Put a Little Magic In Your Holidays With Chicago Magic Lounge

Chicago Magic Lounge celebrates the holidays with

additional performances, specialty cocktails, New Year’s Eve shows, and more!

Ring in the New Year with The New Year’s Eve Show

a special evening of magic and music with mind reader Mark Toland,

Trent James, Ryan Plunkett and band The DOT

Monday, December 31, 9pm - 2am

Child-friendly NYE Eve Family Show to be held Sunday, December 30 at 3:30pm

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s new home for close-up magic, celebrates the holidays with magical performances, specialty cocktails and more. Featured performers in December include Signature Show appearances by TC Tahoe, Francis Menotti feat. Lindsey Noel, Anna DeGuzman, and Nick Diffatte, and a late-night bar set by Frank Everhart Jr. Ring in the new year with The New Year’s Eve Show, a special night of music and magic featuring mind reader Mark Toland, Trent James, Ryan Plunkett and band, The DOT, Monday, December 31, 9pm-2am. A special, child-friendly, The NYE Eve Family Show will be held on Sunday afternoon, December 31 at 3:30pm.

This holiday season Chicago Magic Lounge will add more Signature Shows between Christmas and New Year’s. In addition to the regular schedule (Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm) extra performances will be held Wednesday, December 26 at 7pm; Thursday, December 27 at 10pm; Sunday, December 30 at 7pm.

In December and January, Chicago Magic Lounge will offer two specialty cocktails to get guests in the holiday spirit: Gift of the Magi (December) and The Levitation (January). Crisp and clean, just like the first snow, the Gift of the Magi is a gin-based cocktail with light citrus notes. The Levitation is Chicago Magic Lounge’s take on a classic champagne cocktail and the perfect way to start the new year.

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. Ages 5+ allowed for The Family Show only.

Holiday season highlights include:

The Signature Show: TC Tahoe (headliner), Francis Menotti feat. Lindsey Noel (Featured Act), & Anna DeGuzman (654 Club)

 
       

December 6 - 8, 2018
Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm
Tickets: $39.50 (Main Floor), $44.50 (Premium Main Floor), $49.50 (Front Row), $54.50 (Mezzanine Experience)
Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the show in The 654 Club with Anna Deguzman.



Late Night Bar: Frank Everhart Jr.
December 7 - 8, 2018
Friday & Saturday: 10pm – 2am
No tickets required
Frank Everhart Jr. is Chicago-style magic royalty. His father, Frank Everhart Sr, was the magic bartender at the Black Knight Bar, later renamed ‘Frank’s Magic Bar,’ in Chicago’s Ivanhoe Restaurant and Theater for a record-setting, 21-years. He popularized the ‘Chicago Opener’ and the story-telling card trick, ‘Sam the Bellhop’ (our 654 Club was named for this routine). Everhart Sr. made appearances on Bozo’s Circus, as well as performing for Lyndon B. Johnson at his ranch.

Frank Everhart Jr. continues the family tradition performing classic, Chicago-style magic. A master bar magician in his own right, Frank Jr. broke his father’s record this year, having performed over 21 years at the iconic Schooner Wharf in Key West, Florida. Though Frank is most acclaimed for his magic bar, he has performed shows in Atlantic City, The Magic Castle, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and countless shows for both public and private affairs. 

The Signature Show: Nick Diffatte
December 20 - 22, 2018
Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm
Tickets: $39.50 (Main Floor), $44.50 (Premium Main Floor), $49.50 (Front Row), $54.50 (Mezzanine Experience)

Nick Diffatte returns to the Chicago Magic Lounge with his full one-man show! Nick is quickly becoming one of the most talked about and in-demand young magicians working today. He currently performs on luxury cruise ships for Disney, headlines at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, comedy clubs, multiple casinos across Las Vegas including Planet Hollywood, Harrah’s, and has even been seen on The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS all at the age of 22.

Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the show in The 654 Club with Chicago Magic Lounge favorites Luis Carreon (Thursday) and Ryan Plunkett (Friday and Saturday) pictured below.

ADDITIONAL DATES!
The Signature Show
December 26 - 30, 2018
Wednesday, December 26 at 7pm; Thursday, December 27 at 7pm & 10pm; Friday, December 28 and Saturday, December 29 at 7pm & 10pm; and Sunday, December 30 at 7pm
Tickets: $39.50 (Main Floor), $44.50 (Premium Main Floor), $49.50 (Front Row), $54.50 (Mezzanine Experience)
The Signature Show was conceived in 2015 as an homage to the historic, Chicago magic bar scene. Experience close-up magic right at your table during the cocktail hour, followed by an hour of stage magic featuring two masters of their craft performing feats of prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club.

The NYE Eve Family Show
Sunday, December 30 at 3:30pm
Tickets: $15 (children 5-16), $25
The NYE Eve Family Show will feature fun and family-friendly magic that will delight children and adults alike. Guests will be treated to a glass of sparkling grape juice to toast the end of the year and greet the new one.




Mark Toland

The New Year’s Eve Show
Featuring Mark Toland (Headliner), Trent James (Featured Act), Ryan Plunkett (654 Club) and Band, The DOT
Featured Act:
Monday, December 31 at 9pm (Doors at 8:30pm)
Tickets: $65 (Main Floor), $70 (Premium Main Floor), $75 (Front Row), $80 (Mezzanine Experience)
Say goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019 with a night of magic! This one-of-a-kind event will feature bar, close-up and stage magic, live jazz and a champagne toast at midnight. The show begins with close-up magic right at your table, followed by an hour of stage magic, starring two masters of their craft performing feats of mentalism, prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Immediately after the main show, the night will transform into a music-and-magic-filled, cocktail party, as guests are invited to move around the space and enjoy walk-around magic and live jazz as we swing into the New Year.

Headliner Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and TEDx Speaker. He was recently named the "Top Booked Mind Reader in the US & Canada" and "Audience Choice" at the NYC Fringe Festival. Currently, he performs 150+ shows each year for corporate and private events around the world.

Featured act Trent James brings a fresh new feel to the “classic magic show”. Trent combines mindboggling magic and offbeat comedy for a new generation. He is the winner of over twenty awards, including The Society of American Magicians International Stage Contest- People’s Choice Winner, International Brotherhood of Magicians Stage Contest-Silver Medal, and was named The Most Promising Young Magician by the Milbourne Christopher Foundation. Trent’s performances have left audiences raving from Las Vegas to New York. His unique sleight of hand magic and hip vibe come together to form an unforgettable thrill ride!



Guests will also enjoy music from The DOT (Dillard Organ Trio). Justin Dillard was born and raised on the west side of Chicago and attending both Vandercook College of Music and The Velvet Lounge. His studies at both institutions gave him the honorable privilege to work with innovators locally and globally performing/recording with and/or receiving tutelage from the likes of: Branford Marsalis, Robert Irving III, Ornette Coleman, the late jazz master Von Freeman and Roscoe Mitchell to name a few. Justin has performed on national television (ABC) and has played in various genres spanning Avant Garde with the late tenor master Fred Anderson to a Dave Matthews tribute band (Crash).

Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the main stage show, and prior the New Year’s countdown, in our 43-seat close-up gallery, the 654 Club with Ryan Plunkett. Ryan is a Chicago-based, close-up magician who has been performing for the past two decades. Ryan is also a highly sought-after magic consultant and magic creator. He is a published author, a regular performer at the Magic Castle in Hollywood California, as well as a resident magician & Founding Ensemble Member of the Chicago Magic Lounge.

Doors open at 8:30pm, with seating and table-side magic starting at 9pm. Guests are welcome to stay until closing at 2am. Cocktail attire is encouraged.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, as well as resident and guest performers, Chicago Magic College classes, the Chicago Magic Round Table, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

About Chicago Magic Lounge
Chicago Magic Lounge reinvents the classic "magic bar" that once dotted Chicago's nightlife landscape, bringing cocktails and card tricks back together again. Shows include magic performance at the bar, on the stage and in true Chicago-style Magic form, at the tables of the guests, providing the classic "Close-Up" tradition Chicago-style Magic is known for. Chicago Magic Lounge is also the home of the Chicagoland magic community, showcasing over 30 local professionals, and serving as a networking hub for working magicians from all over the world. 

The newly constructed theater at 5050 N. Clark St., designed by Morris Architects Planners, has ushered in a new wave of entertainment, bringing back “Chicago-style Magic” under the leadership of Donald C Clark, Jr. and Joseph (Joey) Cranford. Converted from a 1940s-era, commercial laundry building, the Chicago Magic Lounge is a 7,200 square-foot, Art Deco, state-of-the-art theater and lounge complete with secret doors, elegant performance areas and a magic bar – all dedicated to the art of sleight of hand, prestidigitation and Chicago's contribution to the magical arts. From magicians to mind readers, Chicago Magic Lounge provides guests the unique, one-of-a-kind experience of seeing wonders up-close and personal in a venue unlike anything else offered throughout the country.

5 Shows Only: Chicago Magic Lounge Presents Spotlight: Women in Magic Through December 1, 2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Chicago Magic Lounge presents

Spotlight: Women in Magic

featuring an all-female lineup including host 

The Incredible Jan Rose,

headliner, Gold Medal of Magic winner, Jade,

featured act Lucy Darling (aka Carissa Hendrix) 

and close-up magician Alba in the 654 Club

November 29 – December 1, 2018

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s new home for close-up magic, is proud to present Spotlight: Women in Magic, featuring some of the world’s best professional magicians – who all happen to be women. Hosted by The Incredible Jan Rose, Spotlight: Women in Magic will feature magic by Lucy Darling (aka Carisa Hendrix) and close-up magician extraordinaire, Alba, with headliner (and first-time guest) Jade, the first woman to win the Gold Medal of Magic from the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Spotlight: Women in Magic will be presented as part of Chicago Magic Lounge’s The Signature Show, for five performances, November 29 – December 1, 2018.

“When we first opened the Chicago Magic Lounge, one of the conversations we had was about the comparatively small number of female to male magicians in the industry. Why aren’t there more female magicians?, we wondered,” notes Joseph Cranford, CEO and Co-Owner of Chicago Magic Lounge. “We firmly believe that a diversity of backgrounds and experiences is the key to innovation in any art form. As an organization, we are committed to doing our part to support female magicians and encourage more women to become part of the magic community. We hope that Spotlight: Women in Magic brings more people into the conversation.”

While female magicians are rare – research studies estimate only 5-10% of professional magicians and magic club members are women – they have played an important role in the history of magic. Groundbreakers include Adelaide Hermann, Lisa Menna, and June Horowitz. Hermann took over her late husband’s magic act in the early 1900s and became one of the most famous magicians of her day. Lisa Menna faced discrimination early in her career only to become the first woman to lecture and perform at the International Federation of Magic Societies (FISM), one of the most respected organizations in the magic community. Menna then went on to found the non-profit organization, Cause to Wonder, a theatre for social change that coordinates curiosity-based events across the globe. Chicago-born magician June Horowitz began performing magic around 1920 when female magicians were a rarity. With skill, wit, and determination, she earned the respect of the nearly all-male magical community and went on to become the first female president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians in 1987. Horowitz continued performing magic until she passed away at the age of 104 in June of 2018. Spotlight: Women in Magic is dedicated to her memory.

Spotlight: Women in Magic (The Signature Show) will be presented November 29 – December 1, 2018 on Thursdays at 7:30pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm & 10pm. Tickets, priced $39.50-$54.50, are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. 
Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. Ages 5+ allowed for The Family Show only.

Spotlight: Women in Magic performances are as follows:

Spotlight: Women in Magic (The Signature Show)
November 29 – December 1, 2018
Thursdays at 7:30pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm & 10pm
Tickets: $39.50 (Main Floor), $44.50 (Premium Main Floor), $49.50 (Front Row), $54.50 (Mezzanine Experience)

Chicago Magic Lounge presents a special Spotlight: Women in Magic edition of The Signature Show featuring some of the best female magicians working today. The Incredible Jan Rose will be the guest host for the weekend, as well as performing table-magic during the cocktail hour along with regular CML house magicians, including Jeanette Andrews, Paige Thompson and Nancy Anderson, plus newcomer to the CML tables, Emily Hosman. The evening will continue with an hour of stage magic featuring Carissa Hendrix (aka Lucy Darling) and headliner (and first-time guest) Jade, the first woman to win the Gold Medal of Magic from the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic by Alba directly after the show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club.

About the Magicians

Jade (Headliner) took the male-dominated world of magic by storm in 1990, when she became the first woman to win the International Brotherhood of Magicians’ coveted Gold Medal of Magic, a prize awarded only a handful of times in the competition’s long history. She has performed and received multiple awards for her performances here and abroad, including the Mandrake Award from France as well as the “Female Magician of the Year” award from the International Magicians Society in Las Vegas. Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, Jade has performed on the stages of variety theaters around the world, on luxury cruise lines, and in casino revue shows in Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Malaysia, and Australia. She has also delighted audiences in numerous appearances on international and American television, including CBS’ Late Late Show and CW Network’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us! Jade’s command performance for the Royal Family of Monaco at the Princess Grace Theater was one of her many career highlights. Among her impressive list of corporate clients includes Sony, Facebook, Apple Computer, and Google. 

Carisa Hendrix, aka Lucy Darling, (Featured Act) is a lady of extraordinary ability known for her comedy magic and her exceptionally good hair. She is an award-winning entertainer featured in the Guinness Book of World Records (2014 Book, Page 86), Ripley’s Believe it or Not (2015 Book) and the winner of the Melbourne Magic Festival award for the best comedy magic show.

Alba (654 Club) became the first female magician from South America to appear at Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle in two of its main stages. Her tools of the trade are her magnetic personality, theatrical training, command of English and Spanish, upbeat sense of humor, sleight of hand (and mind!) plus a deep respect for her audience. This Argentinian travels all over the world with her unique style of magic. The list of celebrities she has performed for is long, but the most famous is Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, currently known as Pope Frances.

The Incredible Jan Rose (Host, Table Magician) is a professional entertainer who is most often seen on stage performing her act for corporate events, trade shows, exclusive private parties as well as a frequent performer at the Chicago Magic Lounge. Jan’s table side magic is up-close, surprising and delightful. Along with her husband, Danny Orleans, with whom she performs a mentalism act, Jan lectures worldwide to magicians, including at the world famous FISM.

Jeanette Andrews (Table Magician) is a contemporary illusionist and artist who specializes in creating interactive sensory illusions, possessing a contemplative take on the art of the impossible. Combining a lifetime of craft with influences not typically seen in magic performances such as interactive performance art, immersive theater, quantum physics, and philosophy, she invents a unique take on this ancient art form. Andrews uses sensory anomalies and scientific oddities to bridge everyday life to a special, heightened world. Hailed as one of the most innovative illusionists today, Andrews has staged hundreds of performances at museums, theaters and universities across the United States, including sold-out and standing-room-only crowds at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Birmingham Museum of Art. Illusion is Ms. Andrews’ life’s work and her performances have been praised by PBS, The Daily Mail, and the Chicago Tribune.

Paige Thompson (Table Magician)
In an art form dominated by men, Paige Thompson emerges as one of the few world class female magicians. She spent her childhood and young adult life assisting other magicians on stages around the world and on national television including the highly acclaimed Americas Got Talent. Now, having recently been featured on FOX’s Showtime at the Apollo Paige has transitioned to a leading lady taking her passion for magic and experience within the art to give the boys a run for their money.

Nancy Anderson (Table Magician)
Nancy Anderson is a new magician from Minnesota. She volunteers as a Hospital Magician with Open Heart Magic in Chicago bringing smiles to families. She also has taken her magic internationally performing at the Ronald McDonald House in South America.  She is a dedicated student of Magic and a member of the Society of American Magicians and International brotherhood of Magicians. She is a  Wealth Manager and trust lawyer during the day.

Emily Hosman (Table Magician)
In the last 5 years Emily Hosman has performed throughout the country with Ardan James the Animated Illusionist, and has written and directed theatrical illusion performances in the Chicagoland area. Recently graduated with a BA in theatre, Emily is honored to be performing at the Chicago Magic Lounge amongst some of the greatest names in magic.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, as well as resident and guest performers, Chicago Magic College classes, the Chicago Magic Round Table, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

In addition to its programming, Chicago Magic Lounge is a proud organizational sponsor of Open Heart Magic, a non-profit organization of volunteer magicians who perform Bedside Magic™ for kids in hospitals, regardless of their medical condition or physical abilities.

About Chicago Magic Lounge
Chicago Magic Lounge reinvents the classic "magic bar" that once dotted Chicago's nightlife landscape, bringing cocktails and card tricks back together again. Shows include magic performance at the bar, on the stage and in true Chicago-style Magic form, at the tables of the guests, providing the classic "Close-Up" tradition Chicago-style Magic is known for. Chicago Magic Lounge is also the home of the Chicagoland magic community, showcasing over 30 local professionals, and serving as a networking hub for working magicians from all over the world. 

The newly constructed theater at 5050 N. Clark St., designed by Morris Architects Planners, has ushered in a new wave of entertainment, bringing back “Chicago-style Magic” under the leadership of Donald C Clark, Jr. and Joseph (Joey) Cranford. Converted from a 1940s-era, commercial laundry building, the Chicago Magic Lounge is a 7,200 square-foot, Art Deco, state-of-the-art theater and lounge complete with secret doors, elegant performance areas and a magic bar – all dedicated to the art of sleight of hand, prestidigitation and Chicago's contribution to the magical arts. From magicians to mind readers, Chicago Magic Lounge provides guests the unique, one-of-a-kind experience of seeing wonders up-close and personal in a venue unlike anything else offered throughout the country.

OPENING: NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE RETURNS OCTOBER 7 – NOVEMBER 4, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

INTERACTIVE THEATER, DEAD-SERIOUS FUN RETURNS FOR HALLOWEEN TO ROSEHILL CEMETERY IN 

NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: 

NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, 

OCTOBER 7 – NOVEMBER 4 

Interactive, Magical Theatre about Life and Death in a Once-in-a-Lifetime Setting

In the original run, audiences and critics were spellbound by the performance. 

ChiIL Live Shows says, “Tobin raises very thought-provoking observations ... While the subject matter and the locale may suggest morbidity, Tobin's message is life-affirming." 

PicturethisPost.com said, “Near Death Experience is perfect for adults who love interactive and site-specific theatre that makes you think.” 

 Tobin's Award-Winning Exploration of Mortality and Mystery will Make You 

Laugh, Ponder and Wonder

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we caught the original run of this show. If you didn't, you have another chance to catch this return engagement. Neil Tobin, Necromancer: Near Death Experience is back, at the lovely Rosehill Cemetery through November 4th. Check out our full review here. 

After a successful run at Rosehill Cemetery this spring, Neil Tobin, Necromancer: Near Death Experience returns to the historic Chicago site with more thought-provoking theatre just in time for the Halloween season. Chicago-area writer/producer/ performer Neil Tobin performs nine interactive, magical, site-specific solo shows about mortality at the rarely open to the public May Chapel on the grounds of Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave. Performances are 60 minutes and begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, October 7; Saturday, October 13; Sunday, October 14; Saturday, October 20; Sunday, October 21; Saturday, October 27; Sunday, October 28; Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4. Tickets are $25 - $30 and available at neardeathx.com. 



Winner of IndyFringe Theatre Festival's Audience Choice Award, this show is no horror show or cheap, spooky thrill. Tobin maintains a sophisticated tone, deftly fusing mortality and mystery into a life-affirming experience that's smart, darkly humorous, never scary and completely entertaining. According to Tobin, “this show is ultimately about the good that comes from improving our relationship with mortality.” So, though it does contain magical performance elements, this is no children's show. This is dead serious fun.  

Underscoring this exploration of life and death is the exceptional location: one of the most history-rich cemeteries in the nation. Rosehill Cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places; and its Gothic and Romanesque designed May Chapel — built in 1899 and rarely open to the public — provides a fitting setting for the proceedings.



Chicago-area writer/producer/performer Neil Tobin has a long track record of employing interactive magical and psychic performance skills to involve audiences in larger narratives and serious subjects (hence the “necromancer” title). Previous shows include Palace of the Occult (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre/Prop Thtr), which immersed guests in the world of a Jewish psychic entertainer trying to survive during the rise of the Nazis in 30s Berlin, and Supernatural Chicago, another site-specific piece which ran weekly for 10 years at Chicago's reputedly haunted Excalibur nightclub.

As magic advisor for the Mercury Theater, Tobin was on the creative team for the Jeff Award-winning The Addams Family and the Jeff Award-nominated Barnum. He's also the recipient of two Presidential Citations from the Society of American Magicians, and has served on the board of directors for the Psychic Entertainers Association.

After a successful run at Rosehill Cemetery this spring, Neil Tobin, Necromancer: Near Death Experience will return to this historic Chicago site with more thought-provoking theatre. Chicago-area writer/producer/ performer Neil Tobin performs nine interactive, magical, site-specific solo shows about mortality at the rarely open to the public May Chapel on the grounds of Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave. Performances are 60 minutes and begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, October 7; Saturday, October 13; Sunday, October 14; Saturday, October 20; Sunday, October 21; Saturday, October 27; Sunday, October 28; Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4. Tickets are $25 - $30 and available at neardeathx.com.

Celebrate "Magic Day" June 7th With Chicago Magic Lounge

CHICAGO MAGIC LOUNGE CELEBRATES “MAGIC DAY” JUNE 7, 2018

Members of The Chicago Session, 

The Chicago Magic Community and More 

Join Together to Celebrate

It was our great pleasure here at ChiIL Live Shows, to attend the groundbreaking as well as opening night at Chicago Magic Lounge. The space is a marvel, from it's secret entrance (with a nod to it's prior incarnation and a Chicago flair), to the gorgeous, Art Deco interior. It's hard to believe it's been a year already, since the first groundbreaking ceremony and it's exciting to see those blueprints and grand plans come to fruition. For a truly unique evening, come out and celebrate magic day, June 7th, or swing by any time, for a full show or drinks and table side tricks, vintage Chicago "magic bar" style.

*Click here for our fun, full photo recap from the groundbreaking*

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, celebrates its one-year groundbreaking anniversary with “Magic Day” Thursday, June 7, 2018. Officially declared “Magic Day” by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Chicago Magic Lounge will host an evening of incredible talent while celebrating the Chicago Magic Community and its contributions to Chicago-style magic.

The special evening kicks off with a champagne reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Harry Blackstone Cabaret. Invited guests will get a real treat as Chicago Magic Lounge welcomes members of the Chicago Session including Simon Aronson, David Solomon and David Finkelstein, for an intimate Q&A. The celebratory evening continues at 7:30 p.m. with the Mainstage Signature show starting with an hour of close-up magic, followed by stage performances by Chicago magicians John Sturk and Trent James. More magic ensues throughout the evening, but a magician never reveals all of their tricks!

The official declaration of “Magic Day” was made on June 6, one day prior to the momentous groundbreaking of the Chicago Magic Lounge. Stating, “Now therefore, be it resolved, the President and the Members of the Cook Country Board of Commissioners, congratulate Chicago Magic Lounge on the occasion of its groundbreaking and for its contributions to the history, local economy and community fabric in the Andersonville neighborhood and Chicago at large, and do hereby declare June 7 shall henceforth be known as ‘Magic Day’.”

The newly constructed theater at 5050 N. Clark St., designed by Morris Architects Planners, has ushered in a new wave of entertainment, bringing back “Chicago Style Magic” under the leadership of Donald C. Clark, Jr. and Joseph (Joey) Cranford. From magicians to mind readers, Chicago Magic Lounge provides guests the unique, one-of-a-kind experience of seeing wonders up-close and personal in a venue unlike anything else offered throughout the country.

About Chicago Magic Lounge
The Chicago Magic Lounge reinvents the classic "magic bar" that once dotted Chicago's nightlife landscape, bringing cocktails and card tricks back together again. Shows include magic performance at the bar, on the stage and in true Chicago-Style magic form, at the tables of the guests, providing the classic "Close-Up" tradition Chicago-Style magic is known for. Chicago Magic Lounge is also the home of the Chicago-land magic community, showcasing over 30 local professionals, and serving as a networking hub for working magicians from all over the world. 

OPENING: NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE AT CHICAGO'S ROSEHILL CEMETERY 3/10-5/6/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

INTERACTIVE THEATER, DEAD-SERIOUS FUN COMES TO ROSEHILL CEMETERY IN 

NEIL TOBIN, NECROMANCER: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, 

MARCH 10 – MAY 6 

Interactive, Magical Theatre about Life and Death in a Once-in-a-Lifetime Setting

Tobin's Award-Winning Exploration of Mortality and Mystery will Make You Laugh, Ponder and Wonder

Photo Credit: Daniel Axler

Direct from winning the IndyFringe Theatre Festival's Audience Choice Award, Neil Tobin, Necromancer: Near Death Experience is bringing thought-provoking theatre to Chicago's historic Rosehill Cemetery. Chicago-area writer/producer/ performer Neil Tobin performs six interactive, magical, site-specific solo shows about mortality at the rarely open to the public May Chapel on the grounds of Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave. Performances are 60 minutes and begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10; Sunday, March 11; Saturday, April 14; Sunday, April 15; Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.  Tickets are $25 - $30 and available at neardeathx.com.



This is no horror show or cheap, spooky thrill. Tobin maintains a sophisticated tone, deftly fusing mortality and mystery into a life-affirming experience that's smart, darkly humorous, never scary and completely entertaining. According to Tobin, “this show is ultimately about the good that comes from improving our relationship with mortality.” So, though it does contain magical performance elements, this is no children's show.

Underscoring this exploration of life and death is the exceptional location: one of the most history-rich cemeteries in the nation. Rosehill Cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places; and its Gothic and Romanesque designed May Chapel — built in 1899 and rarely open to the public — provides a fitting setting for the proceedings.

Photo Credit: David Linsell

Chicago-area writer/producer/performer Neil Tobin has a long track record of employing interactive magical and psychic performance skills to involve audiences in larger narratives and serious subjects (hence the “necromancer” title). Previous shows include Palace of the Occult (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre/Prop Thtr), which immersed guests in the world of a Jewish psychic entertainer trying to survive during the rise of the Nazis in 30s Berlin, and Supernatural Chicago, another site-specific piece which ran weekly for 10 years at Chicago's reputedly haunted Excalibur nightclub.

As magic advisor for the Mercury Theater, Tobin was on the creative team for the Jeff Award-winning The Addams Family and the Jeff Award-nominated Barnum. He's also the recipient of two Presidential Citations from the Society of American Magicians, and has served on the board of directors for the Psychic Entertainers Association.

SAVE THE DATES: 2 Days Only THE ILLUSIONISTS PRESENT ADAM TRENT at Cadillac Palace Theatre 3/16 & 17 2018

ADAM TRENT BRINGS NEXT GENERATION OF MAGIC TO CHICAGO

BREAKOUT STAR FROM WORLD’S BEST-SELLING MAGIC SHOW, “THE ILLUSIONISTS,”

PLAYS CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE

MARCH 16-17, 2018

Broadway In Chicago and the producers of the world’s best-selling touring magic show, THE ILLUSIONISTS, are delighted to announce that Broadway and television star Adam Trent will bring his signature brand of magic and illusion to Chicago in THE ILLUSIONISTS PRESENT ADAM TRENT, an immersive entertainment extravaganza of magic, comedy and music designed to entertain the entire family. The stage spectacle is touring more than 60 cities and will play Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph) for a limited two-day engagement March 16 and 17, 2018. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date.

Showcasing his “futuristic” brand of magic, Trent has mesmerized live audiences around the globe, in person and as a featured guest on America’s Got Talent, The Today Show, Ellen, the Travel Channel and Disney Channel among countless other TV appearances. The 31-year-old also stars in his own recently launched 10-episode TV series ‘The Road Trick’ on Red Bull TV.



Trent inaugurated the first 2 years of THE ILLUSIONISTS’ record breaking Broadway runs, which served as a launching pad for his own live show and tour. “I am so excited to hit the road and bring an entirely new show to audiences around the world,” says Trent, who has always thought that magic should be entertaining first and tricky second. He doesn’t want people to remember “tricks” as much as the laughs and memories made with the performance. “This will be a show like you’ve never seen.”

THE ILLUSIONISTS PRESENT ADAM TRENT is produced by MagicSpace Entertainment and The Works Entertainment. “Adam Trent is unlike any magician working today, a funny, witty and accomplished entertainer — the next David Copperfield meets Justin Timberlake,” says creative producer Simon Painter. “He has a knack for electrifying giant television and theatre audiences with his unique brand of magic.”

For more information and a tentative tour schedule, visit AdamTrent.com. Follow @AdamTrentMagic on all social media platforms for tour info.



ABOUT MAGICSPACE ENTERTAINMENT
MagicSpace Entertainment is headed by Lee D. Marshall, Joe Marsh, John Ballard, Steve Boulay and Bruce Granath and has been producing and presenting national tours, Broadway shows, concerts and museum exhibits worldwide for over 30 years. Consistently one of the top promoters in North America, MagicSpace Entertainment typically produces and presents more than 250 events in 75 cities per year.  They have offices in Park City and Salt Lake City, UT. www.magicspace.net

ABOUT THE WORKS ENTERTAINMENT
The Works Entertainment established and led by Creative Producer Simon Painter and Executive Producer Tim Lawson, is one of the most successful live entertainment companies in the world, creating, presenting and producing first class entertainment throughout over 300 cities and 30 countries.  Their award-winning shows including The Illusionists, Le Noir and Circus 1903 have smashed box office records multiple times around the world from Sydney to Mexico to London and Broadway. 

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for THE ILLUSIONISTS PRESENT ADAM TRENT at the Cadillac Palace Theatre will go on sale at a later date. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710.  Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W. Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000 and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.  For more information, visitwww.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 17 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

OPENING: The Tempest at Chicago Shakespeare

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar

Magic by Teller, the soulful music of Tom Waits

and the incomprarable Larry Yando as Prospero!

 The Tempest

by William Shakespeare

directed by Aaron Posner and Teller

songs by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan

choreography by Matt Kent, Pilobolus

in CST's Courtyard Theater

800 E. Grand Avenue on Navy Pier 

WORLDS COLLIDE ALERT:

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we love it when our friends play well together and when our favs collaborate! So we're particularly jazzed for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's next main stage production. Larry Yando is an incredible actor and we catch him every chance we get and have never been disappointed. He's box office gold! We've also enjoyed Tom Waits' ballads and the magic illusions of Penn & Teller for decades. 

ChiIL Live Shows will be there on opening night, so check back like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. Our full review will be up shortly. In the meantime, here are the basics below. We highly recommend getting your tickets locked in early for the best choice of dates.

Shakespeare’s enchanted island is transformed in this inventive production from Aaron Posner and Teller (of the legendary duo Penn & Teller), who also contributes astonishing feats of magic. Larry Yando returns to Chicago Shakespeare, following his iconic performance in last season’s King Lear, to take on the role of the vengeful and mysterious Prospero who conjures a storm shipwrecking his old enemies on the island. This classic tale of revenge is reimagined as a traveling tent show of trickery and amazement—underscored by haunting ballads from the inimitable Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and featuring choreography by the pioneering dance collective Pilobolus. In a production full of “such stuff as dreams are made on,” sorcery gives way to the inclinations of the heart.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the full casting and creative team for Shakespeare’s spectacular tale of revenge and romance—The Tempest, staged by award-winning directors Aaron Posner and Teller, of the magic duo Penn & Teller. This inventive reimagining features the music of Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, as well as choreography from the pioneering dance troupe Pilobolus led by Associate Artistic Director Matt Kent. One of the final works in Shakespeare’s canon, the play transports audiences to an enchanted island where nothing is quite as it seems. Heralding the celebration of Shakespeare’s four-hundred-year legacy in 2016, The Tempest inaugurates Chicago Shakespeare’s 2015/16 season in the Courtyard Theater, September 8–November 8, 2015. The mysterious sorcerer Prospero seeks revenge upon his enemies, conjuring a storm to shipwreck them on his magical island. There, he tricks and teases the ship’s unwitting passengers while his daughter Miranda falls in love with the marooned Prince Ferdinand. The lyricism of Shakespeare’s poetry comes to life in this fantastical story of vengeance, love and forgiveness, where sorcery gives way to the inclinations of the heart. In their Chicago Shakespeare debuts, directors Aaron Posner and Teller come together to create this wholly original staging of The Tempest. Posner, an accomplished playwright and director, has written and adapted nearly 20 plays and directed productions at theaters across the United States, including the Folger Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville and The Alliance. Famed magician Teller is best known as one half of the renowned Penn & Teller, who for nearly 40 years have entertained and amazed audiences with their unique brand of magic and comedy—redefining magic’s place in popular culture. Penn & Teller have one of the most successful and long-running shows in Las Vegas; they have been featured in Emmy-winning television specials and world tours; and they are currently appearing in a highly successful limited run on Broadway. The ever-versatile Larry Yando tackles the role of the mysterious and vengeful sorcerer Prospero, one of Shakespeare’s most enigmatic characters. He returns to Chicago Shakespeare after his critically acclaimed performance as the title character in King Lear directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, a role for which he was recognized as 2014’s “Performer of the Year” by the Wall Street Journal. The Tempest marks Yando’s 24th CST production—a body of work that includes such diverse roles as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, the title role Cymbeline and Casca in Julius Caesar. Inspired by the early-twentieth-century magician Willard the Wizard, this imaginative staging of Shakespeare’s classic takes place in a traveling tent show of trickery and amazement set in the world of the Dust Bowl. The production is underscored by the soulful songs of Tom Waits who, along with long-time collaborator Kathleen Brennan, provides his signature blues-inspired sounds to the project—performed by a live four-piece band onstage. The Tempest is not Waits’ first time providing the soundscape behind a story; his work in One from the Heart earned him an Academy Award® nomination in 1983. Also featured in the production is choreography by the modern dance collective Pilobolus under the direction of Associate Artistic Director Matt Kent. Featured at the 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) and in eye-catching performances around the world and on Oprah, 60 Minutes and Sesame Street, Pilobolus is acclaimed for its innovative and collaborative dance vocabulary, which combines athleticism, invention and humor. Pilobolus and Kent have created mesmerizing movements for the two performers who together portray the character of Caliban, bringing new meaning to Shakespeare’s description of Prospero’s strange captive not "honored with human shape." Click HERE for a complete performance listing and more information about the production. The Tempest will be performed in CST’s Courtyard Theater September 8–November 8, 2015. Tickets are on sale now for $48-$88 (subject to change), or as part of a subscription beginning at $135. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, as well as CST for $20 tickets available for patrons under 35. All patrons receive a 40% discount on guaranteed parking in Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website. Scenic Designer Daniel Conway and Lighting Designer Thom Weaver will construct the mysterious, charmed world of Prospero’s island. Magic Designer Johnny Thompson, an illusionist and comedian in his own right, collaborates with Teller to bring Prospero’s enchantments to life. Paloma Young, who won a Tony Award® for her work in Peter and the Starcatcher on Broadway, serves as Costume Designer for the production with additional costumes by Rachel Laritz. Jeff Award-winner Ray Nardelli returns to Chicago Shakespeare as Sound Designer (Sense and Sensibility, Road Show, Gypsy) and Chicago Shakespeare’s resident Jeff Award-winning Wig and Make-up Designer Melissa Veal completes the creative team. The role of Prospero’s spirited daughter Miranda is performed by Eva Louise Balistrieri in her Chicago Shakespeare debut. Ferdinand, Prince of Naples, is played by Luigi Sottile. Nate Dendy appears as Ariel, the ethereal sprite bound in servitude to Prospero, while a duo of actors, Manelich Minniefee and Zach Eisenstat partner up to play a twisted and tumbling Caliban. Worldly wisdom is brought to the otherwise madcap world of the play by multiple Jeff Award-Winner Barbara Robertson as Gonzala. Adam Wesley Brown (Trinculo),Lawrence Grimm (Antonio), Michael Aaron Lindner (Sebastian), John Lister (Alonso) and Ron E. Rains (Stephano) return to the Theater after successful runs in numerous productions, ranging from new musicals to Shakespearean classics. Christopher Rose (Minion) makes his CST debut and serves as the production’s Assistant Magic Designer. ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds.