Dan Sperry Joins The Illusionists at PPAC

Goth magician Dan Sperry is one of the performers in The Illusionists, a showcase for dazzling modern displays of mind-reading, levitation, disappearances and grand illusion. The show, which has been touring North America, will be at the Providence Performing Arts Center from Jan 16 through 18.

“In the most basic, straightforward sense it’s a magic show,” Sperry told Motif. “We got a great live band, stuff is projected on video screens, and we have a live camera stream so even if you’re in the back row, you get the feeling that you’re right there on stage and seeing this stuff up-close.”

The Illusionists has something for everyone, Sperry notes. Each of the seven magicians was selected for his own unique talent. Sperry is known as the Anti-Conjuror, who performs shock illusions. He has appeared in Las Vegas and in Hollywood at the Magic Castle. Sperry was featured on FOX’s “World Magic Awards” and TLC’s “Cake Boss.” He has also performed all over the world, including Australia, Asia and Europe.

“If someone doesn’t like serious magic, there are funny parts,” Sperry said. “There are heartwarming moments, scary moments, nail-biting moments — every emotion is ticked.”

Billing himself as an Anti-Conjuror “sounded cool,” Sperry explained. “It’s like saying magic or magician, but in a different way. It also expresses what I do with my style with shock illusions.”

Sperry grew up in Minnesota and became intrigued by the world of magic as a young boy when he saw a performance by David Copperfield, his idol. One of Copperfield’s tricks was to escape from a series of whirring buzzsaws. For Sperry, the act was a little too realistic. “You see this spinning buzzsaw fall and visibly cut (Copperfield) in half. It was this really cool visual but it freaked me out,” Sperry recalled. “I thought this dude just died and (the trick) actually went wrong. I started panicking and had a spastic episode. We had to leave and I never saw him get put back together.”

Not long after, Sperry obtained a batch of magic kits from a trip to the Twin Cities and began performing his own shows.

In 2010, Sperry was a contestant on “America’s Got Talent.” The video of his routine, which included a piece of dental floss and a Life Saver, later became a viral sensation on YouTube. Sperry wasn’t overly impressed with being on a variety show, knowing that the glut of variety shows would likely make his performance forgotten in a few days. “I was kind of leaning on that and just accepting that I’m going to go on and make the best of the few moments I’m on (television).”

Sperry has enjoyed fame as a magician, yet he doesn’t feel like a success. “I’m able to make my living doing something I’ve always wanted to do,” Sperry said. “I feel very lucky and blessed.”

Tickets at 401.421.2787 , or at the PPAC Box Office, 220 Weybosset St. Providence.