Paul Alexander Nolan and The Cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS – Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Broadway touring musical, Water for Elephants, brings the circus to life on stage, complete with animal acts, high flying trapeze, and slight of hand tricks sure to mesmerize audiences. Try the Vanishing Toothpick trick at home before or after the show.

Materials:

• Toothpick
• Clear tape
• Mirror or camera (for practice)

PREPARATION

To begin, tear off a piece of tape the approximate size of the width of the presenter’s thumb. Attach one end of the toothpick to the tape and then press the toothpick to the presenter’s thumb on the backside of the hand right at the top of the fingernail.

The taped part of the toothpick should be right below the thumbnail, and the rest of the toothpick should be lying flat down the knuckle and base of the presenter’s thumb on the backside of the hand. If you’re having trouble visualizing this trick, a quick online search will clear it up!

PROFICIENCY

The presenter should tuck their thumb (with the toothpick taped to the outside of the thumb) toward the palm of the hand. The untaped portion of the toothpick will then be sticking up in the air. The presenter then wraps their remaining four fingers around the tucked thumb, positioning the toothpick to look as if they were holding it in their hand (their fist is closed, and the toothpick points vertically out of their closed fist). It may be extremely helpful to use a mirror or front-facing camera on a smart phone to practice making this position look as natural as possible. Once the position appears perfect, have the presenter practice swiping the opposite hand over the toothpick while quickly opening the hand holding the toothpick.

The presenter’s final hand position for this illusion is the palm of the hand facing the audience. While the audience is focused on the opposite hand, the toothpick will seem to vanish when the presenter opens their hand! In reality, the toothpick is still taped to the thumb and blocked from view behind the open palm.

PRESENTATION

Remember, presentation is everything in illusion! Swiping the opposite hand over the closed fist draws the audience’s attention to the moving hand rather than the hand holding the toothpick. The speed and confidence with which the illusion takes place also adds an element of mystery.

Once presenters feel proficient performing the illusion, work on building their own version of the presentation. Maybe they make the toothpick reappear or show the audience that the toothpick is not attached to the hand by rotating both hands, palm in, being careful not to show the back of their hands. Most importantly, students should make the illusion their own with confidence and flair.

Article originally appeared in Water for Elephants study guide.

DETAILS
Water for Elephants
Feb 11-22, 2026 • Buell Theatre
Tickets