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If images of stuffy black tuxedos, stiff tops hats and appearing rabbits are all that come to mind when you think of magic, you need to visit Magicopolis in Santa Monica. Since opening in 1998 with magicians Penn & Teller, a parade of equally curious entertainers have presented some outrageous performances that deserve never to be forgotten.
The Magicopolis experience is one of highly entertaining live theater. This is the way magic was meant to be seen - It's leagues beyond televised magic shows.
Magicians Penn & Teller cast their hands and feet in cement for the Magicopolis groundbreaking ceremony on March 25, 1998. Robert Holbrook, Mayor of the City of Santa Monica, on behalf of the city Council proclaimed March 25 to be "Magicopolis Day" in Santa Monica.
Friday the 18th of September 1998 marked the grand opening of a brand new theater-café-merchandise complex called Magicopolis. At eight o'clock the Abracadabra Theater quickly filled to overflowing. Julie Moran from TV's Entertainment Tonight introduced Magicopolis founder Steve Spill, who officially welcomed the enthusiastic audience.
Next, official ribbon cutters and special guest performers, Penn and Teller, took the stage and over the course of the evening performed some of their classic routines, and the audience loved every minute of it. To finish, Penn delivered a heartfelt discourse on the value of seeing magic performed live and the importance of Magicopolis.
The shows at Magicopolis run 90 minutes and feature comedy, magic, music, illusions, special effects and audience participation. Magicopolis provides a special theatrical experience that's not too easy to come by these days.
Patrons have met, among many others: Jeff McBride, who uses a mix of illusion, martial arts, kabuki, and drums to defy the laws of nature. Nicholas Night, who transforms painted canvas into flesh and blood. Andrew Goldenhersh, who materializes a live butterfly right under your nose and the unique and eccentric Rudy Coby, who grows four legs and twists his body into a pretzel in a washing machine.
Magicopolis (or City of Magic) is the brainchild of entrepreneur/magician Steve Spill whose past includes a 20 year career as a popular performing magician, producing magic shows around the globe in places such as the French Riviera's Cannes Film Festival, Universal Studios Hollywood, Harrah's Tahoe, Toronto's Massey Hall and consulting for theatrical productions, films, and television.
Among the projects on which Spill has provided expertise are the CBS TV special The World Greatest Macigians, The Learning Channel TV special Magic's Greatest Illusions, the A&E TV series Comedy On The Road and the FX TV series Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular.
Spill operates Magicopolis with his wife, entrepreneur/actress Bozena Worbel. As an actress, Bozena has performed on stage, television and film. She has been featured or starred in two dozen European motion pictures and has worked with two Oscar winning directors - appearing in Andrzej Wajda's Korczak and Krzystof Kieslowski's Decalogue.
Magicopolis entertains auto mechanics, doctors, grocery clerks, accountants - and their families…as well as film and television stars. A distinguishing feature of Magicopolis has been the active involvement and frequent attendance of some of the world's most famous people.
Guests and critics are overwhelmingly positive. Magicopolis is simply the most fun entertainment to be found anyplace in the world and a great way to entertain birthday parties, corporate events, fund raisers, and those VIP guests who have seen it all.
The shows at Magicopolis always enjoy great reviews from publications like the L.A Times, L.A Weekly, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Magicopolis has been featured on many national TV shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, CNN Showbiz Today, and NBC Dateline, to name a few.
Magicopolis also has the perfect gifts for budding magicians, and aspiring tricksters. Enable your Houdini to delight and astonish family and friends with fool proof, easy-to-perform, incredible magic tricks that anyone can master. From complete magic sets to individual tricks - you'll need nothing up your sleeve, no previous experience, and no special dexterity to execute these wonderful little mysteries that happen right in front of your eyes.
