Magic

They dazzle, they delight, and they wrap you in wonder. They’re all a part of a thriving magic community right here in the Bay Area that has seen a resurgence of interest in their craft.

“The new magicians of today have broken the old mold of everyone must be in a tuxedo, all magic must be done to classical music. And they have changed all that,” says magician Will Chandler.

The recent popularity of close up magic has taken the art from the stage to the streets, where feats of wonder are performed right in front of you. Today we’ll meet the people behind the fancy fingerwork, find places where you can experience the art of magic, and we’ll get to know this hidden community that’s bound together by shared secrets.

The Bay Area has a long tradition of magic, dating back a hundred years to Carter the Great and the golden age of magic. His vintage posters and magic props are still treasured by today’s illusionists.

“The magic community in the Bay Area is really unique, it’s really close knit. All magicians share the same secrets,” explains Chin-Chin, a Bay Area native and professional magician who can be found entertaining audiences in theatres and on the streets.

 “In that one moment of that illusion, it almost reverts them to being a kid and they forget about all the stresses that encircles them,” he says. “And sometimes, that’s the most beautiful part about the magic.”

Magic captivated Chin-Chin when he was just a child.  “When I was seven, I had reconstructive surgery on a cleft palette. During my healing at children’s hospital, they brought a magician in to entertain all the kids. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

At 12 years old, he got his first job as a magician for a kid’s birthday party. He soon took the Bay Area magic world by storm, winning the San Francisco Stage Magician of the Year competition an unprecedented three times. “Magic gave me something that others couldn’t do. And to see the shock and wonder on people’s faces made me feel good from the inside out.”

Chin-Chin believes that the heart of the Bay Area magic scene can be found at Misdirections, a shop in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset district.  

 “Out of all the magic shops I’ve been to, it’s really personal. It’s not just a magic shop, it’s a community,” Chin-Chin explains.

Owner Joe Pon carries everything from props for stage illusions to close up magic tricks and he is more than willing to demonstrate them.  

Joe has made Misdirections a hub for the magic community by sponsoring monthly lectures and annual competitions. He also often serves as a mentor for aspiring magicians “It’s my kids,” he says. “You don’t come here for the magic only. I know these guys from their families. I’ve known them since they were little kids. When you see these guys making it, this is like where they’re from, their roots, and I think that’s the greatest thing in all the magic that I do.”

“Whenever I have a break, I visit my family and I visit Joe, my magic family. Joe is like my magical dad,” explains magician Alex Ramon. When Alex Ramon became fascinated by magic at the age of 13, he found a way to get to Joe’s shop from his home in Richmond. 

“I would go to work with my dad and drive with him, delivering packages all over the Bay,” Alex says. “He would stop through San Francisco and he would drop me off at Misdirections for about 20 minutes. And that’s all I had. Once a week.”    

As Joe helped Alex develop his craft, Alex soon found his love of magic taking him to places even farther flung. He has been performing around the world with Disney’s Magic Show.

“I remember calling my dad in Tokyo, and said, Dad, I’m performing on the other side of the world. How did I get here? And he goes, ‘Well, you knew a card trick,’” Alex says.

“So magic has opened the whole world for you,” Doug says.
Alex agrees. “I was in China and I had the huge language barrier, but I see this little kid and I say, come here. And you make something disappear and the kids’ face just lights up.  It’s a universal language.”

Magic is also a secret language, and one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area is the Magic Garage.

By day it’s the empty garage of South Bay magician, Will Chandler…but on one night a month, it transforms into a palace of prestidigitation. The Magic Garage formed when Will and a group of magicians wanted to rehearse in front of a live audience in preparation for an annual fundraiser show. 

“We invited a few of our friends and they loved it so much, they said, you’ve got to tell us when you’re going to do this next.”, explains Will.

By popular demand, The Magic Garage turned into a monthly event where magicians have the chance to perform and try out new material. “We’ve taken these new young magicians who have been given that spark, and now they have a venue and place to go to to grow themselves,” says Will.

By opening his garage and his home to magicians and magic fans, Will says that he’s providing a place not only for others to hone their craft.  “People say, ‘Oh Will, it’s so nice of you to do this’,” Will says. “I’m doing it so I can get up there and perform. Once a month, I have an audience that’s looking for magic, and I’m standing up there, giving it to them.” 

The Magic Garage is by invitation only, but you can catch some of the acts that have been polished there, at the California Magic Dinner Theater in Martinez.

“This little place of mine is a dream come true that we could present the fine art of magic live for an intimate group,” says host and owner Gerry Griffin.

“So bring your sense of humor, bring your sense of wonder,” Doug says.

“Check reality at the door,” Gerry recommends.

After opening his first magic shop in Antioch over 30 years ago, owner Gerry Griffin opened these doors on April Fool’s Day 2004.  Dinner is served with a side of mesmerizing magic.  The lights go down after dinner and guests are treated to a spellbinding stage show.  If Alex is in town, you might be able to catch his performance here. 

It’s an evening full of good food and fun, that will leave you with questions that you don’t necessarily need the answers to.

For More Information:

Chin-Chin
www.chin-chin.com

Alex Ramon
www.alexramonmagic.com

Misdirections Magic Shop
1236 9th Avenue
San Francisco, California 94122
Phone: (415) 566-2180
www.misdirections.com

Magic Garage
www.themagicgarage.net
www.amagic1.net

California Magic Dinner Theater
729 Castro Street
Martinez, Ca
925-374-0056
www.calmagic.com

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