Bristol Riverside Theatre continues its Summer Series 2007 with an offering for the whole family, Magic Around the World, scheduled for nine performances July 18-22 at BRT, 120 Radcliffe Street, in Historic Bristol Borough. The two-hour show presented by Richard and Joanne Gustafson, will feature nearly 100 tricks, illusions, sleight of hand from England, China, Egypt, India and the good old USA, with the emphasis on fun and laughter.

Many of the astounding mysteries will involve “Genie,” a multi-talented model-actress-singer who will appear from nowhere, disappear repeatedly, float in the air, be sliced into pieces and have her head moved four feet from the rest of her body. Despite her travails in these and other illusions, she’ll always take her bow smiling broadly, none the worse for wear.

Members of the audience will help onstage, too, in hilariously funny situations. In one sketch, a volunteer will participate in a Magical Melodrama as she plays the role of the heroine, little Nell. Richard, in a black cape, top hat, and handlebar mustache, will play the role of Slippery Silas, the meanest man in the old west. Of course, Little Nell will prevail as Silas is foiled again while audience members hiss, boo, scream, and cheer on cue.

Richard and Joanne burst onto the entertainment scene in 1967 when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Since then they have performed in England, Canada, Monte Carlo, Singapore, the Caribbean, and forty of fifty United States. They have appeared on stage and TV with many top artists including Joan Rivers, Johnny Mathis, Myron Cohen, John Gary, Shelly Berman, Buddy Greco and George Burns. In 200, in a Gala black tie ceremony in Hollywood, California, Richard was inducted into the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame, joining Houdini, Siegfried and Roy, and other great magicians.

Performances of Magic Around the World are Wednesday through Sunday, July 18-22 with 7:30pm Wednesday through Saturday, 1:00pm Matinees on Wednesday and Thursday, and 3:00pm Matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for all performances are $20 Adults, $10 Students and are available online at www.BRTstage.org, to walk-up customers at the BRT Box Office, or by calling at 215-785-0100. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling Meaghan Crawford at 215-785-6664.