He’s magical—in both senses of the word. The star of Netflix’s Magic for Humans, magician and St. Louis native Justin Willman returns August 21 to perform his jaw-dropping tricks at The Pageant.
Willman got his start in magic as a kid, after a bike accident left him with two broken arms, and a doctor at Children’s Hospital suggested that learning card tricks could act as a supplement to physical therapy. He mastered the vanishing salt shaker trick at the dinner table to the surprise of his dad, his mom gave him his first stage name (Justin Kredible), and dressed in a tux and bowtie, he began performing on the local birthday party circuit.
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Flash forward, and Willman has three seasons of his hit show—the latest just debuted this spring—in which he amazes Angelenos, man-on-the-street-style, with sleight of hand, illusions, and more. Each episode is themed—vices, self-care, fear, and tradition all appear in Season 3—sparking conversations with the people Willman meets on the show. “What’s fun about the show is that it’s a little bit of a Trojan horse,” Willman says. “On its face, it’s, ‘Oh, I like funny shows. I like magic shows. I’ll watch this show.’ Once you’re in there—and this is the disarming nature of magic—people’s guards go down, and you can sneak in a little real-life discussion about the human condition.”
Speaking of real life, when COVID-19 hit, Willman created a Social Distancing Magician Starter Kit, 10 of his favorite tricks to learn while spending time at home, with proceeds going to relief efforts. Each kit comes with video tutorials from Willman himself on how to master the tricks. As for the show at The Pageant, Willman recognizes he has to pull out all the stops. The live show is ideal for anyone who has ever watched Magic for Humans and felt a little skeptical, like they had to see it with their own eyes to believe it. Not that Willman’s offended. “Listen, we’re from Missouri, the Show Me State,” he says. “I remember from a very young age being told, ‘Hey, you’re a Missourian, you don’t believe it until they show you.’”
Justin Willman performs at 8 p.m. August 21 at The Pageant. Visit thepageant.com for tickets, and justinwillman.com to purchase the Social Distancing Magician Starter Kit.
View more of St. Louis Magazine’s video interview with Willman below:
