About Jim Kleefeld
When Jim was
seven years old, he got a small magic set. After some practice, he gave his
first show for his parents in the living room. His mother was completely dumbstruck;
how could he have made that penny appear in that sealed matchbox?
Jim majored on theater in college, earning a B.A. in Theatrical Arts, performing at Eldred Theater, and Lake Erie Opera Theater. He immediately added a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education, and became an elementary teacher. His expertise in education led him quickly into a supervisory role with Cleveland Publc Schools, where he spent many years presenting workshops and guiding other teachers. He has mentored teachers, consulted with many school systems and taught graduate level education at Cleveland State University. Because of his exceptional understanding of children and early childhood education, Jim has written many school and system curricula and co-authored two prominent social skills textbooks.
After all these years, Jim is still fascinated by the art and how entertained people
are by this performance art . . . especially children. That's why he is a highly respected school assembly performer and why he continues to perform
magic regularly at schools, libraries, clubs and private functions. Jim says, "The
look of amazement in someone's eye when I vanish a coin is priceless." He
spends most of his summer entertaining children at library reading programs
in and around Ohio.
With his creativity and his wife's sewing and design assistance, he has been able to create costumes and props for many themed magic shows. Currently he performs at ten to fifteen weekend festivals each year. Two favorite arenas are Renaissance and American Colonial magic. A typical festival will have him performing four or five fifteen-minute shows as well as strolling entertainment in between. In addition, he performs at numerous private parties and corporate events.
Jim believes in thorough professionalism. Consequently, he has spent a great deal of time researching and studying magic of the past in order to make his historical shows as historically accurate as possible. He has amassed a large library of contemporary and historical works of magic. Those are some of the reasons that two trade magazine, both M.U.M. and LaughMakers magazines, have featured him in cover articles.
In addition to performing, he has contributed articles
to almost all of the major trade magazines including Apocalypse, The
Australian Magic Magazine, Funny Paper, Kid Show Quarterly, LaughMakers, The Magic Menu, The Magical Arts Journal, The Minotaur, M.U.M., The New Invocation
and The New Tops.
Currently, Jim is a full-time performer, presenting hundreds of school assembly programs each year in schools all over Ohio. Every summer, for many years, he has presented dozens of themed programs for Summer Reading Clubs at libraries all over the state.
Want to drop Jim a line? Just click his card.
Jim Kleefeld
Magical Entertainer
33510 Jennie Road
Avon, Ohio 44011-2042
(440) 937-5488
Magic Shows With A Theme
Over the years Jim has developed and presented over twenty-five
different themed shows, including "Outer Space Magic," "Jungle Safari Magic,"
"The Magic Chef," and "The Magic of Tall Tales and Folk Legends." For each
45-minute show, he develops tricks, builds props, creates a costume and writes a full script with a
story-line patter. For examples of recent programs, click on the flyers
below. You'll see the art used to promote the show and
a description of
the show contents.
Books by Jim Kleefeld
Jim Kleefeld is an author of some renown. In the education field, he has written two major works on teaching social skills. Taking Part and Working Together are expansive curriculum kits with textbooks, lessons, posters, materials, cassettes and puppets. Published by leading education publisher, AGS, both were adopted by the Florida Department of Education for statewide use in elementary classrooms.
Besides the hundreds of columns Jim has contributed to leading entertainment magazines, he has written and illustrated many books based on his performing experience. Musicians, ventriloquists, jugglers, clowns, magicians and others all over the world have sought his books on using contracts and handling volunteers.
In addition to writing, Jim is an artist. Besides illustrating many books for the magic community, Jim drew hundreds of illustrations for the trade book Clown Magic, by David Ginn, carried in most bookstores and libraries.
Some of the more popular titles are described on this site. Just click on one of the covers below.
