Rising magician to perform at Buskirk

Prepare to be dazzled, deceived and delighted.

Audiences at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater will be treated with the illusions of BJ Harris on Saturday, where he will bring his unique brand of stagecraft to Bloomington and perform his show “Senseless.”

Harris is an up-and-coming young magician, and North Central Church of Christ has invited him to Bloomington to put on his act, which features traditional tricks in a back-to-basics approach to stage magic.

“It’s not about fooling the audience and making them feel stupid,” Harris said. “Yet magicians across America have taken on the attitude of ‘look what I can do that you can’t.’”

Harris said he is committed to elevating magic to the next level because he feels that the art has been stagnant for too long.

He performs a wide variety of tricks and illusions, from simple slight-of-hand and card tricks to more elaborate escapes and escapades, he said.

He borrows from older magicians as well, performing classic tricks made famous by Houdini and others. From time to time, he will perform more comedic segments in his act, such as playing tricks on the audience.

Twenty-four-year-old Harris is considered by many to be young for such an accomplished magician.

Like Houdini, he started studying magic early. At the age of nine, he received his first magic kit from his grandmother, and since then he has spent most of his life studying the arts of illusion and deception.

Harris has used his skills to entertain and enlighten more than a million people on five different continents, according to his Web site.

North Central Church of Christ has booked the magician as part of their yearly youth conference. The conference has run for the past five years, and this year they decided to book someone who could also provide affordable, family-oriented entertainment for the rest of the community.

Harris has entertained audiences across the country with his performance and the spiritual message it contains.

According to Harris’s Web site, he uses illusions to show how easily human senses can be fooled and how focusing on the truth can keep people from falling prey to deception and help them grow closer to their Creator.

A unique presence in the magic world, Harris has been recognized by many of his contemporaries for his skill and showmanship.

Though he began by performing in churches and vacation Bible schools, he has recently been performing in more mainstream venues and attempting to garner more secular attention, Harris said in his blog.

“He’s a quality magician, very family-friendly,” said Brian Fuller, youth minister at North Central Church of Christ. “You’ll want to laugh. You’ll be amazed.”