A Magical Family Vacation on AXN

Fans of magic, brace yourselves! Get ready to be enthralled as AXN brings the ultimate magical extravaganza this June when Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition starts airing every Sunday at 8:30PM starting June 10! AXN has again teamed up with one of the world’s most illustrious magicians, Cyril. A global superstar magician, he first wowed Asian TV audiences with Cyril: Simply Magic on AXN, a three-part special set in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei.

And Cyril is definitely back - a lot bigger and better, and with his family in tow! In this international TV edition of Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition, get ready to be charmed by his family members – Grandma Magi, Uncle Richard and Cousin Tiny - as they embark on a hilarious vacation to the tropical paradise of Oahu, Hawaii.

What happens when you take the most influential and provocative magician in the world today, put him in disguise, and throw him into real-world situations?

In this six-part series, internationally-acclaimed magician and illusionist, Cyril shows us his personal side as he takes his “family” on a much-needed vacation. Turns out the family has a little magic in their DNA... and prepare to be blown away!

A departure from the traditional street magic series that established Cyril, CYRIL’S FAMILY VACATION features a new and innovative way of magic storytelling. With one of Japan’s award winning special effects make-up teams at work, each character is brought to life with striking and convincing realism. Set against scenic Honolulu where Japanese culture is part of Hawaiian traditions and kanji is written alongside English on street signs, CYRIL’S FAMILY VACATION is a voyeuristic and addicting magical social experiment that tests the limits of what is and is not possible.

Meet the Family:

Crazy Uncle Richard – A real ladies' man, Uncle Richard can always be found sporting his favorite cigar and his stylish fedora. He loves golf and the good life. He was an incurable Casanova in his younger days and truth be told, he has not lost his touch. His over-the-top persona is bolstered by the strange magical things, which always seem to happen whenever he’s around.

Grandma Magi – She’s the matriarch of Cyril’s family, an adorable old lady that has a taste for mischief. Although she gets the senior’s discount, she has the youthful energy of a child, and she’s always got a story to tell. The secret to preserving her youthfulness is she loves to be around young people. They help her to appreciate the natural magic of every moment.

Cousin Tiny - This is one dude that you just cannot miss; most likely because he’s blocking your way. He’s never met a treat he didn’t like. But don’t let his size fool you, he has a knack for defying gravity. His bubbly personality and goofy laugh are infectious. As far as Tiny is concerned, he thinks he taught Cyril everything he knows about magic.

Cyril’s Family Vacation plays with human reactions - the close up reactions of those experiencing the impossible as well as the reactions of those who witness the magical commotion from afar. Expect the unexpected.

Miraculous things happen as the family is soaked in the sunshine and scenery of Oahu, almost as if Mother Nature had a hand in it. Don’t be surprised to find Grandma Magi wandering off on her shopping escapades, Uncle Richard proving his magical prowess on the golf course or even… Cousin Tiny defying Newton’s law of gravity to… hang off a tree!

The storytelling aspect, yes - that's what sets this show apart from any other magic series. While typical street magic series has the magician and camera crew approaching a crowd, the producers of Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition chose to up the ante – hidden cameras. This allows the story to evolve organically over six episodes and the amazing candid reactions that make for great TV.

Cyril who was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and now based in Tokyo, Japan, exudes the 21st century entertainer, capturing the very discriminating audiences worldwide. He was fascinated with magic early on in his youth. And at a young age of 15, he became a junior member at the illustrious Magic Castle in Hollywood.

As thus, he was instantly labeled the world's first "Cyber Magician" as he gained global popularity by becoming the most downloaded magician on the internet, with over 100 million views today on Youtube alone.

In 2007,  Cyril was voted "Magician of the Year"- a recognition given by his peers at the 39th Annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards, also known as the "Academy Awards of Magic,"  upping him to the level of past winners that included icons such as David Copperfield and Seigfreid & Roy.

During the presscon, I was made to join Cyril on stage. He made me hold a soda can that was full. Then he opened the lid, instructed me to turn it upside down and much to our surprise, nothing spilled! Then, he told me to hold the can again. And lo and behold, with his bare hands, he sealed the lid as if it were factory-sealed. After that, I felt, with my own hands, the solid contents of the can melt and liquefy. Then he opened the can once more and poured it out to reveal a waterfall of soda! If that wasn't mind-boggling, I don't know what is.

“Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition” will debut in the Philippines on June 10, 2012 at 8:30PM.