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 off the youngest illusionist 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; to instead utilize 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 starring 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- “Kill Bar” and the “Parlour of the Paranormal” 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.
