When magician Craig Davis puts on his colorful shirt, suspenders and top hat, the 35-year-old goes from being a soft-spoken dad of three to the life of the party.

On this afternoon, Davis, a Gilbert resident, is delighting an audience of several dozen youngsters. They “ooh” and “ahh” — some squeezing their eyes shut and some with their mouths agape — as Davis juggles swords and giggle when his tiny bird, Princess, gets in on the act.

“This is Princess . . . the 23rd,” Davis quips as he prepares to simulate cutting the bird in two. (In addition to fire and plenty of card tricks, the ASU grad’s show is also packed with plenty of jokes, especially for the parents in the audience.)

Through the end of July, Davis — who’s been a professional magician and jokester for about 14 years — will delight kids of all ages at Entertainment Alley, a cozy performance space nestled in a south Scottsdale strip mall.

On Tuesdays, his show is followed by a mini-magic workshop, where children learn a card trick and receive a free set of juggling balls. On Saturdays, Davis performs sans workshop.

According to Entertainment Alley’s operations manager, Diane Howell, Davis’ show is the first kid-oriented offering in the space’s three-year history.

“It’s summertime,” she says with a laugh. “Parents don’t always want to take their kids to a movie, and it’s too hot to be out in the sun. This is something fun that (both) parents and kids can enjoy.”

Howell adds that if Davis’ monthlong run at Entertainment Alley is a hit, she and her partner might host additional magic shows.

“In the past we’ve held acting classes here, movie castings, auditions for print ads, theater shows and CD-release parties,” she says of the space. “This is new for us — we’ll see how it goes.”

If the audience’s squeals of delight on this opening afternoon are any indication, though, Howell and Davis have a hit on their hands.

With bold red and blue spotlights shining down on him, dramatic music booming in the background and beads of sweat trickling down his face, Davis balances atop a rope while juggling — under his legs. The children — along with their moms and dads — show their appreciation with loud whistles and claps.

And with that, Davis takes a bow and wishes all in the audience a “happy and magical afternoon.”

“I wouldn’t know what else to do,” says the former Mill Avenue street performer who’s taken his show to such corners of the globe as London, Barcelona and Paris. “I love to look out at the audience and see bright, smiling faces. I love that everyone can get lost in the fantasy of it all.”

Craig Davis magic show
Where: Entertainment Alley, 2200 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
When: 1 p.m. Tuesdays through July 29 and 2 p.m. Saturdays through July 26
How much: $10 for the Tuesday shows (price includes a set of tricks for all audience members) and $8 for the Saturday shows
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