Darren Romeo

“A singing magician?  That’s the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard of”  Those were my exact thoughts when, about eight years go, I first heard about this magician kid names Darren Romeo.  At the time, I was serving on the I.B.M. Convention Committee and we were preparing for the I.B.M. International Convention to be held in Los Angeles in 1998.

Although I was skeptical, Darren was booked to close on of the evening convention gala shows.  Amazingly enough, this young entertainer’s “cheesy” concept of singing while performing magic actually touched me on an emotional lever and brought tears to my eyes.  I remember thinking at the time, “This kid is going to go far…real far!”  As a show producer, my mind was racing trying to think of a project that I could put him in.  Little did I know that a couple of years later, two German superstars from Las Vegas (with the help of a gorgeous blonde bombshell by the name of Irene Larsen) would recognize this kid’s talent and offer him the opportunity of a lifetime.

Darren Romeo’s amazing journey from kid doing birthday party shows in his hometown of East Meadow, NY to becoming the one and only protégé of Siegfried & Roy in a handful of years is almost as unbelievable as the talent he possesses.  For those of you who don’t already know, even prior to becoming S&R’s protégé, Darren’s resume list credits and experiences other performers only dream of claiming as their own:  being befriended by Harry Jr.  and Gay Blackstone as a kid magician and then later carrying on the Blackstone legacy of performing the Floating Light Bulb…starring in New York’s longest-running off-Broadway musical, The Fantastiks…working as magic director for the multi-million dollar Caesar’s Magical Empire in Las Vegas…starring in his own show at the Flamingo on the Las Vegas strip…the list goes on.  And then, “Mr. Siegfried” and “Mr. Roy,” as Darren affectionately calls them, came along and helped Darren take his career to even greater heights, including offering him his own afternoon show in their theater at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and Honoring hi with the title as “their protégé.”  Can you imagine?

I am so proud to have orchestrated Darren’s arrival on the Branson, Missouri scene.  Imagine my excitement when, after only nine weeks of performances in the summer of 2004, Darren was chosen as “The Show of the Year” out of 116 shows in Branson.  One prominent travel magazine listed Darren as the “must see” show in town.  It was no wonder that after those nine weeks in 2004, Branson was ready to sign Darren to a 4-year multi-million dollar contract to run through 2008.

And now, he’s the Academy of Magical Arts “magician of the Year.”  There’s not a magician on this planet who wouldn’t envy that title.  Darren Romeo’s name has now been added to the Magic Castle’s honored list of the finest magicians in the world.

Darren Romeo isn’t lucky.  By that, I mean he didn’t achieve all of his notoriety and success through luck.  Darren Romeo is one of the hardest working, devoted entertainers I’ve ever met.  He lives for three things… his friends/family, the show and his career.  In my mind, and in the minds of thousands and thousands of people who seen his amazing performance, Darren isn’t a singing magician.  Darren Romeo is a true entertainer who has the rare ability to touch his audiences on a very authentic emotional level.  But more importantly to me, Darren Romeo is my friend.  Congratulations, Darren.  You never cease to make me proud.

David Sandy