Illusionist comes home to perform

By Joe Schweizer
10-17-2002

Illusionist David Robinson, a former Sylacauga resident, will perform as the entertainment for the city’s Chamber of Commerce banquet today. “My show is very much like that of David Copperfield. It combines dance, drama and magic with a unique blend of comedy,” Robinson said. The illusionist spent Wednesday preparing for the show with his assistants at the Sylacauga High School auditorium. When asked what is the difference between an illusionist and a magician, Robinson joked, “About $5,000 a night.” He said a magician usually does smaller tricks that are viewed up close, while an illusionist does larger tricks involving sophisticated props and more spectacle. A highlight of Thursday’s performance will be an illusion relatively new to the field. He will cut a woman in half, but rather than use an assistant — the way it is normally done — he will use a woman from the audience. He said he will have no previous contact with the woman, and she will not be “planted” in the audience by him. “The audience can even choose her,” he said. He said he was one of the first performers to do this illusion when it came out about a year ago. While some of his other illusions are in the line of Copperfield, Robinson said many of the tricks are of his own design and creation. “The show will last approximately 80 minutes, and you will witness some of the most spellbinding magic and illusions you have ever seen,” he said with the bravado typical of many performers in this field. Robinson was born in Fort Payne but raised in Sylacauga. When he was a teenager, he realized he wanted to perform and started to follow his desire. At first he was a musician and played in a local band called TKO in the 1980s. He said one of his band mates was Mayor Bruce Carr. Robinson gave up music several years ago. While living in Birmingham, he got involved with a magic club. From there, his interest in magic and his current career grew. He did the special effects and performed at a recent presentation for the Harry Potter franchise at Universal Studios Hollywood. He said he had the opportunity to work with Copperfield about 10 years ago but turned it down to work with Ray Wold, the fire artist for Cirque Du Soleil. His performance will start at 8 p.m. at the high school. Tickets for the event are $15 at the door. They can be purchased up until 5 p.m. today at the chamber for $12, according to Chamber Executive Director Crystal Ricks. The event will follow the banquet, which will take place at the J. Craig Smith Community Center. Ricks said the meeting, but not Robinson’s show, has sold out. The banquet will start at 6:30 p.m. The chamber will present a number of its annual awards there, including industry, fireman and policeman of the year, she said. The chamber will also present its Best Friend Award, which goes to the person who has donated much time to local causes. Before the meeting, the Comer Museum and Arts Center on North Broadway will hold a reception open to the public for its 16th Annual Artist Selects Exhibit. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., according to Director Donna Rentfrow. The exhibit showcases the work of a different Alabama artist each year. This year, the work of Sylacauga resident Russell Scruggs is shown.

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