Fancy a little magic, mindreading and mayhem during the week of Halloween?
Erik Dobell and Chris Collins of Impossibilities show in Gatlinburg are putting on a special benefit Shocktober show for Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic on Monday, Oct. 24. “A Night of Hope and Magic” will showcase the Shocktober theme the performers are using all month.
Dobell is a master mentalist, creating the illusion of reading minds. Collins is the magical comedian. “I do the mind reading, he does the magic,” Dobell said.
“A Night of Hope and Magic” will be an interactive show, like Impossibilities, in which the two have been starring since the spring in Gatlinburg. But “A Night of Hope and Magic” will have a Halloween twist, based on the theme of a haunted manor the two have purchased, Dobell said.
It will differ from Impossibilities, Collins said. “It’s still a family show, but it’s going to have a little bit of an edge to it. It’s also going to be very spooky… but in a fun way.”
The last week in October is International Magic Week, Dobell said, and Houdini, the famous escape artist, died on Halloween, so this is a fitting time for the show.
Dobell said he came late to his interest in mentalism, though as a boy he had enjoyed such brainy heroes as Sherlock Holmes and Batman. In his late teens he taught himself some magic tricks, and at a magic show in Ohio bought a book on mentalism and the psychology behind it. That’s when he got hooked.
Collins has the ability to blend audience participation with original magic and humor. It’s earned him the title of Magical Comedian. His magic is fast paced,exciting and different. He’s a professional entertainer with more than 20 years’ experience, including Las Vegas, comedy clubs and corporate events.
The non-profit Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic provides quality medical and dental care at a reasonable price to Sevier County residents and employees who lack health insurance. Fund-raisers such as the Shocktober show are an essential part of keeping costs low at the Clinic, said Ashley Burnette, Director of Fund Development.
Tickets for the Oct. 24 event are available on line here or by calling 865.774.7684 and asking for Ashley. The Iris Theater is at the Space Needle, 115 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg. Tickets are also available from Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, 312 Prince Street, Sevierville.