Magical Memories Entertainment, Pleasantville
As a child, Steve Burchard loved to perform magic, having been introduced to it by his father.
Thirteen years later and less than a year after graduating from Pace University with a dual major in marketing and communications, Burchard has parlayed his love of magic into owning and operating his own business, Magical Memories Entertainment. He actually started the company in 2005, while still a junior at Westlake High School, doing area kids’ shows and birthday parties on weekends.
Burchard, 22, estimates he still performs about 200 shows a year, but what’s different today is that Magical Memories Entertainment is more than Burchard and his repertoire of tricks. Teaming up with his brother, a professional DJ, he also partners with a network of musicians, photographers, videographers, caterers and costume characters, so anyone who is planning an event for any occasion can make one call and have their entertainment needs taken care of.
“I’m going to create a package for you that’s cheaper than if you go with 10 different vendors,” Burchard said. “It’s easier on you because it takes less time, it takes less energy, you only have to deal with one person and it makes your whole experience as an entertainment thing better. If there is any problem or anything else, you can always come to me because I’m the one to talk to.”
While Burchard, a member of the Society of American Magicians, books a full schedule of weddings, birthday parties, sweet 16s, and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs each year, he has also done his share of other events. He and his crew have entertained at store grand openings, festivals, proms, educational events and fundraisers. With the contacts he’s built during the past six years, he has been booked to do parties throughout the country, and as far away as Canada and Australia.
It was a call to perform at a Christmas Eve party in Manhattan in 2005 that presented Burchard with the first thought of eventually making magic a full-time venture. Burchard didn’t want to give up Christmas Eve with his family, so he presented the caller with a high quote. Surprisingly, the customer agreed and Burchard hasn’t looked back. He still gets a kick out of seeing people have a good time.
“It’s not just magic for me. I love entertaining people. I love making people smile,” Burchard said. “That’s one of the reasons why I got into magic, making people smile, making people happy. It really makes me feel good inside because I’m glad you’re happy at the end of the party.”
Certainly magic is Burchard’s area of expertise, but what makes for a successful party entertainer, he said, is personality, regardless of the routine.
“It’s your personality; it’s how you present yourself and how you interact with people,” Burchard said. “If you’re entertaining as a magician individually, no matter what you do you’re going to make it entertaining.”
Last year, Burchard moved his operation out of his house and into an office on Marble Avenue in Pleasantville, where he takes care of the business end—scheduling and meeting with clients. It is on the weekend where he does the overwhelming majority of his work, probably the only drawback to his career. But that inconvenience is more than offset by loving what he does and being at everyone’s happiest occasions.
“What I do is I’m at everybody’s happiest moments in their lives,” Burchard said. “What other business can you do, what other opportunity do you have to be involved in that kind of job?”
For more information about Magical Memories Entertainment, contact Steven Burchard at 914-548-2048 or visit www.magicalmemoriesentertainment.com.
