Magic X is a collective group of magicians dedicated to reshaping the way magic is perceived and performed.
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Magic X began in 1995 at an IHOP in Hollywood, California by friends, Enrico de la Vega and Chris Gongora. The two met while they were both Junior Magicians at the Magic Castle. They decided to unite a core group of their close friends from the Junior Society to form a cohesive group with the purpose to reshape the way magic is perceived by the public.
Magic X is made up of fifteen magicians:
Chris Gongora
Rico de la Vega
Danny Cole
Lisa de la Vega
Michael Grasso
Jason Neidstadt
Joel Broock
Thomas Meier
Farrah Siegel
Tony “Digital-T” Austin
De'vo Vom Schattenreich
Angela Funovits
Shimshi
Magic X’s first project was putting together a stage event featuring the members of the group. The live show adds elements from shows like Stomp, Blue Man, and De La Guarda.
Blending illusion, music, and performance art, Magic X Live has played in clubs throughout California, at Coachella 2002 (the annual three-day music and arts festival in Indio, CA), and continues to this day.
The first Magic X Live show was performed at the now defunct Garage in Los Angeles in 2000 and featured Chris Gongora, Rico de la Vega, Lisa de la Vega, Danny Cole, and Joel Broock.
Chris Gongora and Rico de la Vega partnered with 10 x 10 Entertainment’s Ken Mok to bring Magic X to television.[1] The show, titled "T.H.E.M. - Totally Hidden Extreme Magic" became an hour-long prime-time reality special for Magic X, first airing on NBC in 2004, then on the Sci-Fi Channel. It’s still being broadcast worldwide and can be found on countless websites across the internet.
T.H.E.M. showcased hidden-camera magic, a concept where magicians perform illusions and sleight-of-hand to unsuspecting targets in real life situations. The magicians never tell anyone that they are magicians and the unsuspecting bystander believes that they are witnessing a freak occurrence of nature[2].
Chris Gongora and Rico de la Vega served as producers on the show and they, along with Cyril, Justin Kredible, Lisa de la Vega, Danny Cole, Michael Grasso, Jason Neidstadt, and Thomas Meier performed magic on the show. Loren Christopher Michaels created many of the illusions used on the series. Tony Austin composed the music including the theme song[3].
Chris Gongora and Rico de la Vega next partnered with Ashton Kutcher’s production company, Katalyst Films to bring the series Room 401 to MTV. Room 401 (the hospital room number that Houdini died in on Halloween in 1926) captures how unsuspecting bystanders react when placed in supernatural environments[4].
Chris Gongora and Rico de la Vega served as Co-Executive Producers on the show and they, along with Justin Kredible, and Cyril are the only members of Magic X to appear as series regulars[5].