Houston – If you’ve ever watched Michael Carbonaro make someone’s jaw drop on television and wondered, “How did he do that?” you’re not alone.
The magician, comedian, and entertainer became a household name through The Carbonaro Effect, the hit hidden-camera series where unsuspecting people found themselves face-to-face with seemingly impossible situations. Whether he was posing as a store clerk, bank employee or everyday worker, Carbonaro had a knack for making the unbelievable look completely normal.
Now, he’s bringing that same playful energy to Houston with his new live tour, WONDERBOY, coming to House of Blues Houston this weekend.
For Carbonaro, magic started long before television fame. As a child, he was fascinated by special effects makeup and dreamed of creating movie monsters. That interest eventually led him into a magic shop, where he discovered a new passion.
“I thought I was going to be an special effects artist,” Carbonaro said. “But when I started playing with magic tricks, which are kind of like live special effects, I quickly gravitated toward performing and interacting with people.”
His love for magic was fueled by watching legendary illusionist David Copperfield. In fact, Carbonaro vividly remembers the first trick he ever performed.
After watching a Copperfield special with his family, he ran upstairs to study instructions from a magic book before returning to the living room. Using nothing more than a drawing and a simple illusion, he stunned his parents.
“I’ll never forget my mom and dad staring and asking, ‘How did you do that?’” Carbonaro recalled. “I knew right then I was onto something.”
That childhood fascination eventually turned into a remarkable career. Carbonaro studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and went on to appear on major television shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order: SVU and CSI: Miami. But it was his unique blend of comedy and magic that set him apart.
His accomplishments have also earned recognition from one of his heroes. Carbonaro became the first and only recipient of the Copperfield Prize, an honor personally created by David Copperfield to recognize innovation in the art of magic.
Today, Carbonaro continues to focus on performing live.
His new show, WONDERBOY, combines audience participation, improvisation, comedy and illusion into a family-friendly experience designed to keep audiences guessing.
“It’s me being playful and silly,” he said. “Like The Carbonaro Effect, it’s really geared toward all ages. Families come out, and we have a good time."
And while he’s currently focused on touring, Carbonaro hinted that fans may eventually see him return to television with a new project that builds on the world of The Carbonaro Effect.
For now, though, Houston audiences can experience the magic in person when WONDERBOY arrives at House of Blues Houston on Saturday.