Dan Sperry

About

At the age of four, Anti-Conjuror Dan Sperry went to see famed illusionist David Copperfield with his grandparents and left the showroom forever changed. The Copperfield performance stayed with him for many years and inspired him to try his own hand at magic. At the age of 10 he performed his very first show in front of an audience at a hometown picnic in rural Minnesota. Little did he know then that his future held private performances for Copperfield, headlining appearances on the Las Vegas Strip and his own Off-Broadway show in New York City.

As Sperry perfected his talent, his career took off as he began to perform at parties including a private party for Johnny Depp’s children, universities, festivals and much more. At the age of 17 he was already an internationally recognized champion with honors including being one of the youngest illusionists to headline the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA and multiple appearances on the hit TV series “Masters of Illusion.” Sperry was also the youngest illusionist featured in “The World’s Greatest Magic Show” for three years in Las Vegas, NV and is the only illusionist to ever be awarded the title of most original magician on FOX’s “World Magic Awards.”

Sperry defines himself as an Anti-Conjuror, which in his own words is best described as a conjuror or “magician” that goes against the common trend in magic. Going beyond the ostentatious style and use of flashy costumes, girls in skimpy outfits and more; he instead utilizes magic in creating a sense of wonder and amazement by placing the audience in situations filled with suspense and anticipation. The ultimate goal is to take audiences beyond the edge of their general comfort zone. This style of performing ultimately brings the audience to experience a state of “shock,” whereby the typical illusions guests may be familiar with are uniquely presented in an original style often times to such a degree it invokes a shocking twist to what you may be expecting.

After spending several years touring throughout Canada, Greece, Italy, and numerous other destinations, Sperry appeared on season five of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in early 2010. After receiving more than one million views on YouTube, he shocked audiences, captivated voters and sent judges running into the stands with his offbeat performance of making a lifesaver appear out
of his throat. One week after performing on the show, Sperry was one of the top ten most Googled people as fans tried to search out more of his shocking talent.

In October 2010 Sperry headlined at Fright Dome, Las Vegas’ premiere Halloween attraction, which was voted in the top five Halloween attractions in the nation by AOL Travel. During his month-long stage show, Sperry entertained numerous celebrity guests including a private performance for his childhood influence, David Copperfield. After an overwhelming response from his fans, Sperry returned to Fright Dome in 2011 to host the grand opening weekend with special performances.

Today, Sperry calls New York City home where he stars in his solo headlining engagement “MAGIC SHOW” nightly in the heart of the theater district of Times Square. Guests can experience the unimaginable as he uses razor blades, buzz saws, broken glass and more to create a whimsically entertaining non-stop roller coaster ride of pure mayhem. The urban legend of Bloody Mary is confronted on stage, a nail-biting game of Russian roulette is played with an audience member, the ancient practice of Voo Doo is encountered, the supernatural is manifested, and much more.  The venue, TIMES SCARE, is home to two fully-stocked themed bars for guests to enjoy a specialty cocktail while waiting for the show to begin. In addition, TIMES SCARE is home to New York City’s only year-round haunted house.

When not performing in his New York City showroom, Dan continues to be in demand at venues throughout the world. Tour stops for 2012 include Australia and Singapore among other sold-out appearances.

No rabbits in hats. No showgirls. No stupid card tricks.
DAN SPERRY: Magic No Longer Sucks.

Reviews

“By far one of the best illusionists we have ever had on this show. We did not praise you enough.”

-Piers Morgan, NBC’s “Americas Got Talent

“The show was great! I received many compliments today from students, staff, and administration. It was great working with Dan and his show was a hit.”

-Texas A&M University

“We had a blast! I have heard nothing but positive feedback; I hope to have him come back to our campus! He is very talented, personable and funny!”

-Spokane Community College – Spokane, WA

“…one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen in a long time!””

-Ferris State University – Big Rapids, MI

“A Rocky Horror Meets Magic Brand Of Illusion Complete With Audience Participation and Comedy!”

–WHERE Magazine, Las Vegas

“Amazing! Fantastic!”

–NEU, Boston

“Your style, energy, and ability to interact with the audience was wonderful. I would highly recommend you to any organization that was interested in an energetic, entertaining, and enjoyable program. Thank you for such a great show, you are truly a talented entertainer!”

–Art Institutes International, Chicago

“I attribute much of the success of our kick-off to Dan and his professionalism. I would whole-heartedly recommend his services to any company looking for professional entertainment for any event.”

–Dex Media Representative

“Dan’s clever wit drew interaction from the audience from the very beginning of his act and kept their attention throughout the performance. I believe I represent our organization by endorsing Mr. Sperry as a very talented entertainer, capable of delivering a professional and unique program that relates to a wide range of audiences.”

–Meeker Cooperative/Touchstone Energy

“A wild ride…”

–MAGIC Magazine

“Sensational!”

–MyNetworkTV

Intro

The following is a sample introduction you might use when introducing Dan Sperry to your audience:

“Tonight’s special guest comes direct from nightly performances in Las Vegas. He has been seen on international stages and television shows, including FOX TV’s WORLD MAGIC AWARDS where he was awarded the title of “Most Original Magician”. You recently saw him freaking out the judges, especially Howie Mandel, on America’s Got Talent as a semi-finalist. His show combines comedy, magic, and illusion with a twist of the bizarre. Ladies and gentlemen this is not your average magic show, give it up and welcome to the stage: Dan Sperry!”

Rider

Dan Sperry’s technical needs vary with the context of his show. In order to give you the best performance possible, Dan Sperry provides the following information as minimum technical rider to his contract for a stage show:

Artist Requests:

• Stage: Minimum performance area of 8×10 preferably on a raised platform with steps if applicable.
• Lights: A general wash with lights being brighter on Dan and darker in the audience if available.
• Sound: An appropriate sound system should be provided. Three XLR or Stereo inputs to main system if there is a sound engineer controlling the sound for your event. This is to plug two UHF Wireless Microphones and an iPod player through a DI box into your system.

Please have the following available at the stage upon Dan’s arrival to the venue. The client/venue is responsible for the expense of these supplies:

• 2 chairs to be placed stage left
• 1 long table minimum 4 feet wide to be placed at stage right
• 1 clean and unused trash can to be placed off stage