IMM Performers

Sean Masterson's one man show VINTAGE MAGIC - an intoxicating close-up magic show - had it's original run in a Chicago wine bar located in Sean's own neighborhood of Edgewater. This is signifcant because the show begins with the true story of Harry Kellar getting kicked off a train right infront of the neighborhood cemetry.

For his appearance at Indy Magic Sean presents a "distilled" version of the show
which blends close-up magic with stories of the insanely combative relationship between
Alexander Herrmann & Harry Kellar – respectively America's number one and
number two magicians at the end of the 19th century.

Chicago Reader critic Lawrence Bommer waxed enthusiastic for Vintage Magic:

"Forget Vegas showplaces--magic fares best when it's just close enough to confound. An intimate, 35-seat room over the Andersonville wine bar In Fine Spirits is a swell venue for magician/raconteur Sean Masterson and his eye-popping, mind-boggling parlor tricks. Masterson vaporizes a bottle of absinthe, re-creates a seance complete with levitating table, makes playing cards declare the time when a watch was set, and guesses hidden Shakespeare quotes. Most headshakingly amazing is the "Dance of the Seven Fools," an intricate piece of business involving a poisoned cordial glass and some very cooperative cards. In a world of serial stings and contagious fraud it's a joy to see deception you can believe in".

BIO

Sean has been producing theatrical magic shows in Chicago performance spaces since 1992. In 2009 he premiered VAUDEVILLE MAGIC at the Morse Theatre, Chicago. His show MAGIC MATINEE ran for 5 weekends in both 2008 and 2006 at The Music Box Theatre also in Chicago. His intimate close-up magic shows, CONJURING TIME at the Live Bait Theatre and MAGIC TALES received enthusiastic reviews from the Chicago Tribune:

"Masterson leaves you in awe, wondering how he manages to do his tricks. But
with the addition of the stories, he manages to unlock secret doors in the mind so
that it is possible to revel, without questioning, in the mysteries of the unkown."

"He’s a fine close-up magician, a warm performer, and it’s hard to figure out how he does what he does." Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

In a 2006 full page profile in North Shore Magazine, Penelope Mesic called Sean "Chicago's most thought provoking wizard".

Sean Masterson Sean Masterson's one man show VINTAGE MAGIC - an intoxicating close-up magic show - had it's original run in a Chicago wine bar located in Sean's own neighborhood of Edgewater. This is signifcant because the show begins with the true story of Harry Kellar getting kicked off a train right infront of the neighborhood cemetry. For his appearance at Indy Magic Sean presents a "distilled" version of the show which blends close-up magic with stories of the insanely combative relationship between Alexander Herrmann & Harry Kellar – respectively America's number one and number two magicians at the end of the 19th century. Chicago Reader critic Lawrence Bommer waxed enthusiastic for Vintage Magic: "Forget Vegas showplaces--magic fares best when it's just close enough to confound. An intimate, 35-seat room over the Andersonville wine bar In Fine Spirits is a swell venue for magician/raconteur Sean Masterson and his eye-popping, mind-boggling parlor tricks. Masterson vaporizes a bottle of absinthe, re-creates a seance complete with levitating table, makes playing cards declare the time when a watch was set, and guesses hidden Shakespeare quotes. Most headshakingly amazing is the "Dance of the Seven Fools," an intricate piece of business involving a poisoned cordial glass and some very cooperative cards. In a world of serial stings and contagious fraud it's a joy to see deception you can believe in". BIO Sean has been producing theatrical magic shows in Chicago performance spaces since 1992. In 2009 he premiered VAUDEVILLE MAGIC at the Morse Theatre, Chicago. His show MAGIC MATINEE ran for 5 weekends in both 2008 and 2006 at The Music Box Theatre also in Chicago. His intimate close-up magic shows, CONJURING TIME at the Live Bait Theatre and MAGIC TALES received enthusiastic reviews from the Chicago Tribune: "Masterson leaves you in awe, wondering how he manages to do his tricks. But with the addition of the stories, he manages to unlock secret doors in the mind so that it is possible to revel, without questioning, in the mysteries of the unkown." "He’s a fine close-up magician, a warm performer, and it’s hard to figure out how he does what he does." Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune In a 2006 full page profile in North Shore Magazine, Penelope Mesic called Sean "Chicago's most thought provoking wizard".