Rhett Bryson Makes Magic Happen

“Absolutely dumbstruck.”

This was how Furman professor of theatre arts Rhett Bryson, 81, reacted when he learned the local Greenville, South Carolina, ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) would be named in his honor.

As he stood, the emcee announced the ring would henceforth be known as the I.B.M. Ring 63 – The Rhett Bryson Ring. “I threw my hand over my mouth – I was emotionally hit, just smacked with the surprise, the honor of it,” Bryson says. “I had no idea they were up to that.”

Local “rings,” a nod to one of the oldest feats in prestidigitation, the Chinese linking rings, are named after individuals, but it’s rare, Bryson says, especially when the person is still living. “This way, I can enjoy it and appreciate it as I continue to be involved,” he says.

What makes the recognition particularly meaningful for Bryson is that his late mentor and great friend, John Murray, was celebrated in the same way by the I.B.M. in Charleston, South Carolina, where Murray lived until his death. Decades ago, Murray, owner of a Greenville magic shop, took Bryson under his wing and taught him the tricks of the trade.

Bryson, who joined Furman in 1972, continues to be invested in the Department of Theatre Arts. The professor of scenic and lighting design directs a play every year. In 2025 it was Molière’s comedy “Tartuffe.” And he keeps his magic skills fresh through his I.B.M. activities and by leading what he calls Saturday “sessions” in The Playhouse when it’s not in use.

Bryson said the 1 p.m. sessions are open to anyone who wants to learn more about magic, including students, staff, faculty and established local hobbyists and pros.

Maegan Azar, chair of the theatre arts department and professor of acting and directing, says on any given day, students and faculty may find themselves unwitting participants in Bryson’s craft. “Rhett likes to test his work out on us all the time in The Playhouse,” she says. “And occasionally, the students convince him to do a bit of his show at our departmental social events. It’s always a special treat.”

He loves it all and has every intention to remain engaged in his magical and scholarly pursuits.

“I like my colleagues, I’m increasingly challenged by the students to motivate them and help turn them from being theatre students to being theatre artists,” he says. “I enjoy teaching and sharing my enthusiasm about theatre and theatre art with my students.”

Theatre arts and Japanese studies double major Paige Hemmer ’25 of Millbrook, Alabama, is just one example.

“Rhett Bryson is simply an incredible mentor,” says Hemmer, who was a cast member in “Tartuffe.”

“I don’t know if he knows the impact he’s had on me. He takes such joy in his work, whether it’s theatre-making, magic or teaching.”

Mentoring students and sharing his artistry with all is the trick to Bryson’s staying power.

“I have good health; I’m engaged by the work in a way that I wouldn’t be if I were retired,” he says. “I need the energy and this interaction with people, the community of it. So that’s why I do it. And I get paid every month, and that’s a nice thing too,” he adds with a smile.