Magical History Tour

“

Champions of Magic” is composed of four magicians, collectively influenced by some of

the all-time greats: Harry Houdini, Siegfried and Roy, and Bill Larson Jr and Sr, the

founder and conceiver of Hollywood’s legendary Magic Castle.

The Champions include Liberty Larsen (progeny of the Magic Castle and Genii

Magazine founders); Fernando Velasco, son of a Magic Castle employee, and the

scrappy British comedy-magic duo Young and Strange (Richard Young and Sam

Strange).

The evening has a Vegas-style variety show vibe with thumping club music, colorful

stage lights and impressive set pieces. The format gives each performer solo stage time

to showcase their unique brand of magic and connect with the audience. Their rapport

with kids is a delight to watch.

Larsen projects classic Hollywood glamour – her pieces reference Walk of Fame stars,

hard-boiled noir mystery, and vintage magic tricks elevated by her bewitching

songwriting and singing, sometimes backed with archival film.

Velasco is the sexy daredevil of the company. Channeling escape artists like Houdini,

David Blaine and David Copperfield, Velasco works with chainsaw, metal traps,

straitjacket, handcuffs and a highwire without a net.

Young and Strange (get it?!) provide a Monty Pythonesque comic backbone to the

evening. Young is a master of prestidigitation, or sleight of hand with coins, and plays

the straight-er man to Strange’s maniacally smiling, noodle-legged personae. As a duo,

they lean into an enthusiastic, Do-It-Yourself brand of stage magic that saws in half and

disappears people using bare bones materials like cardboard boxes, pointy sticks and

duct tape.

During the program, each artist shares their origin story, which made me appreciate the

overlap between magicians and solo theater artists. As each magician spun their

autobiographical tale, they simultaneously wove a web of illusion that gave us, the

audience, a chance to experience the wonder they felt as children encountering magic

for the first time.

Whether you believe in illusion or not, “Champions of Magic” reminds us that believing

in ourselves — and in the power of sharing wonder with others — may be the greatest

magic of all.

“Champions of Magic,” continues through Sept. 2, 2026, at the Studebaker Theater, 410

S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. For tickets and more visit

Be sure to read the printed program cover to cover for some bonus laughs!

photo by Ricardo Herrera

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