Now, for their next trick ...
IT was easier in the old days. Wave the wand, pull a rabbit out of the hat, saw a showgirl in half and, presto, the crowd went nuts.
But in the era of digital disbelief, magic is a much tougher sell. How do you make it better than the science of CGI, Photoshop and virtual reality?
Fortunately, a few old-school prestidigitators and illusionists still have something up their sleeve: A&E;’s “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” Penn & Teller, David Blaine’s quirky, public isolationist stunts, and assorted Las Vegas magic-themed spectacles come to mind. And then there’s the Academy of Magical Arts. Based at the Magic Castle, a private club with a storied Hollywood history (Johnny Carson, Cary Grant and Steve Martin are among the “celebrity hobbyists” who have performed there), the academy has been the hub of the magic industry since the 1960s. And this Saturday, it will host its 39th Annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards Show at the Beverly Hilton, with tickets available to the public.
Celebrity presenters will include Martin, Mandy Patinkin, Buzz Aldrin, J.J. Abrams, Doris Roberts and Eric Roberts. But the real star is magic, with performances by Shimshi (whose specialty is “high-energy manipulation and cutting-edge illusion”), comedy magician Chris Kenner, and cabaret magician Paul Potassy, an acclaimed figure in magic circles who lives in the Philippines and has not performed in the United States for five decades.
Variety is the watchword; there will be exhibitions by classic illusionist and “dove-worker” Chen Kai from Mexico and John Cassidy, who is billed as balloon sculptor of highest order. Carl Ballantine, the popular comedy magician (familiar to rerun-watchers as a cast member of “McHale’s Navy”) will receive a lifetime achievement honor. Another familiar television star, Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame, is a nominee in the category of parlor magic after his recent sold-out performances at the Castle.
The award show’s executive producer, Dale R. Hindman, said the public fascination with stage magic is cyclical and, to his eyes, is building toward another peak. The “Harry Potter” books and films get some credit for piquing the interest of young, would-be sorcerers, but to Hindman the biggest force of magic right now is the Internet. “Just look at what Cyril has done.”
That would be Cyril Takayama, who will be honored Saturday with the prestigious magician of the year award. Takayama is “Magic’s first Cyber-Celebrity,” according to Magic magazine, and he has used the short-form ethos of YouTube and other websites to create quick-hit magic marvels. A big draw in Japan and a presence on Korean television, his success is a local story too: Takayama is a graduate of the Castle’s juniors program: “We call it the real Hogwarts,” noted Hindman.
The magician community is a quirky fraternity, and the Castle and the awards show put a premium on preserving its history, which is why you can find Harry Houdini’s manacles and straitjacket in one room of the Castle as well as one of the world’s premier libraries of magic. But beware dissing that history: When Blaine didn’t show up to receive his magician of the year honor in 2002, the award was banished to a Castle bathroom, where it still awaits him. When the “Masked Magician” had a Fox series revealing the methods behind famous tricks, the taboo-breaker was drummed out of the industry. “I hope he made a lot of money off that show, because he’s not making any more in magic,” Hindman said.
Last week, Hindman watched a jaw-dropping lunchtime performance by Bob Jardine, a magician who’s a familiar face in Vegas circles. The performance was about as low-tech as magic gets -- a deck of cards, a couple of rubber bands and a fork -- but it was an irresistible display of classic, up-close magic. Hindman believes that timeless fascination with sleight of hand endures despite the evolution of special effects: “When you’re there watching a magician on stage, you know there’s no CGI and it’s as entertaining as it always has been. This year we have real international representation at the show, and one of the reasons is magic translates to all languages and every generation.”
*
The 39th Annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards
--
Where: Beverly Hilton Hotel, 9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills
When: Saturday; cocktail party at 6 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m.; show begins at 8 p.m.
Price: $165 for dinner and show
Info: (323) 447-3377
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
