Legendary mentalist The Amazing Kreskin the man who has been called the Nostradamus of the 20th century will appear in performance at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House on Friday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m.
With a showman's flair, a comedian's wit and the capacities of a bona fide mentalist or thought reader, The Amazing Kreskin has, for more than five decades, has dramatized the unique facets of the human mind his own! His very name has become an integral part of pop culture throughout the world, invoked regularly in comedy clubs, comic strips, print stories and TV shows. To quote David Letterman, "Kreskin should sue the producers of the TV show, 'The Mentalist,' for stealing his act. He's the best mentalist in the world; and he's not acting!"
Kreskin tells people things about themselves that only a close family member or a friend would know! He continues to offer $1 million to anybody who can prove that he employs paid secret assistants or confederates in any phase of his program to help him perform his mentalist "effects." During his show in the Opera House, he will ask to have his check hidden somewhere in the theatre. If he fails to find it, he forfeits his fee!
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The Amazing Kreskin
In 2008, Tom Hanks produced and co-starred with John Malkovich in "The Great Buck Howard," which was fashioned after The Amazing Kreskin's life. For more than 50 years, people have been watching him on TV with regular appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, The Howard Stern Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In fact, Carson's "Carnac the Magnificent" was a spoof on Kreskin! Now Kreskin has a new cult following thanks to frequent appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Huckabee with Mike Huckabee.
Born in Montclair, NJ, it was during the childhood game "hot and cold" that Kreskin's remarkable ability to find hidden objects emerged. His ability to read thoughts expanded, and by his teens he also became nationally recognized in the U.S. as "The World's Youngest Hypnotist," resulting in his collaborating in psychological clinical studies extending into the realm of Parapsychology and the Power of Suggestion. By his late teens, this icon of thought transference developed a mental test that has become the highlight of his shows all over the world and the signature of his performance finding the hidden check within the venue or forfeiting his fee!
Through the decades, audiences have been drawn to this legendary figure. How many other celebrities can boast their own television series, their own board game, more than 16 books, their own theme song arranged by the renowned Skitch Henderson at Carnegie Hall, let alone hundreds of appearances on almost every talk/variety show possible? His performances have been seen all over the world, and he has flown more than three million miles to make them.
The Amazing Kreskin has received international recognition for extraordinary predictions often dealing with world affairs. Regarding the U.S. Presidential Election in 2008, he logged the results with a written statement made 11 months earlier, on December 6, 2007; His prediction at the time? President Obama! Also in 2008 on FOX Business News, he predicted the results of the Super Bowl three days before the game that the Giants would win by three points. The final score? 14-17.
A few years earlier in Canada, one month before a national election, he predicted the re-election of Prime Minister Martin, and named the exact amount of seats he would carry. On the day after the election, on National Canadian Television, he reflected that the government could collapse in 14 months. He was off by five days.
On July 25, 2011, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, he predicted the results of the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election as well as who the Republican party nominee would be, from among more than a dozen candidates running at the time, including two women. His predictions were locked in a safe currently stored at NBC Studios. Asked recently if the Republican candidate he named is still running, he responded, "I will say that I absolutely believe that I am correct."
Reserved seating tickets to see this iconic figure in pop culture are $30 ($28 for Opera House members) and may be purchased in person at the Opera House Box Office or by phone at 716/679-1891, Tuesday through Friday, 1-5 p.m. They also may be purchased online any time at www.fredopera.org. Please note that due to the attention span required by audience members, Kreskin has requested that tickets not be sold to children under 12 years of age.
Kreskin's appearance is part of the DFT Communications Spotlight Series. The event also is made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and from the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. Opera House media partners are WDOE-AM and Kix Country 96-FM radio.
Chautauqua County's only year-round performing arts center, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. A complete schedule of events is available at www.fredopera.org.
