Victoria Theatre Association and Dayton Children’s partner with Magician to present: Hocus Focus: The Healing of Magic

Dayton, OH -- (SBWire) -- 12/04/2009 -- Award-winning illusionist Kevin Spencer, The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton and Victoria Theatre Association have come together to present HOCUS FOCUS: THE HEALING OF MAGIC in a gesture of appreciation to Physician’s for Kids, a conglomerate of pediatricians who support Victoria Theatre Association’s Discovery Series. THE HEALING OF MAGIC is a medical technique used to assist children who have suffered loss of motor skills due to trauma or birth defects targeted to hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.

THE HEALING OF MAGIC is a systemic treatment incorporating the therapeutic use of simple magic tricks in physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and has been successfully utilized in many areas, including physical diagnoses, brain injuries and mental health. The applications of THE HEALING OF MAGIC address the entire spectrum to include developmental disabilities, mental health, physical disabilities, gerontology, and specific disease related deficits.

On Friday, December 4, at 1:30 pm, families are invited to join Kevin Spencer at a free workshop at Dayton Children’s to engage and teach children and parents the healing power of magic. To reserve your seat, call Jessica Saunders at 937-641-3385 or e-mail saundersj@childrensdayton.org. Seating is limited.

Therapists around the world as well as educators in the occupational and physiotherapy departments of leading universities are using THE HEALING OF MAGIC program to help patients reach their therapeutic goals. It is effective in increasing the client’s ability to manipulate objects (dexterity, grasp, and release) as well as gross motor skills.

On Saturday, December 5, at 10:00 am, occupational, physical and speech therapists as well as physicians and special education teachers are invited to participate in a workshop with Kevin Spencer at Dayton Children’s. This event is free and two hours of professional education credit (CEU’s) are available. For more information or to register, call Moira Alter at 937-641-3618 or e-mail alterm@childrensdayton.org.

"I'm committed to empowering therapists with exciting new tools to aid them in helping their clients achieve functional, measurable goals. Magic wands don't always belong with black hats and rabbits -- sometimes they belong in hospitals where frail hands learn tricks and the magic is in the healing," says magician and HOCUS FOCUS creator Kevin Spencer. Spencer has been featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Australian occupational Therapy Journal, HEALTH magazine, the Washington Post, NPR's All Things Considered and on dozens of television news programs including the CBS Early Morning Show, the Fox News Channel's FOX AND FRIENDS and Good Morning Singapore.

Kevin Spencer is the co-creator of The Spencers’ Theatre of Illusion, part of the Victoria Theatre Association's Young at Heart series. The Spencers’ Theatre of Illusion will be on stage at Victoria Theatre, Saturday, December 5 at 1PM and 3:30PM and Sunday, December 6 at 3;30 PM.

Tickets are priced at a family friendly $19 for adults and $17 for children (ages 12 and under). Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage, and may be purchased at the Schuster Center box office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday, noon - 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://www.ticketcenterstage.com.

For more information on Kevin Spencer, visit http://www.SpencersMagic.com.

For more information about the Young at Heart Family Series and Victoria Theatre Association’s entire 2009-2010 season, visit http://www.victoriatheatre.com

For more information on Dayton Children’s, visit http://www.childrensdayton.org.