Ambitious Card

Talia Matos is an aspiring magician who finds herself stuck in the “assistant zone”. She wants to audition for a television spot but her mentor, the Amazing Xane, convinces her she isn’t ready. After narrowly escaping death during a stunt, Talia discovers that there may be more to her knack for card tricks than sleight of hand. Scared and confused, she reunites with her mother, Zara, who tells Talia her magic...
Talia Matos is an aspiring magician who finds herself stuck in the “assistant zone”. She wants to audition for a television spot but her mentor, the Amazing Xane, convinces her she isn’t ready. After narrowly escaping death during a stunt, Talia discovers that there may be more to her knack for card tricks than sleight of hand. Scared and confused, she reunites with her mother, Zara, who tells Talia her magic is real. Against Zara’s wishes, Talia uses her newfound power to propel her to nearly instant fame and fortune. But power, as Talia learns, comes with a price.
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Ambitious Card

Recommended by

  • Amanda L. Andrei:
    19 Mar. 2020
    The “ambitious card” is a trick in which a card from the middle of a deck reappears at the top—an essential routine that student magicians learn and customize to make their own. Langley’s supernatural dramedy does precisely that, customizing the journey of a young illusionist determined to become the first female magician with an American TV special. But little does she know that her heritage of magic goes beyond illusion and straight into the paranormal. Epic in scope, Ambitious Card blurs lines of performance and examines female relationships while playing with anxiety, pride, and our true callings.
  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown:
    20 Jan. 2018
    The spirit of a young artist is a fragile thing, a garden with the consistently looming questions of when is it growing, and when has it begun to bloom? Environment is key, and Langley's use of the concept of family is deftly poignant. Talia's journey from one home to another (some encouraging, the others enraging), to the creation, loss, and rescue of her own home is heartbreaking, inspiring, and altogether enchanting. The integration of social issues, like passive/aggressive sexism, is seamless, and naturally addressed throughout the dialogue. An artist's true talents always reveal when all seems lost. Then what?
  • Mary Lyon Kamitaki:
    8 Sep. 2016
    Hannah's mix of spectacle and humor combined with her deft handling of social issues make this play as enjoyable as it is progressive. Its winning protagonist and unique world are characteristic Hannah Langley magic.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Fountain Theatre Rapid Development
    ,
    2017