Las Vegas Weekly

July 31, 2008 · 4:48 PM

New V Theater magician is no illusion

By Robin Leach

Scarlett, Princess of Magic hopes to cast a long shadow on the Strip.

Photo: Richard Faverty

Although she’s still an unknown name her rise to fame has been remarkable- in less than two years she’s gone from trainee to Strip headliner. Now starting tomorrow (Friday) for an initial six-month run and a further six-month option, Vegas has a new magician- and she’s a princess. Scarlett, Princess of Magic will star at the V Theater in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile with unique illusions within a family entertainment experience.

Scarlett is all set to dazzle with her skills, beauty and personality -- let alone all her costumed copies of everybody from Marilyn Monroe to Michael Jackson, as she charms with her conjuring conquests. David Saxe, V Theater’s show producer and managing partner, states that, “I have not seen such stage presence in a female magician since my sister, ‘Melinda: The First Lady of Magic.’ ”

Photo: Richard Faverty

Scarlett, right, and her rabbit.

Scarlett has already mastered some of the most difficult feats performed by the legendary Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone Jr. She has conquered the unimaginable by being handcuffed; feet shackled, dropped upside-down and locked in bone-chilling water in an escape never intended for a woman. Scarlett owns one of only two 40-year-old Topsy Turvy vertical boxes that belonged to Blackstone. The prop is quite narrow and just large enough to stand in upright. Scarlett is flipped over and placed upside down and is able to instantaneously switch to an upright position before an amazed audience.

The femme fatal also presents the dangerous Wind Shear performance where she “magically” pulls her body through the razor-sharp blades of a large high-powered industrial fan. “I love entertaining audiences in an intimate setting, and headlining at the V Theater is a dream come true,” said the red-haired entertainer, flashing her trademark green eyes. An animal lover she uses five of her personal pets in the show. “Animals make people smile. I love bringing Eve, a Hyacinth Macau, my rabbit, Old blue Eyes, named after Frank Sinatra, Stan the parakeet, Spiffy the miniature dachshund and my German Shepherd Rommel to work with me every day. It takes patience to train animals and create magical effects around them. Their safety is my utmost concern,” she said.

In addition to magic she’s an accomplished dancer, performs fire-eating and is a metal-welder and percussionist

Scarlett grew up in Reno and began dancing when she was just five years old. She was selected to perform as the featured assistant to Reno magician Jon Andrew and he permitted her to incorporate her

dancing expertise and fire-performing skills to enhance the show.

Scarlett recalled: “Jon taught me classical routines –- the vanishing birdcage, linking rings, and once I understood the performance elements I was able to conquer the technical aspects of each illusion more effectively.”

It was only last October that she performed her first show here in Henderson, and went on quickly to Hollywood’s legendary Magic Castle and “The World’s Greatest Magic Show” at the Greek Isles Casino here as the only female co-starring with six other magicians. That led to her making the move to live in Vegas and land her own headliner show. Its only two years total that she went from magician’s assistant to our newest Strip star!

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