Chicago Magic Lounge Announces Winter/Spring Offerings

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago's home for close-up magic, announces offerings for Winter and Spring 2019, including special Signature Shows celebrating Valentine's Day and CML's one-year anniversary in February, as well as upcoming Showcase performers. Beginning April 3, Chicago Magic Lounge will also offer a new Artist-in-Residence series on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm.

Chicago Magic Lounge marks its one-year anniversary in February. Since opening, the Chicago Magic Lounge has hosted over 100 magicians, performed over 450 shows and entertained more than 40,000 patrons. To mark a wildly successful year since the nightclub ushered in the renaissance of Chicago-style Magic, the Chicago Magic Lounge presents The Anniversary Show, featuring an international line-up with first-time Chicago Magic Lounge appearances by Robert Ramirez, who combines magic, song, dance, and music in his act and Ondrej Psenicka, alongside Chicago Magic Lounge favorite, Alba. The Anniversary Show will be presented as part of Chicago Magic Lounge's The Signature Show, for five performances only, February 21 - 23, 2019.

In honor of the occasion, the weekend's host will be founder, CEO and co-owner of the Chicago Magic Lounge, Joey Cranford. "This project began with a big idea in the back of a magic shop in 2014, and as producer, I personally hosted every show for over 2 years in our early stages," said Cranford. "In celebration of one year in our new, permanent home for close-up magic, I'm returning to host every show that weekend, telling the story of Chicago Magic History, and sharing the passion of our mission."

Celebrating its first Valentine's Day, Chicago Magic Lounge presents a Valentine's Weekend Signature Show, featuring Headliner Wes Mathison and Danny Orleans & The Incredible Jan Rose, February 14 - 16, 2019. A perfect date night venue, the Art Deco nightclub offers a one-of-a-kind experience unlike anything else offered throughout the country. As audiences marvel at the sleight of hand card tricks, they can enjoy truffles by Katherine Anne Confections and crafted cocktails, including the special Valentine's Day cocktail, Love Storm, with Koval's "Susan for President" Peach Brandy, Pama and Sparkling Wine or the CML Anniversary cocktail, King of Clubs, with Bulleit Bourbon, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters and Sparkling Wine.

After a successful thirteen-month run on the Harry Blackstone Cabaret stage, David Parr's Cabinet of Curiosities will play its final performance at the Chicago Magic Lounge on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. Parr's mix of mystifying magic and skillful storytelling has garnered audience praise and landed the show on the Chicago Reader's Short List of highly recommended shows. "I'm grateful to the Chicago Magic Lounge and to the thousands of people who have explored the mysteries of the Cabinet with me," says David. "And I'm looking forward to sharing the mysteries that are still waiting to be discovered."

Filling the spot left by David Parr's Cabinet of Curiosities, the Chicago Magic Lounge is excited to announce the new Artist-in-Residence series, Wednesday nights starting April 3, 2019. CML will host three-month runs of fantastic magicians performing their one-person shows. The first of the series will feature master mentalist Mark Toland's Mind Reader.

Chicago Magic lounge recently announced the addition of a new series The Showcase, featuring an alternating lineup of Chicago Magic Lounge company members and special guests presenting their new material to CML audiences. Upcoming performers include Jonny Zavant (Tuesdays in February) and Justin Purcell and Danny Rudnick (Tuesdays in March).

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.

Upcoming Chicago Magic Lounge highlights include:

The Signature Show: Valentine's Weekend

Wes Mathison (Headliner), Danny Orleans & The Incredible Jan Rose

February 14 - 16, 2019

Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm

Tickets: $42 (Main Floor), $47 (Premium Main Floor), $52 (Front Row), $57 (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.

Make your Valentine's celebrations magical at the Chicago Magic Lounge! Enjoy finely crafted cocktails and decadent truffles by Katherine Anne Confections as we amaze you with magic. Interactive and engaging, we are sure to make your Valentine's Day one to remember. Can't make it to the show Valentine's Day weekend? Then give your loved one the gift of magic with a gift certificate good for tickets to any of our shows.

Originally from Long Beach, headliner Wes Mathison recently moved to Chicago where he has jumped right into performing magic all over the city. His charming personality and sense of humor combined with interactive and mind-blowing magic is sure to leave every audience member wanting more.

Danny Orleans & The Incredible Jan Rose are a comedic, mentalism duo that puts a modern-day twist on an old vaudeville act. Their show is filled with hilarious audience participation, baffling interactions and a "how-does-she-do-it" mystery. They explore the boundaries of intuition, thought reading and mind-to-mind communication. You'll laugh at the magic. You'll be amazed at the mentalism. Get ready to think about Danny Orleans and the Incredible Jan Rose. The duo has performed at Hollywood's World Famous Magic Castle, Monday Night Magic in New York City, at Apple headquarters in Cupertino and at trade shows and corporate events across the country. In 2015, they lectured in Italy on the Art of Performing Magic to a conference of magicians attending a triennial magic convention. They've even been called upon by Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management to lecture on "Intuition and Business."

The Signature Show: The Anniversary Show

Robert Ramirez (Headliner), Alba (Featured Act), Ondrej Psenicka (654 Club)

February 21 - 23, 2019

Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm

Tickets: $42 (Main Floor), $47 (Premium Main Floor), $52 (Front Row), $57 (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 Ondrej Psenicka.

Join us as we celebrate our one-year anniversary at Chicago's permanent home for close-up magic. The weekend will feature an international line-up, with first-time CML appearances by Robert Ramirez and Ondrej Psenicka alongside Chicago Magic Lounge favorite and touchstone, Alba.

Headliner Robert Ramirez's unique style of magic combines his 15 years of experience in both magic and professional musical theater. He starred in the National Tour of the Broadway hit In the Heights written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Robert is also the first magician to perform in all five showrooms in a single year at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. Come see how he combines magic, song, dance, and music into an evening of wonder.

Featured act Alba is a Chicago Magic Lounge favorite. After astonishing audiences in the 654 Club during the opening weekend, she has subsequently performed at CML 19 times (this appearance will make it 20). She 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. A native Argentinian, Alba 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.

Ondrej Psenicka comes to Chicago Magic Lounge from Prague, Czech Republic. He specializes in card magic and travels around the world performing his original effects and lecturing for fellow magicians.
He's a regular performer at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and has numerous television appearances under his belt, including Penn & Teller: Fool Us. To date, he is the only Czech to fool Penn & Teller and is set to become the first Czech performer to appear at the Chicago Magic Lounge.

The Showcase: New and Experimental Works

February Performer: Jonny Zavant

Tuesdays, February 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 7:30pm

Tickets: $30 (Main Floor), $35 (Front Row)

Tuesdays in February, Jonny Zavant will bring his new show, 'Games of Imagination' to the Chicago Magic Lounge Stage. A 60-minute blend of experiences that will have you questioning reality & wondering just where your imagination can take you. Frequent CML performer and fan-favorite, mind reader, Jonny Zavant has traveled the world, entertained the troops stationed overseas, performed on Vegas main stages, and has been tapped by the best in the world as their go-to consultant. He currently performs for high end clients at trade shows, sales meetings, and national conferences. The accomplishment he's most proud of is being voted as Psychic of the Year 2027.

The Showcase: New and Experimental Works

March Performers: Justin Purcell and Danny Rudnick

Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 7:30pm

Tickets: $30 (Main Floor), $35 (Front Row)

CML company member, Justin Purcell hails from the mysterious land of Indiana. His interest in the dark arts was sparked by an "I can read" book called Spooky Tricks. He was inspired to make a career of magic by two things: his love for sharing with audiences the wonder of the impossible and his distaste for honest work. Justin updates classic magic tricks using improvisational humor. His easy-going personality conceals his skillful execution of difficult effects, making them invisible to the audience. He performs table and bar magic 4-nights-a-week at the Chicago Magic Lounge and has a standing Tuesday night performance at the Logan Arcade.

Mister Danny (Danny Rudnick) is all about experimenting with magic seeing as he is also a high school chemistry teacher. Mister Danny attempts to leave that life behind while sharing wonderful magic with the audience, but sometimes he just can't escape his day job. He has won multiple awards for close-up magic and his stage act, and also specializes in shows for children. He also is the headmaster of the Chicago Magic College at CML and frequently appears on the Harry Blackstone Cabaret stage. Along with his busy schedule, he finds time to run the Magic Inc. summer camp and perform monthly at the University of Chicago's Children's Hospital.

Artist-in-Residence Series: Mark Toland's Mind Reader

Wednesdays at 7:30pm, April 3 - June 26, 2019

Tickets: $35 (Main Floor), $40 (Front Row)

The Chicago Magic Lounge proudly presents the Artist-in-Residence series, Wednesday nights starting April 3, 2019. CML will host three-month runs of our favorite magicians performing their one-person shows. The first of the series will feature master mentalist, Mark Toland.

Mark Toland presents "Mind Reader" where the audience is the cast, your thoughts are his props, and your mind is his stage. Over the course of 75-minutes, Mark will dazzle you with psychological illusions and mysteries of the mind. Mind Reader won a Chicago Theatre Award in 2018 and has been featured at theatre festivals around the world.

Ongoing Events and Performances are as follows:

Music & Magic

Mondays at 7:30pm

Tickets: $15 (General Admission)

Unwind at the beginning of the week with magic, jazz, and a cocktail. Music & Magic is the only performance of its kind in the city. We feature live jazz on stage and close-up magic at your table performed by our resident house magicians. When the band takes a break, a magician takes the stage.

The Showcase: New and Experimental Works

Tuesdays at 7:30pm beginning January 8, 2019

Tickets: $30 (Main Floor), $35 (Front Row)

The Showcase features an alternating lineup of Chicago Magic Lounge company members and special guests presenting their new material to CML audiences. The 90-minute show will feature 30 minutes of close-up magic followed by an hour of magic on stage showcasing new, performance-ready material. The show's cast will change monthly with each magician bringing their unique personality, style, and point of view to the art form of stage magic.

David Parr's Cabinet of Curiosities

Wednesdays at 7:30pm thru March 27, 2019

Tickets: $35 (Main Floor), $45 (Front Row)

Chicago Magic Lounge is proud to host David Parr, winner on the hit TV show Penn & Teller: Fool Us. David created and co-starred in the longest-running, weekly magic show in Chicago, The Magic Cabaret, which was chosen by the Travel Channel as one of the top nine magic shows in the country. For Cabinet of Curiosities David has gathered his favorite artifacts and stories to share with you in this show of mystery and magic. Each performance is accompanied by an hour of table-side magic.

Artist-in-Residence Series: Mark Toland's Mind Reader

Wednesdays at 7:30pm, April 3 - June 26, 2019

Tickets: $35 (Main Floor), $45 (Front Row)

The Chicago Magic Lounge proudly presents the Artist-in-Residence series, Wednesday nights starting April 3, 2019. CML will host three-month runs of our favorite magicians performing their one-person shows. The first of the series will feature master mentalist Mark Toland's Mind Reader. Over the course of 75-minutes, Mark will dazzle audiences with psychological illusions and mysteries of the mind.

The Signature Show

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)

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. *Please visit chicagomagiclounge.com for a complete schedule of performers and special Halloween shows.

The Family Show

Sundays at 2pm

Tickets: $25, $15 (children 5-16)

We take the bar scene out of Chicago Magic and open our Blackstone Cabaret for a 45-minute magic matinee suitable for younger ages. Our mission is to bring back the era of bar magic, bringing out the child in every adult; however, on Sundays, we feature a family-friendly magician that will fill both the adults and children full of wonder. The Family Show makes a great post-brunch activity with many restaurants nearby. The Family Show is suitable for ages 5 and up.

The Performance Bar

Mondays-Wednesdays, 5:30pm-11pm; Thursdays, 5:30pm-12am; and Fridays-Saturdays, 5:30pm-2am

Open from 5:30pm to close Mondays thru Saturdays, The Performance Bar features signature cocktails, luxurious seating and magicians behind the bar to challenge your imagination. The Performance Bar is open to the public and does not require a ticket to the show. Please note that The Performance Bar is 21+ only and is not open on Sundays.

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.

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.

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.

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