LETTER FROM DAVID to Run at Santa Monica Playhouse
Laura Maccabee directs the solo show, which features Selznick's longtime troupe The Mums and a Fringe Festival Planners Pick nomination.
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A young magician's quest to work with his idol David Bowie leads to a wild ride of self-discovery… and a big surprise in this true story that's part memoir and part love letter to the 70s and 80s glam rock era. Starring actor and professional magician Albie Selznick, and directed by Laura Maccabee, Letter from David, which made its premiere at the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, will run from October 18 through December 20 at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Two preview performances take place on October 4 and October 11.
Who says working with David Bowie is impossible? Not teenage magician Albie Selznick, whose steadfast determination propels him on a comedic journey amidst LA's ever-changing cultural zeitgeist. With a little ingenuity, a lot of moxie, and a ton of help from his infamous performance troupe The Mums, Selznick shares how he mimed, juggled, and tightrope walked his way through the theatre, club and rock scenes to reach his hero. This solo theatrical show, a 2026 Fringe Festival Planners Pick Award Nominee, is performed by Selznick and features narrative appearances by the likes of Andy Warhol and other highly celebrated cultural icons from that era.
“I always need to be working on something,” explains Selznick. “I started doing magic shows at 12, I got my first job-job at 14 as a janitor at my mom's nursery school, and I never slowed down. I was never good at taking a day off or lying on the beach or vegging out in front of the TV, without crawling out of my skin. I was a very sad kid and somehow I knew early on that if I wanted to make a change I had to do it myself. And I can be irritatingly persistent; I'm like a dog with a bone. As a thirteen-year old who didn't really fit in, David Bowie was this rare, bright spot. And I thought HE would get me. I thought I was fated to work with him. And then all my problems would just go away. Delusional, sure, but it got me through adolescence. And it motivated me to reach out to him.”
Albie Selznick created and performed in Smoke and Mirrors, the long-running production that the Los Angeles Times called “a brilliant theatrical magic show”. A lifetime member of The Magic Castle, Albie curated and hosted Magic Monday, a weekly showcase of rotating magicians that played for five straight years at the Santa Monica Playhouse. For three decades, Selznick performed with his theatrical circus trio The Mums. The Herald Examiner wrote, “The Mums do for the art of juggling and magic what Elvis did for Rock and Roll.” As an actor Selznick consistently works on both stage and screen. He can currently be seen as Michael Jackson's plastic surgeon in the film Michael.
The creative team includes Sound and Video Editor and Technical Director David B. Marling, Q-lab Designer David Svengalis, Photographer and Videographer Jay Lee, and featured Artwork by Cathy Karol-Crowther. Produced by Albie Selznick, Laura Maccabee, Michelle Grant, and David B. Marling.
Performances run from October 18 through December 20, on Sundays at 7 p.m. Preview performances are October 4 and October 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, with discounts for students, teachers, seniors, military, and groups of 10 or more.
Santa Monica Playhouse is located at 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Parking is available in municipal parking structure #1, located right across the street from the theatre. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/letter-from-david.html or https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com/.
Photo Credit: *Jay Lee*
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