The Illusionists Live from Broadway will be heading out to Red Deer this month to perform a number of magician’s skills and talents.

“You’re not just seeing one magician like David Copperfield or Criss Angel, you’re seeing a couple hours of many different types of magic,” said Jeff Hobson, the group’s trickster.

Conceived by Simon Painter, audiences will see hilarious magic tricks and death-defying stunts.

The group consists of five stars, each a master in their own field.

Hobson, who plays The Trickster, has audiences laughing long after the curtain closes.

“I’m sort of the light-hearted of the group and I keep everything moving along as the host and I perform comedy and magic, which means that whatever people don’t laugh at, that’s the magic,” he said with a laugh.

The Deductionist, played by Colin Cloud, is one of the greatest thought readers of all time.

“He is just mind-blowing. People’s jaws are literally open during his show because he reveals what people are thinking of all throughout the audience,” said Hobson.

Kevin James, known as The Inventor, creates all of his own original magic.

“Over the past 20, 25 years, a number of very prominent magicians, including David Copperfield, have hired him for consultation and for advice. You’ll see some things you’ll never see anywhere else in the world.”

Ann Ha Lim is the group’s Manipulator and has many accolades doing just that.

“He is one of the best in the world at slight of hand, what we call manipulative magic, where you just use your hands, and he produces more cards than you can ever think imaginable out of thin air.”

Lastly is Jonathan Goodwin, the group’s Daredevil.

“He will do things that no one else in the world will do. He’ll put a live scorpion in his mouth, tape his mouth shut and then have somebody slap him in the face,” said Hobson.

For Hobson, magic has been in his life since he was just seven-years-old when he saw a magician at his school, telling all the children around him, “That is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, that’s going to be my job when I grow up.”

Througout the next few years, the kids at his school recognized just how serious he was as he started doing shows and magic tricks for them at school.

He was then known as one of the busiest magicians in the state of Michigan, where he’s from, when he was a teenager. Later, he was voted in as president of the local International Brotherhood of Magicians, a world-wide magic club that’s been around for a very long time.

“I was 16 and the youngest president ever to be voted into that organization.”

Hobson said flash-forward to today, and one of his favourite parts of the show with The Illusionists is when James finishes the show by making it snow indoors.

“I think it’s the most beautiful thing to watch. He takes a small little piece of paper, makes it into a paper snowflake and then he tears that up, pours water all over it and then out of his hands comes enough snow to fill the entire room. It’s very surreal,” he said.

The Illusionists will take the stage at the Enmax Centrium April 13th. Tickets can be purchased via www.ticketsalberta.com.