I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Marc DeSouza, a veteran award-winning magician and producer, who’s appeared on Penn and Teller's Fool Us, is bringing something truly magical to Glenside, PA. Marc is transforming a historic bank building into the House of Magic, a unique space that combines a magic theater, museum, library, and more. The building itself holds a lot of charm—with its bank vault turned "Vault of Secrets"—and it's set to become a vibrant cultural hub for magic lovers and the community alike.
From repurposing the bank’s original vault into an interactive feature to creating spaces for close-up magic and intimate performances, Marc’s vision is a blend of old-world elegance and state-of-the-art technology. His passion for magic and deep-rooted connection to the magic community are evident in every detail, from the 104-seat theater to the dedicated space for “sessioning” among magicians.
The House of Magic is shaping up to be more than just a theater; it’s a destination for magic aficionados and a place to build community through wonder. Marc shares his journey with me, from finding the perfect venue to his ambitious plans for the space, the excitement of special guests, and his goals to create a lasting impact on Glenside’s cultural scene. Join us as we explore the magic Marc is bringing to life and what visitors can expect at this incredible new venue.
Can you walk us through your vision for transforming this 100-year-old bank building
into a magic theater? What drew you to this particular property?
"At first I was focused on finding a church to turn into House of Magic. We found a couple, but for one reason or another, they just didn’t work out. When looking online I found this property and arranged to look at it. As soon as I saw the exterior I thought this place was really special. When I went inside I knew this was the place I wanted. I was immediately able to envision where everything would go. The location is incredible with a large on-site parking lot, an auxiliary municipal parking lot immediately next to that and the SEPTA train station directly across the street. Glenside has already started to become an art supporting community with the Keswick Theater and the Royal so close. Plus there are always new restaurants opening in the town."
The concept of using the old bank vault for a unique audience experience, where magicians improvise tricks from lockboxes, is incredibly innovative. How did you come up with this idea, and how do you see it shaping the overall experience for guests?
"Well, as soon as I looked at the vault I went nuts. So many businesses are repurposing vaults for restaurant seating areas, but to gut this one seemed like such a crime. Then I started thinking about what we could do with all of those safe deposit boxes. The first thing I thought was to have magic tricks and their instructions in each box and call it the Vault of Secrets. To paraphrase one of today’s best magic thinkers and creators, Jim Steinmeyer, “The Vault of Secrets is an empty vault”. This one isn’t! We are working on a few more ideas with the vault, but we are keeping those secret for the moment. We think it will greatly enhance the experience for everyone who comes to House of Magic and is certainly something that’s never been done with a bank vault! And if nothing else, it is definitely a focal point for the building and a great place for photos."
With The Depository housing both a 100-seat proscenium theater and a 25-seat close-up theater, how do you plan to balance the types of performances offered? Will audiences see more intimate close-up magic shows or larger theatrical productions, or a mix of both?
"We are hoping that both performance spaces will be used frequently. The primary performance space is the theater which seats 104 people. We envision the close-up theater to be both a VIP Experience show after the main show and as a separate show experience for people who just want to see great close-up magic in an intimate setting. There may be nights when we just have a close-up show, but we will never have shows in both spaces simultaneously. Plus remember that the main stage space is ideal for stage, close-up and parlor magic. We have a special table to work in front of the curtain, as well as video support for close-up performances. Every seat will have great views of the table and the full stage, but that video enhancement for the details of the close-up work can’t be beat."
You’re an accomplished magician, and now you're stepping into the role of a producer for this theater. How do your experiences as a performer influence your decisions in curating the shows and features at The House of Magic?
"My experiences as a magician have allowed me to travel the world and meet the best magicians everywhere. I already have so many of them asking when they can come to House of Magic to visit and perform. As you know, I have been responsible for booking talent for the MAES Convention for over 35 years, but also used to book for the East Coast Magic Spectacular and have helped out with booking some of the SAM National Conventions. Booking shows is different than booking single performers for a venue like this. My goal is to present a wide range of magic styles for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. I also will book non-traditional shows focusing on history and cultural magic. In the long run, I hope to eventually build an audience that has great magical taste."
The inclusion of a magic museum and library, plus space for catered events, makes this venue much more than just a theater. How do you see these elements adding to the appeal of The Depository for the magic community and the broader public?
"House of Magic is certainly far more than just a magic theater. It was very purposely named. The great magical sage, scholar and philosopher of magic, Eugene Burger, often said “The House of Magic has many rooms”, meaning that there is a place for everyone in our art/craft. In our case, this House of Magic indeed has many rooms, all with different purpose and focus. Smoke and Mirrors Magic Theater is moving their business here. They will continue to book amazing shows, primarily on the weekends. I hope to produce shows for myself and other friends, along with variety shows and some “open mic” type nights for local performers working on new material. These will kind of be based on the NY Comedy Club scene. We will also make the theater available to outside producers. This may be people looking to produce comedy shows and some smaller singer/songwriter type music shows. I expect there may even be some small theater groups that could use our theater. It would also be ideal for companies to use for business meetings/presentations or as a venue for events like weddings. The fact that we will have an event space on the lower level will make that a very attractive alternative for hosting any number of these events. There will be no cooking on the premises, but we will have an area set up for caterers to bring and serve food, and we expect to be able to have seating for up to 80 people.
Beyond all of that, though, are the museum/library spaces. My entire collection is being moved to House of Magic. There will be rooms dedicated to props, costumes and memorabilia of some of the greatest magicians throughout history. There will be spaces dedicated to the study of magic as well. We will continue to offer lectures in this new home, as well as the library and session spaces. Some of these areas are specifically for magicians, but we look forward to creating educational programs for the public, both adults and kids, teaching them about the history of magic and what makes magic work. Again, we are looking to cultivate and build a magic educated lay audience. And besides, this will just be such a cool place to spend a memorable evening!"
Opening a theater is no small feat, especially with the extensive renovations and state-of-the-art additions you’ve planned. Can you share some of the challenges you've faced so far in converting this historic space into a modern magic venue?
"The major challenges are the coordination of so many tradesman and craftsmen. We have several architects and engineers involved. Fortunately, with my background in real estate development and construction, I have some experience in much of this, but we rarely do commercial work of this nature. Even dealing with contractors who do commercial work, few have dealt with a project like this. We are lucky that the Township has worked so well with us to make this project go smoothly to this point. They see this as a major benefit to Glenside and all of the businesses already here.
There have been some big issues like replacing the roof and having to build a whole new entrance from the parking lot to accommodate a new elevator. These have been the have been the most significant, and most expensive, hurdles so far. In addition, there are electrical and plumbing issues to deal with. Building the theater spaces and museum are the easy parts!"
The planned VIP lounge and “Vault of Secrets" sound intriguing. Can you give us a little teaser about what guests might expect from these exclusive areas?
"The VIP room will be accessed through a secret entrance. We won’t say what or where it is, but those who are entitled to access will get the needed clues. It will be an area for them to relax and have a drink before the show. The Vault of Secrets will be both a prime photo spot and an integral part of many of the close-up shows. During the show, a number will be generated and someone from the audience will go to the vault and retrieve the safe deposit box with that number. Then they will return to the show with it and the magician will have to perform the trick in that box. The Vault also has 12 mini-vaults at the rear of the main vault that will be available to super-VIP’s to
use as wine lockers, like you find at some of the high end restaurants.
Magic is often associated with tradition and history, but you’re bringing fresh concepts to the table, like the vault improv performance. How do you envision blending the old-world charm of this historic building with modern elements of performance and technology?
"I think you’ve said it all in your question. We are looking to blend old-world elegance with new world technical design. The theater is a perfect example. We will have an old style proscenium stage, but with state-of-the-art lighting, sound and video technology. We will have video support screens flanking the stage on both sides and a multi-camera video system. These will give us the ability to get super close-up shots of the performing surface for the best viewing experience. Plus the seating design, inspired by the amazing seating designs of the great German close-up magic theatres, allows for comfort, easy accessibility and fantastic views of all parts of the performance area.
The performance spaces will allow us to present the top current magic talent from all over the world. In addition, we want to make certain we can present up and coming performers as well as shows that showcase magic’s rich history by incorporating effects
that are rarely seen in public performances today."
Looking ahead, do you have a timeline for opening, and what can audiences expect during the grand opening of The House of Magic? Will there be any special performances or guests to mark the occasion?
"We hope to have the theater level open by February, but that is dependent on the timing of obtaining all of the permits. Most of the materials and contractors have already been lined up to reach that goal. The lower level museum and library space will likely open in April. That delay is primarily due to the time it will take to build the new entrance and elevator. We will certainly have multiple opening events to accommodate so many dignitaries, friends and guests. We are definitely planning some very special performances as part of these grand opening events!"
Glenside is about to become home to a one-of-a-kind magic venue. What do you hope The House of Magic will mean for the local community and the magic world at large?
"As I’ve already mentioned, the Township is very excited about the House of Magic coming to Glenside, as are many of the residents and business owners we’ve spoken to. It isn’t every town that has a magic theater and museum!
First, let me clarify that the building is called The Depository. There are three other office spaces within the building and I didn’t think they all wanted to be in a building called House of Magic. Two of those offices are already occupied and the third will be offered for rent after construction is completed.
We hope that House of Magic will be a real draw for people to Glenside. There are so many restaurants and bars so close to us that it makes House of Magic a wonderful destination for locals and those outside of the region. There is ample parking and the Septa Rail station is directly across the street. You can be in downtown Philly in 30 minutes.
For the locals, it is an opportunity to become engaged with the magicians we have appearing and working at House of Magic. We find that throughout the country, so many locals frequent the magic theaters in their neighborhoods and become magic wise laypeople. They get to experience so many of the facets of magic and gain a real appreciation of our art and its variety. We also hope to offer classes and seminars for laypeople, not just to teach them tricks, but also about the history and philosophy of magic.
Finally, we hope to engage, entertain and educate the magicians of the world. For any magician visiting Philadelphia, this will surely become a must see destination. We will offer lectures, seminars and workshops for magicians only. There will be evenings or weekends when magicians will gather to “session”…perform for each other and exchange ideas. We also plan to host small magic conventions, the type that focus on specific areas of magic such as close-up or mentalism. There will be a world-class magic museum that they can visit. This will incorporate an amazing collection of costumes, props, memorabilia and artwork that spans centuries, all for them to view and experience. This space also houses one of the largest privately held magic libraries in the world. This library is not focused on antiquities, although there are many there, but is what is termed a “working” library; a resource for research on the theory, history and performance of magic. Magicians are invited to use that resource for their own discoveries of magic. For those more visually oriented, there is a media room where magicians can view video of magicians past and present. In short, the House of Magic will be a center for magical exploration, study and camaraderie."
After collaborating on this blog post and reading all the in-depth responses, I feel even more excited about what Marc DeSouza is building here in Glenside. He’s not just creating a theater; he’s crafting a true home for magic, filled with so much heart and creativity. I’m incredibly grateful to Marc for sharing his vision—and for pouring so much into bringing something this special to our community.
Honestly, I can’t wait to perform at the House of Magic, and I’m just as excited to soak in all the lectures, shows, and “session” nights with other magicians from around the world. And the best part? My boys will get to experience it all, too. I can already imagine their wide eyes when they see the vault or watch their first close-up magic show. It’s not every day you get a place this cool in your own backyard!
Thank you, Marc, for making this dream come alive. Glenside’s about to be a whole lot more magical, and I can’t wait to step inside and be a part of it!
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