Las Vegan ’s magical journey continues with a trip to world championships

Chris Randall is a rare find: An entertainer performing nightly on the Strip who just happens to be a born-andraised Las Vegas native. But that’s just the beginning of the story with Randall, one of the stars of “Masters of Illusion” at Bally’s, the ensemble magic spectacular based on the popular tour and TV series of the same name.

He truly grew up Vegas-style, sneaking into magic and production shows as a teen and finding inspiration before graduating from Las Vegas Academy and temporarily working at the box office at the very same theater where he now Chris Randall, on his preparations for the World Championships of Magic

performs six nights a week. Randall has traveled the world working on different shows and perfecting his own act, and reinvented himself several times over in the process — from assistant to street performer to acclaimed and awarded magician.

Randall leaves Las Vegas on July 5 for Busan, South Korea, to compete in the World Championships of Magic, something he’s been working toward for the better part of the past decade. “This has kept me so laser-focused,” he says. “Even my sleep right now is like, meditation. For the last three years of my life I haven’t been able to do anything that isn’t involved with these eight minutes.”

I sat down at the Jubilee Theater with Randall to get the full story on the ups and downs of his career, his love for Las Vegas and the ever-changing world of magic.

“This has kept me so laser-focused. Even my sleep right now is like, meditation.”