The House of Magic, soon to be the premier venue for the performance and preservation of magic on the East Coast, will open its doors on April 4 to enthrall magic lovers and audiences of all ages.

Set within a nearly 100-year-old building, the former PNC Bank in Glenside, Pa., the House of Magic was created by owner Marc DeSouza of Wayne, Pa. to serve as a beacon for magic enthusiasts offering unparalleled experience in magical entertainment.

The House of Magic will feature a 103-seat jewel-box theater, a close-up 25-seat mini theater, a VIP lounge with a secret entrance, event rental spaces, a magician’s study, the “Vault of Secrets,” free on-site parking, and an extraordinary 4,500-square-foot magic museum and library, providing an immersive environment for both novices and seasoned magicians.

Adding to the excitement, the House of Magic is partnering with the Smoke & Mirrors Theater to host shows of magic, mentalism, comedy, and more with many top performers from around the world. The Smoke & Mirrors Theater amazed magic fans for over eight years in its Huntingdon Valley, Pa. location. Now owners Marty Martin and Danny Archer, both Philadelphia natives, will produce shows in a grander space, twice the size of their former theater, with state-of-the-art lighting, sound, and video projection capabilities.

Their shows at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays will be great for audiences ages 16 and up. The family magic shows (for ages 6 to 106) will take place on Saturdays at 1 p.m.

The real star is the theater itself, modeled after the original Smoke & Mirrors Theater, with tiered seating that wraps around amphitheater style. There are no obstructed views and every seat is a great seat. You will never watch magic in better conditions. 

“It is the most prominent center for magic on the East Coast,” Martin said. “This theater is going to outshine every magic theater out there. We are going to be able to present magic like you see on the biggest stages in Las Vegas to the tiniest magic.”

“This place will be the mecca for anyone in the 100-mile radius,” Archer said. “It will be the premier place for magicians and for people in the arts.”

In addition to weekend magic shows, there will be many weeknight activities, including magic lectures, variety shows, open mics, and more. Outside theater groups are welcome to rent either theater to present their own shows as well.

Magic camps, private lessons, and magicians’ workshop nights will be offered. “This is a training ground for magicians to learn and to create and to get feedback that will improve their own performances to take out into the world,” DeSouza said.

There will also be educational programs for the lay public to enrich their appreciation of magic too. “We want to create a magic-savvy community,” he said.

Martin wants to dispel the misconception that magic shows are just for kids. While the House of Magic and the Smoke & Mirrors Theater do offer family shows, they also offer magic shows at a high level of sophistication, he said. They exemplify “a caliber of magician who is the difference between somebody who can hit some keys on a piano and Liberace.”

The House of Magic is located at 101 S. Easton Rd. Glenside, Pa. 19038. For information, email info@houseofmagicpa.com, log on to houseofmagicpa.com, and call 610-203-0256. For tickets to Smoke & Mirrors Theater shows, log on to smokeandmirrorstheater.com.

ABOUT THE HOUSE OF MAGIC:

The House of Magic is the premier venue for the performance and preservation of magic on the East Coast. It is housed in a nearly 100-year-old building. The Glenside National Bank/Glenside Title and Trust Company took occupancy of this structure, designed and constructed by the Tilghman-Moyer Company, in 1929. Now known as The Depository, the building houses three other office spaces within this 12,000-plus-square-foot structure, with the House of Magic occupying the remainder. Creator Marc DeSouza has thoroughly re-imagined and reconstructed this building to create this homage to the history and appreciation of the art of magic.

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Photos: John Costello Photography