#433 – Michael Kras

About This Episode:
This week on Stageworthy, host Phil Rickaby is joined by Michael Kras, playwright, director, and one of Canada’s busiest magic designers. Michael has designed magic and illusions for theatres across the country and is the resident magic and illusions lead for the North American tour of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He also joins the Tarragon Theatre’s Greenhouse Residency to develop his new solo play Love Me Back, a piece that blends sleight-of-hand magic with storytelling.

This episode explores:

• Michael’s path from magician to playwright and director
• Integrating magic into theatre in meaningful ways
• The role of magic design in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• The Hamilton theatre scene and its challenges
• Writing for young audiences and why those stories matter
• The creation of his magic book Synthesis and Secrets
• Developing his new play Love Me Back at Tarragon’s Greenhouse Residency

Guest:
🎭 Michael Kras

Michael Kras is a playwright, director, and magic designer based in Hamilton, Ontario. His plays include the Voaden Prize-winning The Team (Essential Collective Theatre/Theatre Aquarius), No Big Deal (Roseneath Theatre), The Start-Up (Theatre Aquarius/Brave New Works), Love Me Back: A Magic Show (Green Light Arts/Tarragon Theatre Greenhouse Festival) and The Year and Two of Us Back Here (Broken Soil Theatre). He has been an artist-in-residence at Roseneath Theatre, Essential Collective Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, Green Light Arts, Tarragon Theatre, and Caravan Farm Theatre.

He currently serves as the Magic & Illusion Lead for the North American Tour of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Sonia Friedman/Bespoke Theatricals) and previously served as resident magic director for the play’s Canadian premiere with Mirvish Productions. Other magic direction credits include the Canadian premiere of Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage (Canadian Stage), Versus (QuipTake), The Extinction Therapist (Theatre Aquarius), Richard III: A Spectacular Stand-Up Act (Caravan Farm Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), and Franklin’s Key (Pig Iron Theatre).

Michael is an alumnus of the Theatre Aquarius Playwrights Unit, the Caravan Farm National Playwrights’ Retreat, and Directors Lab North

Connect with Michael:
🌐 Website: michaelkrasworks.com
📸 Instagram: @michaelkras

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