Lady Magicians

When we think of magic acts and magicians we usually picture a swathy man with a cape and a top hat. He is a master of illusion and deception. He wows the audience with unexpected intrigue and commands the stage like a maestro. Woman don't come to mind when we think of magic except as beautiful and distracting sidekicks to the act. There are an increasing amount of lady magicians out there who, with a slight of hand, can boggle the mind. They are entertainers and artists performing their craft around the world. They each bring a unique perspective to the age old art of magic and they just might surprise you. Here are a few.

Ariann Black -

Ariann Black is currently the only professional female magician to have earned a degree in Magic. She studied with Dale Salwack at the Chavez School of Magic. Ariann was born in Canada and had an interest in magic from a very young age. She is a master of manipulation and often uses soap bubbles to create intricate illusions. Ariann was voted "Magician of the Year 2011" by the International Conclave of Illusionists. Though she has performed all over the world, Ariann has found much success with her show "Secrets" in Las Vegas.

Mara -

Born Maartje van Olst in Zwolle, Netherlands, Mara is an expert at blending the perception of illusion and reality. At a young age, Mara had an interest in magic and chose the topic for a school project. She wrote a letter to famed magician Hans Kazan which eventually led to her joining his sons, Oscar and Renzo, in forming a magic group. They work together under the name of "Magic Unlimited". Mara is the technical one of the trio and provides the procedural and methodological solutions to new illusions. They have performed all over the world and won many international awards.

Suzanne -

Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.A., Suzanne is considered an expert at close-up manipulation. As a child she was fascinated by optical illusions and this led to her interest in magic. At a young age, she figured out how to make a paper clip disappear by using ordinary things from around the house. Suzanne's success with this experimental trick prompted her to embrace magic as a serious pursuit. She met and studied with legendary magician Al Schneider who helped her hone her skills. Suzanne's sleight-of-hand prowess has made her popular at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. She takes a narrative approach to her act and has evolved into a master conjurer. In 2010, Suzanne (no last name known) was nominated as Close-up Magician of the Year, the first female magician ever to be awarded that honor.

Sue-Anne Webster -

Sue-Anne Webster is Australia's Leading Lady of Magic and a true jane of all trades in the magic world. Close-up magic comes as easily to her as stage illusions. Born and raised in Sydney, Sue-Anne stands at only 5' 3" but is anything but demur. She began studying magic under the tutelage of magician Turoa Walmsley but she didn't stop there. Sue-Anne studied art, acting, pyrotechnics, Latin dance, theatrical effects, mime and puppetry. She creates her unusual effects in her home including a bottomless pit and a time tunnel. One of her award winning tricks involves battling an unseen ghost who eventually makes her disappear while she is standing on top of a table. She is also known for the illusion of sawing a man in half with a real chainsaw. Sue-Anne is well-loved for her performances around the world. She serves as President of the prestigious Australian Institute of Magic.

Morgan the Escapist -

Born in New Jersey, U.S.A, Morgan is adept at escaping from any restraints to include handcuffs and strait-jackets. Her inspiration as a child was Dorothy Dietrich, a larger-than-life escape artist and television personality. Morgan received her education in theater arts as well as graphic arts and got work in a professional theater. In 1994, she was introduced to the popular illusionist, John Bundy, and eventually became his assistant. She developed her own escape-based act and went on to star in the Hong Kong Magic Festival three years in a row. She often appeared on national television networks. Morgan was awarded " Best Female Escape Artist" in 2009 at the World Magic Awards. She is also accomplished in martial arts holding a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

Laura London -

Laura London is known as the Mistress of Magic. This London born entrepreneur brings style to the world of magic by giving her act a cabaret show feel. Laura's talent is in the manipulation of small objects like cards and coins. But her appeal is in her adaptation of historic magic acts using costumes and sets depicting the era. Fascinated by the magic of Criss Angel and Fay Presto, Laura plunged into the business at an early age. She is well-traveled and has performed all over the globe. She is honored to have done so at an event to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday at Buckingham Palace. Laura was the youngest female to enter the Magic Circle by passing her exam just a couple of weeks after her 18th birthday.

Kyoko-

Born Kyoko Maebeya in Japan, Kyoto was first trained as a professional dancer. When she became interested in a magic career, she moved to New York to study and hone her magical skills. Kyoko is known for speedily conjuring up, vanishing and multiplying any object. Once she returned to Japan, she quickly gained popularity. Kyoko entered many magic competitions all over the world and won first place in several. She was voted into the top ten performers in the World Championships of Magic held in Sweden. One of Kyoko's most popular acts involves wearing a kimono and performing to traditional Japanese music.

Sophie Evans -

Sophie Evans knows how to wow a crowd. Born to a family of entertainers in Portsmouth, England, she manages to blend comedy with magic. Sophie specializes in incorporating the element of fire into her acts and serves as a magic and fire consultant. Her style is contemporary and exciting and she brings a Cabaret feel to her performances. She has appeared before many celebrities including Ex-President Jimmy Carter, Celine Dion and Muhammad Ali. Sophie is also a television celebrity showing up on TV specials in the United Kingdom, France, the United States and Australia. She's won several magic awards including "Stage Magician of the Year" in 2009 from the Academy of Magical Arts.

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