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In less than a week, there will be magic in the air when the world’s best-selling touring magic show “The Illusionists” invite audiences to “Witness the Impossible” as part of a limited engagement at Capitol Theatre. The show will run from June 23 -28 for 9 performances only, as part of a 20-city U.S. tour.
“The Illusionists” have smashed box office records around the globe with mind-bending magic that incorporates comedy, death-defying stunts and acts that have dazzled audiences of all ages all over the world. The show is the world’s largest running magic show and the bestselling magic act in the history of Broadway with enough lasting appeal that the show will be heading back to Broadway in November after completing its current tour.
What makes “The Illusionists” unique is that the show is composed of seven of the best magicians in the world, who were handpicked by the producers of the show based on their specific individual talents to create a dream team of magicians.
“There are a few things we do together, but for the most part it’s separate acts, which is better since most of us have spent years perfecting these acts on our own,” said Adam Trent, known as “The Futurist,” one of the talented cast.
Trent brings his own blend of carefully crafted magic to the stage by skillfully fusing technology ,illusions, dancing and comedy with classic techniques.
“For me it’s a great honor because a lot of the guys in the show are world famous magicians and they are guys I have looked up to my entire life,” Trent said. “It’s the best of the best.”
There are a handful of magicians out there with smaller acts, and while they are talented, they don’t quite have the same grand-scale production value that “The Illusionists” bring to the big stage, much less the abundance of talent that the show offers all in one venue.
“There are not a lot of large touring magic shows out there. Most magicians try to keep it small and simple, which makes it easier to travel. Whereas we have a large Broadway production which means the caliber of tricks are going to have a lot more production to it,” Trent said. “We have giant LED screens and projection feeds that we incorporate into the show that is some of the most cutting edge technology in the world.”
Being part of a production as high tech and magical as this one is a dream come true for Trent, who has been working nearly his whole life to be able to entertain audiences on a platform as thrilling as Broadway. Trent has always felt that magic should be entertaining and memorable enough that it stays with the audience long after the show ends.
“When magic is done properly, you don’t need to know how it works because you’re just entertained and that’s what matters,” Trent said.
It’s important to Trent that the audience feels like they are part of the show, which is why one of his centerpiece acts includes not only teleporting himself across the stage, but incorporating a Go Pro camera on his head to allow the audience to see another view of the magic.
“A lot of times in magic, the audience only gets to see things in the front and using a camera allows the audience to see behind the scenes,” Trent said. “It’s a new act I’ve been working on that I’m excited for the audience to see.”
Trent is talented enough that it would nearly be worth the cost of admission just to see him perform, but there are six other incredibly skilled magicians in the mix as well. Audiences will be captivated with the talents of Yu Ho-Jin, who is considered a rising superstar; Dan Sperry, who is described as Marilyn Manson meets David Copperfield; Jeff Hobson, who is the epitome of glamour and showmanship; Andrew Basso, who is the master of escape; Aaron Crow, who specializes in weapon magic; and finally, the celebrated Kevin James who is considered by many as the most prolific inventor of magic in the last century.
“There is no other magic tour like this one. You could fly to Las Vegas and see David Copperfield but we are bringing Vegas to Utah,” Trent said. “It’s an opportunity to see a big production magic staged properly and its not little knick knack card tricks, its grand magic.”
Tickets for “The Illusionists” are on sale now and are available online at ArtTix.org or by phone at 801-355-ARTS (2787).
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