Great
Magic in
Southern California
by Wayne N. Kawamoto
Great magic convinces you that the hand is truly quicker than the eye, and that everything you learned in high school physics no longer applies. For great magic, Southern California is blessed with two excellent venues: The Magic Castle and Magicopolis. From miracles with cards and coins, to birds that seemingly fly from nowhere, to large-scale illusions that levitate, decapitate, and separate, these two venues deliver magic goods that leave you laughing, baffled, and awestruck.
If you've never experienced a professional magic show, you'll find that it is highly entertaining live theater in itself. Whether you see it on a stage, or up close on a table, this is the way magic was meant to be seen in the art's long tradition, leagues beyond televised magic shows. If images of stuffy black tuxedos, stiff top hats, and fast-appearing rabbits are all that come to mind when you think of magic, think again. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the artistry, comedy, panache, and mystery that the performers in Southern California's venues bring to the art.
One other note: when you see a live magic show, don't be surprised or rattled if a magician picks you to select cards, or participate in the show. It's all in the fun, and part of the interaction that makes magic happen (but you do have to remember which card you picked). Each of LA's two magic venues has its own strengths, but in a flash of light, the appearance of a dove, or the location of a card, they'll undoubtedly make a believer out of you.
places - Magic
