The University of Iowa’s Hancher will present Spencers—Theatre of Illusion at the Englert Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m. The Spencers are an award-winning magician team that has garnered a long list of accolades including International Magicians of the Year and claiming the Performing Arts Entertainers of the Year award six consecutive times.
Kevin and Cindy Spencer have amazed audiences around the world. They believe magic can affect and move people in the same manner as great dance, theater, and music. Capturing the attention of skeptical adults and thrilling young people, Theatre of Illusion features state-of-the-art high-tech acts and dramatic special effects. With backgrounds in psychology informing their work, the couple has a real passion for bringing audiences on a journey that will delight and surprise.
The Spencers stand out for their remarkable work in health care and education. With extensive training in health care, Kevin is the leading expert on the therapeutic use of magic in physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and education. He is the co-founder of Healing of Magic and the founder of the Hocus Focus Project for special education. Both programs are designed to assist people with a variety of abilities to build confidence through exercises that emphasize organization, coordination, planning, and memory. The goal is to focus on what students can achieve instead of on their limitations, helping them develop social skills and self-esteem through magic.
Kevin has worked with people in 26 countries through his residencies and uses magic as a powerful way to tap into natural curiosities and open people up to new interactions. His credentials include an adjunct appointment in the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Alabama and articles published in several research journals.
The Feb. 16 performance is the final event of a week-long tour of Iowa communities including Okoboji, Spencer, Algona, and Iowa City. Kevin will work in hospitals, schools, and libraries, holding workshops related to the Healing of Magic and Hocus Focus. His residency will culminate in collaboration with the UI’s Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at the Carver College of Medicine.
The residency and performance by the Spencers is supported in part by an award from Arts Midwest, as well as by the Hancher Partners and gifts to the Hancher Circle through the University of Iowa Foundation.
Tickets are $30 and $25 for nonstudents; $30 and $25 for senior citizens; $27 and $10 for college students; and $15 and $10 for youth from the Hancher Box Office.
The Hancher Box Office, located on the first floor of the south end of the Old Capitol Mall near the parking ramp, is open for phone (319-335-1160 or 800-HANCHER) or walk-up business from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may be ordered online at the Hancher website.Any remaining tickets will be available for sale one hour before show time at The Englert.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.