High Strangeness
LIBRARY AND PARLOR MENTALSIM SHOW
NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST
Libraries do not need another “magic show.” They need programming that justifies attention, drives attendance, and reinforces their role as a cultural and intellectual space.
High Strangeness – A Library Magic Show with Foggy Jack is designed exactly for that.
This is a 45-60 minute immersive paranormal mentalism experience that blends storytelling, psychology, and theatrical illusion into a program that feels more like a live episode of a strange, forgotten archive than a performance. The audience doesn’t just watch—they lean in, question, analyze, and engage.
The strategic advantage:
-It captures teens and young adults (a notoriously difficult demographic for libraries)
-It remains accessible and appropriate for general audiences
-It aligns with core library values: curiosity, literacy, critical thinking, and imagination – Show designed for teens and YA audiences -FOR YOUNGER AUDENCES PLEASE SEE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Every moment is built around a simple idea:
What we read shapes what we believe—and what we believe shapes what we see.
That means your event is not just entertainment—it becomes:
A conversation starter
A program that drives circulation and theme displays
A memorable experience that positions your library as innovative
This is not loud. Not chaotic. Not disposable.
It is quiet, controlled, intelligent intrigue—the kind that makes a room go still.
If your goal is attendance, engagement, and lasting impact, this show delivers all three.
Part magic show, part psychological experience, High Strangeness transforms your library into a place where stories don’t just live on shelves… they start to look back at you.
What Does Foggy Jack Have to Say About This?!
High Strangeness is my way of turning a library into something it rarely gets to be—a vast cosmic entity of mentalism and eldritch terror.
I’ve always believed that books are more than stories. They’re records of human fear, curiosity, obsession, and belief. Every strange tale: whether it comes from Dracula, Frankenstein, or The Mothman Prophecies—exists because someone, somewhere, experienced something they couldn’t explain… and felt the need to write it down.
This show lives in that space.
High Strangeness is not just a magic show. It’s a curated experience built around the idea that what we read shapes how we think—and how we think shapes what we perceive. Using a blend of mentalism, storytelling, and psychological illusion, I invite the audience to step into the pages of these strange accounts and ask a simple question:
What if some of these stories aren’t just stories?
Throughout the performance, I draw from classic literature, paranormal case studies, and cultural folklore to create moments that feel… just a little too real. Not in a way that claims anything supernatural—but in a way that challenges the boundaries between imagination, memory, and belief.
My goal is not to convince. It’s to provoke curiosity.
Because libraries are one of the last places where people are allowed—encouraged, even—to explore the unknown. To question. To wonder. To get lost in ideas that don’t have clean answers.
High Strangeness is designed to honor that spirit.
It’s quiet. It’s eerie. It’s thoughtful.
And if it works the way it’s supposed to, your audience won’t just leave entertained—they’ll leave looking at books a little differently… and maybe questioning a few things they thought they understood.
Works Cited
Dracula
Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Archibald Constable and Company, 1897.
Frankenstein
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, 1818.
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Vintage Books, 1975.
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories
Lovecraft, H. P. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories. Edited by S. T. Joshi, Penguin Classics, 1999.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Schwartz, Alvin. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell, Harper & Row, 1981.
Night of the Living Dummy
Stine, R. L. Night of the Living Dummy. Scholastic, 1993.
Tales to Give You Goosebumps
Stine, R. L. Tales to Give You Goosebumps. Scholastic, 1994.
Scary Stories for Sleep-overs
Pearce, Q. L. Scary Stories for Sleep-overs. Price Stern Sloan, 1986.
The Mothman Prophecies
Keel, John A. The Mothman Prophecies. Saturday Review Press, 1975.
Communion
Strieber, Whitley. Communion: A True Story. William Morrow, 1987.
Visitors from Lanulos
Derenberger, Woodrow W. Visitors from Lanulos. Neville Spearman, 1971.
The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural
Sullivan, Jack, editor. The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural. Viking Press, 1986.
The Book of the Law
Crowley, Aleister. The Book of the Law. Ordo Templi Orientis, 1904.
Magick in Theory and Practice
Crowley, Aleister. Magick in Theory and Practice. Lecram Press, 1929.
To Ride a Silver Broomstick
RavenWolf, Silver. To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft. Llewellyn Publications, 1993.
Teen Witch
RavenWolf, Silver. Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation. Llewellyn Publications, 1998.
House of Leaves
Danielewski, Mark Z. House of Leaves. Pantheon Books, 2000.
The Demon-Haunted World
Sagan, Carl. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. Random House, 1995.
The Varieties of Religious Experience
James, William. The Varieties of Religious Experience. Longmans, Green & Co., 1902.
IF FOGGY JACK IS TOO BIZARRE….
✨ The Xavier Sandestin Experience: Pure Magic & Endless Fun! ✨
Get ready for a whirlwind of wonder! Xavier Sandestin brings a high-energy, laugh-out-loud magic experience designed specifically for the youngest of audiences. Perfectly tailored for pre-school and daycare ages, Xavier’s shows are built on a foundation of joy, engagement, and amazing “how-did-he-do-that?” moments.
🎭 A Show Built for Little Imaginations
Xavier knows exactly what makes kids giggle! His performances are a vibrant mix of:
Whimsical Puppetry: Meet charming characters that come to life right before your eyes.
Colorful Props & Music: A visual and auditory feast that keeps high-energy kids focused and entertained.
Interactive Magic: The kids aren’t just watching—they are the stars of the show, helping the magic happen!
Non-Stop Laughs: Pure, age-appropriate comedy that leaves children (and teachers!) in stitches.
🔄 Fresh Magic Every Time
Why settle for one show? Xavier offers multiple unique performance packages. You can book him throughout the year—for seasonal events, graduations, or just-because—and he’ll return with entirely new tricks, new props, and new stories, all while maintaining that signature Xavier Sandestin spark!