THE CENTER PRESENTS:
MAGICIAN DAVID WILLIAMSON THE TARKINGTON // SAT, JAN. 22, 2 P.M. & 8P.M. ET Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of The Center For the Performing Arts
A BORN SHOWMAN AND ACCOMPLISHED SLEIGHT-OF-HAND ARTIST, DAVID WILLIAMSON DAZZLES AUDIENCES WITH A BLEND OF HEART-STOPPING MAGIC AND SIDESPLITTING HILARITY.
He has been featured on ABC’s “Champions of Magic,” where he appeared with Princess Stephanie as he performed his miracles at various locations in and around Monaco. Williamson has also co-starred in several top-rated prime-time network specials, including CBS’ “Magicians’ Favorite Magicians,” NBC’s “Houdini: Unlocking His Mysteries” and NBC’s “World’s Greatest Magic III.” He was seen recently on The CW’s “Masters of Illusion” TV series as well as “America’s Got Talent.” Williamson has developed TV shows for Walt Disney Productions and ABC, as well as consulting on TV specials for illusionists David Copperfield and David Blaine. His bestselling magic book, “Williamson’s Wonders,” has been translated into three languages. Williamson is also featured as the Ringmaster in the exciting show “Circus 1903” currently touring the world and returning to the UK for a holiday tour. He is also a frequent favorite Guest Entertainer on Disney Cruise Lines. Recently, Williamson was honored with the Performance Fellowship by the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. In 2017, Williamson was named The Magic Castle’s Magician of the Year. He was also recently awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership by the UK’s Magic Circle, the world’s premier magical society.
Janelle Morrison: I believe life is about experiences. I think it’s a great time to be reminded of the wonderment and laughter we enjoyed as children and experience those again as adults. That’s where live shows and entertainers like you come in. David Williamson: That’s the message I’ve been giving interviews for the circus that we’re taking back to London [this holiday season] after a year off. The message is “cir-
cus” is community and “circus” is a celebration of life, so it’s a positive message. JM: I’d like to take a stroll down memory lane and ask you to walk me through the early days of your magic career. Williamson: As a kid, I was fascinated with magic, like most kids are. I got a magic set when I was 8 years old. When everybody else let go of the magic tricks and moved on
to football or other pursuits in life, I never let [magic] go. We had a school magician, Walter Shepard, who was a wonderful magician in the Dayton area who performed for all the elementary schools and had a wonderful school show. It was fantastic. He played the part. He had a goatee and a painted van with doves and hats on it. He was a “professional” magician. My teacher let me go backstage with Shepard the Magician, and
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