The Magic Behind d'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical - The Audio Theater Experience (2020)

Created by composer, writer and producer, Bálint Varga, "d'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical" was being pitched to producers when the pandemic hit in early 2020, inspiring him to find an alternate way to move forward with introducing the original work to audiences. This challenge allowed him to continue to practice his craft and stay vital and relevant in the Broadway-theater industry that has been devastated and silenced due to the pandemic. The documentary, directed, produced and edited by Long Island filmmaker Max Hechtman, documents how from April to August, Varga brought together 42 actors and musicians from around the world, representing six countries, to record all the scenes, remotely. With cutting edge technology and extraordinary talent, Varga blended them together into a seamless and unified work, a new theatrical art form, which Varga terms as an "audio theater experience." "This audio theater experience is not just about creating a new piece for the world. It was also to show an example that during this unprecedented time we can stay active, we can stay creative," notes Varga. The documentary captures the impact of the pandemic on the lives of the actors and the opportunity that the project gave them to use the time during the pandemic to explore a new way to create theater, without ever meeting, rehearsing with, or having the benefit of being able to react to characters in their scenes - all essential components of traditional theatrical production. It also touches on how the musical came into being and what the creators hope listeners will take away from the experience of listening to their creation.