Jay Owenhouse, who is billed as "The Authentic Illusionist," will perform his magic at 7:30 p.m. May 30 at Mayo Civic Center.
Owenhouse travels with two Bengal tigers who are part of his act, as well as his four children, all of whom have a role in his stage show. He makes volunteers from the audience float and get sawed in half and performs illusions he has developed, as well as other well-known magic tricks. He said he features at least one escape illusion in every show.
Owenhouse said he got interested in magic when he was a kid and stuck with it, spending much of his free time learning and perfecting magic tricks. He did his first public performance while still in high school. After earning a degree in psychology at Montana State University, Owenhouse hit the road with his show, gradually performing not only across North America, but in Asia, as well.
He took a few years off from constant travel after his wife, Susan, died in 2009. But his new "Dare to Believe" tour finds Owenhouse, his kids and his tigers back on the road. He has been seen on the television special "Magic on the Edge" in which he performed the water torture cell escape, and on the "Masters of Illusion" program.
