BWW Q&A: Liberty Larson Talks CHAMPIONS OF MAGIc at Mesa Arts Center

Following a decade touring the world as one of the most successful magic shows in history, the Champions Of Magic team are back with an explosive all new show featuring thrilling and mind-bending illusions. Catch this incredible show for the whole family when it crisscrosses North America starting November 13 in Ottawa before visiting 55 cities in all for more than 100 performances through May 2025. 

Fusing their skills in grand scale magic, a flair for spectacle and undeniable showmanship, this interactive, high- energy show is sure to entertain the entire family. Combining their signature humor with groundbreaking magic, the world’s only team of illusionists present a brand-new production unlike anything that has come before.

The show described as “a magic show worthy of our video game & Instagram times” (Paper City Magazine Houston) has been experienced by over 500,000 guests. Now is your chance to see the original, interactive magic that has fans returning to see North America’s biggest touring illusion show time and time again.

“Champions Of Magic: Chasing The Unbelievable” showcases leading magicians and illusionists from the USA, UK, and Mexico who have captivated audiences worldwide and bring a unique blend of magic, creativity, and mastery that promises to leave audiences spellbound.

Liberty Larsen has been surrounded by magic her entire life. She is a fourth-generation magician of the Larsen family, the creators of The Magic Castle in Hollywood and founders of Genii Magazine and the Academy of Magical Arts. Liberty has performed on stages across land and sea, particularly in Hollywood’s most exclusive secret venues, leaving an effect on her audiences that is distinct, imaginative and bewitching.

Get tickets here.

What inspired you to pursue a career in magic, given your family's rich history in the field?

I was very lucky to grow up at the center of a thriving magic community, so I was exposed to a wide variety of different styles and approaches to magic from the time I was a kid. But I wasn't truly drawn to performing magic until I was an adult. As I get older, I continue to appreciate this field of entertainment in new ways, and its theatrical potential feels more and more exciting.

Can you share some unique experiences of growing up in the Larsen family that nurtured your love for magic?

This is kind of a simple answer, but one of the most wonderful things about growing up in my family and in this larger magic community is the mischievous sense of humor that so many of us have. Many of my favorite magicians have a love for tomfoolery that goes beyond performance, and are often finding hilarious little ways to trick one another in day to day life. This was definitely the case in my family, and it nurtures a broader love of magic because it's all really one thing, on stage and off -- this approach to playing and having fun, to creating moments of surprise and to finding the surreal in the ordinary.

How has your family's legacy influenced your own style of magic?

Well, I actually started off performing renditions of my family's magic acts. I didn't intend it that way, but one by one I ended up doing an homage to each of my grandparents' and great-grandparents' acts before I ever created my own, so that was my springboard. I've always had an appreciation for vintage style and magic, and I know that my great-grandfather's writing style seems to have influenced mine, too.

Could you give us some insights about the most exclusive secret venues in Hollywood where you've performed?

One of the most secretive venues I've been a part of is actually Brookledge, a hidden variety arts show in our family home. The house used to be a magic shop in the 1930s, and my mom renovated the theater about 15 years ago and started hosting secret shows there. Nobody ever paid for tickets, it was an incredible labor of love and you just had to be invited on the fly -- but it ended up creative the most incredible performances, and an "anything-goes" arts collectives that continue to this day.

What can audiences expect from the new Champions Of Magic show?

This is a dazzling spectacle, a Broadway-scale production infused with storytelling and impossible magic. We are the only team of magicians in the world, which means we transcend our separate acts and all performing together. It's truly a unique concoction that you can't find anywhere else.

How do you ensure that your magic remains relevant in our "video game & Instagram times"?

My personal take is that magic only becomes more and more valuable as people are more plugged into the digital and virtual worlds. You can curate your magic to fit into Instagram and TikTok and gain followers there, but as more and more time is spent staring at screens, people really come alive when magic happens in real time, with other people, right in front of your eyes. And this experience feels as electric as ever.

What is the most challenging part of creating new illusions for each show?

The most challenging part of creating any new illusion is finding a method that really works. Magic starts with the impossible and works backwards -- you might see an image in your mind that you feels so excited to create on stage, but there is no guarantee yet that there is a path to making it real. That's where the challenge and the fun begins -- taking a fantasy and making it tangible.

What advice would you give to someone who aspires to become a magician?

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7% of votes

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