Sammy Cortino

1/16/12

Sammy Cortino is preparing for the biggest show of his life, the beginning of a tour he hopes will vault him to stardom.

The Hickory illusionist already is well on the way. Only 22, his membership in the International Brotherhood of Magicians was endorsed by Lance Burton and the team of Seigfried and Roy -- well-known in the mysterious and entertaining world of illusion.

Music City Artists in Nashville and Alkahest Artists & Attractions, the nation's oldest talent agency, are representing Cortino on a tour that will take him across the country and abroad.

His skill is no trick. He and leading lady Lyndsay Thomas have practiced endless hours for the Jan. 27 show at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton before embarking to Nashville. It's a trip into the roots of magic with classic illusions such as Houdini's Metamorphosis and the breath-taking Gamolo Stage Levitation.

Billed as "Magic's Royal Duke," Cortino can trace his lineage to 15th-century Sicilian royalty. He also has musical magic in his blood. His cousin is Johnny Mercer, one of the legendary lyricists in the recording industry.

Mercer, co-founder of Capitol Records, collaborated with the best -- Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini and Ray Charles. Mercer wrote the lyrics to Mancini's "Moon River," one of the best-loved songs of all time.

Cortino will pay tribute to his cousin in his show using illusion, music and storytelling.

The show is crafted around his vision of magic, and he says his focus is on the people who make magic possible: "The audience."

And Cortino has been amazing family and friends all his life with his illusions. A favorite family legend is about Cortino when he was two years old and propped up in a booster seat at a restaurant. The kid managed to grab a quarter and made it disappear.

"My mom looked for the quarter and couldn't find it," Cortino recalls. "That was my first trick."

He's put on magic shows at Barnes and Noble, enchanted children at summer reading programs and once did a show at Broyhill Civic Center.

He was only 12 when he gained membership in the International Brotherhood. He's also a member of the Young Magicians's Club. That came after he saw the Magic Circle in London. He called it "the coolest magic place in the world," according to a 2008 story in The Appalachian student newspaper at Appalachian State University where Cortino was a student.

Now, he's getting ready to launch his career as globe-trotting illusionist, and he's giving the Hickory area a show to remember before he starts his journey. He and Thomas have worked well together.

Thomas is from Maidstone, Kent County, England. She began training in dance when she was two years old. After she moved to North Carolina at age 14, Thomas studied acting, and she's won awards for her stage performances. She's the one who'll be levitated.

The show will preserved by Jackson Group Interactive using high-definition multi-cam technology. Some people call it wizardry, but Cortino has the skill to outdo high-tech gizmos.

The audience can count on being drawn into his magic. "It's the connection with the audience and the response that's my most favorite part of performing," he said. And he'll dance, talk and weave his illusions until he and the audience are one.

Sammy Cortino's web site is www.SammyCortino.com.

About the show

Tickets are on sale at the Old Post Office Playhouse, home of The Green Room Community Theatre.

All seats are $15.

Box office hours, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Call 828-464-6128 for reservations. - Hickory Daily Record

Sammy Cortino’s ’11 magic show may be full of illusions, but he is as focused and strategic as a Wall Street mogul.

Known as Magic’s Royal Duke – he has direct lineage to 15th- century Italian aristocracy – it’s been said he performed his first trick at age 2 when he hid a quarter from his mom during a restaurant dinner. Fact or fiction? “True, not a myth,” he said. “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if that restaurant had a chair with my name on it?” Now that’s a man with his eye on the prize.

Cortino was still working the angles at age 12 when, on a family trip to Las Vegas, he sought out renowned magician Lance Burton and wrangled a backstage interview with magicians Siegfried & Roy – all of whom later endorsed his membership into the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

He was focused when he chose Appalachian for his close-by college of choice. (He grew up 32 miles away in Granite Falls, N.C.) An electronic media major and theatre minor, he knew instinctively the size of the school would afford him hands-on experience and access to the faculty brain trust.

“Through my professors and classes I learned how to position myself for success. I understand what’s newsworthy and know how to work with the media. I learned the heirarchy inside studios. I gained insight from faculty on how to promote myself and work in that world,” he said. Technically he also learned how to shoot, light and design sets – skills he says have saved him money and enhanced his show.

Cortino’s recent move to Nashville was another strategic decision. “I’ve made this entertainment city my new base. I’m where I need to be to reach the people that can make a decision. I’ve recently signed with two new agents and am in the midst of booking a tour,” he said.

World-class magician or businessman? His title on Facebook is CEO. “Absolutely, I’m a businessman,” he said. “I intentionally chose my course of studies at App because I knew it would help me with my career.”

Inside the “suit,” however, resides a true artist. “Magic is an art,” Cortino said, “and art is a form of communication. Magic is a theatrical form, its essence is theater. I perform magic tricks but I have a lot of dance, drama, romance.”

Cortino is careful to weave messages and melodrama into his magic show. “Anyone can learn tricks,” he said, “but not everyone can create a presentation, an inspiring message. It’s a challenge to come up with ways to connect with our culture and to be different and unique.”

For sure, Cortino, suit or sorcerer, dares to dream – that’s his personal tag. But he’s also hooked up to a cell phone, a laptop, Facebook, Twitter and has constant Internet access. If you call, he’ll answer. And that’s no illusion. - Appalachian Today

See video. - NBC Charlotte

3/25/07

While at a restaurant with his parents, 2-year-old Sammy Cortino made a coin appear and disappear. Four years later he got three magic sets for Christmas and with that Magic’s Royal Duke was created.

Cortino, now 18, lives in the Grace Chapel community and is dually enrolled as a home-schooled high school senior and a freshman at Caldwell Community College and Technical institute where he is studying communications. When he’s not in school he’s on the road bringing joy to audience members while performing his magic act, as Sammy Cortino, Magic’s Royal Duke. But don’t ask him what his favorite trick is.

“(That’s) kind of like asking a parent who their favorite child is,” he said in a phone interview from Nashville, Tenn., where he was taking some time out to relax from his hectic school and show schedule.

As far as his favorite type of magic, there’s no contest.

“Large illusions, stage magic that’s my favorite. That’s what I want to delve into a lot more,” Cortino said.

Cortino was 12 when he became a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, a world-wide organization with more than 13,000 members. While it’s not highly unusual for 12-year-olds to become members of the organization, Cortino’s application was extremely unusual. It was signed by world-renowned magicians Siegfried & Roy, Lance Burton and Terry Evanswood. The four magicians Cortino looks up to the most.

“Those are the guys that I look up to the most for different reasons,” he said. “They have very unique styles.”

Cortino has practiced his magic faithfully for many years and is making a name for himself across the Southeast. During the summers when school is out it’s not unusual for him to perform 20 or more shows in a month.

“People really enjoy what I do, and it’s something that I love so much,” Cortino said.

Cortino’s most recent publicity came when he landed on the cover of February’s “Secrets” magazine. It’s the second time in a year and a half he’s been featured on the cover.

February’s issue allowed him a venue to talk about something he feels deeply about – magicians keeping up with the times.

“There are (magicians) out there who don’t think about how we can see anything at any given time whenever we want through television and the Internet,” Cortino said. “I learned that I need to keep in mind that people are kind of spoiled. People have seen a lot of magic and that makes us as magicians work harder.”

For Cortino, a career in magic is more than practicing a few card tricks and making a rabbit come out of a hat. It’s a career choice that causes him to have to know how to run a business, be proficient in Web and graphic design and communications.

“I’m pretty sure magic is definitely what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “With my magic I’m involved with a lot of different fields.”

Cortino’s desire to do large theater shows forces him to look at creating large illusions that will set his show apart from other magicians. Right now he is working on the design for a futuristic large illusion.

“It’s the largest illusion that I’ve even thought about building. It’s a trick that I can only do in a large space. It’s like a space ship and it’s pretty cool. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Cortino said.

Even at his young age, Cortino realizes that some people have the wrong idea about magicians and what it takes to be a professional magician.

“I would say (the biggest misconception is) that magic is just for kids,” he said. “If some people who have that frame of mind would try a bigger show they would find themselves really enjoying it.”

Cortino has been performing long enough to know that he’s not chosen a career that will allow him to sit back and relax. He must have a strong work ethic and be extremely detailed oriented.

“Magicians are very hard working people,” he said. “Design plays a large part of all magicians’ acts. You have to worry about lighting design because if one light is set up at a wrong angle it could give away the whole trick. If the guy running the sound board doesn’t know when to turn off a microphone the audience could hear you rustling around.”

Cortino hopes that all his hard work pays off and he will one day be able to travel the world.

“I think it would be so cool to do a show in Rome one week and do a show in New York the next,” he said. “I’d like to perform at Radio City Music Hall, then go out to the Kodak Theater in L.A. just big places and big cities around the world.”

Cortino said he’s known from the age of eight that he was meant to entertain with his magic and as a way to give back he enjoys helping other magicians who are just starting out. For those out there who like him hope to one day take the magic world be storm he offers this advice:

“Start out with the basics. You don’t have to go out and buy a sawing-a-lady-in-half trick first thing,” he said. “If you really like it, really love it, use your imagination, try to come up with innovative routines, practice all the time and if it’s something you want to do, grab a hold of that dream.”

For information about Cortino and upcoming shows visit www.sammycortino.com. - Lenoir News Topic

3/12/07

Sammy Cortino has performed magic tricks in San Diego and Kansas City and studied his craft in Las Vegas.
Last month, the 18-year-old made what’s likely to be many international magazine covers.
The Caldwell County resident was featured in the February issue of Secrets magazine, the official publication of The Young Magicians Club. He’ll perform in Hickory at Atlanta Bread Co. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 19.

What was your reaction to being on the magazine cover?
“I’m really thrilled. It’s an honor to be featured on the cover and share my input on magic with people internationally. It’s really thrilling.”

When did you begin doing magic?
“I performed my first magic trick when I was 2 years old. I made a coin disappear. I really began to practice it at 6 years old.
I’ve been performing professionally since I was 11. My first show was at Barnes and Noble.”

What is your favorite trick?
“Asking a magician what their favorite trick is would be like asking a parent to chose between their children. I love all the magic I’m doing.
What I love the best is the large-scale shows, like in a theater.
It’s very theatrical and involves many elements.
I’m trying to focus more in the future on large-scale illusion shows.
It’s great to see an audience’s reaction. To look in the audience and see people amazed is a great part of magic.”

What has been your career highlight up to this point?
“The Broyhill Civic Center show (in September 2006). It was like I’ve turned onto a new road. It’s like a whole new chapter in my career in magic. It’s very exciting.”

Who is the greatest magician?
“I would pick a couple. Houdini and Siegfried and Roy.
Those were the guys who took (magic to) an art form … and they added their own original touches to it. What they did was so unique.
They presented what they did in ways that had never been done before. You have to look up to the innovators. They took magic and took it in a different direction.”

Who are your idols?
“Siegfried and Roy. Lance Burton. Terry Evanswood.
Those are the guys I watch and I learn from. They’re the ones I learn from the most.”

How does one get started in magic?
“Start out small. Go to the library. They have whole shelves of tricks you can do at home.
Learn the techniques. You can also learn by surfing the Internet or conversing with other magicians.
Most importantly, use your imagination. Always practice, because you can always get better.”

Any other advice for would-be magicians?
“I would encourage anyone to follow their dreams. Work on that dream or that aspiration that they have.
Dare to dream and live to dream. I am.
I wanted to do the Las Vegas thing, but later on I said whatever happens is fine. But I definitely wanted recognition. I didn’t think about how this would turn out. I’m really thrilled and blessed.”

Do you know other magicians in the area?
“There are a handful of professional illusionists and some practitioners.
I do have a mentor in the area. We trade secrets and I buy some of their products.
There are several that I know in the area and that I hang out with.”

How many shows do you do in a typical month?
Usually, two or three shows in a month. I’m booked for summer reading shows around the state. My busiest month was last summer when I did 20 shows. I think I did 12 or 13 shows in one week.”
How long do you plan to perform magic?
“As long as I can. If I’m 85 years old and still doing magic, that’s great. I want to do shows as long as possible.
I’m starting early now to keep in shape so I can do shows later in life. I want to do magic as long as I can.”

How much do you borrow from other magicians?
“Whenever I present something, it’s always my presentation. I’ll try to distance myself from what other magicians do.
Everything I do, I try to make it as original as possible.”

What do you think makes magic so special?
“I encourage anyone to go to a magic show. When you watch magic, it brings out your inner child. It’s good to get away from it all. Sometimes you just need to escape and be entertained and think about the finer things in life.”

On the Net:
www.sammycortino.com

amackie@hickoryrecord.com | 322-4510 x5407 or 304-6914 - Hickory Daily Record

It’s 8 a.m.—the first day of classes.

What would seem to be a boring class filled with sleepy students questioning where their summer went soon turned into a magical performance with all participating.

Sammy R. Cortino may seem like an ordinary junior electronic broadcast major, but this 19-year-old leads a life that’s more than meets the eye.

He’s a professional illusionist.
In fact, he has been performing magic professionally in public since the age of 11.
But according to tales his family tells, Sammy has been a magician all his life.
“The unofficial time [I started doing magic] was when I was two years old and was sitting in a booster seat at a restaurant,” he said.
Somehow Cortino got a hold of a quarter and made it disappear.
“My mom looked for the quarter afterwards and couldn’t find it,” Cortino said. “That was my first trick. It’s legend, I guess.”
Over the years Cortino has performed in various venues from Barnes and Noble, to library summer reading programs, to even a 45 minute slot at the Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir which seats 1,000.
He is also a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Young Magicians Club, both prestigious organizations in the magic world.
To be a member of the Brotherhood of Magicians, an applicant must be endorsed by current members.
Cortino, who was 12 years old at the time, said he figured he might as well get prominent members to sign his application.
After going through contacts, Cortino’s application was signed by famous magicians Sigfried from Sigfried and Roy, Lance Burton, and Terry Evans.
Sammy’s membership to the Young Magician’s Club occurred this past year.
“I originally got involved when I visited the Magic Circle in London,” he said. “That’s quite a headquarters first of all. It’s probably the coolest magic place in the world.”
Members must be voted in and Cortino received a unanimous “yes.”
“They are really selective and so the fact that I was accepted so well really overwhelmed me,” he said.
To Cortino magic is more than just his aspiring career; it’s his passion.
“It’s the connection the show has with the audience, and their response that’s my most favorite part of performing, he said. “It’s that impact.”
While he said it’s hard for him to choose his favorite trick, Cortino said he is particularly fond of his Levitation act from his bigger performances.
“Larger shows are a theater of the mind type of things where the audience is transported from the theater on an airplane into another dimension,” he said. “That’s the whole theme of the show where they are in another dimension where everything is possible and nothing is what it seems.”
Magic can get a bit pricey, but Cortino has financially supported his magic career and prop needs since he was 11.
Cortino built most of his props for big tricks, which can be viewed on his Web site SammyCortino.com.
While balancing being a professional magician and a full-time student with 17 hours this semester may seem “tricky,” Cortino said he is able to maintain a normal life with friends and family as well.
In fact, the Cortino people know onstage is different than who he is in real life, he said.
“There are two sides of me. There’s me, Sammy, and then there is stage Sammy,” Cortino said.

“Stage Sammy, like any performer, is my alter ego. A lot of times I seem more extroverted on stage. Offstage I am more quiet, you wouldn’t even know I was a magician unless I told you.”
There is a possibility of a show at Appalachian in the works, Cortino said, but he doesn’t want to say too much and “ruin the surprise.”
However, if you happen to run into Cortino, he is more than willing and always ready to whip out a trick or two, just as he did during his 8 a.m. communications class. - The Appalachian

8/19/11

MOORESVILLE – Sometimes when Sammy Cortino introduces himself at networking events around town, the Hickory resident jokes that he makes people disappear.
And with sleight of hand, he’ll pull his business card out of thin air before handing it to prospective clients.

Dubbed Magic’s Royal Duke, Cortino tends to be the only illusionist shaking hands at Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce events. He attends about three or four functions a month.
“I know if I just sit on the couch all day, nobody is going to call me to do a show,” Cortino said. “You have to make connections.”
Having recently graduated from Appalachian State University, the 22-year-old is focused on following in the footsteps of idols David Copperfield, Siegfried and Roy, and Lance Burton, whom he saw perform live in Las Vegas when he was 8 years old.
“After the show, I walked away immediately feeling magic was my chosen career path,” Cortino said.

Younger residents may recognize Cortino from performances at the Mooresville Public Library, where in recent years, he has helped sour interested in the summer reading program.
Vanessa Campbell, who coordinates youth events at the library, has enjoyed watching Cortino evolve both as a magician and a young man over the years.

Cortino’s magic act has proved popular with young children and teenagers, who enjoy watching Criss Angel, another young magician, perform illusions on TV, Campbell said. “The girls love him They holler when they see him.”

The 45-minute show Cortino performs at the library relies on sleight of hand, audience participation, and small parlor tricks performed to music, but his act is adaptable to other events, such as receptions, trade shows or large scale shows that incorporate lighting, music, and help from a beautiful assistant.

Cortino made numerous radio and television appearances last summer to promote a world-record attempt at Hickory Town Hall. Blindfolded, Cortino used both hands to pull 304 playing cards out of thin air in 90 seconds – a feat never accomplished by any magician.
This summer, he’s preparing for a show scheduled for Jan. 27 at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton that he hopes will serve as a turning point in his career.

He also is working with Music City Artists in Nashville to better position himself to headline at performing arts centers, casinos, cruise ships and corporate functions. The agency will use footage form the Newton show to help promote his act.
Cortino expects to rehearse upwards of 60 hours for the show. And that doesn’t include planning for the music, lighting, styling and design work that goes into the performance.

“It’s really a showpiece and an opportunity to develop as an artist,” Cortino said of the show.

Want to learn more?
Sammy Cortino can be booked cy calling 818-850-DUKE or going to www.SammyCortino.com. He also has Facebook and Twitter pages. - Mooresville Weekly

On August 6, Hickory illusionist Sammy Cortino will attempt to set the world record for manipulating the most playing cards in 90 seconds. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Julian G. Whitener Municipal Building in downtown Hickory, with Cortino’s attempt at the record scheduled to take place at 2 o’clock.

Cortino will be blindfolded as he manipulates 300 cards with both hands. The attempt is a fusion of Harry Houdini’s early sleight of hand work presented in the style that later brought the illusionist international notoriety.

The 21-year-old Cortino, also known as Magic’s Royal Duke, has been practicing magic since the age of six, and has been a professional illusionist since he was 11 years old.

For more information, visit http://sammycortino.com.

(Photo courtesy of Sammy Cortino.) - WHKY

Hickory Illusionist, 23-year-old Sammy Cortino, made his commercial debut at the Nashville Film Festival Wednesday (April 25). Lee Ann Womack and Nicole Kidman were among the star-studded festival’s attendees.

The Festival took place April 19-26. It screened films from all over the world in Nashville’s Green Hills area. When asked how exactly he added magic to the VIP event, Cortino says, “I did magic tricks with food: I was working next to a caterer and was able to incorporate edible magic into the night”.

For more information, visit www.SammyCortino.com.

(Photo courtesy of www.SammyCortino.com.) - WHKY

The ancient arts of magic and illusion have a new practitioner in young Sammy Cortino of Hickory, North Carolina. At the tender age of 18, Cortino has traveled all over the country performing his magic.
Now the young magician called Magic’s Royal Duke Sammy Cortino comes to Blowing Rock with his latest show, Dimension Unknown. The show will play for one night only at the Hayes Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 17th starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

"The show is called Dimension Unknown and it’s a large scale, Las Vegas-style stage show,” said Cortino. “Although not quite as elaborate, I would compare it to a Sigfried and Roy show with illusions, lighting effects, dancers and loud music.”
According to Cortino, Dimension Unknown lasts approximately 90 minutes and includes some clever audience participation magic.
“We explore the theatre of the mind,” said Cortino. “There is one part where we transport the audience and show them that there is magic everywhere. Dimension Unknown also uses some complex lighting techniques to show them how shadows can come to life.”
Dimension Unknown is a family friendly show appropriate for all ages. In it, Cortino astounds his audiences by creating large-scale, thematic stage illusions that take them on a journey into the mysterious world of magic.

Cortino comes from a long line of performers and his title of Duke has been passed down in the Cortino family since the 1400s from the prestigious Duke d’Avalon of Palermo.

“According to my mom, I did my first magic trick when I was two years-old,” said Cortino. “I made a coin appear and then magically disappear. I can’t really remember that because I was so young. When I was older I started buying magic kits and performing at parties.”

When he was in his teens, Cortino saw magician Lance Burton perform his magic show live on stage. “That really sparked my interest in large-scale magic shows,” said Cortino.

Recently Cortino studied in Las Vegas with master magician Jeff McBride. “The training sessions take magicians and polish them and fine tune their acts. I went in 2004 and it was a great experience. It took my magic to a new level.”

Although he believes that there is a place for magic on television, he is somewhat skeptical of TV shows like Phenomenon, where illusionists compete against each other.

“I’m more of a live audience magician,” said Cortino. “With the digital revolution there are more ways than ever to create illusions, especially on television. A lot of it depends on the magician. David Copperfield performs on television but always uses a live audience. If there is no audience it is only natural that people will get suspicious that it is being done with special effects and camera tricks.

“But I like the fact that magic is becoming larger and more popular. People have seen more magic so they are more sophisticated than ever before. That creates a real challenge that I love.”

The Hayes Performing Arts Center will present Dimension Unknown with Magic’s Royal Duke Sammy Cortino for one night only on November 17 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $20, $15 students, and are available now by calling the Box Office at (828) 295-9627. You may pay by credit card or by cash (in person). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.HayesCenter.org by credit card. Special group rates are also available. Season and Flex Passes can be purchased and used throughout the entire ’07 season. - The Mountain Times

The High Country’s premier magician, Sammy “Magic’s Royal Duke” Cortino, is getting ready for the big time.

After spending several years based in western North Carolina, Cortino and his “leading lady,” Lyndsay Thomas, will take their unique show of illusions and mystery on the road, both in the United States and overseas.

Following the international tour, Cortino, an Appalachian State University graduate, will move his base of operations from Hickory to Nashville, Tenn.

Prior to embarking on the international tour, Cortino will premiere his new show at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton. This one-night-only show will take place on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person.

For more information, or to reserve tickets, call the Old Post Office Playhouse box office at (828) 464-6128. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Cortino is now an Alkahest Artists and Attractions and Music City Artists professional performer.

Sammy Cortino

Mystique runs through Sammy Cortino’s blood. His title in magic, “Magic’s Royal Duke,” can be traced to his 15th-century Sicilian royalty lineage. With Siegfried and Roy and Lance Burton endorsing his International Brotherhood of Magicians membership, the 22-year-old illusionist is giving audiences the essence of magic: inspiration to follow their dreams.

To Cortino, magic is an art, an image of life. Whether performing on a stage or using a restaurant table as his stage, his performance utilizes classic illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance, and comedy as a theatrical medium to express life and preserve magic’s foundation for future generations.

In his stage spectacle, Cortino showcases his vision of a back-to-basics approach to magic in its purest up-to-date form. Accompanied by his graceful “Leading Lady,” Lyndsay Thomas of Kent, he shares with audiences magic’s rich history by showcasing the art’s masters and presenting classic illusions like Houdini’s “Metamorphosis” or the renowned Gamolo Stage Levitation.

Through music, illusion and storytelling, tribute is paid to Cortino’s cousin Johnny Mercer. Mercer was co-founder of Capitol Records and collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini and Ray Charles. By taking them on a journey to his vision of magic and making them a part of the onstage experience, Cortino is focusing on the people who make magic possible: the audience.

Lyndsay Thomas

Lyndsay Thomas gives Cortino’s magic form with her graceful dance and bewitching beauty. Coming from the old country to connect with a new culture, Thomas joins Sammy from Maidstone, Kent County, England.

She started training in dance at age 2, studying ballet, tap, jazz and modern. After moving to North Carolina at age 14, Thomas began her studies in acting, which led to her appearance in “Dreamgirls” in Houston and several productions throughout North Carolina. She received a Best Actress and Best Character Actress award for her role as Abigail in “The Crucible” and for her role as the maid, Elizabeth, in “Death By Arrangement.” - The Mountain Times

Sammy Cortino is ready for the big show.

The 22-year-old magician from Hickory, N.C., who was endorsed into the IBM by Lance Burton and Siegfried and Roy, is set to tour around the world, and it starts with a show in his hometown. He and his partner Lyndsay Thomas will perform, then head to Nashville for a series of appearances booked by Music City Artists and Alkahest Artists and Attractions. About a year and a half ago, he set a world record for card manipulation.

Why are we telling you about him? Because this could be you.

We’re under no illusions here: Starting a career in magic is hard. But it can be done. Ask these guys:

~ Nick Bretz is a martial arts master and stay-at-home dad from Perham, Minn. He is also a magician and comic who recently did a New Year’s Eve show for 2,000 in Grand Forks.

~ Carlos Sawyer, of Oroville, Calif., trained with Victor Kent while in high school. Now 32, he just finished performing a sold-out show Sunday at the Copa De Oro. He also holds on to his day job.

What do all those guys have in common? They received coverage in local newspapers (we linked to the news reports instead of their websites). They worked their art and built their business well enough to get attention and become newsworthy. Their performances are good enough to earn reviews strong enough to catch the ears of editors.

In the spirit of helping add fuel to the fire of your performance goals for 2012: Why can’t that be you?

Of course, you’ll need help, and maybe some mentoring. We got you covered: Our Performance HQ Forums are filled with all kinds of advice on how to get work. And, if you pass the test, you can get some great help in the Back Room. - EIllusionist

MARIANNA—The second event in the Chipola Artist Series is a first for the college. Illusionist Sammy Cortino will present his Las Vegas style magic show in the Center for the Arts, Jan. 17, 2013.

With Siegfried and Roy and Lance Burton endorsing his International Brotherhood of Magicians membership, Sammy Cortino is taking magic back to its roots in its purest, up-to-date form. His raw, live, unprecedented style brings out a sense of old Hollywood charm. Going against the mesh of cutting-edge illusionists of today, he is reviving the classics of magic presented in the spirit of the late Houdini and Harry Blackstone. Cortino holds a Doctoral Degree in Magic from the International Magicians Society and is a member of London’s Magic Circle.

Tickets are available online at www.chipola.edu. Click “Fine Arts” and “Artist Series.” Online tickets can be printed at home, or with an order con¬firmation, will-call tickets will be available at the box office the night of the show. Box office hours will be established closer to the performance. Single event ticket sales will be $14 for adults, $10 for children under 18, and $5 for Chipola students and employees.

Two more events follow Cortino in the Chipola Artist Series. The Davis and Dow jazz quartet featuring a vocalist and a request-by-favorites second half is Feb.7, 2013. The popular bluegrass/country comedy group, Three on a String, will perform April 11, 2013.

For information, visit www.chipola.edu or phone 718-2257. - Chipley Bugle

Sammy recently stopped by UNC’s North Carolina Now studios to do a segment on his new touring production and the debut of his show this Friday at The Old Post Office Playhouse. The segment is scheduled to air on North Carolina Now on UNC-TV tonight Wednesday, January 25th at 7:30pm. - Music City Artists

MARIANNA—The second event in the Chipola Artist Series is a first for the college. Illusionist Sammy Cortino will present his Las Vegas style magic show in the Center for the Arts, Jan. 17, 2013.

With Siegfried and Roy and Lance Burton endorsing his International Brotherhood of Magicians membership, Sammy Cortino is taking magic back to its roots in its purest, up-to-date form. His raw, live, unprecedented style brings out a sense of old Hollywood charm. Going against the mesh of cutting-edge illusionists of today, he is reviving the classics of magic presented in the spirit of the late Houdini and Harry Blackstone. Cortino holds a Doctoral Degree in Magic from the International Magicians Society and is a member of London’s Magic Circle.

Tickets are available online at www.chipola.edu. Click “Fine Arts” and “Artist Series.” Online tickets can be printed at home, or with an order con­firmation, will-call tickets will be available at the box office the night of the show. Box office hours will be established closer to the performance. Single event ticket sales will be $14 for adults, $10 for children under 18, and $5 for Chipola students and employees.

Two more events follow Cortino in the Chipola Artist Series. The Davis and Dow jazz quartet featuring a vocalist and a request-by-favorites second half is Feb.7, 2013. The popular bluegrass/country comedy group, Three on a String, will perform April 11, 2013.

For information, visit www.chipola.edu or phone 718-2257. - Bay County Press

North Carolina will be represented from an international front as the tarheel state has given birth to a new industry: Illusionist Sammy Cortino. The 22 year old is set to venture across the fruited plain and overseas under the roster of the Nashville-based agency, Music City Artists and the country’s oldest talent agency, Alkahest Artists & Attractions. With this positioning, the illusionist will have headliner status as he performs stage shows in arts centers seating up to 1,500 people. Instead of an edgy, things-you’ve-never-seen-before take to magic; Cortino and the agencies are bringing to America’s stages a back-to-basics approach to magic in its purest, up-to-date form: creating momentum in the entertainment industry worldwide.

At over 80 hours into rehearsal, Cortino and Leading Lady, Lyndsay Thomas are just 20 hours shy of premiering the illusionist’s touring stage show on January 27th at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton before it hits the road. The premiere will be recorded in High Definition multi-cam by Jackson Group Interactive and Cortino’s agents will distribute the footage in the performing arts and television industries internationally. This will be Cortino’s last Hickory area performance as the illusionist moves to Nashville, TN in March to set the Music City as his new base of operations.

The show will feature stage illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance, romance, and comedy as a theatrical medium to express life and preserve magic’s foundation for future generations. Accompanied by his graceful Leading Lady, Lyndsay Thomas of Kent, he will share with audience magic’s rich history by showcasing the art’s masters and presenting classic illusions like Houdini’s Metamorphosis or the renowned Gamolo Stage Levitation. Through music, illusion, and storytelling; tribute will be paid to his cousin Johnny Mercer. Mercer was co-founder of Capitol Records and collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, and Ray Charles.

Track the production of the show on the official Sammy Cortino website, http://www.SammyCortino.com or call the Old Post Office Playhouse box office at (828) 464-6128 to buy tickets to the premiere. Box office hours are 10:00 am-5:30 pm Wednesday-Friday.

Contact or call 1.888.470.8011 for additional information or to setup an interview with Sammy. Photography by Eckard Photographic. - Hickory Well Crafted

Many folks thrill to witness a skilled variety artist at work — be that person a plate spinner, torch juggler, ventriloquist, sword swallower or sleight-of-hand magician. But there is something about seeing a mystical performer of large-scale stage illusions that brings out the Copperfield, Houdini, or Siegfried & Roy in all of us. Nashville illusionist Sammy Cortino will surely regale his audience tonight at 9 p.m. at the downtown Hard Rock Cafe as he magically elevates and cuts/restores a lovely assistant.

For the performance, Cortino will be backed by local hard-rock outfit Omega Swan, a pairing that will likely render the festivities all the more exciting (as you'll see in the above clip of his straijacket escape). Though no tigers will be used (thankfully), we’ll be interested to see if Cortino undertakes the nail-biting needle-swallowing and bullet-catching-with-teeth illusions. - Nashville Scene

Hickory illusionist Sammy Cortino has announced that he will be represented by the Nashville-based agency, Music City Artists, and the country’s oldest talent agency, Alkahest Artists & Attractions.

The 22-year-old Cortino and his leading lady, Lyndsay Thomas, will premiere the illusionist’s touring stage show on Friday, January 27 at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton before it hits the road. The show will be Cortino’s last Hickory-area performance before he moves to Nashville in March.

For more information, visit www.SammyCortino.com or call the Old Post Office Playhouse box office at 828-464-6128 for tickets. Box-office hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

(Pictured: illusionist Sammy Cortino with Lyndsay Thomas. Photo by Eckard Photographic.) - WHKY