On a spring night in the heart of Ballston Exchange, magic happens. The small theater called the Filling Station in the back of El Rey VA, one of the area’s most accommodating taqueria and margarita bars, becomes ground zero for more than two hours of prestidigitation by 10 area magicians. They take the stage one at a time for up to 10 minutes to perform one trick.
Welcome to “Magic Mic,” the punningly named brainchild of Charlie Ross, a sharp-witted comedian-magician who hosts the monthly showcase. With a warning that some of the gags are works-in-progress for the professional magicians, the next few hours are filled with whimsical wizardry and genial audience participation befuddlement.
The show is a sampler of magic tricks vintage and new: a Houdini straitjacket escape, magic dice, mind reading, a heads-tails coin-tossing contest, a rock-paper-scissors battle, an elegant dance of interlocking rings.
Given that there is no admission charge, it’s hard to beat the value. No wonder many in the audience are repeat fans.
“Magic Mic” is one of a small handful of regularly scheduled magic performances in the Northern Virginia area. There hasn’t been a brick-and-mortar magic emporium since Willard’s Parlour of Mystery was subsumed by a church in 2015 at the former Ballston Common Mall. But Willard Royal continues to perform magic and mentalism with Peter Wood as Willard & Wood.
The next “Magic Mic” is slated for May 23 at 8 p.m., and here are some other places to catch regularly scheduled magic shows. Most, if not all of the magicians, are also available for private events.
The Magic Duel
The comedy-magic duo of Mark Phillips and Ryan Phillips (no relation) often perform at the Ritz Carlton at Pentagon City. On May 23 and 24 they perform at the Writers Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD.
Look Closer: A New Magic Show by Joshua Jay
Magician and Guinness Book of World Records holder Joshua Jay is performing an evening of close-up magic at The Kennedy Center on June 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Magic Duel Test Lab
Mark Phillips will host an hour-long “test lab” for working magicians at Rosslyn’s Upside on Moore on Saturday, June 7, at 7 p.m. Magicians experiment with new illusions and punchlines in front of a live audience.
Magic & Mischief with the Professor and the Con Man
Alec “Sly” Negri and Ken Jones offer at twisty performance of classic illusions and mentalism at StageCoach Theatre Company at Cornerstone Center in Ashburn. The next show is June 20 at 7:30.
The Good Liar
Brian Curry’s astonishing show of magic and mentalism at the Capital Hilton wows audiences Saturdays at 5 and 8 p.m.
DC Festival of Magic
Curry is the wizard behind the curtain for this annual three-night, Labor Day Weekend blowout of top magicians from around the country, also at the Capital Hilton.
The Extraordinary Card Magic of Jason Ladanye
Renowned card magician Jason Ladanye brings a pack of his 52 best friends to Alexandria’s Birchmere for a rare local performance on Saturday, August 2, at 7:30 p.m.
And for those interested in learning more about magic or becoming a magician, the International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring 50, the largest of IBM’s regional chapters, meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Alexandria History Museum at the Lyceum in Alexandria, 301 King St.
Feature image courtesy of Charlie Ross
