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Witness the world’s bestselling #magic show! @Illusionists7 bring their jaw-dropping stunts and astonishing acts to the @KimmelCenter ‘s Merriam Theater on 5/10-11. More info @ kimmelcenter.org
Press Contact:
Lauren Woodard
215-790-5835
LWoodard@kimmelcenter.org
Jessica Christopher
267-765-3738
jchristopher@alliedglobalmarketing.com
“MAGIC’S CIRQUE DU SOLEIL”
– Times of London
THE ILLUSIONISTS – LIVE FROM BROADWAY
COMES TO THE
KIMMEL CENTER CULTURAL CAMPUS
MAY 10-11, 2019
Blockbuster Theatrical Show Dazzles Sold-Out Audiences Worldwide
Featuring Six Incredible Illusionists Including Show’s
First Ever Female Performer on Tour in the United States!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, April 4, 2019) – On the heels of a highly successful multi-city tour and run on Broadway, the world’s best-selling touring magic show, THE ILLUSIONISTS – LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ (www.theillusionistslive.com), will play the Kimmel Center for the Performing Art’s Merriam Theater in Philadelphia on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, 2019, as part of the its North American tour in 2019.
“Audiences of all ages will be blown away by the impressive feats of The Illusionists,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “Complete with audience interaction, contemporary stunts, and awe-inspiring visuals, this production is a must-see experience for the whole family. We’re thrilled to include this as part of our ongoing Family Discovery Series!”
THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ is produced by Simon Painter, Tim Lawson and MagicSpace Entertainment. Conceived by Simon Painter, the show’s creative team also includes executive producer Tim Lawson and director Neil Dorward.
Full of hilarious magic tricks, death-defying stunts and acts of breathtaking wonder, THE ILLUSIONISTS hasshattered box office records worldwide and thrilled audiences of all ages with a mind-blowing spectacular showcasing the jaw-dropping talents of six of the most incredible illusionists on earth.
Creative Producer Simon Painter said, “We can’t wait to bring this electrifying show to (CITY) for a truly entertaining experience for the whole family. THE ILLUSIONISTS is the most non-stop and powerful mix of outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on the live stage.”
THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ features the talent of six talented Illusionists:
The Manipulator, An Ha Lim, is the first place winner at Korea’s Busan International Magic Competition (2006), Italy Club Convention Manipulation (2006) and World Magic Seminar in Asia (2007), An Ha Lim was also a Golden Lion Award winner at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas (2008).
The Daredevil, Jonathan Goodwin, is widely considered one of the most creative, skilled, and frankly crazy stunt performers in the world. He is an accomplished knife thrower, archer, escape artist, fakir, martial artist, free diver, and free climber. Unlike the other performers in the show, Jonathan is not a magician or illusionist but he will leave the audience breathless with his death-defying stunts.
The Deductionist, Colin Cloud, one of the greatest thought readers of all time is a psychic savant known as a real-life Sherlock Holmes. Don’t play against him in a game of poker – he’s never lost.
Trickster, Paul Dabek, is one of the UK's top entertainers. He has performed across 6 continents, on the stages of London’s West End, and headlined his own show in Las Vegas. An accomplished magician, comedian and actor, Paul's skills have won him critical acclaim, and Time Out magazine named him 'a superb showman!’ Both the Magic Circle and the International Brotherhood of Magicians have recognized Paul's talent naming him Young Magician of the Year and awarding him the British Shield. Join Paul as he reveals exactly what’s up his sleeve and delves into his box of tricks while cheekily enchanting the audience with jaw-dropping hilarity.
The Unusualist, Raymond Crowe, is a world-class magician, physical comedian, trained mime, ventriloquist, inventor and master of intricate shadow puppetry. In the magic world, his unusual and highly creative acts are greatly admired and have won numerous international awards.
The Sorceress, Sabine, has been working in magic for over a decade. During this time she worked with master magician Hans Klok and won the prestigious Silver Clown at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. Sabine has been described as “one of the most extraordinary and talented performers in magic” with her amazing performances, escapes, illusions and mind games.
As part of the Family Discovery Series, The Illusionists is eligible for 3-show packages. Other shows in the series include Paw Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue” (April 5-7, 2019, Academy of Music), and Rennie Harris: Funkedified (June 7-8, 2019, Merriam Theater).
Other featured upcoming performances at the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus include: Brit Floyd: Another Brick in the Wall 2019 (May 7, 2019, Merriam Theater), Polly Mope (May 9-11, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio), and Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical (May 29 – June 2, 2019, Perelman Theater).
The Illusionists - Live From Broadway
Merriam Theater
May 10, 2019, 7:30 p.m.
May 11, 2019, 11:00 a.m.
May 11, 2019, 3:00 p.m.
May 11, 2019, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now starting at $47.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. See www.kimmelcenter.org for more information.
SIMON PAINTER, CREATIVE PRODUCER
Simon Painter is a visionary creative theatrical producer who hails from London. Simon started his career on stage as a classical violinist, and performed the lead role for Spirit of the Dance in Las Vegas. The first show he produced, Le Grand Cirque smashed box office records at the Sydney Opera House selling over 40,000 tickets in 10 days. His two subsequent productions, Aerial Dreams and Adrenaline also broke records in Sydney and across the world and achieved critical acclaim. In 2010 Simon had five versions of Le Grand Cirque playing concurrently. In late 2010 Simon joined forces with Australian producer and close friend Tim Lawson and began assembling the greatest magical minds from a wide spectrum of disciplines. His production of The Illusionists has already performed to record breaking crowds in theatres and arenas across the globe including Australia, Mexico, Latin America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In addition to The Illusionists: LIVE FROM BROADWAY, Simon’s current projects include Le Noir (The Dark Side of Cirque) and Illusionists 2.0, both of which are currently playing extensive international tours.
TIM LAWSON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Tim Lawson is the CEO of TML Enterprises, servicing Australia and international territories with first class musicals and family entertainment with productions spanning across over 100 cities in 20 countries. Australasian theatrical touring credits include Sweet Charity, Buddy – The Musical, Jolson starring Rob Guest, Spirit of the Dance, Oh! What A Night, Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol, It’s A Dad Thing!, Weary – The Life of Sir Edward Dunlop, Shout! The Musical, Brave Men Run In Our Family, Jekyll and Hyde starring Brad Little and The Rocky Horror Show narrated by Richard O’ Brien. Tim's award winning production of A Chorus Line transferred to the prestigious London Palladium, and his production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang recently completed a 13 month tour. With partner Simon Painter, credits include Le Grand Cirque, Ariel Dreams, Adrenaline, Le Noir – The Dark Side of Cirque, The Illusionists and The Illusionists 2.0, all enjoying record breaking success and extensive international arena and theatrical touring.
MAGICSPACE ENTERTAINMENT, PRODUCER
MagicSpace Entertainment is headed by Lee D. Marshall, Joe Marsh, John Ballard, and Steve Boulay and has been producing and presenting national tours, Broadway shows, concerts and museum exhibits worldwide for over 35 years. They have an office in Park City, UT. www.magicspace.net
The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1 million guests per year and includes the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater- representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. We are home to eight esteemed Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially-responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region’s young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is our proud sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2018-2019 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit www.kimmelcenter.org.
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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.