Levitating a long-stemmed lady may be an easy task for magician Garry Carson, but when he comes to Bloomington, he will attempt any entertainer’s most difficult task: keeping a new audience captivated.

As daunting as that may sound, Carson is backed by years of experience. Carson’s show at the MGM Grand earned him the title of “Top Family Attraction” in Vegas for two consecutive years. Recently, he has been traveling across the country and around the world earning much repute within the magic community. He has performed over 8,000 shows in over 38 countries.

Carson’s trail of illusions will summon their way to The Community Player’s Theatre in Bloomington this Saturday. Tickets are available at the venue as well as online (communityplayers.org) for both the 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances.

“We hosted Garry’s act a few years ago to a sold out crowd. It was very popular and the community seemed to really enjoy it. He does mind-boggling levitation tricks, slights of hand and he even brings in animals for the show,” John Lieder, vice president of Community Players Theatre, said.

Carson and his wife, Kelsey, are expert illusionists. Those attending the show should expect to be awed by disappearing panthers, a woman split in half and an array of other mesmerizing feats. Carson pulls no stops in his “made for Vegas” spectacle of tricks.

Lieder said that Carson is notorious for pulling random members of the audience on stage as part of the act and really getting into the comedic aspect of the show.

“Garry’s act is a really family-friendly show that everyone will enjoy,” Lieder continued. “He gets the whole audience involved and is really very funny.”

Lieder, who is also in charge of fundraising operations at the theatre, said that Carson’s show is a fundraiser for the theatre.

“The Community Players Theatre is a non-profit organization. Shows like Carson’s really help us keep up with general operations of the theatre and help cover the cost of putting on shows,” Lieder said.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, The Community Players Theatre is a local theatre group entering into its 88th season. Since 1923, the theatre has given anyone in the area the chance to participate in all aspects of the theatrical process. Upcoming events supported by the Carson show include “Play It Again, Sam”, “The Producers” and “State Fair.”

Lieder encourages any interested ISU students to check out the show.

“If you’ve seen David Blaine or David Copperfield on television, then you’re going to enjoy seeing similar illusions live in person. Carson is a really well known magician who is sure to impress,” he said.

The Community Players Theatre is located at 201 Robinhood Lane, directly north of the Bloomington Post Office on Towanda Avenue. Parking is available for patron use at the Post Office.