Master illusionist aims to wow crowd at Park Theatre

Jessica Selby
Posted 10/29/14

Think of how big an elephant is. Now imagine seeing one appear out of thin air.

Lyn Dillies, a master illusionist, can make that happen. It is just one of the countless illusions the entertainer …

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Master illusionist aims to wow crowd at Park Theatre

Posted

Think of how big an elephant is. Now imagine seeing one appear out of thin air.

Lyn Dillies, a master illusionist, can make that happen. It is just one of the countless illusions the entertainer has performed in her more than 20 years on stage.

After getting hooked on the doings of Bill Bixby, star of “The Magician,” at age 12, the Massachusetts native took the magic realm by storm. She said that she read every book there was on the subject, studied many of the greats before her, bought pocket tricks from her neighborhood magic store and invested countless hours perfecting her trade.

Dillies is one of the most respected and recognized female illusionists in the world today. She has earned a number of awards, acknowledgements and accolades over the course of her career as a master illusionist.

In 2013, she was the first female illusionist in history to receive the prestigious Milbourne Christopher Award – the Academy Award of magic – from the Society of American Magicians. Past recipients of this honor include David Copperfield, Penn and Teller and Siegfried and Roy. She has also received the Merlin Award for Female Illusionist of the Year from the International Magicians Society in 2009.

The acclaimed illusionist travels all over the East Coast and beyond, performing for audiences of all ages and sizes. This weekend, her travels will bring her to the Park Theatre in Cranston. Dillies will be making a one-time appearance on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.

Dillies said that she and her assistant, Marc LeBlanc, will be performing their national touring show, which will include animal performances, audience participation acts and illusion after illusion.

“This is full production illusion show,” Dillies said. “We will be doing some major illusions, and everything is choreographed to music.   

“My assistant gets his head spun around 360 degrees. I will take a little girl from the audience and float her mid air. There is some real audience participation – it’s a highly visual show,” she continued. “This is the type of show that you would have to travel to New York or Hollywood to see, and it’s a great experience for the whole family – kids, adults, grandparents, everyone. My number one goal is that I am giving them something that they will leave with and always remember.”

Tickets for the show are still available and can be purchased by calling the Park Theatre Box Office at 467-7275 or visiting www.ParkTheatreRI.com. Tickets are $15 and $25, with special discounts available for groups of four or more.  

Every weekend throughout the month of November, the Park Theatre is welcoming a wide array of talent. Crystal Bowersox and special guest Erika Van Pelt will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8.

The two developed a fan base after staring on the hit TV show “American Idol.” In 2010, Crystal Bowersox released her debut album, “Farmer’s Daughter,” which peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Rock Chart. In 2013, Bowersox released her sophomore album, “All That for This.”

Tickets for that show are $22 and $27. The Park Theatre is located at 848 Park Ave. in Cranston.

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