Magician and illusionist Reza returns to Benton Civic Center

When Reza returns to the Benton Civic Center this Saturday, one young Benton fan will be in the audience, compliments of the Civic Center and the Benton Evening News.
According to friends and acquaintances, 17-year-old Nicholas Vinyard is quite the fan of Reza, who began his career at the tender age of 7. According to his website, the master magician and illusionist began his journey into the world of magic and illusion after being "inspired by a magic show in his hometown of Brookings, South Dakota."
By the time he was 14, Reza was already performing for resorts and large corporations across the Midwest. The next year, he took his show to Branson, Mo. In Branson, young Reza did 18 shows a week for six weeks.
From there it was magic. Reza has been featured on television and radio, has performed in 31 countries, and regularly sells out venues across the United States.
Bill King, general manager of the Benton Civic Center, is excited about bringing Reza back to the Benton stage.
"He puts on a fantastic show," King said. "We were lucky to bring him back."
King and the Civic Center partnered with the Benton Evening News to give away four tickets to the show via an online contest on the B.E.N. Facebook page. Vinyard was immediately tagged by Penny Blades, a kitchen assistant at Benton Grade School and head cook at Camp Manitowa.
It didn't take long for Vinyard to post his answer to the question "If you were given the power for perform three magic tricks, how would you use your power?"
What is magical, though, were the responses sent to the Benton Evening News about this young man.
"He's such an amazing kid with a heart of gold," Blades wrote. "He loves this guy and tricks."
Thompsonville High School junior Brandi Kerly sent a message praising Vinyard as "very nice and always friendly to people."
Kerley said Vinyard only attended THS for a short time, but he made a lasting impression.
"He has cerebral palsy, but he definitely doesn't let that stop him from doing anything he puts his mind to," she said.
King says there are still tickets available for the show this Saturday. Visit the Civic Center website at bentonciviccenter.com to reserve your tickets before they "disappear."