When in the LA area, don't miss Steve Spill's two hour show, Escape Reality, featuring illusions, sleight-of-hand, and mind reading. Fri / Sat 8pm and Sat / Sun 2pm. Boxoffice open 11am to 6pm daily or get tickets at http://www.magicopolis.com I'll be looking for you. - Steve

I took my family to this show last summer (my daughter is at USC), and it was truly a blast. My kids range from 8 to 18 and they all enjoyed it immensely. The above posting does not do the show justice. It was hilarious - with a capital H - in addition to being great magic. Afterwards Mr. Spill came out into the audience and visited with everyone. It was a great family experience. We would definitely go again next time we're in Santa Monica. My only complaint is that the show is not on DVD so we could take it home with us! - Russ Dameron, Kansas City, MO

When you check out Magicopolis be sure to arrive early for the bar show. Magicopolis has employed a fantastic bar tender who is quite funny and does some amazing magic. The kid behind the bar absolutely floored me and my friends with his card stuff. When he made my girlfriend's watch appear underneath a cup as a final load I was ready to burn him at the stake. Magicopolis is the total package. One heck of a stage show and the best bar show I've seen in a long time. I agree with Russ! Bring on the DVDs Steve!

To all magic enthusiasts, this is the West Coast magical happening. A little more inland than Santa Monica is the Magic Castle, but that is another topic. Magicopolis has it all, close-up pre show, the best seats in town, a stupendous magical performance that Steve and assistant have woven together nicely from coin tricks to grand illusion.
I have been there, last Saturday night being my third time, and each and every time I am ellated as to the audiences total appreciation, and deservedly so.Steve is available to his audience, photo ops, chit-chat, sharing.I did get his DVD of ten year's worth of magic. Since I got home late last night after a six and a half hour drive back, I have yet to watch it.
Contact them, order a DVD, view it, then make plans. There is really no need to make Vegas your magical stop, LA has it all, Magicopolis, Magic Castle, Steve Meltzer's Santa Monica Puppetry Center four blocks from Magicopolis, then visit the Freak Show at Venice beach.
Everyone is so eggar for TV magic, heck...go out and claim your own interests, don't wait for some TV producer to give you what you want. You'll be waiting a long time.
Thanks Steve for a wonderful show and all your passion for magic that has kept the doors of your fabulous little theatre open.

Dr. Solar

At the matinee yesterday we had a Japenese tour group with a translator. The show started kinda slow as I waited for my opening remarks to be translated. Then I remembered an old trick I'd used years ago in France. I talked to the audience and the translator translated what I said. "I know you don't speak English, but you don't have to miss out on any of the fun, because I will signal you."

"When I wiggle my left hand like this, it means I've said someting funny. So, when I wiggle my hand like this, please laugh. When I spread my fingers like this, I want to hear ooh's and ahh's, when I put three fingers up to my ear, applaud."

I demostrated and right on cue the crowd laughed, applauded, oohed and ahhed ay my command. I felt like a conductor and the Japanese audienece was my orchestra. Just for my own amusement, every once in a while I'd give a signal for a laugh even when I hadn't said something funny, and they responded.

Anyway, I hope to see some of you at the show in the very near future. This Friday is sold out, but we still have tickets for Saturday 2pm & 8pm and Sunday 2pm. The boxoffice, 310 451 2241, is open daily 11am to 6pm or get your tickets online at http://www.magicopolis.com

Please let me add my reccommendations for Magicopolis! The theatre is beautiful and the show is just great. Steve has put together a great venue and great magic. If you are near the Santa Monica area, you owe it to yourself to stop in and meet Steve and his wife Bozena. You won't be disappointed.

Enjoy the search.

Regards,

Paul Green

PS I have been lucky enough to appear at Magicopolis. Thanks Steve.

Thanks for the kind words Paul, and congratulations on your Magician of the Year award from the Castle!

If I wasn't stuck in Chicago, I'd definitely be there.

Great tip about cueing your Japanese audience. I'm going to have to try that!

John, when the situation arises give give it a try. The bit has served me well from time to time over the years... except once. In 1986 I was doing my then annual gig at Universal Studios Hollywood as part of their Halloween celebration, basically a bunch of shows for rowdy teenagers.

One audience was a bunch of rowdy deaf teenagers. To my right is a lovely lady who is ready to repeat everything I say in sign language. Just for fun, I go into a custom version of my foreign language sign language bit "...even though you can't hear, and even if you're a slow lip reader, you don't have to miss out on any of the fun because..."

I start to twist and turn my fingers and talk about giving them signals... I always make up the hand gestures as I go along, but the sign language lady doesn't seem to hear what I'm saying because she isn't translating my set up into deaf person sign language.

Since I knew nothing about communicating to the deaf with sign language, I had no idea what my hand movements might have communicated... The sign language lady gets right in my face, through clenched teeth, she harshly whispers, "What sort of an insensitive a-hole would use sign language to say F**k Deaf People?" Uh, well, I guess that would be me.

Anyway, back to the topic of this thread, Escape Reality, my two hour show with illusions, sleight-of-hand, and mind reading here at Magicopolis in Santa Monica... Showtimes are Fri / Sat 8pm and Sat / Sun 2pm. The boxoffice is open 11am to 6pm daily, 310 451 2241, or get tickets online at http://www.magicoplis.com

The World Magic Seminar starts today in Vegas, traditionally, lotsa conventioneers extend their magic holiday past the convention by visiting here in the LA area. We see a lot of those folks annually here at Magicopolis. Newcomers, if you never have attended a show at Magicopolis, now is your chance, http://www.magicopolis.com or 310 451 2241, consider this your official invitation.

My wife and I saw Steve's show at Magicopolis a few weeks ago and we had a great time as I'm sure the others in the audience did judging from their reactions.
This is definitely not your typical magic stage/parlor show. It's part theater, part stand-up comedy and a lot of great magic.

His bill to lemon blew the audience away. He used my bill and during the intermission, when I went to the restroom to dry the bill off, the guy who had been sitting right next to me asked me if it really was the same bill. I think he believed that I was a stooge or something.

All in all, for the price, you can't beat this show for entertainment value. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys magic and comedic-theater.

Oh and get there early. There's a very funny and talented magician working the bar before the main show.

It is now my turn to add comments on MAGICOPOLIS....
GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My wife and I were on our 15 yr. anniversary in Calif. and we were driving back to the hotel. Thank GOD I made a wrong turn. I practically slammed into the car in front of me when I saw the sign.
You see I own Steve Spill Bar and Grill and I knew quite a bit about him and THEN.. I get to meet him.
He gave my wife and I a tour of the theater and I was just completely blwon away with the place and his hospitality. We (my wife and I) showed up an hour before show time and got to enjoy Erik's flawless work behind the bar. His humor was spot on.
Now on with the show!!!
Steve's show was the best time I had all that week. It was a great mixture of music and magic. The theater was just the right size to see everything. I laughed so much and was totally amazed. His assistant held her own and it was great to see a female magician work HER magic. She was great.

Everthing was perfect and you will NOT be dissapointed when you go see Steve's show. I know I will be back!!

I was not paid for this and I just wanted everyone to know about this place


Enjoy your trip
Shaun Robison

This past Sunday was Mother's Day and before the show we had a champagne toast for the moms. I told a little anecdote about how my Mom was adamant about Mother's Day gifts. She said she'd refuse them and did. She wanted me to save up the gifts for when she really craved something. I sent her flowers. She was angry. I stopped sending flowers, gifts, and cards.

When I was working in Aspen in the seventies, Mom visited, we were walking, she stopped in front of an art gallery. In the window was a magnificent painting. Mom said "It's Mother's Day!" Laughing, I said "You could buy this with your own money." She said, "What kind of card could I send me?"

Before the toast I was backstage talking to my wife, my mouth is wide open when a fly flies in. Seconds later, the audience sees me all choked up and coughing when I do the champagne toast... but of course I keep delievering my Mother's Day story. After the show, I received compliments about what a caring person I am. "Mr. Spill was so moved when he spoke about his mother that he was in tears, God bless him," one woman said.

Sometimes people ask me if it gets boring doing a magic show night after night. I can honestly answer, at least for me, that no, it never does. It's always going to be interesting, every performance. I'm always experimenting, finding ways to change the show, improve it. It's never perfect... and since it's my show, I can always change it.

Tons of artists I admire have seen the show (check the "applause" page at http://www.magicopolis.com for the list) now it's your turn, Escape Realty plays Fri/Sat 8pm and Sat/Sun 2pm at Magicopolis here in Santa Monica. Get tickets at http://www.magicopolis.com or the boxoffice, 310 451 2241, is open 11am to 6pm daily.

I'm writing about my post from above where I said "I'm always experimenting, finding ways to change the show, improve it. It's never perfect... and since it's my show, I can always change it."

Brandon, a fine young magician who was at the show last night, and also attended a couple weeks ago, read the above post thinking that whenever he attends the show it will be substantially different from the last time he saw it. This isn't what I meant, Brandon understands now, but for others who I may have given the wrong impression to, let me explain what I meant...

There are changes in every one of my performances. I'll try something new with the script, and suddenly solve some problem I've had with it from the start, some part that was bothering me and I never knew why. It might be a miniscule detail to outsiders, but to me it might be the tiny adjustment that cracks open a trick and brings it to a whole new level.

I'll trim. And I'll realize I always should have cut that line anyway, it was never needed. I don't miss it, and soon I don't even remember it. Periodically I also change up the order of tricks, and yes, I do try new pieces, but I have to try a lot of new items to find a keeper because the new piece has to be at least as good as what it replaces.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies what I meant when I said I'm always experimenting and finding ways to change my show, Escape Reality, here at Magicopolis in Santa Monica. Thanks again Brandon for seeing the show a second time. Now it's your turn, Escape Reality plays Fri/Sat 8pm and Sat/Sun 2pm, you can still get tickets at http://www.magicopolis.com or the boxoffice, 310 451 2241, is open daily 11am to 6pm.

Steve,

No shows during the week? I'll be visiting LA this coming week, but only Monday through Saturday. I'll be working a private gig on Friday evening, and leaving early on Saturday. What times are the shows on Friday, just in case I can arrange it?

Josh

Josh,

The show on Fri is 8PM, depending on your schedule, maybe you can make the Sat matinee 2PM. True, the shows we have open to the public are Fri/Sat 8PM Sat/Sun 2PM, weekday shows are corporate events, fundraisers, parties, etc. If you can't make a performance feel free to stop by 11am to 6pm daily and we can give you a tour of the complex. Hope you can make it, PM me if you like.

Steve

If you want to see an incredible show, don't miss Steve's show at Magicopolis. Whenever I'm in LA, I make it a point to stop by and see the show. It's a great place to see magic theater. If you get a chance, get there early and see some great magic at the bar as well.

A few years ago, I had heard about Magicopolis, but didn't know Steve was the owner. When I walked in and saw pictures of Steve, I realized I had the chance to meet a legend in the magic field. After the show, Steve greets everyone leaving the theater with a friendly smile and handshake. He really knows how to make everyone feel comfortable.

If you're ever in the Santa Monica area, run, don't walk, to Magicopolis and buy a ticket. Don't miss the chance to see how magic should be performed...


Ken

We visited Magicopolis last time we were in Santa Monica and it was great! We saw the afternoon show and the next time we are down we would love to see the evening show. Our family enjoyed all the large stage illusions along with the up close and 'personal' magic that reached out to the audience.

While waiting for the show they have a nice magic counter where you can watch demonstrations. I always like to sit back and watch the crowd reactions, especially the kids, when there is somebody as talented behind the counter when we were there. Its fun to see that "magic" excitement through the eyes of a child.

Dan

I'm making my first visit to L.A. in Oct. Will do my ***dest to get there Steve. I already have the Castle, Dean's, and what's left of the Universal tour on my list.

After the show this past Saturday night I walked into the bar and announced confidently to Erik Tait, our lovely and talented magic bartender, that his next order would be a Corona, a Heineken, and a glass of Pinot Noir. A minute or two later I stared open-mouthed when someone came in and ordered a Corona, a Heiney, and a Pinot.

This wasn’t a set up and I didn’t know the guy who ordered the drinks. Erik didn’t believe me when I said it was a stab in the dark and that I was as shocked as he was. I thought I had developed real psychic powers. Well, if I had real psychic powers a few days ago, then I lost them somewhere along the way.

But I’m still okay at mentalism, sleight-of-hand, floating ladies, and handling the danger of The Table of Terror. See for yourself, Escape Reality plays every Fri/Sat 8pm and Sat/Sun 2pm, get tickets now at http://www.magicopolis.com or the boxoffice, 310 451 2241, is open daily 11am to 6pm. If you’ve seen Escape Reality before, see it again. I have. I’ve been a regular at Magicopolis since 1998. Pepka, I’ll be looking for you in October.

What can I say!?! I have had both pleasant and unpleasant experiences with both magicians and their shows, but Steven Spill takes the cake! No, this is not a "diss" - he is the most amazing, personable, and friendly magician I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with! I am both a magician and a Pastor, so I am obviously on a fairly tight budget, but whenever I am in the area, Magicopolis is the place I am willing to splurge on. Whatever your pleasure when it comes to illusion, this is the place to see it, and the place to "magish" with some of the greats. If you ever get the chance to go and see Steven and his bunch of crazies and miscreants at Magicopolis, you really must take the time to do so. Steve is a great guy to know, and quite willing to "share the wealth" with his fellow practitioners of the magical arts. Sorry if all this sounds schmoozy, but after some of the rotten experiences I have had in my dealings with magicians, Steven was a real breath of fresh air! I wish you nothing but great success, Brother Spill!