What is the difference between magic and illusion? While magic is illusion, an illusionist creates technical, large-scale stage effect that astounds and awes.
Dec. 22-Jan. 7 | 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 30, Jan.1 & 7 | 4 p.m.
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev.
How many times have we seen the man standing on the street corner with his three cups and the shell game? Our eyes follow his quick moving hands and we’d bet almost anything we knew which cup the shell was under — one of the oldest tricks around. But sawing a lady in half or making her levitate or conjuring up vehicles from out of air, that is theatrical illusion.
Watch Rob Lake make a motorcycle disappear
Illusionist Rob Lake takes magic and illusion to another level. He is the youngest magician in history to receive the Merlin Award for International Stage Magician of the Year, which is considered magic’s highest honor, the industry equivalent of an Oscar, Emmy, Tony or Grammy. Lake is touted as one of the great illusionists of our time.
“I want to create wonder and enchantment. I want to create an inspiring, magical and uplifting experience.”
As young child, Lake practiced magic as a hobby, mastering card and coin tricks. He was a 10-year-old Oklahoma kid when his saw his first live magic show. From that point on, he knew that was what he wanted to do with his life. As he matured, Lake read books by the great illusionists and immersed himself in illusion philosophy, which explores magic principles and the psychology of magic.
“Growing up, I loved Walt Disney. He was a real wizard, so magical with craft, telling stories and creating magic,” says Lake, who has worked on special effects for numerous productions including “Beauty and the Beast” and “Phantom of the Opera.”
As a consultant, Lake teaches actors how to perform magic tricks for television and film.
One of Lake’s more outrageous illusions was for Harrah’s. The company was giving away $1 million in cash and enlisted Lake to make an armored truck filled with the cash appear out of thin air. An armored truck weighs 20 tons. The team needed to engineer a special stage to hold the weight of the truck and there was also security to consider — it was $1 million, after all. Lake and his team had less than two weeks to create the illusion.
When asked about slight of hand, Lake says, “I don’t want to trick or distract the audience. I want to create wonder and enchantment. I want to create an inspiring, magical and uplifting experience,” he says. “As kids we believe and with that wonder anything is possible.”
Lake says he is always looking to go bigger and become more creative with each new illusion he crafts and performs, and he’s got something new up his sleeve for his upcoming shows at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. The illusion is five years in the making and will debut in Tahoe.
“I am always looking for ways to make a show magical,” he says. “Part of the show is interactive. We bring people on the stage to be part of the magic, we go into the audience and get them involved.”
Lake’s shows are fast paced and each night is different. Music is a big part of his productions. Whether he uses a movie soundtrack or an edgy rock recording, the music is as diverse and eclectic as his tastes and meshes with each illusion.
Whether it’s making a motorcycle he is riding explode and reappear a minute later in the back of the venue or having a helicopter magically appear, Lake is a master of his craft. He creates a world of enchantment and mesmerizes even the greatest of skeptics.
Lake will be performing from Dec. 22 through Jan. 7 at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. | harrahs-tahoe.com
