Second Magic ala Carte show promises more tricks in Williamsburg
A group of magicians who put on a “magical dining experience” a few months ago are back this Friday with the second Magic ala Carte.
The dinner will take place from 6-9 p.m. at Fireside Chophouse Bar & Grill on Richmond Road in Williamsburg. Advanced tickets are being sold for the limited seating event.
Magic ala Carte was born out of an idea by two local magicians, Henry Aldrich and Steve Mains, after Mains visited a similar event in New York City earlier this year. Both magicians are affiliated with Williamsburg’s chapter of the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The magic society meets monthly.
Aldrich, known by his stage name The Amazing Mr. A, was the creator of the children’s magic clown television show “Bungles the Clown” and the first magician to play Bungles in 1959.
The first Magic ala Carte dinner, held at the Jefferson Restaurant in September, featured six magicians who started off the evening by going table to table and performing tricks with items such as playing cards, coins, ropes and disappearing napkins. Tiny Rubik’s Cubes adorned each place setting.
“We study magic,” magician Watt Hyer said. “It’s a science.”
Magic ala Carte is the second new magical act to hit the Williamsburg area this year. In June, Wagsters Magic Theatre opened as a year-round magic venue.
Dinner was followed by a stage show featuring all the magicians, along with a little standup comedy and a few groan-inducing jokes by magician Dr. Ron. Fellow magician Harold Wood, the 1988 Virginia state juggling champion, mixed some jokes of his own with some juggling, joking about how he liked to practice in “the juggling section” of the grocery store.
“They let you practice right there in the store,” Wood deadpanned as he juggled some oranges.
Throughout the floor show, the magicians enlisted the help of diners seated in a room at the Jefferson Restaurant.
The magic show ended with the proverbial rabbit — named Buster — coming out of a hat. Buster may make another appearance this Friday.
Magic ala Carte is always looking for new magicians and more restaurants to host its magic show. For those interested, email meimagicalacarte@gmail.com or amazingmra@yahoo.com. To buy tickets for Friday’s dinner, visit bit.ly/MagicalaCarte2. Tickets are $41 for children and $59 for adults.
“The last show was a great success,” Aldrich said. “Word is spreading, and we’re looking for a big crowd.”
Kim O’Brien Root, kimberly.root@virginiamedia.com
