Mystique runs through Sammy Cortino’s blood. His title in magic, “Magic’s Royal Duke,” can be traced to his 15th century Sicilian royalty lineage. With Siegfried and Roy and Lance Burton endorsing his International Brotherhood of Magicians membership, the 22-year-old illusionist is giving audiences the essence of magic: inspiration to follow their dreams.

To Sammy, magic is an art: an image of life. Whether performing on a stage or using a restaurant table as his stage, Sammy’s performance utilizes classic illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance, and comedy as a theatrical medium to express life and preserve magic’s foundation for future generations.

In his stage spectacle, Sammy showcases his vision of a back-to-basics approach to magic in its purest up-to-date form. Accompanied by his graceful Leading Lady, Lyndsay Thomas of Kent, he shares with audiences magic’s rich history by showcasing the art’s masters and presenting classic illusions like Houdini’s Metamorphosis or the renowned Gamolo Stage Levitation. Through music, illusion, and storytelling; tribute is paid to Sammy’s cousin Johnny Mercer. Mercer was co-founder of Capitol Records and collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, and Ray Charles. By taking them on a journey to his vision of magic and making them a part of the onstage experience, Sammy is focusing on the people who make magic possible: the audience.