MAGIC MONDAY Returns This May at Santa Monica Playhouse
By: BWW News Desk Apr. 25, 2016
Created by the same team and star Albie Selznick of the theatrical smash hit, Smoke and Mirrors, this weekly variety show is unlike any other in Los Angeles in its accessibility and entertainment value. All are welcome to witness the greatest in prestidigitation, the latest mind-blowing acts and unbelievable feats in an intimate setting that brings magic up close and personal with a rotating roster of renowned magicians that have been seen in TV and popular venues worldwide.
Coming off the successful Magic Monday shows at the Odyssey Theatre last year, this highly anticipated series returns at the Santa Monica Playhouse for eight performances. Every show introduces a new lineup of world renowned magicians, making each show a unique night of magical entertainment. Guests can look forward to being dazzled by a variety of acts from show-stopping feats, sleight of hand parlor games, interactive illusions and more. The intimate space also allows for a more up close and personal experience that will leave audiences even more amazed and feel as though they are part of the action themselves. Magic Monday is also a family-friendly entertainment option, and appeals to every one of all ages.
Producer Michelle Grant and lifetime member of the Magic Castle Albie Selznick saw a need in Los Angeles for a weekly magic show from their huge success with the long-running theatrical drama, Smoke and Mirrors. "It became obvious to us that people want to see magic. Lately, there's a lot of interest in it like with Penn and Teller's new TV show, Fool Us. Audiences want something different. They want to say, 'How did they do that?"
Grant agrees. "We were so thrilled by the overwhelming response when we introduced Magic Monday last winter. There's a market in Los Angeles for a cabaret style magic show. We hope to continue bringing more magicians to audiences in this special way that brings magic to everyone."
Magic Monday, May 2 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Scotto Smith, the Host of the Magic Castle Strolling Olympics.
Chris Hart, a Canadian actor and international multi-award-winning magician famous for playing The Thing in the Addams Family films. Known for his sleight-of-hand techniques, Hart also regularly performs in Lake Tahoe, NV and has been featured in several national commercials.
Titou the Magician has performed in over 40 countries worldwide. His French approach and style to magic allows him the ability to be a creative performer and consultant for many events and TV shows. In 2010, Titou was hired by Disneyland California where he performed for 18 months. He is a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, where he is now a regular performer. Titou is also one of the star magicians in the world tour and TV show "Masters of Illusions." He performs worldwide as the "French Touch of Magic."
Hillel - Mr. Balloon Man is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is known for combining the arts of Clowning, Magic, Balloons and Pantomime in his unique Clowntomime routines. Hillel speaks several languages and incorporates them in his magical shows.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, May 9 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Lauren Cohen.
Pop Haydn is known for his close-up, stage and cabaret magic acts with a Steampunk theme. He has won the Magic Castle 'Magician of the Year' award nine times (the most ever given to a single magician). He was the chief magic consultant on Norman Jewison's major film "Bogus" starring Whoopi Goldberg, Gerard Depardieu and Haley Joel Osment, and worked as well as a consultant on multiple television documentaries including the Discovery Channel's "Houdini, People Came to See Him Die" and David Copperfield's television special, "Orient Express." Pop was the consultant for an episode of "Franklin and Bash" (Sony) and for "Bunheads" (ABC Family). He appeared on an episode of "Haunted Collector" (Discovery) as a gambling expert. He appears in the soon to be released documentary, "Dealt" about the amazing blind card cheat Richard Turner.
Matt Marcy is an award-winning comic-magician and headline entertainer who specializes in corporate entertainment, sleight of hand performances, emcee and hosting engagements. He is also a favorite at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, having performed over 1,000 shows at the exclusive magicians' clubhouse.
Jack and Jeri Jugglers are a husband and wife team that joined forces to create a dynamic comedy variety show unlike any other. Jack and Jeri's "ridiculous feats" include drawing a portrait while juggling at the same time, the World's only Synchronized Flowerpot Drill Team, the Trained Slinky Circus and diving into the World's Largest Whoopee Cushion.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, May 16 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Kris Sheppard writes for a magic magazine called "The Mandala" where he offers up design tips geared toward magicians and runs a design blog along the same lines called The Method.
The Bornsteins are a husband and wife team that have been featured on TV's "Masters of Illusion" and their show will astound you with humor and mind-reading abilities.
Greg Otto has made his living as a comedian for nearly thirty years. He has performed all over the world entertaining at casinos, comedy clubs, and corporate events and on luxury cruise ships. He has been seen on many TV shows including "Newhart," "Evening at the Improv" and on the Comedy Central network.
Joe Skilton is a favorite entertainer at the world-famous Magic Castle, where he has won two awards for his strolling magic. He has appeared on Spike TV, TLC, and the primetime TV series "Masters of Illusion." Joe has also appeared in commercials and TV series in Germany, Europe, and Japan.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, May 23 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Lauren Cohen.
Larry Wilson is an Emmy-nominated performer who has made hundreds of television appearances and starred in his own psychedelic tour de farce, "Wonderland," at Harrah's Reno.
Andrew Goldenhersh is a perennial honoree at the legendary Magic Castle. He has received accolades from the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts and has been voted the Academy's "Parlour Magician of the Year" in 2009 & 2010. Andrew is the only magician to have been nominated for both Close-up Magician of the Year and Parlour Magician of the Year for twelve years in a row.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, June 6 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Scotto Smith, the Host of the Magic Castle Strolling Olympics.
Simon Coronel creates live performance art that seems utterly impossible. He is the winner of more than a dozen international awards, including two separate prizes at the FISM World Championships of Magic and Illusion. Simon has appeared on TV in four countries, performed in seven, and is one of the few Australians to be regularly invited to perform at the world famous Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood.
George Tovar, a 20-year veteran performer at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and nominated for Magician of the Year for his interactive sleight-of-hand routines and comedic style. He has also performed at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Denis Forel is one of America's foremost Balloon Sculptors. He has performed in night clubs like the Magic Castle and the Troubadour in Hollywood, Gallagher's and Catch a Rising Star in the San Fernando Valley, Cobb's in San Francisco and Hennesey's in Hermosa Beach. Dennis is a member, performer and has lectured at the Academy of Magical Arts, better known as the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. He is a member of the Western Fairs Association and has been producing a magic show "Poof Too!" for his Odd Fellows Lodge for over twenty years.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, June 13 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Lauren Cohen.
Jon Armstrong named Close Up Magician of the Year, Jon Armstrong's amazing close-up skills and comedy have brought him numerous awards and nominations throughout his career. Jon has also worked on many films and television shows such as "The Mentalist" and "Spiderman 3" as a magic consultant and designer, and is co-creator of the IDW comic series "Smoke and Mirrors." His TV appearances include NBC's "The Today Show," "Magic Castle After Dark" on A&E, CW's "Penn and Teller Fool Us", Fox's "Masters of Illusion" and ABC's "Bachelorette" He has been featured in trade publications like "Magic," "The Linking Ring," "MUM" and other magic journals worldwide.
Elizabeth Del Sol is a graduate of the Academy of Magical Arts and a Magician Member of the World Famous Magic Castle. She is a spokesmodel, actress, graphic designer and racer where she completed the Skip Barber Racing School.
Joseph Reohm is a master illusionist.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, June 20 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Lauren Cohen.
Joel Ward currently performs hundreds of shows a year. In 2007, Joel performed over 500 shows during a year contract at the Horizon Casino & Resort in South Lake Tahoe. In 2009 Joel performed on NBC's "The Bonnie Hunt Show," and was part of the series called, "Masters of Illusion," on My Network TV. That same year Joel headlined the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus show, "Boom A Ring," which toured the East Coast and Puerto Rico. In January of 2011 Joel made his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and on Comedy Central's Tosh.0.
"The Mugicians": Naathan Phan and Rob The Magician are best friends and actors that have teamed up to create an act that seamlessly combines magic, music, and comedy.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Monday, June 27 features:
Pre-show at 7:30 p.m. with Lauren Cohen.
Scott Land - Marionettes is a puppeteer. His seasoned performing skills are on display in nearly every scene of Paramount Pictures' "Team America: World Police." During the making of the movie-the most expensive puppet-driven feature film ever produced-Scott did more than pull the strings on dozens of lead characters. Throughout the four months of shooting, Land lent his expertise to director/producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone who, shot by shot, relied on his 25 years of marionette experience to help them create their landmark film. Other screen credits include Disney's "The Princess Diaries 2," for which he created and performed a Julie Andrews look-alike marionette, seen on the Special Features section of the DVD. His other TV and film credits include "Pee Wee's Playhouse," "The Ben Stiller Show," "Still Breathing," "Shakes the Clown" and Rodney Dangerfield's "Birthday Bash."
Carl Christman is a teacher, mentalist, and author of the best-selling book "How to Read Minds & Influence People." He plays with language, psychology, and body language to entertain audiences. He is a member of Hollywood's famous Magic Castle and The British Society of Mystery Entertainers.
Albie Selznick of Smoke and Mirrors. Selznick is a lifetime member of the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and is an award winning performer and accomplished actor. He began his career as a co-creator of The Mums, a popular boundary-breaking circus-theatre trio of the 80's/90's. Since then, Selznick's work has ranged from world-class theatre to recurring roles on popular TV shows.
Magic Mondays runs every Monday night from May 2 through June 27. Tickets are $25. The Santa Monica Playhouse is located at 1211 Fourth Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. For reservations, call 310-450-2849 or go to www.magicmondayla.com.
Videos
