Liberty Magic’s current show features a performer considered one of the world’s finest sleight-of-hand magicians. Paul Gertner weaves magic, storytelling, and wonder in Steel City Miracles.
Paul Gertner is considered the “magician’s magician.” He has been a magic teacher to TV’s Johnny Carson and featured on numerous television shows, including Penn & Teller’s Fool Us (he has fooled them several times). Gertner has performed all over the world and has become a respected performer in the magic community. He returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh to share his new show Steel City Miracles.
Steel City Miracles runs at Liberty Magic in the heart of the Cultural District. I have passed by this building dozens of times. While it always intrigued me, I never had the opportunity to visit until this show. Liberty Magic is a unique place with a ton of charm. I spent a few minutes in their lobby admiring the knickknacks and magic paraphernalia that takes up their walls. The theater is secretly tucked behind the wall of their front desk. I loved the small, quaint theater because it gives you a great seat to witness the magic wherever you sit.
I had never been to a professional magic show before, so I was intrigued by what the evening had in store for me. What surprised me the most was that it wasn’t the flashy, over-the-top spectacle I thought it would be. It was laid back and had the feeling of being at a party with a bunch of friends or family. Gertner talks in his show about how he was tasked with keeping his younger cousins occupied at get-togethers growing up, so he would perform magic for them. I think that image perfectly describes what the evening felt like.
Steel City Miracles is more than a magic show. It’s a love letter to Paul’s family, hometown, and past. While he spends most of the 75-minute show stumping audiences with his unbelievable sleight-of-hand magic, he also takes time to simply talk with the audience. He opens up about his father’s love of movies and how this interest in cinema was Gertner’s first introduction to magic. He shares funny, heartwarming stories throughout the runtime about his children, grandchildren, and his life. He is a very charming man and is successful in being able to truly engage with his audience. While I was impressed with his magic skills, I also appreciated his storytelling, humor, and humble nature.
Gertner’s skill in magic is more than impressive. While I can (in theory) understand the mechanics of his tricks, I will never be able to figure out the HOW. Just as I would think I understood where the trick was going, he would shift directions and completely throw me off guard. I’m no expert when it comes to magic, but Gertner is obviously incredibly skilled in what he does. Other magicians in the crowd were in awe of this man and his skill as a magician and performer, so I think that truly speaks to his talent and skill.
Gertner said people continue to love magic into adulthood because it takes you back to your childhood. When a trick is completed, and you experience that sense of awe and wonder, it makes you feel like a child again, if only for a moment. Obviously, you know it’s not truly magic, and it’s more skill, deception, and diversion. Still, for a split second, you let your imagination take over. I think that works so well for Gertner’s show and how he can create an environment that leaves audiences wonderstruck.
Steel City Miracles runs through July 3. Tickets can be purchased at: https://trustarts.org/production/78119/liberty-magic-paul-gertner-in-steel-city-miracles
Categories: Reviews
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