by Wayne N. Kawamoto

If the world of magic has a center, it lies in a classy Victorian mansion in Hollywood that's known internationally as The Magic Castle. The Castle is many things: a showcase for the world's best magicians, headquarters for the Academy of Magical Arts, and an exclusive club for magicians and fans of magic.

To visit the Castle, you must know a current member who can give you a guest pass, which gets you into the doors. Once you're in, you experience dinner and a full evening of magic that's presented in three different theaters and can consist of up to seven amazing acts. Without a doubt, The Magic Castle serves up the most magic of any of the venues in a single evening.

The Magic Castle itself is an elegant old house with a mysterious air. The labyrinth of hallways may bring to mind a graceful Winchester mansion, and the tradition of magic is everywhere. In one room, Irma, an invisible, ghostly piano player will play almost any tune you can think of, and answers your questions in humorous song. Also part museum, The Castle features areas that honor magic's best, including Blackstone and Dai Vernon, and there are magic and show biz relics on display.

You can see stage acts in the Palace of Mystery. Here, on any given night, you're bound to see a conjurer with birds, and two other magicians performing either a stand-up act or working with large-scale illusions. The Parlor of Prestidigitation offers stand-up magic, with two separate acts a night. Magicians here perform miracles with ropes, cards, rings, and more, and may blow you away with some amazing mind-reading. Finally, there's the intimate close-up gallery, where you can watch the cards, coins, and more as a magician works the table. Acts change weekly, and there are shows seven nights a week. And beyond the theaters, you're likely to catch magicians performing impromptu throughout the Castle.

As the world headquarters for the Academy of Magical Arts, the Magic Castle is an exclusive club for magicians, who audition to become members. For these members, the Castle library houses a comprehensive collection of books, magazines, and writings on the art. The Castle is also a popular place for magicians to simply hang out and swap stories and secrets.

With a guest pass, you'll pay a cover charge to get in, even before dinner. The Castle's ambiance is elegant, and the food is first rate. Entries and a dessert for two can easily run into the $60-70 range. With dinner, you receive passes that guarantee you seats in the Palace of Mystery theater. Seating is still first come, first served, so it's best to get in line as early as you can.

A few tips: when you arrive, be sure to review the show schedules at the entrance to the close-up room, or in front of the Palace of Mystery, and plan your evening around your dinner reservation time, and the show times. On most nights, allow at least fifteen minutes prior to each parlor and close-up show to get in line. The close-up room has the most limited seating, so allow the most line time for this theater. Keep in mind that the acts in the parlor and close-up rooms change mid-evening, and you can see an entirely different show in the same room after 10:00.

Even with a guest pass, you must make a reservation ahead of time. The Castle has a strict dress code--men must wear a tie, coat, and dress shoes, and woman need dressy apparel as well. No children are allowed into The Castle, except for Sunday brunches. On Sunday afternoons, a meal is part of the deal, and families get to see a big stage act (typically a shortened version of the stage act that is appearing that week), a kid-oriented parlor act, and close-up magic performed by the Castle's junior members (magicians under 21). On Sunday afternoons, the Castle lifts the dress code.

Without a doubt, there's no magic venue in Southern California–or, for that matter, the world--that has the history and, well magic, of The Magic Castle. If you're lucky enough to know a member, do not miss an opportunity to visit it.

Rating:

Ages: six and up

The Magic Castle
7001 Franklin Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028-8600
213-851-3313

places: Magic Castle