If you’re trying to work out what it costs to hire a magician in Charlotte, here is my answer without making you perform an elaborate ritual first:
My rate is $500 per hour. Parties outside the Charlotte, NC area have a two-hour minimum. A theatrical séance requires two hours.
I’m Timothy Starnes, a Charlotte magician, necromancer, and comedy conjurer. Those are my rates and booking requirements. They are not a claim about the average price of every magician in Charlotte.
The useful next step is to understand what you want to book, how long it needs, and how it fits your event. Then we can confirm the details and total. No blood oath required.
What does the hourly rate look like in a booking?
The performance-time arithmetic is straightforward:
- One hour: $500, where a one-hour booking is suitable and agreed for a party within the Charlotte area.
- Two hours: $1,000 in performance fees. This is the minimum performance booking for parties outside the Charlotte area and the time required for a séance.
- Three hours: $1,500 in performance fees, if that length is appropriate and available for your event.
These examples show the hourly calculation. Send the actual location and plans so we can confirm the full booking total, including any travel arrangements and related costs we discuss. A city name and a desired date are a start; the venue helps make the quote concrete.
I usually spend one to two hours working a client party, with performance lengths adjusted to the event. Longer or different arrangements are something to discuss before assuming they fit.
Choose the performance format before choosing the hours
“A magician for a party” can mean several different evenings.
Comedy close-up magic brings cards, props, and laughs to a dedicated performance station. Guests can gather and participate on their own terms. It can suit an intimate dinner, an adult birthday, a bachelorette gathering, or a company event.
Con-game magic, bar bets, and dice magic add fast hands, smooth talk, and playful challenges. This can be the focus of the booking or part of a broader comedy magic visit.
A theatrical séance is a two-hour experience built around spirit magic, haunted storytelling, dark comedy, and audience involvement. I suggest 10–15 guests, or as many as your dining table can comfortably accommodate.
Use my guide to choosing a private magic show for adults if you’re undecided. We can discuss a mixture, but including the séance still means allowing its required two hours.
Does the guest count matter if the price is hourly?
The rate above is per hour. I still need the guest count because it affects the performance arrangement, seating, and how people will take part.
A small dinner-party audience and a larger company reception need different planning. Tell me how many people you expect, whether they will all be gathered together, and what the room is like. We’ll discuss a suitable format.
The number of guests helps us plan the experience. It is not an invitation to fit thirty people into the viewing space intended for six. The laws of physics already get enough complaints during my show.
How do travel and the Charlotte-area minimum work?
Parties outside the Charlotte, NC area require a two-hour minimum. Send the venue or address so we can confirm how the requirement applies to your booking.
I regularly perform in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, and travel for events farther away. We’ll discuss availability, travel arrangements, and any related costs with the location in hand.
That is particularly useful for destination bachelorette weekends, private homes outside the city, and company events booked by an organizer who is elsewhere. You don’t need to guess at my travel plans. Tell me yours.
How should you compare quotes from different magicians?
A broad online estimate is a starting point for research. It is not a quote for your date, location, audience, or requested show.
When comparing options, ask each performer to clarify:
- The performance format and length being quoted.
- Whether the material is designed for your audience.
- How guests will watch and participate.
- The working area, seating, and equipment requirements.
- The minimum booking, travel arrangements, and full total.
- The agreement, payment schedule, and event terms.
For my performances, the audience is adults ages 18 and up. I work from a station and ask for three chairs and a table, or a coffee table with ample audience seating in front and to the sides. I don’t use a sound system.
I’m best known for my East Coast touring comedy séance, Timothy Starnes & His Many Night Visitors, and I’m also a trained comedy and bar magician. You can choose traditional-style magic without a séance. The séance itself is theatrical entertainment, not a mediumship reading.
What do you need to quote and reserve my event?
Send your date, venue or address, guest count, preferred length, and the kind of magic you’re considering. Include any fixed dinner, speech, or departure times that affect the performance.
A signed agreement and booking retainer reserve your date. The agreement sets out your payment schedule and event terms. We’ll confirm those details before you commit.
Explore the options for bachelorette parties, adult birthdays, dinner parties, or corporate events.
Text Tim your event details for availability and a booking total. The magic can be mysterious. The invoice should be understandable.