One More Thing

[House lights dim. A single spotlight. He walks out in a black turtleneck. Jeans. New Balance. The crowd loses its mind.]

Good morning.

[pause]

I want to talk to you today about a problem.

[pause]

We’ve all been to bad barbecues. You know what I’m talking about. You get there and nobody knows when the food is coming. The coals aren’t ready. Someone brought a veggie platter. Nobody wanted the veggie platter. You stand around holding a warm beer wondering why you came.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

[pause]

For the last year, the people at the Boston Magic Lab have been working on something. Something we think you’re going to love.

[long pause. He looks at the floor. Then back up.]

What if a barbecue was — and I know this sounds crazy — actually good?

[slide changes. White background. One word: JEANNINE.]

This is Jeannine.

Jeannine is the best barbecue cook any of us have ever seen. We don’t say that lightly. We’ve thought about it a lot. She operates the grill with a level of — there’s really only one word for it — elegance — that we think you deserve to experience.

She’s going to be there.

[pause. He lets that land.]

Now. Where.

[slide changes. “70 Scituate St, Arlington.” Clean. Helvetica Neue. Nothing else.]

Seventy Scituate Street. Arlington, Massachusetts. The back yard.

We looked at a lot of venues. A lot. And we kept coming back to this one. Because it’s — it’s just right. You’ll understand when you get there.

[slide changes. “May 17, 2026. 1pm.”]

One more thing about the when. We chose one o’clock in the afternoon because we want you to linger. We want you to stay. We didn’t design this for people who have somewhere else to be.

[pause]

We’re asking you to bring something. Food, drink — whatever moves you. We’ll coordinate. We have a system. It’s great. You’re going to love the system.

[He stops. Looks down. Classic beat.]

You know, when we started the Magic Lab, a lot of people told us a magic show was a niche thing. Too small. Too weird. And every year we prove them wrong. Every year this community does something that surprises even us.

This barbecue is for that community. It’s our thank you. It’s —

[he pauses, and for a moment he seems genuinely moved]

It’s the best one we’ve ever done.

[slide changes. Black screen. White text: “One more thing.”]

Felice will be your friend.

[He grins. Turns and walks off. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” starts playing for no clear reason.]

[End of Keynote]

Produced under the auspices of Felice & the Different Thinkers. The Boston Magic Lab. May 17, 2026. 1pm. 70 Scituate St, Arlington. Rear garden. Bring something.