ANDREW PINARD: DISCOVERING MAGIC to Return to The Players' Ring This Month

Absolutely Magic and Andrew Pinard will present Discovering Magic at The Players' Ring, 105 Marcy Street, Portsmouth NH as part of the Main Stage Series on December 28 (one show at 7pm), 29 (shows at 3 and 7pm) and 30 (shows at 3 and 8pm). Tickets are $15 with discounts for students, seniors, and Players' Ring members. To reserve, visit www.playersring.org or call 603-436-8123.

What? How? Why? What do these three phrases have in common? That's right, the question mark.

Guests of Discovering Magic may well ask those questions and more when they experience this original "magic play" themselves.

What is no question, however, is that Andrew Pinard is celebrating 25 years performing for audiences as a full-time magician. He invites audiences to question everything, especially their notion of reality. A self-styled "Perceptual Engineer", Pinard uses the tools of his trade-cards, coins, rubber bands, and other ordinary household objects-to take audiences on a journey of the impossible and absurd.

Before their eyes and inside their minds, Pinard engages and involves audience members throughout the performance. He disarms them with a laugh, pulls the rug of reality out from under their feet in a way that leaves them reeling then gently brings them back to earth in a way that thoroughly entertains.

Pinard's ever-evolving show celebrates the unique and unusual way that humans experience the world around them and how little we truly perceive. Other themes that get explored include: the fiction of time, three kinds of lies, science, con games, fate/coincidence, imagination and expectation. This show is for those who love to be surprised, marvel at our remarkable world and celebrate the weird and wonderful ways that we experience life.

While the performances are suitable for all ages, the afternoon performances will feature pieces that are very youth friendly.

After the premiere performance, Rick Broussard, Editor of New Hampshire Magazine, wrote: "Your show is remarkable, Andrew. Anyone who hasn't seen it owes it to themselves to go." Others recent attendees said, "Awesome show! The perfect balance of amazement and humor." and "Excellent show! Engaging, humorous and constantly surprising! A wonderful evening!"

Since 1992, the mission of The Players' Ring has been to promote the efforts of local artists through the production of original works, while providing an affordable theatre space to local production companies. "The Ring" provides an environment where artists can thrive, grow, take risks and make daring choices.

Pictured: "Le Boite de Mystère (The Mystery Box) provides an opportunity for audiences to take charge of Andrew Pinard's Discovering Magic." Courtesy Ben Kramer.

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