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| From the judges tables, monitors to see close-up tricks easier. |
Rick Lax—writer for Las Vegas Weekly, Vegas, M Life—has been busy creating and producing the TV series Wizard Wars which will air on the Syfy network, starting in August. The show is a magic competition show featuring many Vegas magicians, with magic superstars Penn & Teller as two of the four judges.
The show is a reality competition in which teams of magicians create and perform original magic routines before a live studio audience. Their acts are judged on originality, creativity and showmanship. Wizard Wars also features four "home team" magicians—the "Wizards", think Iron Chef—who return every week to take on new teams of "challengers." Two of the four "Wizards" seats include Wynn Las Vegas' resident magician Shimshi, and local YouTube superstar Justin Flom.
Several Vegas magicians are appearing on the show as challengers including Murray Sawchuck (Tropicana Hotel and Casino) and Nathan Burton (Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood). The competing magicians created routines with placemats, beach balls, colored erasers and fake oranges.
Wizard Wars was created in 2012 by Vegas-based magic consultant Rick Lax and street magician Justin Flom. Flom filmed the original Wizard Wars pilot in Lax's apartment, on a $15 budget.
"It's been a pretty wild ride. From filming a pilot in my little apartment to a big budget competition show," says Lax. "I've already seen cuts of 1/2 the episodes, and this show really does Vegas proud!"
Flom's YouTube video, featured on Wired.com and BoingBoing.com, caught the eye of production company A. Smith & Co., who worked with Lax and Flom to sell the show to the Syfy network. Lax works behind the scene as a producer and magic consultant.
The series premiers August 19.