Who?!

Mark Philip Lichtenstein is a native Manhattanite whose parents wouldn’t let him watch E.T. when he was growing up, as they thought the puppet would give Mark nightmares, but did take him to see the blood spattered Kenneth Branagh version of Henry V when we was just ten years old because it was “a sophisticated foreign film.”

Mark’s father, a passionate amateur magician, introduced Mark to the community of New York magicians, setting him on the path to performing professionally. Mark’s mother an avid amateur painter, took him to New York’s wonderful museums whenever possible, instilling a love of art that would lead Mark to pursue it seriously.

By the time Mark was an adult, he had completed courses of study at three major art schools, including Tisch School of The Arts where he majored in film directing and argued his way into the Department of Dramatic Writing’s Advanced Screenwriting Program, an amazing feat given how much time he wasted spent at the NYU SciFi Club and the NYU Magic Club.

Today, Mark directs films for corporate clients, comedy entities, and yes, magicians. He emphasizes classical techniques augmented with modern technology, and prides himself on coming in on time and within budget every time. As film and magic are sister arts, Mark has found that many principles of magic are applicable to film, and vice versa.

Mark writes for the screen on his own and with a plethora of collaborators. His team is producing the Caveat Original Earth’s Greatest…, he is co-writer of The Abby Grant Mysteries for Automatik, and he is developing a sitcom about being sucked into playing the part of a right wing talking head on TV, and a film about how automation will likely kill us all.

Mark writes satirical content for several online publications (see below), centrist political organizations, and Medium.com where he has, at various times, been listed as a top writer in the categories of satire, humor, and perplexingly, food.

As a professional magician, Mark performs magic and mind reading at private parties. He is a member of The Magic Circle, the world’s premiere magic society, headquartered in London. He always has a pack of cards, and nearly always carries his mind with him. Mark also writes about magic, what it’s like being a magician, and what lessons laypeople can take from magic (aside from revealing tricks of course).

Heads up! The following section is still under construction. I’m collating quotes to post here.