Magician in Cleveland

Cleveland is about six and a half hours from Milwaukee, which I drive. It keeps the cost sensible and means a Saturday evening booking does not turn into a three-day trip.

The city's centre of gravity is medicine. The health systems and the meetings that orbit them account for a lot of the corporate work, with law, banking and professional services behind them. Then there are the east and west suburbs, which book weddings, fundraisers and anniversary parties in their own right.

What gets booked in Cleveland

Medical and scientific meetings are the distinctive ask here. Those crowds are hard to impress and easy to bore, which is exactly why close-up work suits them. It happens at the table, holds a small group for a few minutes, and does not ask anyone to sit through a stage show after dinner.

Beyond that: partner dinners, client hospitality, and holiday parties from late November. Playhouse Square keeps this city used to a certain standard of live performance, which I take as both a compliment and a warning.

Getting there

Roughly 6.5 hours by road from Milwaukee. That is normally still a drive rather than a flight, which means the full show travels with me, and travel is either built into the package or itemised on your quote, agreed before anything is booked.

Also covered nearby: Lakewood, Beachwood, Westlake, Strongsville, Independence, Shaker Heights.