Mastery of magic: Illusionist Rick Thomas to perform Tuesday in Bonita Springs

Rick Thomas has performed in Paris, London, Hong Kong and Moscow, and on Tuesday, he'll be in Bonita Springs.

The world-famous, award-winning illusionist has completed five world tours in more than 50 countries, and headlined in Las Vegas for 15 years. Thomas started practicing magic when he was 7 years old, inspired by the magic of Disney. Since then, he's been awarded Magician of the World by the World Magic Award, and Stage Magician of the Year by the Academy of Magical Arts.

At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thomas will showcase his mastery of magic at the SanJan Theater at the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Road SE, in Bonita Springs. Tickets are $38 for general admission, $5 for children younger than 12, $48 for VIP seating and $54 for orchestra seating. Visit swflpac.com/buy-tickets to purchase tickets.

In the age of the internet, illusionists must work harder to set themselves apart from what's being seen online, Thomas said. He offered more insight into the career of a master of magic:

Q: You’ve traveled the world and had one of the most successful shows in Vegas — what’s your proudest accomplishment?

A: This may sound cliché, but my proudest accomplishment is my next one. I thought that once I had performed in Las Vegas, that life would be complete. All I could do was look forward to my next show, never completely satisfied. I talk about following your dreams in my show and I realized that once we have reached a dream, it causes us to reach further. With that said, I am overwhelmed as I look back on my career and grateful that I followed my dreams. OK…that’s probably not the answer you want; how about selling out Caesars Colosseum! That was awesome.

Q: What is about the spectacle of illusion that draws so many people?

A: The spectacle of illusions takes us beyond reality. It allows us to believe in the impossible. Could you imagine what it was like in the early 1900s when audiences saw the first levitation of person? What if an airplane flew over your head 200 years ago. It would be — wow! That’s what I attempt to create — the "wow" factor.

Q: What should audiences expect from your show? Are they going to see things they’ve never seen before?

A: Within the world of magic I am known among my peers as one who presents the most intriguing, innovative illusions in the world with a style unlike any other magical entertainer. I believe you will thoroughly enjoy the presentation with, yes, a few surprises that you have never seen.

Q; You started with magic as a young boy. Describe what the art of magic was like at the time.

A: I grew up next to Disneyland and I remember my grandmother taking me there quite often. She believed in magic. I could see it in her eyes when we would arrive at that magical place. I was extremely interested in how everything was created. Sure, I would enjoy the ride, but I would say to myself, “How was that done?” I began to search and discover amazing magical things and realized at the very age of 7 or 8 that I was going to follow my dreams and become an illusionist. My first professional show was performing at the Disneyland Hotel for two years beginning at the age of 17.

Q; How do you think the practice of illusion and magic has changed since then, and how have you had to adapt as a performer?

A: When I began to master the art of Illusion, there were very few outlets to discover those secrets. Secrets kept by a very few people who spent a lifetime creating amazing illusions. I spent many years studying and learning everything I could about this amazing art form. Now, we have the internet. Anyone can go online and type in a few worlds and ta-da — magic! Many things you see on the internet are feeble attempts to tell you how something is done, but access to this profession is much more easily obtained. My hope is that you join me at the show and witness for yourself a grand master of illusion. Anyone can do a trick; however, few people can perform magic and that is what you will experience.

If you go

Illusionist Rick Thomas

• When: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 28
• Where: SanJan Theater at the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Road SE, Bonita Springs
• Tickets: $38 general admission; $48 VIP seating; $54 orchestra seating; $5 for children age 12 and younger
• Purchase:  www.swflpac.com/buy-tickets; 239-389-6901