Drew Backenstoss: A Masterclass in Performance Mentalism

In this exclusive Penguin Live digital download, Drew Backenstoss, a celebrated mentalist lauded by Atlas Brookings, Marc Paul, and Mark Chandaue, unveils his complete 45-minute stand-up act. This isn't merely a collection of tricks; it's an intimate masterclass revealing the foundational principles of a show that has mesmerized audiences ranging from corporate giants to intimate house parties. Discover the meticulous construction and subtle artistry that allow Drew to transform mere entertainment into 'true theater,' making this an indispensable resource for any serious performer.

Crafting Your Unforgettable Act

The true value lies in Drew's profound teaching on act structure, character design, and audience engagement. You'll gain exclusive access to his '10 Step Process for Designing an Act,' alongside crucial strategies for establishing thematic coherence, building compelling narrative flow through call-backs, and effectively layering methods for maximum impact. Drew demonstrates how classic mentalism principles, combined with innovative subtleties, create stunning, organic routines that demand minimal effort from the performer while delivering jaw-dropping results. This act is celebrated for its scalability, versatility, and travel-friendliness, ensuring you're prepared for any stage.

Signature Routines & Advanced Techniques

Delve into the specifics of Drew's working repertoire. Learn 'KISSing PINs,' an ethical and deceptive method for revealing a freely chosen PIN without electronics or pre-show. Explore 'Obviously Influenced,' a unique 'bank night' plot showcasing mastery over human behavior, hands-off and gimmick-free. Master 'Omni-test,' a multi-phase book test sequence that redefines the genre. While 'The Ultimate Trust Exercise' is performance-only, Drew shares invaluable insights into its conceptual depth. Also discover 'Solo-fab,' his ingeniously simple confabulation routine, delivering big predictions for the solo performer.

Bonus Content: Elevate Your Craft

Enhance your learning with two exceptional bonuses. Firstly, receive Drew's comprehensive lecture notes, a detailed companion guide to the video content, providing deeper insights. Secondly, gain access to an hour-long Skype conversation between Drew and mentalism legend Marc Paul. This 'mini-lecture' is packed with professional insights on stagecraft, troubleshooting, and advanced performance theory, offering an unparalleled wealth of knowledge that further solidifies your understanding and mastery of the material.

Original Specs

"Drew is a consummate pro in all respects - meticulous about every aspect of his show, careful to establish and nurture the who, the why, and the how in a way that doesn't simply deliver entertaining mentalism only, but allows you to experience true theater." – Atlas Brookings

"I've only recently made the acquaintance of Drew, but I would already rate him as one of my favourite mentalism thinkers and creators. We share so much in common about our views of what performance mentalism should be that it's almost as if our minds are really linked! I love ALL of his ideas and routines. Every single effect is a worker, he absolutely understands how to get the most entertainment and audience interaction out of every routine." – Marc Paul

"Drew has definitely been the best kept secret in mentalism so far but this is about to change. In a time when everyone is looking for the next best thing and ‘cutting edge’ methods that sometimes have questionable results, Drew offers a combination of classic methods that have stood the test of time combined with clever subtleties to produce stunning and entertaining routines. Great material from a creator who is not only a brilliant thinker but an amazing performer as well." – Manos

"I have shared ideas back and forth with Drew over the last few years and he really is a very clever thinker. Drew has a wonderful economy in his creation style and is able to squeeze a lot of bang out of very little effort from the performer. This is material designed for a working performer and so does not require mental gymnastics while under pressure." – Mark Chandaue

And, just as importantly, here's what some of Drew's previous clients have said:

"Phenomenal show! It was incredible! Employees minds were blown away by his show and still talk about how "things" happened! We had a goal this year to provide our employees with the best event they have been to in years (if not ever) and having Drew perform definitely helped us achieve that goal! One of the best shows and forms of entertainment I have seen!" - NICE inContact

"Drew's performance is truly MIND BLOWING! I have never been so extremely pleased with a decision to hire someone in my life until I hired Drew for our company party! His performance at our Holiday Party was better than I could have ever expected. He was so entertaining, funny, and everything he did was seriously jaw-dropping. I am so proud and pleased with the decision to hire Drew, and would recommend him to ANYONE!" - ThumbTack

"Drew's performance at our team member celebration was phenomenal. He incorporated a personalized corporate message (our company motto) into the finale that left everyone saying "how did he do that?!" He was fantastic to work with from the time I requested a quote to the time he was at our event. His skills are truly unique and he is an exceptional entertainer." - Dell-EMC

What will he teach?

A 45 minute stand-up mentalism act. Drew will walk us through a version of the show he’s currently using - a show that has stunned audiences around the country for the last four years. While this act was designed for corporate audiences numbering as high as 900 in attendance, he's also performed it numerous times for universities and even at house parties with no more than 20 guests. The act is extremely scale-able, versatile, and travel-friendly.

Although he'll teach the majority of methods in play, the real focus of this lecture is the structure behind the act itself. This will be a masterclass on concepts such as establishing your theme, designing your character, creating "flow" though call-backs, layering methods, and strategies to build the impact and pacing of your show. He will also share his 10 Step Process for Designing an Act; his technique to encourage standing ovations; and a few business tips that will help you earn more from your existing gigs.

Highlights of the act include...

KISSing PINs- Drew's super simple but extremely effective solution to ethically revealing someone's PIN. The audience will be convinced that the onstage participant freely makes up a random PIN in real-time (even changing his mind in the process) yet you reveal the four digits in increasingly impressive ways that demonstrate the basic techniques of mind reading. There is no pre-show, stooging, math, electronics or peeks. The combination of classic methods is guaranteed to make you smile.

Obviously Influenced- A two-envelope "bank night" routine that makes everyone who didn't play wish they had! It also functions as a running thread throughout the show and provides one of the climaxes to the act. A number of subtleties result in an extremely realistic display of your mastery over human behavior. Drew employs very different methods from those typically used for this plot. Careful scripting and clever routining make this 100% sure-fire, completely hands-off, and gimmick free.

Omni-test- This is an entire 10-15 minute act on its own but it also forms the backbone of the larger set and paves the way for the show's finale. This sequence blends together a number of classic principles, engages several members of the audience, and produces an avalanche of interesting, varied, and visual revelations. If you think book tests are "outdated" or "unconvincing" this might change your mind.

The Ultimate Trust Exercise (PERFORMANCE ONLY)- One of Drew's signature pieces. A Russian roulette with a purpose. This goes far beyond merely avoiding bodily harm and culminates in four inexplicable moments of mind reading. He's not at liberty to divulge everything, but you're certain to be inspired by what he does tip - along with the overall thinking that went into this.

Solo-fab- Drew's take on confabulation designed with the solo performer in mind. There's no secret writing or assistants and the predictions are visible to everyone even in larger venues. If you've always wanted to achieve a similar impact to the "Master Prediction System" without the associated cost, legwork, or limitations than look no further!

BONUS #1 - With your purchase you'll receive the full lecture notes used by Drew and Dan during the filming. This document is intended to be a companion guide to the video content and contains even more details on the concepts discussed. DON'T PASS IT UP!

BONUS #2 - Following the lecture's filming Drew asked Marc Paul to review over the footage and provide feedback on the performance. The hour long Skype conversation that ensued captured a variety of insights from Marc's vast professional experience. The topics covered include: tips on stagecraft, troubleshooting some of the techniques used in the act; and a discussion on general performance theory. A recording of this Skype call is provided as a separate file on the download page. THIS IS A MINI-LECTURE ALL ON ITS OWN!

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