Occasionally I will get a call from a library asking me to do a hypnosis show for their Summer Reading Program. While this may seem like a fun idea at first, there are some details that may limit the success of a hypnosis show for your library.
First of all, let me state that I am a very good and ethical hypnotist. I've been professionally trained by some of the best stage hypnotists in the world including the late Ormond McGill. Ormond was, and still is a legend in the world of hypnosis.
So, why is hypnosis a bad idea for a Summer Reading Program? First of all, the setting has to be right. There has to be room for 10-12 chairs, the room has to be quiet and there needs to also be enough room for my sound system and a "performing" area for the people who are under hypnosis.
For liability purposes, I don't hypnotize anyone under the age of 16. This would limit the number of people who could participate at a standard Summer Reading Program gathering. You also have to consider that younger children who come to watch may bet restless and noisy. That will make it less likely that a person on stage will go under or stay under hypnosis.
You also have to consider that some parents DO NOT want their children to be hypnotized. There are several unfounded myths and fears about hypnosis that still persist. Still, some parents have an aversion to it.
Finally, the cost is higher than my magic show. The hypnosis show is longer, more detailed and much harder work for me and my pricing reflects that.
Now that I have the negative news out of the way, let me toss in something positive. If you would like me to do a 30-45 minute talk on hypnosis, I'd be more than happy to do that. Again, I don't think it would be of interest to younger children, but teens and adults might like it. I would talk about the history of hypnosis, some of the applications of hypnosis and do a few fun hypnotic "tests" with the audience. I wouldn't be hypnotizing them, but I would be playing with their minds a little bit.
For more information on my hypnosis show, please go to www.jeffquinnmagic.com.