2-person magic act performs as fundraiser for school choir

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Tweet More than your standard pull-a-bunny-out-of-a-hat routine, magicians Chris and Ryan can make eight doves appear out of thin air, cut their trusty assistant, Tiffany Tucker, into thirds and vanish from stage in the blink of an eye.

"It's great to be able to amaze people," said Ryan, a theater junior. "Kids love it, and adults love it because it brings them back to their childhood. The live animals really get 'em. I have made two Bengal tigers appear before."

The duo, who call themselves Zubrick Magic & Illusion, will perform their 90-minute mysterious and comedic show at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Haslett High School auditorium. The event is a fundraiser for the school's choir.

"There's something for everyone," Ryan said. "We try to evoke a lot of emotion during the show — happiness, sadness, laughter. Weird and mysterious things happen on stage."

Chris, who grew up in Laingsburg, Mich., and Ryan have been performing together for about one year. They met when Chris lectured at the MSU Magicians' Club, which Ryan was a member of. They "joined forces" shortly after.

It was sheer coincidence that both Chris and Ryan's passion for magic began 14 years ago. Ryan received a magic kit for his birthday when he was five years old and his father bought him his first dove when he was six. When he was a sophomore in high school, Ryan performed his act in France, Italy and Spain.

Chris was captivated by the magic trinkets found inside of cereal boxes. Magic became an instant fascination and performing magic tricks was the only career he saw fitting.

He has toured internationally in Japan, Italy and Germany. Although one might call him a professional, he has made mistakes during shows. Take, for instance, the time he caught his former assistant's hair on fire.

"In the final pose, my assistant and I stood back to back," he explained. "No one knew, but when the confetti cannon went off, it caught her hair on fire. She just went backstage after that. She wasn't bald by the end of the day."

Because, of course, their act isn't truly magic — they aren't Harry Potter after all — safety is important, especially when dealing with nails and sharp blades.

They might cut themselves when a sharp nail is sticking out of a set — which they design and create themselves — but there have not been any serious injuries.

Chris said even if they do suffer an injury, they don't let the audience know, because it is important to keep the audience's sense of awe and incredibility throughout the entire performance, adding that magicians never reveal their secrets.

"People ask us how we do it," Chris said. "And we say, 'Can you keep a secret?' And they say, 'Yeah.' And then we say 'Well so can we.'"

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children and Haslett students. Tickets are available at the door, or by contacting 517-651-7944, or go to www.zubrickmagic.com.

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