“MEET THE MAKER”

AXIOS INTERVIEW

(Find the Original Article Here)

Article by Justin Mack

Meet David Ranalli, an Indianapolis-based magician, entertainer and corporate speaker who believes magic can inspire and empower people in a distracted world.

The inspo: When he was 13, he snuck backstage at a show in his hometown of Chicago to meet David Copperfield, and that sparked his formal training. Within a year, he was booking regular gigs at restaurants and parties.

• He also drew inspiration from magicians like David Blaine.
• “I feel like magic became the thing that really helped me level up as a person,” he told Axios. “I was very shy as a kid. Seeing that (Copperfield) show just blew me away, and I think it really brought out of me the understanding that magic gives me the opportunity to go be something special.”

Zoom in: Ranalli also credits studying speech communication and philosophy at Southern Illinois University for adding another layer of depth to his performances.

• “As somebody who understands those concepts of communication, I can kind of hack those,” he said. “While most people are worried about their phone getting hacked, I get to hack other things more deeply rooted in how people really behave.”

What he’s making now: His latest show, “DECEPTION: An Evening of Magic & Lies,” plays monthly at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael in Carmel through the end of the year.