An unusual evening of mind reading

Derek Jasper

By David Siegel

Local audience demand has been so robust that Evan Hoffmann, artistic director of NextStop Theatre in Herndon, said he “had to bring back Derek Jasper to the NextStop stage for a third time. It will be an evening of live entertainment like no other.”

Jasper is a magician, mentalist, and deception expert. There will be three performances of his show, “Epiphany,” this weekend, March 10 and 11.

“Jasper wows NextStop audiences each time he performs. He is very impressive, so I am thrilled to bring him back,” says Hoffman.

“Epiphany” features sleight of hand, psychology, and confidence games. Add some magic, comedy, mystery, and his elegant style, and it’s a wondrous evening. The audience becomes part of the show, as he brings the magic close to them, along with surprises.

Jasper, a Herndon native who graduated from South Lakes High School, has been performing for 15 years.

It all started when “I read the original stories of Sherlock Holmes and fell in love with the idea of being able to look at someone and seemingly know everything I could possibly need to know about them,” Jasper says. He then developed his skills in observation, psychology, hypnosis, and memory development.

“Epiphany” will not only have a beautiful set, but “some interesting prop choices,” Jasper says. The show will be “sculpted around the idea of observation.” As a mentalist, he is trained to notice all the little details that people would normally not notice. “‘Epiphany’ is all about me taking the audience behind the curtain and showing them the world through the eyes of a mentalist.”

His shows are not about “fooling people but connecting with them,” he says. “I would like the audience to leave the theater with a better understanding of the world around them. I want them to have their minds challenged and experience something they wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else in the world.”

Where and When: “Epiphany,” a one-man show starring Derek Jasper, is at NextStop Theater, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Order tickets online or call OvationTix, 866-811-4111.

This post is based on an article that appeared in The Connection March 1.