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Trail Staff Writer
In the same way Dr. Mesmer attracted 19th century audiences, Northwest College students and community members filled the Nelson Performing Arts Center Thursday, Feb. 9 to see hypnotism, to be “mesmerized.”
Hypnotist Frederick Winters said, “It’s not magic, just an altered state of mind. When you space out in front of the television and time seems to fly by, that’s an altered state of mind, just like hypnosis.”
Northwest College student Brendan MacNeil became Winters’ first “patient.” After MacNeil, 17 members of the audience volunteered to fill the seats Winters set on stage.
Winters proceeded to hypnotize the 17 college students, and high school student Quinton Cordova with dim lights and his rhythmic voice. Winters stated “ If people in the audience choose to, they can be hypnotized too. It can work even if you’re not onstage.” One individual, who had earlier been monitoring stamped hands of people who paid, fell under Winters’ spell.
Two individuals were motioned off-stage due to their inability to be hypnotized. The hypnotized audience member moved onstage and participated for the rest of the show.
Winters created varied and unusual situations for each of the hypnotized individuals to face. He first started them off in a movie theatre. They watched outrageous comedies, then horror flicks and finally a “special” movie with “very attractive people” in it.
Winters proceeded to make the hypnotized students forget their names, pretend they were children ages two to four and even had Lisa Horton riding Evan Kawano like a pony.
Next Winters appointed those on stage to become “laughing police” and make sure the audience didn’t do so much as smile. However, the audience roared with laughter while some hypnotized students ran around looking for purses, belly danced and at the same time also scolded them for chuckling.
Winters ended his show by making the individuals on stage compete in an MTV dance contest. He awoke the hypnotized students, assuring them they would be well rested and able to recall parts of the show.
“ I felt really hypnotized, but I can remember parts of it, especially telling everyone to shut up and stop laughing,” Tanna Mitlider said.
“The part I remember the most was riding Evan,” stated Lisa Horton.
“I was really relaxed… I remember yelling at three girls in the front row,” said Dane Goeden.
Winters said, “I became a hypnotist in 1980 and have been practicing ever since. I was first interested as a freshman in college when a hypnotist performed at the Northwestern University in Chicago where I lived.”
“ After I saw the show, I talked to the hypnotist and told him how interested I was. I went to one of his workshops and he ended up training me,” Winters explained.
Winters began performing for roommates and frat and sorority parties to get a start. He later received a certificate in hypnotherapy and began doing sideshows at college campuses.
“ I discovered there was a huge market for hypnotists in college campuses. Now I am always on the road, moving from one university to another. I have 20-25 shows per month and only am at home about five days each month,” Winters said.
“The travel is worth every show,” Winters explained. “ I never know what unexpected things will happen.”
