It's like they are the people who show up at kid's parties. It's really an art, and this club gives you a beautiful stage to perform on. Teller, one half of the popular magic-comedy duo Penn and Teller, performed opening night at Magicopolis in September and was delighted with the new club. It's a place where you can see the funniest, most astonishing magicians in the world without clods heckling and belching whisky in your ear. The club sells an average of 400 tickets a week, a number Spills anticipated would climb to 1,000 during the warmer months.
Spills is no newcomer to the world of magic and illusion.
He has produced magic and special effects for theatrical productions at Universal Studios in Hollywood, Harrah's Tahoe and at the Cannes Film Festival. Spills' club experience began in the late '70s, when he was a co-owner of the Jolly Jester, a magic and comedy club in Aspen. The entrepreneur acknowledged that starting a magic club is risky. One way of minimizing the risk was to locate the club in Santa Monica, not far from the popular Third Street Promenade, which caters to teens and young adults, especially on weekends. This is a very accessible area for tourists.