What are the BEST Magic Shows (in Phoenix) for 2024?
During the summer when it is hot and dusty outside, head inside where it is cool. Plan a girl's night out, enjoy a Phoenix dinner show, or up the ante with one of Phoenix's favorite magic acts, which include the Carnival of Illusion Theater, Eric Giliam, or one of many touring artists. We've compiled a list of the best Phoenix magic shows so that snowbirds and locals alike can add a little excitement to their entertainment schedule. Phoenix gets a lot of traveling illusion shows as well as having some great long-standing acts that thrill audiences week after week. Keep checking back to see who might be coming to town. Phoenix may be hot, dusty and dry, but we're here to help you whet your appetite for some great magic.
SEE ALSO: BEST Phoenix Date Ideas
SEE ALSO: BEST Phoenix Events
ALSO: BEST Phoenix Date Ideas
ALSO: BEST Phoenix Events
ALL Phoenix Magic Shows TODAY
-
Carnival of Illusion
Carnival of Illusion
Phoenix, AZ 85004Experience Arizona's FAVORITE show to Laugh, Have Fun and Celebrate!
Carnival of Illusion is an Old-World Illusion Show perfect for anniversaries, date nights, birthdays, and special evenings! Imagine a vaudeville-inspired theater show with old-world magic, add a twinkling hint of 1900's Parisian humor, shake and stir for 100 minutes for your passport filled with F.U.N. You are a passenger in this entertaining theater of illusion!
This is Arizona's longest-running theater show. Check their website for dates, locations, and ticket availability... Carnival of Illusion.
Show Duration: This show is 90-minutes with an intermission.
Food and Drink: Concessions available at all venues. All Phoenix venues have a bar.
Age Restriction: For ages 8 and up.
Parking: Parking varies by venue.
-
The Chipper Experience
Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel
100 N 1st St
Phoenix, AZ 85004WHAT WAS THAT?!? Step Right UP for a BRRRRILLIANT evening of Hilarity... Killer Magic... One BIG, Lovable, Whirwind of High-Octane Comedy & Old-School Vaudeville Mayhem. It's Robin Williams + Houdini + Hello Kitty = A CHIPPER EXPERIENCE (An Engaging, Hurly-Burly Circus of Wonder and Nonstop Thrills...Chills...and WTF's?!?) Hey, Party-Poopers, stay home. THIS is sure to be one of the most memorable AND enjoyable performances you will EVER experience!
Show Duration: 90 minutes
Age Restriction: 8+
Parking: Only Carnival of Illusion Theater guests receive the exclusive rate of $13 at the Renaissance, based on availability.
-
The Illusionists - Magic of the Holidays
Mesa Arts Center
One East Main St
Mesa, AZ 85201Perfect for the holidays, this mind-blowing showcase features the jaw-dropping talent of the most incredible illusionists, and dazzles audiences with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic. This show is great for the whole family, for a holiday treat shared together.
-
Scott Silven's Wonders
Tornabene Theatre, Tucson AZ
The University of Arizona, 1025 N Olive Rd
Tucson, AZ 85719Witness an indelible performance far beyond a traditional magic show with illusionist, mentalist, and performance artist, Scott Silven. An unforgettable evening of awe-inspiring intrigue awaits. Wonders is a show for these extraordinary times; a shared experience that explores the power of connection through breathtaking illusions. Be enchanted as you experience the power of your imagination and understand how the wonders in your life can bring everyone closer together. From an acclaimed off-broadway run, sold-out world tour, and, most recently, a headline engagement at The Sydney Opera House, Wonders has mesmerized audiences across the globe.
Show Duration: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
-
Champions of Magic
Mesa Arts Center
One East Main St.
Mesa, AZ 85201This popular and extremely successful touring show is back with all new magic acts, and a team that is full of surprises, thrills and mind-bending illusions. This magic is grand, with a flair for spectacle and showmanship. The cast brings high energy fun for the entire family. You'll laugh, gasp and have a great time with this show, aptly called Chasing the Unbelievable!
Show Duration: 2 Hours 15 Minutes with one intermission
Age Restriction: 5+
Phoenix & Scottsdale Arizona Magic History
Arizona holds a peculiar beauty and magic—from the Grand Canyon to the petrified forest—it's an unusual place to find this mix. Most people wouldn't think of the desert as in this way, but Phoenix, Arizona is exactly that, a place of beauty and steeped in magic.
Way, way, waaayy, back in history there was a large patch of desert that looked great to the native peoples. So, they decided to build a civilization that thrived. Starting with the Hohokam tribe, who broke ground in the greater Phoenix area, they were eventually succeeded by the O'odham and other tribes. The heavy use of canals to divert water and make the ground farmable was a modern engineering feat that must have looked like magic to the newer kids on the block—the Spanish. And like almost every historical tale of discover and conquer, the Spanish showed up to claim that dry and dusty land for Spain. Maybe they realized it was really hot, or they couldn't figure out the magic of using canals, but they didn't do much exploring and/or building before 1800. Though with their "advanced" technology they must have appeared very magical to the native peoples.
As westward expansion thrived, people wanted the thrill of living on the surface of the sun, so they migrated to Phoenix in hopes of making a good life for themselves. And then it happened, the late 1800s saw Phoenix and the surrounding areas become incorporated into a city. Fast forward a century with the inclusion of the railroad and abracadabra, Phoenix is a thriving city. Post World War II saw the city swell with GI's returning to the land where they were trained. Shops, businesses, and entertainment also swelled to meet the demand of a growing city.
One pioneering magic entertainer was Bert Easley. Born in 1904 in Shawnee, OK, Bert migrated to Arizona in 1917 and started performing magic tricks during the Great Depression. Changing his focus from song and dance to magic, meant he had a paying job at a time when there were too many entertainers, none of which were making any money. Bert worked as a professional magician until 1947, when he returned to Arizona and opened his much beloved Bert Easley's Fun Shop in Phoenix.
Jack Sutherland was one of Easley's best salesmen and a practiced magician. He had a slick, almost Vegas style about him, and he was to become good friends with Harry Anderson, a well-known actor and magician in his own right. Jack loved to crack jokes and help the up-and-coming magicians learn new techniques and illusions. Jack eventually left Easley's to start his own business called Sun Magic. All seemed well in Jack's world until the fateful day when he was murdered. He was unable to magically dodge the bullet that killed him, shot by a jealous ex-boyfriend of his then wife.
Another magician who helped shape the Phoenix magic scene was Danny Dew. Danny was born in Mississippi but studied dance in St. Louis, before joining the Vaudeville scene. As part of Vaudeville, Danny fell in love with magic and started to study. He studied under greats like Vernon, Silent Mora, and Emil Jarrow and quickly became a talented performer. He and his wife settled in Arizona in 1944 and he continued to wow audiences with his magic. Contemporaries Bert and Danny weren't satisfied with simply pulling rabbits out of hats, and so they formed a magic club called Ring 55. The original founders were known as the Mystic 13 and oddly enough, very little is known about this mysterious founding group. Later, the group became part of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and rebranded themselves as IBM Ring 55 Magic Club. The club is still active today with some of the best magicians the area has to offer.
Today, there is no shortage of entertaining and mind-bending magic shows and illusionists. Artists like Carnival of Illusion, or other world-class acts, perform regularly for those who live in Phoenix or are just passing through. Phoenix truly is a place of magic.
PAST Scottsdale & Phoenix Arizona Magic Shows
-
Michael Carbonaro
Mesa Arts Center
One East Main St
Mesa, AZ 85201Michael is probably best known for his television show The Carbonaro Effect. He is a prankster at heart, and on his show he would pose as a regular Joe who then pulls magic tricks out of his hat (so to speak) to freak out the unsuspecting public. His sometimes ridiculous explanations for what was going on, (never letting on that it was magic), made the situation even funnier. In his live show Michael brings all his wit and quirky humor to the stage, with sleight of hand, performance art and bizarre antics that will surely make for an evening of upbeat fun.
-
Justin Willman
Rialto Theatre, Tucson AZ
318 E Congress St
Tucson, AZ 85701Justin Willman is on the road with his Magic For Humans In Person tour, a show with oodles of incredible magic, illusion, and laughs. What is special about Justin? Well, for one thing, his quirky sense of humor. You might have seen him on his latest Netflix specials, Magic for Humans where he levitates while doing goat yoga, (yes I said goat), and does some very funny stuff with kids and marshmallows. Beloved by TV hosts such as Ellen and presidents such as Barack Obama, Justin has made a mark with his sometimes silly, but always fabulous illusions. His touring show is for all ages.
-
Lance Burton
Casino del Sol
5655 W Valencia Rd
Tucson, AZ 85757Lance Burton is one of the 20th centuries most famous magicians. As far as stage magicians go many think of him as the best, after ruling the Las Vegas scene for over 30 years! Lance officially retired in 2010, but often performs for charity. Now Lance returns to the stage for a few special shows. So although this show is not specifically in Phoenix, we think this one is totally worth checking out. If you love magic, you'll want to be able to say, "I saw Lance Burton!"
A Jolly Genie?
The Magic Oracle is a FREE site but I still must pay dastardly server fees! Please, donate ANY amount... $1, $5, $10, why not $1 million?
THANK YOU for keeping magic alive... and me, a Jolly Genie!