By Faran Fagen
James Changefield, cloaked in a brazen black and blue sports jacket, hands a passport to a member of the audience.
The enchanted item tantalizes the hands of other audience members as it is passed around until a random spectator says “stop.” The person with the passport is “chosen” to join Changefield on stage. Together, the audience and the plucked person choose a secret “birthday destination.”
Now, it’s up to Changefield to apply his mind-reading abilities to solve the mystery of the celebration site.
“Hopefully, I’ll decipher the correct thoughts of the audience and the spectator on stage,” Changefield said with a wink. “The hope with all these magic shows at Mizner is to create a magical journey for everyone involved.”
Changefield, an acclaimed mentalist, is one of four Magic in Mizner magicians taking the stage at the Club Room at The Studio at Boca Raton’s Mizner Park this summer.
Changefield’s mentalism/magic show is July 24.
The other magicians are Yarden Shalev, who performed May 30; Logan Light, who appears on June 26; and Jack Maxwell, who takes the stage on Aug. 14. All shows are at 7 p.m.
“I can’t wait to see what they all bring to the Club Room,” said David Eck, general manager of The Studio. “This isn’t spectacle magic; it’s mind-bending, intimate magic. Mentalism is very popular right now, and some of the acts have blown people’s minds.”
Eck became general manager in December 2025 and is responsible for all of the bookings and rentals in the space. He and his staff opened the newly renovated Club Room this past fall and considered programming that would be a great fit for that venue. The theater holds 335 and the Club Room has a capacity of about half that number.
“A handful of magician/mentalists had reached out about wanting to be booked into the venue, and I thought this might be what we’re looking for in efforts to counterprogram our season,” Eck said.
So what exactly can spectators expect at these magic shows? All the magicians have their own style. Different personalities, different sensibilities, different tricks and acts. They all bring their own vibe to the room. No pyrotechnics, just good old-fashioned magic and mentalism.
The next two shows have sold out already. The Club seats only 144 for each show, so Eck anticipates the series will continue to sell out. Tickets start at $36.
Maxwell, the final magician in the series, said he is preparing a show “designed to bring people together and create moments they’ll hopefully be talking about long after the evening is over.”
His finale blends comedy, modern magic, audience participation, and mentalism.
“But more than any one element, I’ve always loved creating experiences where people aren’t just watching,” said Maxwell, who grew up in South Florida. “They become part of what’s happening.”
He has performed professionally for more than 25 years and has worked everywhere from cruise ships to corporate events to private celebrations.
As for Changefield, he’s planning a fun, yet philosophical show that talks about the intersection of humanity and AI.
“I’ll be creating wonder in the digital age,” said Changefield, who has performed all over the world for decades. “There will be magic for the eyes and the mind.”
For more information and to buy tickets, visit TheStudioAtMiznerPark.org.
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