On this day in magic history, October 6, 2017, magician Steve Cohen celebrated an extraordinary career milestone when he performed the 5,000th show of his long-running Chamber Magic — and New York City marked the occasion by officially declaring the date “Chamber Magic Day.”
Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio issued the proclamation recognizing Cohen and his contribution to New York City's performing arts community.
It was a remarkable honor for a magician who had taken an old-fashioned style of intimate parlor magic and turned it into one of New York's most enduring magical experiences.
But the story of show number 5,000 actually began nearly two decades earlier.
Building Chamber Magic
Steve Cohen's fascination with magic began when he was only six years old, after his great-uncle taught him his first trick.
Years later, Cohen developed a concept that was almost the opposite of the enormous illusion shows audiences often associated with professional magic.
Rather than huge stages, elaborate scenery and audiences numbering in the thousands, Cohen wanted to recreate the atmosphere of classic parlor magic — an elegant room, a small audience and impossible things happening only a short distance away.
In 2000, he began presenting solo performances for small audiences in New York. Early performances included shows at the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park.
The concept eventually developed into Chamber Magic.
Cohen's show combined sleight of hand, mind reading, conjuring and his signature Think-a-Drink routine, all presented with the elegant atmosphere of another era.
And then Chamber Magic found the home that would help make it famous.
Sixteen Years at the Waldorf Astoria
In 2001, Cohen established Chamber Magic at New York's legendary Waldorf Astoria.
The setting was almost perfect for the type of magic Cohen wanted to present.
Instead of a conventional theater, guests entered an elegant hotel suite for an intimate performance. The audience was deliberately kept small, allowing spectators to experience the magic at close range.
There was also a sense of occasion surrounding the show.
Guests dressed appropriately for an elegant night out, while Cohen appeared in formal attire, creating an experience that felt less like attending a typical magic show and more like being invited to a private magical gathering from another era.
The concept caught on.
During Cohen's years at the Waldorf Astoria, Chamber Magic attracted more than 500,000 guests, including celebrities, business leaders, royalty and countless visitors to New York.
Cohen became widely known as “The Millionaires' Magician.”
But after 16 years, the show's longtime home was about to disappear.
Leaving the Waldorf Astoria
The Waldorf Astoria closed in 2017 for a massive renovation and redevelopment project.
For Cohen, that meant finding a new home for a show whose identity had become closely associated with one of the world's most famous hotels.
His final Waldorf performance took place on February 25, 2017.
Fortunately, Chamber Magic didn't have to travel very far.
Cohen moved the show just one block away to another luxurious Manhattan landmark — the Lotte New York Palace.
Even more impressively, there was virtually no interruption.
Cohen performed his first Chamber Magic show at the Palace on March 3, 2017, only days after finishing his Waldorf run.
The new location maintained the intimate and elegant atmosphere that had become such an important part of the Chamber Magic experience.
Then, only seven months after making that major transition, Cohen reached one of the biggest milestones of his career.
Show Number 5,000
On Friday, October 6, 2017, Steve Cohen prepared to perform Chamber Magic for the 5,000th time.
The milestone performance took place at 9 p.m. at the Lotte New York Palace.
This wasn't simply another performance.
A special post-show reception was planned in the hotel's Gold Room, complete with Cohen's appropriately named “Think-a-Drink” signature cocktail served from silver teapots. Celebrity cake designer Ron Ben-Israel also created a magic-themed cake for the celebration.
Guests attending the milestone performance received commemorative playing cards marking show number 5,000.
But New York City had another surprise.
October 6 Becomes “Chamber Magic Day”
In recognition of Cohen's 5,000th performance, Mayor Bill de Blasio issued an official proclamation declaring:
Friday, October 6, 2017, “CHAMBER MAGIC DAY” in the City of New York.
The proclamation recognized Cohen's journey from learning his first magic trick as a six-year-old boy to becoming a professional magician and creating one of New York's long-running theatrical attractions.
It also specifically recognized Cohen for enriching New York City's performing arts scene through the art of magic.
For any magician, having a city officially recognize a career milestone would be an incredible achievement.
For it to happen in New York City — one of the entertainment capitals of the world — made the honor even more remarkable.
Making Small Magic Something Big
Perhaps the most interesting part of Steve Cohen's success is that Chamber Magic didn't become successful by getting bigger.
It became successful by remaining intimate.
While many modern magic productions rely on giant video screens, elaborate lighting, dancers and massive illusions, Cohen built his reputation around putting spectators close to the magic.
There is nowhere to hide.
The audience can see the performer.
The performer can see the audience.
And the interaction between the two becomes an essential part of the show.
That philosophy helped Cohen transform an old style of entertainment into something that felt special to modern New York audiences.
Chamber Magic Continues
The 5,000th performance wasn't the end of the story.
Chamber Magic continued at the Lotte New York Palace, surviving another major challenge when live entertainment shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, more than 25 years after Cohen first began developing the show, Chamber Magic continues at the Lotte New York Palace, where audiences can still experience Cohen's combination of sleight of hand, mind reading and classic parlor magic.
What started as a small show built on a dream and a limited budget became a New York magic institution.
And every October 6 gives the magic community a reason to remember one particularly special night.
On October 6, 2017, Steve Cohen performed Chamber Magic for the 5,000th time — and New York City officially gave magic its own day.
Happy Chamber Magic Day!
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