Justin Willman brings magic and wonder to Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater
If you haven’t heard of Justin Willman, you may be in the minority.
The magician and comedian’s work on Netflix’s “Magic for Humans” and “Magic Prank Show” has generated more than 1 billion views and his fans span all ages. One Netflix review summed up Willman’s target audience quite simply as “alive.”
Willman will be bringing his mixture of magic and humor to the Byham Theater Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. as part of his “One for the Ages” tour.
Willman has appeared at the White House and on “The Tonight Show,” “The Today Show,” “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and more. He was recently named Stage Magician of the Year by the Magic Castle, a Hollywood institution and mecca for magicians. It’s known as one of the most prestigious places in the world for professional and serious amateur magicians.
Downtime leads to magic
Willman’s foray into the magic world began with a serious injury.
“I was 12 and broke both arms at the same time while riding my bike,” he said. As part of physical therapy, he learned card tricks.
Later, while he was attending college, he realized he could pair comedy with the art of prestidigitation. The act proved successful enough to help him earn his college degree in broadcast journalism.
To Willman, comedy and magic are a natural pairing.
“Magic itself is laugh inducing,” he said. “Serious musicians can be a bit cringey, but funny musicians, on the other hand, are just plain fun.”
Willman, like so many other performers, deals with his share of butterflies before taking the stage.
“There are so many little details to prepare for during a show, but I try my best to live in the moment,” he said.
Evoking childlike wonder
Willman views his performances as a bit of a social experiment and a study in human behavior.
“I bring something out of them that is different,” he said. You might know someone your entire life and it’s interesting and beautiful to witness people letting their guard down.”
Of course, things can go wrong along the way, and Willman has learned to think on his feet.
“The key is to never let on that something went wrong. That’s the superpower of being a comedy magician. Anything can be turned into a punch line and nothing is at stake unless you label it as such,” he said.
A fan weighs in
Dr. Morissa Schwartz, founder of GenZ Publishing, can be counted among Willman’s fans.
She describes his appeal as being able to marry the joke and the trick.
“The trick is that they do the same job: they make the audience feel pleasantly wrong,” she said, adding that comedy lowers one’s guard, allowing the magic to slip past it.
“He keeps the tone playful, so viewers feel included in the impossibility instead of lectured by it. It’s less ‘behold my genius’ and more ‘come enjoy this tiny breach in reality,'” she said.
Becoming a husband and father
Willman’s work continues to evolve to reflect where he is in life. More recently he’s become a husband and a father.
“I write what I know, so it’s become autobiographical,” he said.
That approach keeps Willman’s material fresh with each stage of life offering something new to explore.
“The newest and the truest is always a nut I’m trying to crack,” he said.
If Willman could be granted one wish, however, it’s that his mother could see him now.
“I lost her in 2020 and would love her to see the crowds I’m attracting,” he said.
For information on Justin Willman’s appearance at the Byham Theater, go online to trustarts.org.