It`s Magic! - Harris Center

It's Magic!
60th Anniversary Tour
Saturday, March 20, 2016; 2 & 6 pm
Featuring:
CHUCK JONES & CO.
JOHN SHRYOCK & MARI LYNN
TOM OGDEN
MYSTINA
HENRIK BOTHE
It’s Magic! has been delighting magic enthusiasts for more
than five decades. This live stage show is unique in that it
features many of the top professional magicians worldwide,
with each act carefully selected to represent the variety of
the art of magic. Many of these performers are Internationally
recognized award-winners, direct from exotic showrooms
around the world as well as Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle.
Parents who came to see It’s Magic! as youngsters are now
bringing their children and grandchildren to see this amazing
line-up of famous magicians.
The tradition of an all-star magic show started in 1956 when
two young entrepreneurs, Milt Larsen and Oliver Berliner,
produced a show called Hocus Pocus’ 56 at the magnificent
(now demolished) Carthay Circle Theater in West Los Angeles.
The following year, the show was renamed It’s Magic! and
moved to the 1300 seat Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles’
swank Hancock Park area.
At first, the shows played for a very limited time only. However,
as the number of fans grew, the number of performances
was expanded. The success of It’s Magic! proved there was a
genuine interest in the ancient art form of magic. This, in turn,
gave Larsen the idea of forming a full-time private club for
magicians and magic enthusiasts. Thus was born the Magic
Castle, which opened its doors in 1963. Many credit this show
as the spark that rekindled the resurgence of the art of magic
in America.
In 1965, Milt produced It’s Magic! as a solo venture with his
brother Bill as Associate Producer. It’s Magic! then moved
to the Variety Arts Theater in downtown Los Angeles in
1977 and played annually until the mid-eighties. Since its
inception, Southern California audiences were treated to such
legendary magicians as Harry Blackstone (senior and junior),
John Calvert, Senor Wences, Richiardi, Chang, Mark Wilson,
Frakson, Tenkai and Dai Vernon. The show has also featured
such current headliners as Lance Bruton, Criss Angel, Harry
Anderson, Kalin & Jinger, Shimada, Jeff McBride and Rick
Thomas, all of whom have become stars.
In 1994, the City of Glendale, California asked theatrical
producer Terry Hill to bring shows into its newly restored
Alex Theater. Terry, a longtime member of the Magic Castle,
approached Milt Larsen with the idea of bringing back It’s
Magic! Terry made the point that although magicians could
be seen throughout the year at the Magic Castle, a private
club for magicians and magical enthusiasts, the public rarely
had a chance to see these great performers. Also, the Castle
had stage limitations and was restricted to audiences over
twenty-one years of age. There was a real need for an exciting
full evening family show like It’s Magic!. Milt agreed and a new
partnership was born and the Alex, with it’s Egyptian motif,
proved to be the perfect setting.
With the success of It’s Magic! in the yearly fall presentation at
the Alex Theater, Larsen and Hill expanded into other theater
venues and now produce annual It’s Magic! shows around the
country in such states as Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Hawaii, Washington and others. These shows usually feature
magicians who have appeared on It’s Magic! shows over the
years and who are well known as performers in Las Vegas and
at showrooms across the globe. Each year, new venues are
added as the popularity of It’s Magic! grows and the tradition
continues.
It’s Magic!, as a full-scale stage production, was discontinued
when the Variety Arts Theater was sold and Larsen decided to
devote his energies to the Magic Castle, television shows and
other ventures. After thirty years of continuous production Milt
felt it was time to hang up It’s Magic!’s top hat.
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MASTER MAGICIAN, CHUCK JONES
Chuck Jones' career in magic has been long and successful,
building an enviable track record that covers nearly every
phase of show business—revue shows (CAESAR’S PALACE
and MGM GRAND), fairs and expositions, television, corporate
shows, amusement park productions, mall shows, touring
shows. The last 13 years he's toured with his own full-evening
show throughout Australia and 17 years in New Zealand—a
tour that is now three months long and encompasses over
140 performances.
This illusionist has entertained since the age of 12, when he
appeared as a magician with Johnny Carson. Chuck found
his calling and thus kicked off his magical career. At 20, he
landed a children’s television show on KCOP-TV in Hollywood.
His personality was an immediate hit. The show ran daily for
three years.
To fill the thirst for material, he began devising many of his own
illusions—a talent, which he still employs. His original creation,
the MIS-MADE GIRL ILLUSION (a girl is divided into four parts
and accidentally assembled wrong) won him an award from the
Society of American Magicians and has been widely copied by
virtually every illusionist in the world.
Starting in the business very young, Chuck was fortunate to have
worked with many well-established stars: Donald O'Connor,
Steve Allen, Michael Landon, Mickey Rooney, George Gobel,
Dennis Day, Bill Bixby, and Edgar Bergen. He even met and
supplied magic illusions to Orson Welles.
Acting as a magic consultant and advisor, Chuck has supplied
magical effects for episodes of Drew Carey Show, Matlock, Family
Ties, Burke's Law TV series, and several television commercials.
And before the audience and cameras of a Home Box Office
television special, Chuck Jones vanished a 2-1/2 ton elephant!
Other international TV appearances include World Magic Show
(Japan), Magic Palace (syndicated), Celebrity Revue (Canada).
Chuck Jones & Co. headlined in Masters of Magic at Caesar's
Tahoe. He featured more never-before-seen illusions, including
the surprising appearance of a live cougar and the baffling
production of, not only a tiger, but its cage as well! He appeared
for the first time in a revue show in Donn Arden's Hello,
Hollywood, Hello at the MGM Grand Hotel - Reno (now Bally's).
His ability to dramatize a sales message with magic brought
his talents to still another market--"Industrial Shows and
Sales Meetings." He has appeared for IBM, Hewlett-Packard,
Honeywell Corp., Fleetwood, A.T.&T., Clark Equipment Co.,
American Motors, A.M.D. Corp., Southern California Gas Co.,
among others. For Clark Equipment, he made a 3,000-pound
tractor appear before an astonished audience of "Bobcat"
dealers!
Chuck maintains his own studio and workshop in Southern
California and builds most of his own equipment. He is as much
at home in the workshop as he is on stage.
And, as if all of these attributes weren't enough, Chuck Jones &
Co. received the prestigious Performing Fellowship Award from
Hollywood’s world famous Magic Castle. This, in addition to the
Showmanship Award from the Society of American Magicians,
is a great honor. He and his wife, Jan, also were given magic’s
Dragon Award—presented to a husband and wife team who
excel in six different areas of magic.
Whether making magic on stage or off, Chuck Jones is one of
America’s busiest and most versatile magicians today and,
most likely, will be creating his special brand of legerdemain
for many years to come!
JOHN SHRYOCK AND MARI LYNN
John Shryock and Mari Lynn masterfully incorporate skillful
magic and grand illusion with drama, dance, and comedy
and create for their audiences a mystical world of laughter,
wonder, and amazement. John and Mari Lynn's high-energy,
charismatic stage personalities are infectious and the audience
experiences this almost as if they were performing the magic
themselves. They leave exhilarated and completely entertained.
John Shryock, a popular entertainer known for his million dollar
smile, has performed in over 100 cities across three continents.
John Shryock and Mari Lynn are regularly featured on television
and in the top casinos, night clubs, cruise ships, conventions,
and resorts across the globe. Audiences worldwide have
enjoyed John's energetic personality, captivating "sleight of
hand," and spellbinding illusions. His impressive skills earned
a command performance at President George W. Bush's Gala
Inaugural Ball and numerous appearances on the nationally
broadcast television series, Masters of Illusion. John is also
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It's Magic!
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and B.J. Thomas. His work has taken him to more than 100
countries on all seven continents.
Ogden’s national television work has included appearances on
The World's Greatest Magic II, The Great Magic of Las Vegas, Magic
and Beyond, and even Days of Our Lives, as well as numerous
commercials. He has twice been voted "Magician of the Year"
in the Parlour of Prestidigitation by Hollywood’s famous
Magic Castle and has received an astounding additional 14
nominations in various categories.
Tom’s Ogden’s published works include his 1994 book, "200
Years of the American Circus," which was named a "Best
Reference Work" by the American Library Association. Ogden’s
Wizards and Sorcerers was published in October 1997. "The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Magic Tricks" followed in November
1998, and the second edition of his popular "The Complete
Idiot's Guide to Ghosts and Hauntings," was released for
Halloween 2004. His newest book, "The Complete Idiot’s Guide
to Street Magic" was published in October 2007.
Tom Ogden’s corporate clients have included such varied
organizations as Disney, Pepsi, Sears and Xerox. As a magical
humorist and motivational speaker, Ogden’s customized
presentations on “Communicating with Magic” and “The
Magic of Creativity” weave the event’s theme or the company’s
message into the act.
a favorite performer at Caesars Magical Empire at Caesars
Palace in Las Vegas and is one of the few magicians in the world
well versed enough to have performed in all three showrooms
at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. John is the
1992 winner of "The Battle of the Magicians" and is the author
of a book on magic, entitled "Sleightly Tricky." When John is not
performing on the world's stages or creating innovative magic,
he tours as a guest lecturer for various magicians' societies.
John began learning magic at the age of sixteen when his father
gave him a magic set for Christmas. He was soon amazing his
friends and family with progressively advanced sleight of hand
magic. This childhood hobby quickly became a professional
career as he began traveling the country as a headliner in
comedy clubs and performing his award winning bird act on
luxury cruise liners. When John met Mari Lynn, a classically
trained dancer, magic entertainer, and performer in Ringling
Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, they combined their talents
and became one of the most sought after teams in magic today.
After nine years of performing together, John and Mari "tied
the knot" in 2001 on the Palace of Mystery stage at the Magic
Castle. They continue to travel, bringing magic, mystery, and
fun to audiences throughout the world.
TOM OGDEN
Tom Ogden brings to the stage 30 years of professional touring,
beginning with the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus. He traded
the tinsel-and-sawdust of the circus ring for the glitter-andsequins of Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe. Along the
way, he’s opened for such acts as Robin Williams, Billy Crystal,
The Osmonds,
Tom Ogden resides in Hollywood, California.
MYSTINA
Mystina trained as a dancer from the age of three at the Jean
Pearce School of Dance, appearing on TV shows such as Junior
Showtime, Stars on Sunday, and the Les Dawson Show. At
eighteen she turned professional, appearing in Pantomimes in
the U.K. and Revues in Italy, Turkey, and Israel. At twenty-one
she combined her natural dance ability, with her ear for music
and flair for Magic, to become Mystina, one of the most unique
magical performers in the world.
She quickly gained recognition from her peers, being thrice
voted “Best Female Magician” and overall winner for the “Most
Entertaining Magical Act” by the International Brotherhood of
Magicians. Mystina also received The World Magic Award for
“Rising Star of Magic.”
Mystina has performed Royal Command Performances for
Prince Rainier of Monaco, entertained on the Cunard World
Cruise, and was nominated three times Stage Magician of
the Year at the Magic Castle (Hollywood). She graced many of
the stages of Las Vegas and has appeared with many of the
top names in the business, including Lance Burton, Shimada,
Paul Daniels, Harry Blackstone Jr. and countless others. She
also appeared on numerous television shows for the BBC, ITV,
Welsh, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and American TV including
NBC and FOX.
Whether it’s the resorts of Japan, the stages of London, or the
theaters of America, this high-kicking, energetic performer
guarantees that every moment is magic with Mystina.
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HENRIK BOTHE
A native of Denmark, Henrik began entertaining at the early
age of three when he drove the family VW bug into the sea.
With fortune on his side, he made a quick escape and was soon
mesmerized by plate-spinning acts on The Ed Sullivan Show.
This lead to breaking Mom’s plates and throwing Dad’s knives
in the wood-shop, until he ultimately attended Aahus Theater
Academy to focus on the performing arts.
consultant for the multi-million dollar Caesars Magical Empire
project at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He has produced and
written numerous stage shows and musicals (collaborating
several times with the redoubtable Sherman Brothers). His
more recent Television credits are as Co-Executive Producer
/ Writer of the Magicians Favorite Magicians Special for CBS
Television, and consultant for Now You See It -The History of
Magic for The Learning Channel.
Henrik got his professional start in Europe when he teamed
up with David Gomez in the 80s to form the comedy duo Twist
and Shout. They relocated later in the decade to San Francisco
to join the thriving “New Vaudeville” scene. There Henrik was
introduced to the world of Improvisational Theatre by Keith
Johnstone, an influence that follows him to this day.
TERRY HILL has continued to stage and produce major shows
and special events throughout the country, starring some of
the biggest names in show business. He has worked with
such legendary performers as Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, Dinah
Shore, Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and
Neil Patrick Harris. Terry produced the first HDTV special for
CBS, the Miss Universe and Miss California television specials
and acted as special consultant to such television shows as
Bonanza, the Jackson Five specials and the Jackie Gleason
Show. He also staged the NFL Super Bowl Party and the
CBS affiliates annual conventions. Terry was invited by the
respective families to produce the memorial tribute shows for
Bob Hope, Steve Allen and Buddy Ebsen.
In the early 90s Henrik moved to Seattle and headlined as an
entertainer for all major cruise lines. During that time Henrik
engineered “Neonman,” a glow-in-the-dark optical illusion
that has taken him all over the world for TV appearances and
is now a major component in his show. That was also when
Henrik “recreated” his plate spinning routine. One of the biggest
motivations for Henrik to become a performer/juggler was
watching The Ed Sullivan Show on television growing up. Gene
Siler who produces A Really Big Shew, which is a tribute show
to Ed Sullivan says: “Henrik’s plate spinning act is as good as
people remember the original plate spinning act. When an act
can compete with people’s memory of one of the funniest acts
they ever saw you know you have a winner.”
Performance highlights include appearing on Garrison Keillor‘s
“A Prairie Home Companion”where Garrison exclaimed “Henrik
is one of the few jugglers that have ever succeeded in performing
on the radio.” Henrik has also made appearances with Jay Leno
on The Tonight Show, in Las Vegas at Ceasar’s Palace and on
Europe’s most widely viewed variety show Le Plus Grande
Cabaret du Monde in Paris.
Today Henrik performs physical comedy as a professional
entertainer for corporate, local and national events. When
Henrik isn’t performing solo he either tours theaters in the US
with Woody Keppel in Foolz, a duo show for all ages, or performs
with Steve G as “The Bellini Twins.”
Henrik has been teaching circus for 20 years to both children
and adults. In 2011, he did his first team building workshop
and has since conducted countless workshops for companies
both locally and nationally. New Seasons, Timberline Lodge,
Columbia Sportswear, Providence Healthcare, Sprint and Adobe
Software are but a few of the companies that has experienced
his “Learn by Dropping the Ball” workshop.
Henrik resides in Portland, OR with his wife and family since
2004 and plans to stay there a long time.
PRODUCERS
MILT LARSEN (and his late Brother Bill) fullfilled a life long
dream of their father’s when they opened a club for Magicians in
1963, The Magic Castle the most famous and successful magic
enterprise in the world, with a current roster of approximately
5,000 members internationally. Milt Larsen was the magic
32 SPRING 2016 PROGRAM GUIDE www.harriscenter.net