Denver Native Set to Become the First Magician to Perform at Red Rocks

When Scotty Wiese dropped out of college in 2018 to pursue a career as a magician, it initially looked like he had made the right decision. The next year, he performed more than 200 magic shows across the country, including at Luke Bryan and Justin Bieber concerts. He had also booked more than a hundred shows for the following year.

Then COVID-19 happened, and the theaters Wiese was supposed to perform at shut down for months. He was terrified that his fledgling career would disappear. “I thought that this was the worst thing that could happen to me,” he says.

As it turned out, the pandemic offered him a rare chance to reconnect with his friends, family, and his craft. He even transitioned to doing magic shows via Zoom.“It actually became fun, creatively, to try and figure out how to involve everyone in a magic show over Zoom,” Wiese says. “Still, there’s nothing that I think will ever replace that human connection.”

On Saturday, April 9, Wiese will get a chance to share inspiring tricks live again on one of the state’s grandest stages, when he becomes the first magician to headline a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. “After doing some research, I was shocked that there had never been a magic show at Red Rocks,” Wiese says. “So, I pitched Magic on the Rocks to an event booker [of the historic outdoor space] and they loved it. With COVID there were delays and uncertainty, but we finally picked a date and it’s happening.”

Magic on the Rocks will feature the largest audience the 22-year-old magician has ever performed in front of. He aims to put on a cathartic show that celebrates the magic of being back in-person. The audience can expect mind reading, disappearing objects, card tricks, and more.

“I can’t put into words how honored and excited I am,” Wiese says. “Performing at Red Rocks has been at the top of my bucket list since my love of magic started when I was a kid.”

(Read more: How Professor Phelyx Harnesses the Power of Illusion)