After earning national acclaim as the standout star of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff The Magic Dragon continues to win over audiences across the globe with his mythical mixture of wizardry, wit and sarcasm that ignites a one-of-a-kind comedy magic show you have to see to believe! Joined by his trusty sidekick Mr. Piffles, The World’s Only Magic Performing Chihuahua, the dynamic duo perform nightly to sold-out rooms at his residency at the world-famous Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas in the newly renamed Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre. In addition to the residency, Piff along with Jade Simone, a genuine Las Vegas Showgirl, and Francis the Squire, a.k.a. the Eunuch in a Tunic, are currently performing across the US and Canada as part of their 2019 tour, The Lucky Dragon, which comes to the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, April 4 and Parker Playhouse on Friday, April 5
It was a pleasure to sit down with Piff for this exclusive Hotspots interview:
Were you always a performer, even as a child?
I didn’t start as a child, but I got the bug at 15.
What came first comedy or magic?
Magic came first. However, I was always making funny remarks to people and then it eventually turned into a combo act.
What was the first magic trick and magician you ever saw?
I am pretty sure the first magician I saw was David Copperfield, and he was escaping from Alcatraz. I never knew what he did that he was in Alcatraz…LOL!
What was the first magic trick you ever performed?
I had a little box that had an orange ball in it and the ball would be there when you opened it and vanish when you opened it again. I am still closing with that trick to this day.
Do you have a mentor or mentors in the magic world and why?
Penn and Teller have been a big part of my life for the last few years and have given me a lot of material and help.
When did Mr. Piffles become part of the act?
In 2009, I thought the act needed a gimmick and Mr. Piffles was born.
How was it to perform on Americas Got Talent and Penn and Teller Fool Us?
I went on Penn and Teller in 2011, and I didn’t fool them, but the clip went viral and I got offers all over the world to perform. I ended up getting a small part in a big show in Vegas. I liked it so much that I wanted to stay in Vegas so I went on AGT in hopes of winning and getting my own show. Even though I didn’t win, my dreams came true and I got my own show in Vegas.
How exciting was it when you got the call that you were going to have your own residency and room at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas?
It’s been amazing, we have been there for 3 ½ years now and they just renamed the theater the Piff the Magic Dragon Theater. It is such an honor!
What does the future hold for you and Mr. Piffles?
We are just about to release our first special that we have been shooting over the last year. We are both looking forward to that.
Also, I want to tell everyone that we have a podcast called the Piff Podcast, at Thepiffpod.com. I would love your readers to check it out.
What should our readers expect from your show The Lucky Dragon Tour?
Well do you like a grumpy dragon doing magic, then come. If not come for the dog and stay for the dragon. In this tour we have a bunch of new tricks and some classic ones to please everyone.
Catch Piff, Mr. Piffles, Jade Simone, and Francis the Squire, a.k.a. the Eunuch in a Tunic at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, April 4 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $24.50 at StrazCenter.org.
Also showing at Parker Playhouse on Thursday, April 5 at 8pm. Tickets start at $30 at ParkerPlayhouse.com. A pre-show Piff’s Private Party is available for an additional $40 with any ticket purchase and offers the opportunity to meet the artist and other exclusives.
