By Stella Williams

Hypnosis. Is it real? Or is it just a myth? These questions would be answered when professional hypnotist Tom DeLuca made his biennial visit to the Collegiate School on January 27. 

The 18 students chosen to be hypnotised.

It was a Saturday night, and Collegiate’s Oates Theater lobby was packed with excited students. They all crowded the doors, waiting until the clock hit 7:30 p.m. so they could rush to get the best seats possible to witness what had been hyped up for weeks: Tom DeLuca. After countless emails, announcements, and chatter, the time had finally arrived; the clock struck 7:30 p.m. The anxious crowd flooded the theater to find open seats and excitedly awaited to see hypnosis firsthand. 

The Mayo Clinic defines hypnosis as “a changed state of awareness and increased relaxation that allows for improved focus and concentration.” It claims that hypnosis, also known as hypnotherapy, can help one become more susceptible to changing personal behaviors. DeLuca describes hypnosis as a way to “harness the power of the imagination — and have a great time doing it!” Before doing any research, I believed hypnosis was the process of someone controlling another person to say or act in random ways, but now I understand that it is actually a helpful tactic to change habits or improve mental focus. 

Examples of the signs student’s created to get DeLuca’s attention.

DeLuca requires all participants of his shows to be over 18, or 17 with a parent’s signature. Many Collegiate students who fit this demographic filled out the performance waiver and began generating ideas of how to stand out from the other signees. These ideas involved funny costumes and cleverly worded signs. Some of the best sign phrases were “Pick me, choose me, love me,” held by Charlie Miller (‘24), “Tom DeLuca’s biggest fan, this guy,” held by Warner Lewis (‘24), and “I didn’t get dressed up for nothing!” held by Ruby Goff (‘24). These students and 15 others were the lucky 18 among the crowd hypnotized by DeLuca.

The audience was in a frenzy of laughs and chatter as they waited for DeLuca to take control of the minds of their fellow classmates. Suddenly, the room fell silent as music began playing from the speakers. The show had finally started. The chosen students sat in a semi-circle on the stage, facing the audience, and closed their eyes. DeLuca began whispering phrases that were inaudible to the observing crowd, such as “Deep asleep,” into the volunteers’ ears. Suddenly, DeLuca snapped his fingers, and the heads of the 18 fell unanimously. Everyone on stage was asleep and under DeLuca’s complete control. 

According to his official website, DeLuca started his career studying psychology at the University of Illinois. After graduating, he began working as a therapist and became interested in the practice of hypnotism. He began performing for larger groups and soon created his most popular shows. DeLuca performs for comedy and has also made significant discoveries in how hypnosis can aid in stress relief and burnout prevention. He launched new programs, called “The Power Napping Workshop for Less Stress” and “ImaginAction!” where he uses hypnosis to teach the body how to deal with stress and re-energize the mind. Even with his breakthroughs in the mental health category, DeLuca is widely known for his hilarious and engaging comedic acts. Many Collegiate teachers even remember seeing DeLuca when they attended college. 

The “Cheerleader.”

DeLuca put on many of his classic acts for the Collegiate crowd, including “Spongezilla” and “Cheerleader.” “Spongezilla” is the act where one person is convinced they can not lift a generic sponge, and after multiple attempts, DeLuca informs them they now can, and the person is exceptionally proud. “Cheerleader” was one of the fan favorites, where one person became filled with school spirit and was asked to speak about it. SCA Co-Chair Charles Nolde (‘24) was selected for this role and had the whole audience laughing. He yelled classic Collegiate cheers and praised many of his favorite teachers. 

After the show, I was eager to hear from the volunteers about their hypnosis experiences. Miller described being hypnotized as “a mind-boggling experience, because it felt like someone took control of my total mindset and thought process.” He explained he was completely awake but was just fully invested in everything DeLuca said and felt a sense of compulsion to perform what was asked of him. Another volunteer, Nash Craig (‘24), elaborated on Miller’s response, saying hypnosis was “almost like you are in a dream, and he is narrating it,” and when Deluca told Craig he would not be able to remember his name, he said, “I was trying to say my name. I knew it, but I just couldn’t get it out.” The two had fallen entirely under the control of hypnosis, resulting in hilarious moments for the amusement of their peers. 

Hypnotized students pretending to be in a bodybuilding competition.

DeLuca successfully entranced Miller and Craig, but this was not the case for all selected. Lewis was woken from his trance while onstage. Another volunteer hit him in laughter, and Lewis described it as, “ like waking up from a sleep.” Another volunteer, Walker Angus (‘24), never fully fell under DeLuca’s tricks because of an injury. He explained, “I got knocked out of it when he grabbed my broken finger, and I snapped out from the pain. It worked a little bit from there on, but I was in control the whole time.” Although these two volunteers did not fall for DeLuca’s tricks, they still added to the entertainment of their classmates.

The show was a complete success and is always a favorite Collegiate event for many students. Heidi Albrecht (‘24) described her experience in the audience as “extremely entertaining, and time flew by, and I had a great time, and I was constantly laughing.” AC Hall (‘24) agreed with Albrecht and said, “I was in awe of how he was able to control them by just saying a few words.” Many students find themselves looking forward to the show every other year. When DeLuca returns to Oates Theater, I feel confident that the Collegiate community can look forward to an engaging, hilarious, and memorable night of witnessing hypnosis.

All photos by Stella Williams.