Halifax magician uses sleight of hand to earn way into Vegas-based show

Vincenzo Ravina's appearance on 'Penn & Teller' Vincenzo Ravina, a Magician who appeared on the Penn & Teller': Fool Us, shares details of his attempt to impress the comedy duo.

HALIFAX — Vincenzo Ravina is a teacher with more than a few tricks up his sleeves.

Before the pandemic was declared, the 32-year-old from Halifax travelled to Las Vegas in early March to perform a magic trick in front of a live studio audience and two of the world's most well-known magicians and comedians, Penn and Teller.

The taped performance will air on the CW Network show Penn & Teller: Fool Us, a show where up-and-coming magicians try to impress the duo with a magic trick. If Penn and Teller can't figure out how the trick was done, the magician is awarded the chance to perform as their opening act.

"It was very intimidating and I was very nervous," says Ravina. "I usually perform at little open mics around town, or at the Bus Stop Theatre for an audience of less than a hundred. This was an audience of 500, plus Penn and Teller, plus Alyson Hannigan, so it was a whirlwind."

Ravina's love of magic began when he was little.

"There was a magician who worked at a restaurant downtown, his name was David Moon," explains Ravina. "He looked like a wizard and would do magic. I loved going there as a kid and would just be amazed. I started studying magic after that."

Ravina says he landed a shot on the show after he responded to a Season 7 casting call.

"So, I didn't really think I had a hope of getting on, but I decided to submit my best, and they ended up getting back to me," he said. "Over a few months, we went back and forth with the script, and I ended up on the show."

The trick Ravina brought to Nevada took a lot of thought.

"It's called Mind Reading Glasses," explains Ravina. "The premise is, I have these glasses that allow me to read peoples' minds. I've got this cool, sci-fi helmet that is the thought transmitter, so I put that on the host, Alyson Hannigan's head, I wear the glass and I read her mind."

The episode airs on the CW Network on Aug. 3, a date which holds special meaning for Ravina.

"My wife Laura and I got married on Aug. 3 last year, and this year, we've got Fool Us airing, so we're saying good things happen on Aug. 3."