The Champions of Magic, the four-magician team now performing on tour at the Kennedy Center, frame their practice of magic around four tenets:

• Sleight of hand
• Psychic manipulation
• Special effects
• Misdirection

One element they missed, although present throughout their high-energy, flashy, and dazzling performance, is storytelling.

Magic shows are an often overlooked part of the theater world, even though in every respect, magicians are characters playing a part, and telling their own stories through the craft. The Champions in this case have taken their ten-year-old tour, now with a smaller and new cast, and emphasized how their craft can tell both their personal stories and the story of magic.

And yes it will feature a tiger, but not quite how you’d expect.

There is a Vegas vibe to this performance. Digital projections and impressive special effects (Ryan Krauza) go beyond smoke and mirrors. They build a flashy narrative that teaches its audience about the philosophy of magic. There are “death-defying” stunts and an extensive technical team, along with a supporting cast (Michelle Mazzarella, with a short silks performance, and Trent Smith as [spoilers]). The show’s magical duo, Sam Strange and Richard Young, refer to their dreams from a young age of being Vegas magicians.

As the show’s anchoring magicians, Strange and Young share the story that launched them to viral fame. From this quirky early start to their explosive closing act (bring earplugs), theirs is the story of eager magicians wanting to share their love of magic, from the new techniques to some of the classics: cutting the assistants in half, making audience members (usually the younger ones) disappear, or appearing in different parts of the theater at will.

Fernando Velasco takes on the role of the death-defying magician, sharing his story as a child of parents who immigrated to the U.S. He reflects with gratitude on how his parents’ journey is the reason he can practice magic. And then he follows it up with an impressive escape from a straitjacket while suspended in the air before getting crushed by a set of steel jaws. This is still Vegas.

But I do have to say, Liberty Larsen, a fourth-generation magician from the Larsen family who founded the Magic Castle, adds the pinning message of the show. This is a production that has been touring for ten years and previously featured different magicians. With Larsen, it’s clear there is a narrative tone shift, for the better. The pace of the performances slows, and the impact of telling their stories hammers home.

Despite the explosive moments and spectacle of most of the show, Larsen’s tempo shift resonates. This pause from the spectacle allows the audience to emotionally connect with her and, by thematic extension, the rest of the magicians. Larsen shares her story of growing up in a magician family, recalling her joy at discovering a box as a child that would magically flip a ball into a cup whenever she covered the lid.

And how many of us wouldn’t have wanted to have a magical toy box that required us to believe in magic to discover its secrets?

Wait, are you about to tell me that the magic box story is not true? What’s next, are you going to reveal how the levitation tricks are done? I’ll beat you to it — here’s a video explaining it.

Yes, you deserved that; the point of going to a magic show is that you are willing to suspend your disbelief for the story they’re telling, much as you would a theater performance. It may shock you, dear reader, but the person on that stage is an actor, not the former King of Scotland. Keep up and remember what it was like to have childlike wonder.

Larsen delivers the connection between being a magician and telling a heartfelt story. And allows the other magicians’ stories to resonate. The Champions go beyond the magic of spectacle and deliver the theater of magical storytelling.

If you have kids, and you’re willing to risk them disappearing into a magic box for a while, this is the show for you. The Champions deliver a performance that could truly help you remember what believing in magic was all about.

Running Time:

Champions of Magic plays through December 1, 2024, in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($39–$165) can be purchased at the box office, online, or by calling (202) 467-4600 or toll-free at (800) 444-1324. Box office hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 am-9 pm, and Sunday 12pm-9 pm.

The program for Champions of Magic can be viewed here.

COVID Safety: Masks are optional in all Kennedy Center spaces for visitors and staff. If you prefer to wear a mask, you are welcome to do so. See Kennedy Center’s complete COVID Safety Plan here.