Teen magician taking his show to Los Cabos

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/08/15/1568237/lynden-te...

ZOE FRALEY
August 15, 2010

Sterling Dietz stands on stage at Bloedel Donovan Park and meticulously rips apart the pages of a newspaper.

As he tells the story of a son who wants to spend time with his father, a young girl in the audience whispers to her friend, "This is my favorite trick." He magically puts the ripped pages back together, forming a picture of a world on one side and a family on the other. Put the family together and the world will follow, Sterling says. The girl's friend whispers, "That was awesome."

In September, Sterling will take his magic to Los Cabos, Mexico, where he will perform four times a week from October through May in his own theater, Teatro de la Ciudad. At 19 years old, it's the culmination of a dream for the Lynden resident.

"This is one of the first goals I wrote down," he says of performing in his own theater.

He'll have a built-in support system when he leaves. He'll be accompanied by his assistant for nearly five years, Jessica Gassman, and his dad, Rich Dietz, who also serves as his manager. His mom, Rochelle Dietz, will join them later.

"It's a great opportunity for him," Rich says. "It's going to be a great new adventure in his life and our lives now. He's worked hard, and I think he's ready for this next step."

Sterling and his family have been vacationing in Los Cabos since he was a baby, and for the past two years they've been working on securing a theater.

For Sterling, who graduated in 2009 from Lynden High School, working in his own theater is a form of higher education. It'll be a chance for him to create new illusions and expand his show in ways he couldn't without a permanent stage.

"I took college into consideration, but I feel like this is what I'm drawn to right now," he says. "It's what I've been called to do. Magic is an education in and of itself for sure."

It's an education he's been working on for the past five years.

During a magic show at Mount Baker Theatre, a 14-year-old Sterling turned to his dad and said, "This is what I was born to do." He bought a kit of tricks that night and three days later, he had his first performance at the house of a family friend. It's a story he tells during his act, and many of his illusions are inspired by his life experiences.

"I'm a storyteller. I think it's more honest when I create things from what I know," he says. "I try to leave my audience with something more than, 'How do you do that?' I like to bring them back to that place in their childhood where everything and anything is possible."

Sterling is comfortable on the stage. When he brings up members of the audience, he has the kind of friendly personality that makes stage fright disappear, whether he's making eggs vanish and reappear or teaching a boy the importance of magician poses.

Sterling jokes with one boy as the two do magic hands on stage.

"This is the only job where you can do this and look cool," Sterling says.

"The joy is watching his gift with people," Rochelle says. "Every show, the crowds are so encouraging, and there's joy and laughter and fun. It's so fun watching their reactions."

That affable personality is what has really helped Sterling make his name in the magic world, Rochelle says, earning him a variety of awards, such as his first place and people's choice awards at the 2006 World Magic Seminar youth competition in Las Vegas.

"Sterling has been good at just about everything he's tried his whole life," Rich says. "But I told him that when you find your passion in life, it'll be different than being good at something. It'll be like you're set on fire."

There are nerves on all sides for Sterling's big move to Mexico. But mostly there's excitement about the possibilities and the idea that kids from all over the country and the world soon could be whispering about their favorite Sterling tricks.

"If I had any wish for any parent, it would be that their child can find their passion in life early," Rich says. "If a child finds their passion, you just get out of the way and support them."

http://www.magicsterling.com

STERLING'S AWARDS:

Sterling Dietz has performed his act in a variety of national and international magic competitions. Here are a few of the awards he's won along the way.

• First place and people's choice at the 2006 World Magic Seminar youth competition in Las Vegas.

• First place and people's choice at the 2006 Texas Association of Magicians youth competition in Dallas.

• First place and people's choice at the Northwest Ring of Fire open adult competition in Everett.

• People's choice at the 2007 International Brotherhood of Magicians adult competition in Reno, Nev., with first place in the youth competition.

• Named Magician of the Year for 2007 by the Northwest Ring of Fire magician group.


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Photo by ANDY BRONSON - Magician Sterling Dietz, 19, performs with steel rings at Kids Fest at Bloedel Donovan Park Saturday August 7, 2010 in Bellingham. Dietz is heading to Cabo San Lucas in September to begin shows for the next year.