50th Annual AMA Awards Show Celebrates the Art of Magic;
David Copperfield to be Honored as Magician of the Decade & David Williamson Named Magician of the Year
Hosted by Emmy-Award Winning Actor/Comedian Larry Wilmore
Featuring World-Class Magical Performances With After-Party at
The Magic Castle, Hollywood’s Most-Magical Evening is April 22nd.
Celebrity Guests Include Siegfried, Dick Van Dyke & More
LOS ANGELES — April 10, 2018 — For Immediate Release — The Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) is hosting its 50th annual AMA Awards Show, Sunday, April 22, at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. After-party at Hollywood’s exclusive private club, The Magic Castle, to follow.
Honoring David Copperfield as Magician of the Decade and David Williamson as Magician of the Year, the 50th anniversary show will once again feature first-class performances with a global perspective by some of the world’s best magicians—A true celebration of the art of magic and those who preserve the craft for audiences everywhere to enjoy.
The show will be hosted by Emmy-award winning actor, comedian, writer, producer and magician Larry Wilmore (Grown-ish, Insecure, The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, The Daily Show, The Bernie Mac Show), who is sure to bring humor to the evening’s festivities.
Open to the public, all ages are welcome to share in this special evening. Attendees 21 and over are invited to an exclusive after party at the AMA’s private clubhouse, The Magic Castle. Black-tie attire is encouraged.
WHAT: AMA Magic Awards, Hosted by Larry Wilmore
WHO: Special Honorees, Celebrity Guests, Performing Magicians
WHEN: Sunday, April 22 — Red Carpet Arrival, 6 p.m. / Show Begins, 7 p.m. / After Party to follow
WHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles (Between 8th & 9th Streets)
— 2018 AMA Award Honorees & Nominees —
Magician of the Decade Honoree:
David Copperfield
Magician of the Year Honoree:
David Williamson
AMA Fellowship Awards Will be Presented to …
Masters Fellowship:
David Copperfield
This is the highest Fellowship Award granted by the AMA. The recipient is selected by the Board of Trustees, whose combined knowledge of the art and history of magic provides the platform for selection. Renowned magician Dai Vernon was presented with the first Masters Fellowship in 1968. Other recipients include Cardini and Slydini.
Creative Fellowship:
Chris Kenner
Presented to people who have made significant innovations and/or whose creativity in magic is beyond that of their peers. The first award was presented to Ed Marlo in 1968. Others include Robert Harbin, Alan Wakeling and John Gaughan.
About the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc.
The Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) is a unique non-profit. The AMA’s membership – including the world’s most pre-eminent and celebrated magicians and illusionists – lives by the “Magic First” creed, devoted to the advancement of the art of magic and preserving its history. Its headquarters and private clubhouse, the Magic Castle, has been an internationally revered gathering place for the magic brotherhood since opening its doors in 1963. Located in historic Hollywood in an elegant, Victorian-era mansion, the Castle is an experience within itself—a remarkable meeting spot that captures a lost era and is timeless in its appeal, having hosted generations of magic enthusiasts from around the globe, as well as show biz elite from Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Johnny Carson, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Alexander (all performing members) to Katy Perry and Johnny Depp. The Magic Castle was founded by writer, actor, magician and entrepreneur Milt Larsen and his late brother, Bill Larsen, Jr. Visit us online at: www.AcademyOfMagicalArts.com
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Contact:
Greenleaf & Associates — 323.660.5800
Vicki Greenleaf
On-site/cell — 323.573.5111
Vicki@GreenleafAndAssociates.com