From Main Street to Las Vegas, Wallace takes on Penn & Teller

By Mike Williscraft

NewsNow

Nick Wallace has covered a lot of ground.

From a career start of performing for family and friends to hand magic on Main Street Grimsby to The Rio’s Las Vegas stage his career has taken him to some interesting places.

None have proven more exciting than a whirlwind taping of the  Penn & Teller: Fool Us television show in March. The program is scheduled to air Monday, Aug. 27 at 8 p.m. on The CW Network.

The 36-year-old performer who graduated from Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School “back when it was all still portables” said the experience was incredible.

“The process started with me submitting two tapes with two different tricks. The producers chose one,” said Wallace.

After several levels of communication with producers, Wallace and his wife, Jessica, were

flown to Las Vegas to attend a taping of the show at the Rio.

For someone who is building a career based on knowing all that is going in – in detail – it was keenly interesting for him to see how the process rolled out.

“It’s very tightly run. I worked with two consultants for the show throughout the process. Penn and Teller are kept completely in the dark. We did’t get to talk to them at all,” said Wallace.

“They put us all in a green room. They tape more acts than they need. I got a 10-minute rehearsal, then I went from the green room into a service elevator, it goes up to the stage area and you walk right out. It was like being an astronaut,” recalled Wallace.

And to add to the suspense, not all performers make it to air.

“A couple get cut, so you don’t know until long after. I can’t say a whole lot until after the show airs, but it was a great experience,” Wallace added.

With three days of taping interviews and promo spots all around Vegas, Wallace added the five minutes he was on stage was when he was most calm.

“I have total control over that five minutes. I just do what I have done hundreds of times. I was just excited. My wife was a nervous wreck for both of us,” he laughed.

Although he did not get much of a chance to speak with his idols, Wallace did note that Teller did come back stage after the taping for a brief conversation.

“He had a couple of questions about my act,” said Wallace with a grin.

With several projects in the hopper, Wallace noted his next local performance will be Friday, Sept. 21 at Robertson Hall in St. Catharines. Tickets for the catered event can be obtained at Wallace’s website when available: nickwallace.com