Masters of Illusion made the transition to a regular show at Bally’s Las Vegas in winter 2017. Last Wednesday, the cast and crew celebrated their 100th performance at the venue. They marked the milestone in the best, and tastiest, way known to humanity: cake.
For those of us who don’t have a Vegas trip on the books, Masters of Illusion is also in the midst of a national tour, with Chipper Lowell, Jarrett & Raja, Michael Turco, and Naathan Phan on the performer roster. Tickets and show dates are available on the tour website. Or you can enjoy the televised version, with old episodes from the CW’s take on the franchise always available in the United States at CWTV.com or on the CW app.
Few people in the world are as charming as Naathan Phan. He chatted with The Aquarian Weekly to talk up his current work on the Masters of Illusion tour, where he’s performing his signature blend of updated classic tricks. Phan also shared the story of his multifaceted creative background and how it helped mold him into the magician he is today:
When I was in high school I started doing musicals, which taught me a lot about stage presence, and how to stand there with people staring at you. I used to do standup comedy, which really teaches you how to handle crowds in a different light than hide behind props, and how to find your voice on stage and use it. I also trained as a writer for several years. I went to the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. It was a fantastic place and I had brilliant teachers, many of whom are New York Times bestselling authors. That is where I learned to find my voice — and my writing, how to create a story. I also had a bit of improv. training so when things go crazy on stage or someone from the audience wants to say something to me on stage or off it, I know how to react.
Watching him on stage, it’s clear that the breadth of his training has paid off. Phan has a keen understanding of how to hook an audience, and that’s as critical a work of magic as any disappearing coin or appearing signed playing card.
Acting will help lead the audience into the world that you are creating. You want the audience to believe the objects are floating through the air. They can’t buy into that. A woman is floating through the air, they can’t buy into that. They can’t suspend their disbelief unless you truly believe that as well.
Read the whole interview here.
Masters of Illusion has already made the transition from the small screen on The CW to nightly live performance in Las Vegas. It seems only natural that the next step for the franchise is to take the show back on the road.
This past weekend kicked off a tour across the United States and Canada. The trailer for the Masters of Illusion – Live Tour prominently features acts from the latest television iteration, including Chipper Lowell, Jarrett & Raja, Michael Turco, and Naathan Phan. Here are the remaining dates and locations:
- January 31: Centre in the Square, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- February 1-February 4: Flato Markham Theater, Markham, Ontario, Canada
- February 8: Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Bethlehem, PA
- February 9: Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
- February 10: American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA
- February 11: NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY
- February 13: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
- February 16: MPAC Mayo Performing Arts Center: Morristown, NJ
- February 17: Emporia Greensville Performing Arts Center, Emporia, VA
- February 18: Palace Theatre, Greenburg, PA
The tour website has information about tickets, but some of the details appear to be out of date. Be sure to double-check directly with what’s on the local venues’ calendars before making any purchases.
If your home town isn’t close to any of the tour stops, don’t worry. You’ll be able to catch the fifth season of Masters of Illusion on The CW beginning later in 2018.
Planning any big city adventures in 2018? If you’re thinking about doing it up fancy, Forbes has a few recommendations for where you can rest your head and also catch some great magic performances. The publication noted that magic’s black tie roots are getting a revival, with upscale hotels in several major metropolises now booking magicians for high-class shows.
Unsurprisingly, there are two Las Vegas gigs on the Forbes list. Magic Reinvented Nightly by America’s Got Talent winner Mat Franco and Masters of Illusion, a stage adaptation of the CW television show, are great options for bigger productions.
That said, Las Vegas is teeming with magic acts, and those are just two of many, many hotel shows. What about if you’re vacationing in Los Angeles, or planning a road trip to New York City? If you’ll be in the Big Apple, try to score tickets to Steve Cohen’s Chamber Magic at Lotte New York Palace or Dan White’s The Magician at the swanky NoMad Hotel. Angelenos should also drop by the Four Seasons Beverley Wilshire for the Intimate Illusions of Ivan Amodei.
GeniiOnline readers, have you any further suggestions? Where would you direct a magic-seeking traveller dropping by your town?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtPUVnNVcbk
The Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic special aired the CW on December 1st, but if you missed it, that’s ok—YouTube has you covered. Check out the video embedded above for the full show, including performances by Naathan Phan, Murray SawChuck, Ed Alonzo, and many, many more. You can also watch it via cwtv.com, or on the CW app on your Roku, Apple TV, or gaming console of choice.
Masters of Illusion has been delighting audiences from all over the world with its hit CW television show and live tours, and now it’s getting a regular spot in the Jubilee Theater at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino starting December 6.
Starring the world’s greatest award-winning magicians, this 21st century magic show is unlike anything audiences will have seen before. Masters of Illusion’s limited engagement is a brand-new production for the whole family, featuring modern illusions and unbelievable arts of deception. The audience will have to watch closely as they experience tricks that can’t possibly be done…or can they?
Tickets range in price from $53.41 to $140.61 (plus applicable fees), and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster. The current schedule lists performances up through June 4, 2018, and the event page describes the show as a “limited engagement”, so if you want to see the Masters of Illusion Vegas show before it disappears, you might need to act fast.
If you’re unable to make it to Vegas, you can still catch Masters of Illusion’s live North American tour, beginning January 26, 2018. More information on the live tour can be found at Masters of Illusion’s official site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyOrX3Cj3qA
Masters of Illusion is sending off 2017 in holiday style with its upcoming Christmas Magic special. And in an interview with Fansided, regular performer Michael Grandinetti talked about the process of crafting magic for this special, and how he wanted to create tricks that were more than just the same old standbys with a Christmas twist.
From the interview:
“They came to several magicians on the show, myself included, and said, ‘What can we do to create some magic that doesn’t just look like Christmas?’
“We’re not going to take a big red ribbon and put it on a prop and say it’s a Christmas prop. But what can we do to actually make the magic itself convey the message and the story and feel of the holidays?”
Grandinetti is obviously playing coy with details—it would ruin the surprise after all—but he thinks they’ve pulled it off. “We created several ideas for the show which hopefully created just that,” he told Fansided. “Marrying magic and illusion with the feeling of Christmas.”
Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic airs tonight on the CW at 9pm Eastern via on-air TV, the CW app, or cwtv.com. For more from the interview with Grandinetti, including what Masters of Illusion fans can expect in 2018, check out the rest of the interview over at Fansided.
Masters of Illusion may have already wrapped its season for this year, but the magical variety show is returning for a holiday special. Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic is scheduled to air on Friday, December 1, at 9 pm Eastern. Host Dean Cain will be back as the ringleader for the special event, and several performers have been confirmed, according to TV Guide.
Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic
Airdate: December 1, 2017
Magicians appearing: Jarrett and Raja, Jonathan Pendragon, Ed Alonzo, Jibrizy, Les Arnold, Murray SawChuck, Farrell Dillon, Tommy Wind, Titou, Naathan Phan and Greg Gleason.
Lest you think that doesn’t sound sufficiently festive, there will also be a Christmas choir performing. You can watch the holiday program on your local CW affiliate channel if you have a traditional TV setup. For you cord-cutters, check it out on The CW app or at cwtv.com.
The magical variety show Masters of Illusion has made a triumphant return thanks to The CW and host Dean Cain, offering a national stage to both the world-renowned and the up-and-coming. The next two episodes are the last for its sixth season, and according to TV Guide, here’s what you’ll be able to expect from the upcoming finale:
Season 4, Episode 12
The Things You Can Do With Umbrellas
Airdate: September 15, 2017
Magicians appearing: Ed Alonzo; Scott Pepper; Jason Bishop; Tommy Wind; Jarrett and Raja; Murray SawChuck; Adam Wylie; Jonathan Pendragon.
Season 4, Episode 13
Of Mice, Men, and a Kidd
Airdate: September 22, 2017
Magicians appearing: Michael Grandinetti; Naathan Phan; Billy Kidd; Chris Randall; Tommy Wind; Ed Alonzo; Jonathan Pendragon. Season 4 finale.
Masters of Illusion airs Fridays at 8pm (or 7pm Central) on your local CW affiliate. If you don’t have cable or an over-the-air antenna, but you do have a mobile device, Roku, video game console, or computer, you can watch free episodes via The CW app or online at cwtv.com.
The headline is a bit of hyperbole, but only a bit. We’re suckers for a good pair of quick-change artists here at GeniiOnline, so we wanted to share some of our favorites. First up is Keelan and Charlotte from an appearance on Penn & Teller Fool Us a few years back.
Then there’s David and Dania from a spot on Masters of Illusion, where Dania not only changes her clothes, but also her hair. The change at the 2:00 is a particularly fun one.
Lastly, we have Sos and Victoria from their stop on America’s Got Talent. I can’t even put on a pair of socks this quickly.