WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Actor, comedian and magician Dennis Watkins will entertain area residents with his unique blend of interactive tricks at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 at the West Plains Civic Center theater.

Tickets are $5 and available at the civic center box office, 110 St. Louis St.  Missouri State University-West Plains students who have paid the student activity fee and hold a current BearPass ID will be admitted free.  Watkins’ performance is co-sponsored by the university’s Student Government Association (SGA) and the University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department.

Watkins, who currently lives in Chicago, Ill., grew up surrounded by magic.  His late grandfather was a teacher who excelled at “close-up” tricks and ran one of this country’s earliest mail order magic shops.  Watkins also learned many tricks from an uncle.

“My grandfather was a professional magician and taught me his specialty – the art of slight-of-hand magic,” Watkins said in a phone interview.  “I fell in love with magic watching him perform and feel honored that today I can continue the family tradition.”

Another skill Watkins said he has perfected is mind-reading.  “I do a lot of shows at corporate conventions and colleges, so I have to travel a lot.  I can’t take a lot of baggage with me.  I realized I was going to have to come up with tricks that didn’t require a lot of space in my luggage.  That’s when I started mind-reading, which is now my favorite thing to do,” he explained.

Most of Watkins’ magic involves audience members.  “My favorite thing is to interact with students and do strolling magic.  I pretty much do magic tricks outside the theater everywhere I go,” he said.  Missouri State-West Plains students can see Watkins’ “Strolling Magic Show” at 3 p.m. Sept. 22 on campus.  SGA officials will take Watkins on a tour of campus where he will do his impromptu magic, show organizers said.

In addition to his magic show, Watkins owns The House Theater in Chicago.  The venue specializes in original script plays and will celebrate 10 years in January 2012 with one of its most popular plays, “Death and Harry Houdini.”  Watkins will play the lead role and perform all of the tricks included in the production, including the famous Water Torture Cell at the end.

Watkins has received numerous awards and honors from such organizations as the Texas Association of Magicians, the Society of American Magicians, the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Desert Magic Seminar, and he brings the highest standard of live entertainment to events nationwide, organizers said.

A classically trained actor with degrees in performance from Southern Methodist University and the British American Drama Academy, Watkins’ shows have wowed audiences in virtually every type of venue, including the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.; Chicago’s United Center; Chicago’s Navy Pier; and dozens of colleges and universities and countless private venues across the country.

“I’m looking forward to visiting the West Plains area and meeting all of the people,” he said.

For more information about the Sept. 22 performance, call 417-255-7966 or visit http://wp.missouristate.edu/ucp/theater.asp.  For more information about Dennis Watkins, visit his website, http://denniswatkins.net.