Perfecting a craft

Humans are fascinated with things that defy reality. We call it “magic.”

Greek priests rigged temples with tricks to simulate the divine. Gypsy fortune tellers and soothsayers in Europe have used magic to capture the imagination of mankind for thousands of years.

The Bible mentions Pharaoh’s magicians in the story of Moses. The mythic King Arthur employed Merlin as his court conjurer. And whether performing on the Las Vegas strip or at the Huntington Beach Central Library, modern magicians work tirelessly to perfect their craft and pour endless creativity into developing their props and tricks.

Allen Oshiro was 5 when he saw Marshall Brodien’s magic tricks advertised on TV. He was hooked.

“I just got interested in it and I’ve been doing it ever since,” says Oshiro, who is a member of the Magic Castle and a winner of the Magic Corner Battle of the Magicians.

Oshiro will bring his wealth of supernatural experience to Huntington Beach Wednesday for a show at the Central Library. He has performed in thousands of venues including corporate events and theaters as well as his library shows.

The act is inspired in part by Lance Burton, who was one of Oshiro’s heroes as a developing illusionist. Burton’s act in which he pulled canes, candles and props from seemingly nowhere served as a standard for Oshiro to attain — especially the famous dove tricks.

In his act, Oshiro makes the beautiful birds appear from nowhere and then disappear into nothing. The sleight-of-hand artist is especially proud to have the dove act in his literal bag of tricks. That bag also includes stand-by rope tricks, hovering handkerchiefs, and some mysterious linking rings.

Like many great magicians, Oshiro includes the audience in the show. But if levitating or taking a sword through the throat isn’t your idea of fun, you might not want to volunteer.

While an accomplished entertainer for adult crowds, Oshiro says he especially loves family and children’s shows.

“I really like doing it for the kids and the families,” Oshiro says. “I feel really comfortable doing magic around kids.”

He’s done shows in libraries across Southern California, more than 100 in all. Oshiro brings friends along for kids’ shows, like Rocky the Raccoon, a playful puppet.

But just because he’s performing for children doesn’t mean the show won’t drop adult jaws, too. In fact, Oshiro says kids actually keep him more on his toes.

“They’re actually sharper than adults; they catch every little thing.”

IF YOU GO

Who: Illusionist Allen Oshiro

Where: Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave.

When: 4 p.m., Wednesday

Cost: $3 for children, $5 for adults. Advance tickets are suggested.

Information: (714) 375-5107, www.hbpl.org; www.illusionsbyallen.com