1) Do you remember when you first became fascinated by magic? Which magicians were your role models?
I was in the second grade at Walt Disney School in Anaheim, California. A classmate showed me how to make a safety pin disappear up my sleeve by attaching it to a rubber band. I was amazed by the simplicity of the illusion, and the great sense of theater that it created. I always admired the great Houdini—who began magic as Eric Weiss—as a young boy too.

2) When did you first start performing as a magician? How long have you been performing as an environmental magician? When did you get the idea for teaching environmental concepts using magic?
My first paid show was at the age of 12. I was torn between becoming a veterinarian and a magician. I decided to combine my love of animals with stage magic. Many years later (in Nepal in 1989) the Dr. Wilderness character was created.

3) Which is your favorite song to perform and why? When do you get your best creative ideas for lyrics and new songs? Do you do all the singing and voices or does your staff help?
I compose, arrange and record all of my songs. The lyrics and music often come to me when I am running (I’ve been jogging and running for 40 years) through some open space or wilderness area...often at the beach. I love performing one of my first songs It’s a Circular Thing about the water cycle. Mainly because it’s such a happy song! I do most of the vocals, but have had some great people singing on my CDs and in my live shows.

4) What is the message you hope children and adults come away with from the Dr. Wilderness show?
Be amazed and inspired by the natural world all around us ! Understand that real magic really does exist, and you can see it everywhere in nature. By appreciating the world around us, from the smallest insect to the quasars of deep space, we can expand our understanding and respect for our own unique spirits and lives and our place in the universe.

5) I understand that the Dr. Wilderness show has been performed throughout the U.S. and in many foreign countries. Can you share with us one or two memorable events from your visits to countries outside the U.S.? Do you perform in English or is the show translated?
My favorite performance places have been India, Nepal, South America, China, Japan, Russia to name just a few. I performed a very cold card trick at the summit of an 18,000 ft. peak in Nepal. I love working with special education and underprivileged children. Forty thousand children still die of starvation worldwide every day of the year. Hundreds of thousands are sick with childhood diseases. We reach a very small percentage of these kids, but to see them smile if only for a moment is a rich reward for our work. Touching one child’s heart is worth the time and effort for any show that we do. I perform in English but add a few phrases for each country. I tried live translation, but it didn’t work well.

6) Do you write a new show every year? Where do you get your ideas for shows?
My stage show is about 50% new material each year, so every other year it is brand new. I get my ideas by envisioning myself sitting on the floor of the school auditorium and imagining what I would like to see. Often a piece of music precedes the trick.

7) Did you ever have a show where everything went wrong? What is the biggest challenge of performing the show in front of a live audience?
In the world of stage magic, something goes awry in virtually every show we do. Most of the time the audience is unaware of the glitch. I never mind these particular challenges, as they make me better at what I do, and more trusting of the process. We prepare by rehearsing for all of the likely mistakes, but several times a year I am taken by surprise! I will often pause the performance and take a moment to explain that magic is theater, and occasionally we drop a prop or forget a line. Thankfully, my assistants and I have only received very minor injuries during the shows, and a few of our stage illusions present some danger to us.