Andrew Basso, one of "The Illusionists" taking the stage at the Straz Center this weekend, provided some insight into his craft -- escaping -- and the origin of his passion for magic.

  • Basso just seven when he knew what he wanted to do
  • Became a student of Harry Houdini's work
  • "The Illusionists" runs through September 25

Basso was just seven years old when he discovered what became his lifelong passion.

He watched his mother’s amazement at a magician’s show and he was hooked. He knew he wanted to give that sense of wonder to the world.

"I think the first item I found around the house that connected me to magic were playing cards," said Basso.

As he spoke to us, he easily shuffled, flipped and twirled cards with the confidence of decades of experience.

Andrew is one of the seven-member team of magicians starring in "The Illusionists" playing at the Straz Center September 23-25.

Each have a specialty— weapons, card tricks—even cutting a subject in half

For native Italian Basso, it's the art of the escape.

"Houdini became my hero,” said Basso. "As soon as I went into magic, and I thought I want to do with this guy does, dangerous stuff, things that people are scared to do."

Basso started with lock picking, freeing himself from handcuffs, straightjackets and tightly knotted ropes. He moved to Las Vegas as soon as he was old enough and began studying under “the best magicians in the business.”

During "The Illusionists," Basso, like Houdini, gets submerged upside down in a water tank, hands and feet bound. It takes him two to two-and-a-half minutes to escape.

What's most important for Basso while he's doing this? Remain calm. He said he must slow his heart rate to help him maintain a sense of control.

“That moment is important for me to think about absolutely nothing,” said Basso.

His mastery of magic has not only brought wonder to his mother and countless others, but it also helped him to learn English. Many of the magic books Basso studied in Venice were only available to him in English.

But how does his mother feel about his evolutions from card tricks and lock picking to underwater danger?

She worries.

“Every end of the show I have a call with my mom, no matter where I am in the world, what time it is,” Basso said, smiling.

For more information about Basso and "The Ilusionists," visit strazcenter.org.