Summer beach days are here, but what is there to do at night? (Especially for families!) PRESTO! at the Magic Parlor is bringing some of the best magical talent from around the world for a show filled with illusion, showmanship and outright hilarity. This 90-minute magical masterpiece is Inspired by early 20th century magic performances and the beauty of vintage, traveling European dance halls, PRESTO! delivers an experience unlike anything previously seen in North America. Under the velvet dome of The Magic Parlor at Destin Commons, you and your family will witness some of magic’s greatest minds perform their innovative, legendary acts.
The acts in PRESTO! have been seen on America’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent, World’s Best Magic, Champions of Magic, Masters of Illusion, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and more.
Yu Hojin is one of the many unique talents that is featured at PRESTO! this summer and the Magic Parlor won’t be the only stage he’ll be on. Yu Hojin received word that he passed the initial auditions for this season of America’s Got Talent and will be moving on to the live rounds. This season of America’s Got Talent will premiere in June while Hojin is performing at PRESTO! He may have to sneak out to Vegas during this summer for a filming, depending on how far he goes in the competition. As he prepares for America’s Got Talent, Hojin says he is eagerly awaiting his chance to show the world his story through his performance. “I’ve always wanted people to remember my name,” Hojin says. “I am going to do my best to make people remember me.”
A native of South Korea, Yu Hojin has been a visionary force in turning the world of magic into the world of artistic performance. At 8 years old, Hojin’s participation in magic competitions were often followed by titles such as “The Youngest Competitor.” He has won prizes in almost every international magic competition in the United States, Taiwan, Italy, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. He’s risen to international stardom as one of the first magicians to perform in the concert hall at the historic Sydney Opera House as well as the first Asian magician to perform on Broadway.
Hojin’s act is more than just a magic show or illusion show – it’s an opportunity to use magic to tell his own story. Through every trick, attendees learn more and more about Hojin and what he wants to say to his audiences. Hojin will be in Florida for the first time for PRESTO! He says it has always been a dream of his to visit Florida and Hawaii, and he is excited to cross one location off of his performance bucket list.
The show is hosted by David Williamson, who has been featured on ABC’s Champions of Magic, CBS’ Magician’s Favorite Magicians, and NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic III, CW’s Masters of Illusion and as a guest performer on America’s Got Talent.
Additional performers include Chris Cox, the only mind-reader ever to have starred on Broadway, the Sydney Opera House and in London’s West End and the star of Chris Cox’s Mind-Boggling Magic (CBBC) and the award-winning Killer Magic (BBC Three) in the UK; The Great Kaplan, a modern-day vaudevillian master who has made numerous headliner appearances at the Magic Castle in Hollywood; and Pablo Canovas, an internationally-known, dynamic magician prodigy.
PRESTO takes place in a beautiful imported antique theater from Belgium. Opulent palaces of red velvet and gold brocade, stained glass and deep mahogany, these European cabaret tents, known as spiegeltents (or mirror tents), were constructed in the 1910s by renowned craftsman Willem Klessens. It hosted dances, cabarets and celebrations throughout Europe for almost a century. About 35 of these remarkable structures exist, largely still seen throughout Europe.
You can see Hojin and the rest of PRESTO!’s amazing acts at the Magic Parlor through Aug. 28, with 10 shows per week at Destin Commons. See more information by following on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok. To purchase tickets, visit prestodestin.com or call the PRESTO! box office at (850) 688-1201.
