Criss Angel was on the verge of wrapping up yet another 10-star performance of magicians, mind-readers, and mind-blowers, The Supernaturalists, at Foxwoods Resort Casino, when he announced the real magic.
Angel, widely regarded as the greatest performer of magic in his time, told a sold-out Fox Theater crowd of 1,400 that his biggest challenge was to raise $1 million to support pediatric cancer research and care.
He invited the audience to purchase tickets for a one-time benefit performance and celebrity auction, Monday, September 12 at the Las Vegas Luxor, with a cast so luminous that one was left wondering how all of those performers could fit on the same show.
In no particular order, Angel's guests in Vegas on September 12th include Jerry Lewis, Tony Orlando, Siegfried & Roy, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Mike Tyson, Flavor Flav, Howey Mandel, Blue Man Group, Terry Fator, Randy Couture, Andrew Dice Clay, Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, and Cirque du Soliel.
Angel told the audience that every penny collected would benefit cancer research; he was paying for the event out of his own pocket.
The celebrity auction he had arranged included two gifts from none other than world famous magician Criss Angel.
The highest bidder for one event would have the privilege of watching a performance from backstage and seeing exactly how Angel performs his brilliant "demonstrations."
The second: a chance to stay in Criss's home, where Angel himself, who has appeared on television more times than any magician in history, would actually cook meals for the winner.
"You may come down with food poisoning," Angel laughed, "but it's for a good cause."
Angel's success as a performer stems from his deep love of magic and his equally deep love of people; he connects with an audience as do only the Sinatras and Streisands.
After the show, Angel took time to speak with HuffPost about the challenges of raising money.
"It's hard," Angel said. "There are so many great causes out there. I don't think even Las Vegas has ever seen a night like the one we're putting together, so I'm hoping we can raise some serious money."
For Angel, the cause could not be more personal: His own two-year-old son is currently in remission from a rare form of early childhood cancer.
"We raise so much money for cancer care for older people," he said, "which is as it should be, because we don't want to see anyone suffer or die prematurely.
"But what about the kids? They've barely begun to live their lives, and it's amazing how little funding is directed toward their specific needs, compared with the overall investment in cancer research and prevention."
Angel came to Foxwoods with a production called The Supernaturalists, featuring nine top magicians from around the world.
The sold-out, 8-show Foxwoods run, which concluded August 28, served as a successful proving ground for a planned national and world tour.
Two of the nine performers came from America's Got Talent, while four others have performed with Angel in Las Vegas and on television.
Angel is famous for climbing the side of the pyramid-shaped Luxor Hotel, for walking on water in a swimming pool, for making a giant motorcycle disappear, and for escape artistry paying homage to his personal hero, Harry Houdini.
But if Angel succeeds in raising seven figures to make pediatric cancer disappear, he will have performed his greatest feat yet.
For more information about the September 12 benefit at the Luxor, visit CrissAngelHelp.com.