Michael James Berger, known by his stage name “Magic Mike” in Seattle’s busker scene, whose legal battle expanded free speech protections for street performers nationwide, died January 3, 2026, in Shoreline. He was 78.
Berger learned magic as a child, reading books borrowed from the library, and he often encouraged children to read in his performances.
Performing illusions for tips at the Seattle Center from the 1980s into the 2000s, he twisted balloons in busy walkways during festivals like Folklife and the Bite of Seattle…