even learned the occasional card trick for fun. But, that is as far as it went for a long time. The first time I was really interested in Magic was when I moved back from Germany. I was substitute teaching and working for AmeriCorps while waiting for my grad program to start. Some days subbing were rough. I noticed that another sub, Michael T, was really great at gaining the attention and respect of students and I asked him for his secret. He was pretty well known in the community for being THE Magician in town. We hung out after school a few times and he taught me some Magic. He encouraged me, and I think he saw something in me that I didn’t even see at the time. I wish I could have worked with him more, we talked about getting me on stage for a show, but I moved away for grad school. After grad school I moved to Chicago and went to a Magic show where Trent James was headlining. It was like a lightbulb turned on and I knew that is what I was supposed to be doing. Watching how in the moment everyone was, not thinking about their to-do lists or their worries, experiencing child-like wonderment again… it was beautiful. It was therapy. I fell in love. It felt like me. Psychology, Theatre, Science, and so much more. The embers that were there from Michael T had been fully lit. I went up to one of the Magicians after the show and said “I want to be a Magician, take my money,” and I dove in head first.
SBK: Who are some of your favorite Magicians?
Brielle: Oh man, I have so many. I will try to narrow down my list. Penn and Teller are obviously on that list! I have always loved them, and meeting them was so surreal. Michael T has a special place in my heart, of course. Unfortunately, by the time I was all in with Magic and I reached out to him to tell him, I learned that he had passed. I will always be grateful for him, and I wish every day I could share this with him. I also really look up to Eugene Burger. Unfortunately, I never met him, he passed away before I became a Magician. But, I listen to his words, read his books, and talk to those who were close to him.
I really love Justin Willman’s Magic. His Magic and style really resonate with me. He comes across as a regular guy creating absolutely insane Magical moments. I love Derek DelGauldio’s “In & Of Itself”. Watching it changed my life and I strive to create beautiful art like that one day. He is so much more than a Magician, he is a storyteller.
I think Rachel Wax is so badass. She has been one of my favorites from day one. She is so down to earth and I love her Magic so much. Bill Cook and Brent Braun are two Magicians that I really look up to, they have not only personally helped me a lot in my journey, but they also create some amazing Magic.
SBK: How long have you been practicing magic?
Brielle: I don’t like answering this question most days, but I will tell you why I don’t like answering it and then I will answer it! I think when some people find out I am newer to Magic, they write me off. But to me, being a Magician is more than Magic. Magic is so much more than tricks. It is about creating moments and connecting. I have been performing in various ways since I was around 8 or 9 and I have a background in Psychology. I do feel that I have a relevant skill set that I have been cultivating for quite some time. However, I started learning Magic on April 11th, 2022! I have a lot to learn, but the beauty of Magic is that you can’t learn it all and you just get to keep learning and growing.
SBK: What did you do before you became a magician?
Brielle: Hobby-wise, I have always performed in some way. I have played various instruments: Banjo, Violin, Uke. I have done a whole lot of Theatre and I have always loved to sing. I have dabbled in improv as well. Job and career-wise I have been all over the place. My undergrad was in Psychology and German. After graduating I received a Fulbright Scholarship and moved to Germany to teach English. That was supposed to be for a year, but I found a way to stay for five! I worked, traveled, taught, and also got a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. When I moved back to the US, that is when I worked for Americorps and was a substitute teacher, before getting my Master’s in TESOL. I was interested in the program because it allowed me to teach German to students and I wanted to see if academia was right for me… it wasn’t, but that’s okay! After Covid I needed a change of pace and I got a job offer from the publishing company for the books I had been using to teach. I picked up and moved to Chicago. Up until recently I was still working a 9-5 in the city, but since January I have been a full-time Magician!
SBK: That’s awesome! What are some musicals you were in and what roles? (I’m a musical theatre geek!)
Brielle: I was Frenchy in Grease and Belle in Beauty and the Beast in highschool! Outside of musicals, I have played Elizabth Proctor in the Crucible and Queen Maab in Romeo and Juliet (In German… Sheesh that was hard).
SBK: Tell me about your education in psychology.
Brielle: I knew I wanted a career in Psychology starting in highschool. Psychology was my favorite class and I had such a great teacher. In college I never waivered or changed my major, just added the German. When I moved to Germany I wanted to take a few Master’s classes to see how far I would get in a foreign language. I was told that my Bachelor’s degree from the US didn’t count and I would need to make up a few semesters worth of classes. School was essentially free, and I had the time, so I obliged even though I didn’t quite understand how it was fair. However, once I completed those classes, they went back on their word and I had to cut through a lot of red tape to get my promised spot in the program. I’m not sure whether I am proud or ashamed to admit that I got the whole degree out of spite after that! The Master’s was in Clinical Psychology with a side concentration in childhood development.During grad school in Germany I worked at a clinic for Phobias and OCD and it was absolutely amazing. I really felt like that type of work clicked with me. However, I would have needed to do other certifications and clinical hours in the US to continue that type of work, and at the time I wanted to see if teaching German at a college level was something I wanted to pursue. Although my career did pivot quite a bit, I use Psychology every day.
SBK: Do you incorporate psychology into the magic you do?
Brielle: Oh, yes! I do a lot of mentalism and Psychology plays a heavy role in most of those pieces. I build stories around body language, inflection, memories, and feelings. It is also just such a useful tool to make Magic more personal and more meaningful. The more connected someone feels to the Magic, the more it will mean to them, and my number one goal is giving people an enjoyable experience.
SBK: What was the experience like auditioning and then performing for Penn & Teller?
Brielle: Terrifying, Wonderful, and Intense. I sent in an audition to Fool Us at the end of March in 2023. I was having a bit of a rough time and I needed to do something for myself. My friend said just “send it and forget it”, so that’s what I did. Honestly, just sending in an audition made me feel good, like I was saying to myself that I believe in myself. Never in a million years did I expect a response. In fact, when I got one I told people I was going to print it out and frame it. I filmed in early August of 2023 and the airdate was March 14th, 2024. That was one difficult secret to keep…As mentioned on the show, I do struggle with stage fright, although it really has gotten so much better over the last year. So looking back on it, I feel such a sense of accomplishment. Believe me when I say I was terrified 95% of the time. Being on stage was probably the calmest part for me, but when I walked on stage and Penn waved at me, I just kind of settled in and trusted in myself and my team. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I am happy I did it and I feel good about how it turned out. You can watch my Fool Us performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP1SJILfd_U I am actually currently writing a little ebook on my experience and the process. If that interests you, it will be available on my website sometime in March 2024.
SBK: What are some of your future ambitions in magic?
Brielle: This is something I think about daily. Lately, I have been working mostly as a close-up restaurant/bar Magician and I absolutely love it. Close-up Magic allows me to do what I love most, connect with people! I do stage Magic as well, and I am working on developing a really cool show! I am trying to take my time learning and developing my craft and my voice, I think the rest will come. IIt would be really cool to do a little tour, or work on a cruise ship, but I am trying to also enjoy where I am now. Sometimes I create too many goals for myself and it takes me away from living in the moment and being grateful for what I have now. It is a balance! Magic has opened so many doors for me and I want to enjoy the ride and be open to where it takes me.
SBK: Where can people find out more about you?
Brielle:
My website: https://www.magicbybrielle.com/
My socials: https://www.youtube.com/@magicbybrielle
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557116145934
https://www.instagram.com/hashtagbrielle/
https://www.twitch.tv/hashtag_brielle
You can watch my Fool Us performance here:
Oh I love this interview so much! Brielle, I’m inspired! (LOVE LOVE Del Gaudio’s In & Of Itself as well.) To hear it’s never too late to get into magic … I mean: SIGN ME UP TODAY MKAY.