AN INTERVIEW WITH WONDERS BY JAYNE
photo by Lynn Vidler https://lynnvidler.photography
This week (April 23rd-26th) there will be 40+ shows at 10 different venues in Rino/Five Points area for the Fringe Festival. While checking out the line up, one of the performers - Jayne caught our eye and we were lucky to do an interview with her! Be sure to check out one of her performances at Mercury Cafe.
QDL: Thank you so much for interviewing with us Jayne! I see in your bio on your website that you grew up surrounded by "a world filled with love, magic, fairy tales and performance" - studying magic with your dad. That sounds like such a fun upbringing! Tell us more about how that shaped you as a kid and a family. How often would you be involved in performances?
Jayne: Growing up was just as great as its sounds! Once upon a time, in New York’s mystical Catskill Mountains, I was born the son of a magician. In fact, not only was my dad a magician, but he learned from his uncle before him. Dad taught me, and I worked with my children. So it’s a four-generation tradition.
Growing up a magician’s apprentice meant daily escapes into worlds without limits. The rest of the family—especially Dad were mainly musicians, and they performed weekly at least. But music was never my focus. Magic shows were three or four a year, especially in December. Although, I am the only sibling, who pursued entertainment full time, we were all blessed with a daily experience of wonder and creativity.
Magic and fantasy became an important part of my thinking. I explored the magical worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and watched the Wizard of Oz and imagined a universe where I could be myself. You see in the 1960s and 1970s, no one really talked about being transgender—it wasn’t really even a world. But I already knew I wasn’t the boy they all thought I was. So I hid inside my magical worlds.
You and your spouse live in Colorado now - do you know of other magicians in the Denver/Springs area? How often do you perform?
There are lots of great magicians in the Front Range. Some hobbyists, some semi-pros, and a very few, but very excellent, full-time professionals. Many belong to local clubs that are affiliates with IBM (International Brotherhood of Magicians) or SAM (Society of American Magicians). I belong to groups in Denver and Colorado Springs, although my schedule makes my attendance a little irregular.
COVID essentially shutdown everyone’s performances for two years. I used the time to rewrite and refocus my show. During that time, I also came out publicly, so I formally relaunched in February/March. But things are picking up fast. During the next few weeks alone I have performances of the “Strange Tales of Loves and Devotions” at the Denver Fringe Festival, ensemble shows in Colorado Springs, and I will be performing and holding a puppet workshop at the Green Box Festival’s Puppet Palooza. I hope (and expect) these to be just the beginning.
Since it's pride month - what does pride mean to you? Do you and your spouse take time to celebrate this month?
This should be an easy question and a happy one. But I remember when Pride was impossible. I hid in the closet for more than 50 years, where it is very dark and lonely. At first, I was out only to two or three family members, so I know the fear that many LGBT+ experience. When I did come out, the support of my family and friends was overwhelmingly fantastic.
So Pride for me is a moment of celebration, of support of those who cannot be out, and a celebration of the basic of need to be true to ourself and to be loved unconditionally.
We tend to attend Pride events, wherever we are. Often traveling to other cities to extend the celebration.
It looks like you do so much more than magic - you also are a "storyteller, and philosopher of the normal and paranormal, and imagined" and a ventriloquist! What part of performing do you love the most?
It’s true; I practice many creative and expressive art forms. But my focus is stories. Magic (especially), puppetry, art, and theatre are tools to stimulate perception and emotion to unlock stories, strange tales and the paranormal.
My Denver Fringe show, Strange Tales of Loves and Devotions, relates very human stories of intense emotions and feelings through magical experiments and unexplained phenomenon. It shares vignettes of love, jealousy, betrayal, empathy and sympathy, and revenge through magical experiments.
How do we find you? (website, instagram, etc) Do you have any shows coming up? (Fringe Festival...)
I try to be everywhere. Seriously, in addition to public performances at clubs and events, I often perform privately for corporations and organizations for their banquets and team events. I especially enjoy fundraising events.
Next week, I would love to see and meet everyone at Denver Fringe, which happens to be the same time as Denver Pride. The lineup of shows is fantastic! And I cannot wait to see as many as I can. I am presenting Strange Tales of Loves and Devotions (6/24 and 6/25). Order tickets at: https://denverfringe.org/shows/strange-tales-of-loves-and-devotions/.
Be sure to follow the show @wondersbyjayne on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook. Learn more about our offerings and latest news at http://wondersbyjayne.com.
