Who is Kyle Key?

Iowalta Christmas Party 1999
It all started when Kyle was 5 years old. He started out like most kids do...with a magic kit. Kyle's dad got him this gift to experiment and make sure Kyle didn't like to play with Barbies instead. Kyle really enjoyed showing his friends and family the cheesy tricks in the set. It was that winter that Kyle's father saw an advertisement for a father-son magic class in those "Don't Hibernate" catalouges. They signed up immediately.

The teacher of the class was Brent Smith, who now owns the only B&M magic shop in Alberta known as The Vanishing Rabbit Magic Shop in Calgary. The class consisted of various views on the art of magic and this geared Kyle up even more. Because Kyle was so interested, Kyle and his dad got to stay after the class and talk with Brent...Smitty. Brent showed Kyle his dove, Shimada. There was also a news reporter from the Red Deer Advocate who took Kyle's picture and was in the paper the next day. As the newly found magician, Kyle Key was very excited. Kyle's first newspaper appearance filled him with even more excitement for the art of magic.

Smitty gave Kyle a catalouge for an Ontario magic company called, Morrissey Magic. His dad then placed orders with his Visa and orders started coming in of higher grade apparatus than what was in the contents of his "Halloween Themed" magic kit. Kyle then began to perform and practice everyday in the middle of the living room. Kyle then got a surprise in which he was unaware of the significance. His uncle brought with him from Florida a signed deck of playing cards and some posters from a magician named Jeff McBride. Kyle then went on to meet Jeff at an Edmonton seminar in March 2007.

It was then New Years Eve in Red Deer of 1998-1999 where there was a list of events everyone could attend and a magic show was one of them. Kyle and his father then attended the magic show and Kyle's father knew his son was pumped about magic so he asked to see the magician after the show. And now Kyle is sitting here typing this in third person and cannot remember the name of that magician...shoot! Anyway, the mysterious un-named magician then informed the two that there was a newly opened magic shop in Red Deer, Great Scott Illusions: Little Shop of Magic (GSI). The owner/operator was Wyatt Scott. Wyatt was a magician with a dream of bringing magic to the Central Alberta community. Kyle Key was his first student. Kyle took lessons and developed a routine in which he went on to win his first competition…The 2002 Lacombe Junior High School Talent Show. Kyle, in Grade 7 was very excited as you can see from the video of him getting the award ($15 A&B Sound Gift Card) ask him if you want to see the video, he might still have the gift card too.

After first big show 10/18/2002
Shortly after the grade school victory, Wyatt and Kyle performed a public show at the Memorial Center in Lacombe, AB. October 18th, 2002. This wasn't the type of show Kyle was used to. This show was big. The show had a total of about 8 sponsors, sold out tickets, and a percentage of ticket sales going to charity. The fact that there were tickets to a 12 year-olds show estonished Kyle enough, the fact that it was sold out was even better! The show had a great amount of support in the community and has been an everlasting moment of initiation for Kyle's drive to be on stage.

It was then 2003 when the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians annual magic convention and competition came to Port Coquitlam, BC. Both Kyle and his father registered and attended the convention. The president of PCAM at the time was world renowned, Shawn Farqhuar. Kyle was still very excited but not nervous when he competed for the Juvenile title in Close-Up magic. When the announcement was made the next day, Kyle took the award a little bit more humbly this time but was exploding with excitement inside.

At this time Kyle started performing magic shows for children's birthday parties. Wyatt was Kyle's manager. Kyle worked with Wyatt at birthday shows. Kyle was more or less Wyatt's assistant for a few shows. Wyatt then called Kyle one day informing him that he had a show near Gull Lake. This was no birthday party! It was Kyle’s first corporate show. Kyle performed his stage act to music and then he performed his children’s act. Kyle was very excited to get his first pay check from his very first client.

P.C.A.M. 2004 Seattle, WA
It was at the age of 12 when he got a cell phone and began managing his own shows. Kyle went on to win first place in Junior Children’s Entertainment at PCAM 2004 in Seattle. The next PCAM convention Kyle would attend would be in August of 2007 in Calgary.

Then it was overcoming adversity which became Kyle's new goal. Kyle had surgery on his left ankle because the two main bones in his ankle where fusing together. A seven inch pin was needed to fuse them completely. Kyle's surgery was on December 14th 2006, planned so Kyle wouldn't miss much school. However Kyle missed a lot of Christmas performing opportunities. A month later, there was a magic competition at Red Deer College that was put on by the Society of Central Alberta Magicians, (SCAM). It was days before the competition when Kyle got his cast removed and began physical therapy to regain over a month of muscle loss. It was the day of the competition that Kyle decided at school that he would compete in this contest. Kyle had no routine he could use for most of them involved audience participation and constant energetic moving. Kyle left school barley able to walk to sit down and brainstorm what he could do for this. It was at one single moment that Kyle remembers like it was only a moment ago, where he came up with the idea of a "Gigant-A-Lope", a magical device that could transform someone's card into a gigantic size. Kyle won first place for Youth Parlor Magic with his Gigant-A-Lope act. That same outine is still persistant in his act today and has had nothing but positive remarks.

Kyle now plans to never stop growing in the art of magic and do it until he dies. He would also like to thank you if you just sat there and read this entire thing. Writing a biography in third person takes a bit of thinking. So, check out the rest of the site (if you haven't already).

Cheers,
-Kyle Key The Magician



Testimonials

" Your show was excellent & ended up drawing a large crowd! Everyone had a great time & your show helped our evening flow so much better. "

" Your show was REALLY good! The kids loved it, and the Library staff felt you were very pleasant to deal with. "

" Kyle kicked off our 2012 rodeo with an excellent show! It was jam packed with high energy entertainment & laughs. Thanks so much! "

" Thank you very much, it was pleasure to work with you again. We have recieved a number of positive comments regarding both your skill set, & your professional behaviour "

" Thank you Kyle for being a part of our year end Corn Roast at Carefree. You are a very professional young man, and very entertaining. The crowd, young and old, were enthralled with your performance, and we had many good comments. You would be a wonderful addition to any function with your magic and wit. "

" Kyle thank you so much for braving the cold and the pouring rain. The kids absolutly loved your performances throughout the day at our annual Beaveree! You were a huge hit! "