115th Annual Salute to Magic show!
At the Abrons Art Center,
466 Grand St.
New York, NY
May 4th, 2024, 630pm
Chris Capehart Master Magician
Chris Capehart is an accomplished Master Magician and a two time winner of the prestigious Penn and Teller Fool Us Award! He is respected throughout the world by his peers, applauded for his skills by the most famous of magicians and sought after for repeat performances by clients.
Chris started doing magic over 40 years ago (with just one trick) on the streets of NYC where he dazzled some of the toughest crowds in the world. He has graced the cover of Genii Magazine, a very prestigious honor, and has been dubbed “The Ring Master”, for good reason. Chris’s three-ring routine, which he perfected in 1981, has been acclaimed by some of the world’s most renowned magicians as “the best of the best,” and appears in the highly acclaimed magic series, “Stars of Magic” (Number 13). In 2019 he won The Magic Castle’s Parlour Magician of the Year.
Chris Capehart has done it all. He is proficient at entertaining adults as well as kids. He performs at stage shows, does close-up, parlour, cruise ships, corporate shows as well as lecturing to other magicians. He has created routines and mastered magical illusions and the art of delighting his audiences. Very few magicians can do it all. Chris Capehart is one of them. This is what makes him an outstanding entertainer and a Master Magician.
ERIC Q
Eric Q is an award-winning magician. Renowned in Shanghai and now resident in NY. Quitting a job from Airlines, Eric spent 15 years following his passion in magic.
Eric used to do all kinds of magic jobs, from coaching kids to being a magic consultant for theater/TV show directors and celebrities, from a family party performer to being a trade show, corporate show and luxury private event magic entertainer…
Now living in NYC, Eric focuses on magic performing. You may have seen him at the Rose Room, LOL Comedy Lounge, Magic at Coney, the Parlor of Mystery, Monday Night Magic… He has done amusement park residency to the artist program at Little island, Eric becomes an audience choice magician.
The Venerable Dr. Shelly Bruce
Dr. Bruce learned Coin Magic from Armondo Lucero, Performance Art from Jeff McBride’s Mystery Schoo and Parlor Magic from Shoot Ogawa.
Dr. Bruce was the highest placed North America contestant in Vienna’s 2023 Fred Kaps competition.
DOC SASCO
New York City Magician/Mentalist & Hypnotist Dr. S. performs visual close up magic and stage magic for corporate, restaurant & private events. He teaches magic at Columbia University while also working at Abracadabra Halloween store magic department. Dr. S is also a popular NYC comedy Hypnotist. He performs a range between kids magic and magic for adults.
Daniel Grimm
Daniel Grimm started practicing the art of magic from an early age. As such, he has been captivating audiences for over two decades with his unique blend of mystique and macabre.
Having performed on stages of iconic venues such as Coney Island, Daniel has mesmerized audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Drawing inspiration from the darker corners of magic, he has earned a reputation as the one who puts the “ic” into magic, delighting in the eerie and the unsettling.
With his dark charm and skill, Daniel Grimm strives to push the boundaries of magic, leaving a trail of awe and wonder in his wake. Step into his world, if you dare, and prepare to be enchanted by an expert of shock magic.
JOE MONTI
With a career spanning over 30 years in the world of magic, Joe Monti is a well respected international lecturer, world class close-up and stage performer, inventor and devoted single father of three daughters.
Joe Monti (Safuto) showcased his inventiveness on ABC TV’s Prinetime Hit American Inventor with a germ-filtering toilet seat winning $50,000. Thje US Patent office issued two utility patents for his originality. Interestingly, Joe had predicted the possibility of a pandemic 14 years prior to teh ovid outbreak on the TV show.
Joe Monti found new avenues to express his magical talents. He became a senior consultant on CRISS Angel’s acclaimed TV show “MINDFREAK” before ascending to the role of Magic Producer for three successful years.
In 2016, life took an unexpected turn for Joe when he was struck in a crosswalk by an SUV. Crippled for more than six months, Joe persevered.
Determined to return to the stage, Joe Monti set his sights on a unique challenge – stumping Penn and Teller on the hit TV show “FOOL US.” Joe wanted to do his “3 Card Monti” routine and created an ingenious method that has never been done before.
With performance coaching from his dear friend Joe Devlin, the current President of Parent Assembly #1, Joe Monti destroyed the audience with his presentation and successfully fooled everyone including Penn and Teller. Joe reclaimed his stage presence and earned the coveted Penn & Teller F.U. Award.
Today, Joe Monti proudly holds his place as a respected member of Parent Assembly #1 in New York City, continuing to inspire and contribute to the world of magic.
JOHN BUNDY AND MORGAN
John Bundy and Morgan are known for creating themed magic and illusion for Six Flags, Busch Gardens and Cedar Fair amusements parks across America. They were honored with the outstanding illusionist award from the Milbourne Christopher foundation. And, have been recognized by the magic world with cover stories and feature articles in the industry periodicals: Magic, Magic Manuscript, Vanish and Linking Ring magazine.
In 2010 they appeared in the Paramount Pictures “Morning Glory” which starred Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams. That same year, Morgan was named “Escape Artist of the Year” on “The World Magic Awards” televised special. Their additional television credits include two appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Rachael Ray Show and Ricki Lake Show. Behind the cameras, illusions and coaching was provided for a magic episode of “Law and Order Criminal Intent” “Gotham” and “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris”
AVNER THE ECCENTRIC
Hailed as one of the greatest clowns of all time, Avner Eisenberg enjoyed a generic childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. As a kid his passions were snakes and juggling. He wanted to be a doctor, but after a year as an honors chemistry and biology major his parents forced him into performing.
Applying the art of juggling to education, Avner attended four universities moving counter-clockwise around the United States, and ultimately earned a BA in theatre from the University of Washington in 1971. He studied in Paris with Jacques Lecoq for two years, and once, while street performing in Paris was arrested for buffoonery in public.
On returning to the United States Avner taught at Carlo Mazzone Clementi’s Dell’Arte School of Physical Comedy in California. Avner is greatly indebted to these two men: “Lecoq, who taught me everything I know, and Carlo who taught me the rest.”
Avner is probably best known for his endearing portrayal of The Jewel, the scene-stealing holy man, in The Jewel of the Nile, co-starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. He was also featured in the film Brenda Starr and the television series Webster and Mathnet.
Avner’s one-man show, Avner the Eccentric, was a hit of the 1984–1985 Broadway season. He co-starred in Lincoln Center’s production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, and returned to Broadway in 1989 in a principal role in Ghetto. In regional theatre Avner has played both Estragon and Vladimir in Waiting For Godot, played the title role in R. Crumb Comix, and co-starred with his wife, Julie Goell, in the world premier of Zoo of Tranquility.
Avner’s new show, Exceptions to Gravity, defies the barriers of language and culture and has toured extensively all over the US and abroad. Avner has often played on subscription at regional theaters including Arena Stage, Trinity Rep, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, The Empty Space, Indiana Rep, The Goodman Theater, Portland Stage, Merrimack Rep, Virginia Stage Company, Dallas Theater Center, Seacoast Rep, San Jose Rep, Theatre Fontaine (Paris), and Teatro Alfil (Madrid).
Avner is often a featured performer at comedy, magic and theatre festivals, which in past years have included The Edinburgh Festival, where he won the New Faces of 1991 Award, and was a finalist for the Perrier Award, the Israel Festival, the Montreal International Comedy Festival. He has also appeared at the London International Mime Festival, the Festival of American Mime, the New York Clown Theatre Festival, the Fool’s Festival, the New York Magic Symposium, the Hudson Clearwater Revival, and the International Movement Theatre Festival. Avner has won special jury awards at The International Festival du Cirque in Monte Carlo, Arosa International Humor Festival, Barcelona International Clown Festival, Leipzig Lach Messe, St Gervais International Theater Festival where he won both the public and the jury awards. Avner was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 2002.
Avner is regularly featured on television specials throughout the world. He has been seen on the Paul Daniels Show and Packing Them In in Great Britain, on the NTV 35th Anniversary Special as well as numerous appearances on NHK in Japan, Sebastian C’est Fou, Le Plus Grande Cabaret du Monde, and Cabaret Sauvage in France, Un Dos Tres and the Juan Tamariz Special in Spain, Martes 13 in Chile, Ritmo de la Noche in Argentina, UNICEF Comedy Special in Italy, the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival on Showtime, and many more.
In addition to a busy performance schedule, Avner has taught master classes in clowning and Eccentric Performing in the United States, France, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Japan and Spain. He has developed silent theatre skills as a therapeutic tool and also teaches workshops for students and professionals in health care, education and counseling, as well as theatre. He lives on an island off the coast of Maine and would really rather be sailing. Avner has practiced Aikido for many years and holds the rank of shodan, first degree black belt.
Avner is a certified Ericksonian Hypnotist, and NLP Master Practitioner. He specializes in performer related issues of all kinds. He is also a Certified Trainer in Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
Learn more about Avner at www.AvnerTheEccentric.com.
MICHAEL CHAUT
(2024 Magician of the Year)
MICHAEL is a seasoned professional magician who has captivated audiences for over 20 years at places like Catch a Rising Star, The Rainbow Room, Dangerfield’s, The Improvisation and the famous Greenwich Village Cabaret in New York, Mostly Magic.
He is a performing member of the prestigious Magic Castle in Los Angeles and is one of the handful of magicians ever to appear at the exclusive Windows On The World atop the World Trade Center in New York City.
Comedy and magic fans are not exclusive to the stage. Michael has performed his miracles on cruise ships and at conventions, tradeshows and corporate events. His television appearances include: FOX-TV, Good Morning New York, NBC’s Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America. His corporate clientele are a veritable “Who’s Who” among Fortune 500 Companies including: IBM, Microsoft, American Express, Deloitte & Touche, Ziff-Davis, 1-800-FLOWERS, Swiss Army Brands, Young & Rubicam and Club Med. His rare blend of comedy and magic make for a good time to be had by all.
Michael is an entertainer who has literally performed all over the world. In countries where English wasn’t spoken, magic was used to communicate. Michael started performing magic at the young age of eight years old. He believes that magic is a way for the shy child to be brought out of his/her shell. Many children have reached out through their magic tricks. In his case, the shy has become the outgoing and the impossible has become possible.
In addition to his demanding performing schedule all over the United States, Michael is the creator and founding producer of Monday Night Magic.