David London of Potomac studies a prop he uses in the "Art of Dreams" magic show that debuts Thursday at The Warehouse Theater. The show, which London devised with fellow magician Hiawatha Johnson, explores the magical aspects of dreaming. Dan Gross/The Gazette

David London is, at the tender age of 22, a professional magician with a show about to debut at the Warehouse Theater in Washington.

Young he may be, but after nearly a decade of honing his craft, his show is anything but amateurish.

"I knew early on, at age 13 really, that magic could be so much more than just pulling a rabbit out of a hat," said London, a Potomac native.

So during his hour-long "Art of Dreams" show, London transforms everyday objects into something surreal and unexpected.

Dressed in black and mostly silent, he transforms water poured from an urn into a mirror, only to later "squeeze" the mirror back into its original watery state. A simple wooden box, after a few deft moves of his hands, takes on a new, human-like form.

"The show explores the world of dreams, a nightly excursion we all take where a completely different set of rules apply," London said. "But I'm engaging [the audience] in my dream world, and that's the challenge."

Obsessed with magic since age 10, London said he frequented magic stores and attended magic conventions while still a student at Cabin John Middle School and Thomas S. Wootton High School.

"I've always been an odd child," London said. "I really didn't have a lot of friends outside of my magic [contacts]," he said. "But I was an anomaly in that everyone knew me at school because of the magic. It was empowering."

His mother Sharan London of Potomac said she always wanted to encourage the creativity behind his interest in magic.

"We sent him to magic camps and at least once a week his father drove him to a magic shop," she said. "But it's not just about magic, it's about David being a divergent thinker and seeing things from a different angle than most people."

While still in high school, London edited and self-published a magazine he called "Behind the Smoke and Mirrors." Some 500 readers subscribed to the 13 issues he produced over four years, but not for any tips on pulling rabbits out of a hat.

"It wasn't about tricks, it was about the philosophy behind magic and the history of magic," he said. "Some of the [country's] top magicians contributed to it."

Before graduating from high school in 2000, he organized a couple of conferences in Baltimore he called the "Phoenix Gatherings" to discuss the role magic plays in society. The meetings drew 80 to 100 participants from the magic community, he said.

While earning a degree in film and video at Columbia College in Chicago, London always found time to explore magic. He worked with fellow magician Francis Menotti on a show that they eventually performed in Bethesda as well as Philadelphia, Chicago and Long Island, N.Y.

But "Art of Dreams", which he performs at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at The Warehouse Theater in Washington, D.C., is the result of 18 months of planning and collaboration with Hiawatha Johnson, a Lynchburg, Va., magician with more than 20 years of experience in the field. Johnson directs the show and provides the live music that serves as a backdrop along with films produced by London.

"What sets David apart is his vision of what he can do," Johnson said. "He sets no boundaries on what he can accomplish."

The show premiered in Chicago and its three performances sold-out, London said.

If it proves as popular in Washington, D.C., he hopes to take it on the road.

"I don't aspire to Las Vegas. I like the intimacy of small theaters," he said.

Even as he prepares for Thursday's show, he said his mind swims with new ideas he'd like to add. But even if it doesn't take off as expected, London said he would simply find a job to support his magical pursuits.

"I can't deny reality altogether," he said.