PRESS & REVIEWS

BWW Review:
MAGIC MONDAY Brings Astonishing Magicians
to the Santa Monica Playhouse

 

by Shari Barrett for Broadwayworld.com Los-Angeles  |  Apr. 10, 2019

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Albie Selznick, a lifetime member of the Magic Castle and the creator/performer behind the hit theatrical magic show Smoke and Mirrors, brings his signature MAGIC MONDAY back to the Santa Monica Playhouse every Monday evening through the end of August. Every week delivers a fresh lineup of world-class, award-winning magicians and standout variety acts from The Magic Castle,America's Got Talent, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Masters of Illusion, and Wizard Wars, promising a season of unforgettable, show-stopping feats such as sleight of hand, interactive parlor magic, and mind-blowing illusions.

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Every week, the opening entertainer kicks things off at 7:30pm on the outdoor patio before the 8pm show inside the Playhouse's main stage theater. Don't forget to fill out a raffle ticket — passes to the Magic Castle are handed out to the lucky winners. Shows welcome everyone, are suggested for ages 8 and up, and last roughly 75 minutes...

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Magician & actor Albie Selznick

Photo by Courtnay Robbins Bragagnolo

Magic Missionary

Santa Monica’s Albie Selznick spreads the gospel of illusion

by Evan Henerson for The Argonaut

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Ever since that birthday party where a magician sawed a woman in half and pulled live rabbits from her stomach, your kid has been begging for more. But you don't know anyone at the members-only club of clubs, The Magic Castle, and a Vegas trip isn't in the budget. The YouTube clips and TV specials have lost their spark. You want magic — and you want it live.

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Longtime actor-magician Albie Selznick not only understands that gap — he's found a way to fill it, giving a group of his magician friends a stage to perform their best routines and test out brand-new illusions.

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Beginning May 2, a rotating roster of more than 20 illusionists takes the stage at the Santa Monica Playhouse for the second edition of Magic Monday. Selznick and producer Michelle Grant have booked eight May and June dates, hoping the variety show will grow into a long-running engagement with a different set of magicians each night...

Magic Monday Comes Back This May at the Santa Monica Playhouse

by BWW News Desk for Broadway World Los Angeles

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Feel the excitement of magic and mesmerizing illusions with a rotating cast of master magicians each week in the Magic Monday cabaret at the Santa Monica Playhouse, running May 2 through June 27.

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From the same team and star, Albie Selznick, behind the theatrical hit Smoke and Mirrors, this weekly variety show stands apart in Los Angeles for its accessibility and entertainment value. Everyone is invited to enjoy the finest in prestidigitation, the newest mind-blowing acts and unbelievable feats in an intimate setting that puts magic up close and personal, with a rotating lineup of renowned magicians seen on TV and at popular venues around the world.

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Following the successful Magic Monday run at the Odyssey Theatre last year, this eagerly awaited series returns to the Santa Monica Playhouse for eight performances. Each show features a new lineup of world-renowned magicians, making every night a one-of-a-kind evening of magical entertainment...

Imaginary childhood companion Trix helps Albie escape his fear box

Photo by Michelle Grant

Review: A Grand Transformation Act in the Magic Show 'Smoke and Mirrors'

Critics Choice

by Philip Brandes for Los Angeles Times

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What frightens you the most? By asking the audience that question right at the start of his “Smoke and Mirrors” theatrical magic show at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica, Albie Selznick sets the evening’s central theme: conquering fear as fuel for extraordinary achievement.

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As an actor-magician, Selznick carries strong credentials in both worlds — he's a company member of NoHo's the Road Theatre (which co-produced this show) and a lifetime member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood — though it's mainly his experiences in the latter that drive this 90-minute semi-autobiographical narrative, weaving together feats of illusion and legerdemain.

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Without giving away too much of the surprise, it's fair to say right away that the magic tricks — from transforming objects to levitation and demonstrations of telepathic powers — are first-rate...

'Smoke and Mirrors' creator possesses a magic touch

by Evan Henerson for Jewish Journal

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There may come a day when writer-actor Albie Selznick calls his magic-infused theatrical performance "Smoke and Mirrors" complete, but audiences shouldn't hold their breath. Since Selznick describes himself as a perfectionist and workaholic — and since there are always new illusions to master — "Smoke and Mirrors" may keep evolving for as long as its creator is willing to tinker. 

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"It has been constant rewriting, working, rewriting, working,” he said. “It's just never good enough. I keep finding ways it could be better. But I feel this is the closest it has ever come to being as good as it can be."

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Flawed or not, the autobiographical show has won over audiences and critics alike, earning Critic’s Choice honors from the Los Angeles Times and L.A. Weekly...