INVISIBLE FISH

I met Kelli Maguire in 2022 at the first AMT Theater Gala. She was wonderful and so welcoming, it took a few months before I got to really know her, but now I am privileged to call her my friend. I'm almost positive it was during our first conversation when she told me she had grown up in a Carnival, that she was a carny and in my effort to seem like I knew something (anything) about this amazing life I mentioned that a friend of mine had grown up in the circus in South Africa only to be told that while it's similar, it is not the same and that circus folk look down on carny's...there is a hierarchy. Which was news to me and only made me want to learn more! Over the years Kelli shared stories from her childhood and said how much she wanted to do a show about this time in her life and we all enthusiastically agreed because what could be better than learning about this fascinating life that so few of us ever get to see other than when we visit the magical world of the carnival (which we should all do more often quite frankly).

And so Invisible Fish was born, like anything worth doing it took time and patience and love. Kelli worked with David Wolfson to create the first iteration of this show which they presented last year. It was so well received that it became clear that a full show was needed. It helps that Kelli and David have been friends for a long time and that they spent hours talking about her life growing up in the Carnival, he took that knowledge and crafted two original songs for her. David's original tracks are beautiful and capture the world of the carnival so perfectly and Kelli sings them so wonderfully that they bring tears to your eyes.

Kelli and David worked to weave together her stories and songs into a full show and then they took a chance on Pete Dorton and myself (Zoe Reeve) to direct and choreograph this show and help bring it to life as Invisible Fish. It was an honour to work on this show and I was so proud of the final product. In a world that is harsh and dark at the moment, this show was a beacon of light and laughter. A sneak peak into the Carny world, who knew this is exactly what we all needed?

If you're wondering what it was about in the end, no one says it better than Tony Sportiello: At a young age Kelli Maguire was exposed to an entire world of folk who lived on the outside as her family traveled from place to place working in various carnivals. By 14 she had her own dart game and her own balloon toss game. It was a magical world, filled with exotic, memorable characters. Her friends were named Cookie, Rosa, Itty-Bitty, PT and Donny and they lived by a strong code of family and Carny Justice. Kelli went on to perform on cruise ships, cabarets, regional theaters and Broadway but her roots were formed in the carnivals of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

On September 10th, 11th and 12th 2025 AMT proudly presented Invisible Fish, a one woman show written and conceived by Kelli Maguire, based on her real life experiences growing up in a carnival.  Pete Dorton directed the evening of songs and memories, with Music Direction by David Wolfson and Choreography by Zoë Reeve.

Almost the whole team! (I look so tired, eeeep)

The dream is to do this show again and again, all over the world. So, send us your good vibes and positive manifestations so we can raise the money to do this gorgeous show a million times over.

Thank you to everyone who came to support Invisible Fish. It felt like a huge family gathering at times, we were so gleeful being able to share this story with so many people. Didn't it make you feel like running away to join the Carnival?

Listen here to Kelli talking about all things Invisible Fish on the AMT After Dark with Joanie & Pete podcast. You even get to hear Kelli sing, THE AMAZING BELT VOICE!