Topline:
This week, LAist Studios debuts Imperfect Paradise: The Castle — Part 4. It's the story of how one hobbyist magician fell in love with a Los Angeles institution cloaked in mystery — the Magic Castle. And what happened when that love was confronted with the realities of an exclusive members-only club and an internal reckoning brought on by the summer of 2020.
Recapping the first three episodes: In Part 1, hobbyist magician Carly Usdin falls in love with the Magic Castle and starts learning magic. In Part 2, as Carly becomes disillusioned with the space, the Castle’s response to the George Floyd protests in 2020 opens a debate around diversity, equity and inclusion at the club. In Part 3, we track how the Magic Castle’s 2020 promises to do better pan out, three years later.
Part 4: We talk with a magic historian about the history behind the on- and off-stage gender dynamics in Western performance magic. We also talk with a DEI expert about the impact of 2020 on the field and the challenges of changing the culture of an institution.
How can I listen? Here's Part 4 of the four-episode story:
