NORFOLK, Neb. -- The magic returns to the Johnny Carson Theatre stage with the Great American Comedy Festival’s family Comedy Magic Show Thursday, June 16th in Norfolk.

The Comedy Magic Show begins at 7 p.m. and will feature three world-class magicians: Matt Marcy, Alexander Boyce and Andrew Goldenhersh.

The Great American Comedy Festival will continue Friday, June 17th with the Comedy Showcase and David Koechner as headliner and Saturday, June 18, with the Festival Gala and the Smothers Brothers as headliners.  Both shows are at 7 p.m. and will also feature four different stand-up comedians, along with the headliners, each evening. There is also an adults-only, late-night show on Friday at 10:30 at The Stables in Norfolk.

The 13th Great American Comedy Festival is presented by Nucor Steel Nebraska, Nucor Cold Finish Nebraska, Nucor Detailing Center, and Vulcraft Nebraska.

A graduate of Brown University, Marcy has appeared 12 times on “Masters of Illusion” on the CW Network and twice on “Penn & Teller:  Fool Us” over his 20-year career.  Acclaimed for his combination of magic and storytelling, he has performed more than 1,000 shows at the world-famous Hollywood Magic Castle.

Marcy is also creator of the award-winning comedy web series, “Disillusioned,” and the author of “Magic for the Business World.” He entertains around the world as a comedy magician, emcee and keynote speaker at theaters, casinos, cruise ships, and private and corporate events.

Boyce has appeared on the McKittrick Hotel’s long running “Speakeasy Magick” in New York City.  He has also appeared at The Magic Castle in Hollywood and Harvard A.R.T.’s “The Conjuror’s Club.”

He recently served as the magic consultant for the Lincoln Center, NBC’s “New Amsterdam” and the Netflix feature, “The Week of Bizarre Brooklyn,” which he co-created and starred in. “The Week of Bizarre Brooklyn” was featured by “The New York Times” as a selection for best theater of the year.

Boyce has performed for clients like Amazon, Google, and NASDAQ.  He lives in Brooklyn and considers himself lucky he gets to share his passion for magic with audiences all over the world.

Goldenhersh was voted Parlour Magician of the Year two years in a row and has been nominated for both Close-up Magician of the Year and Parlour Magician of the Year twelve years in a row. He has entertained audiences from Hollywood to the Far East and been prominently featured on several national TV shows in the United States, Japan and China.

A perennial honoree at the legendary Magic Castle, he has also received accolades from the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts.

Respected by his peers, Goldenhersh has entertained A-listers in entertainment like Dustin Hoffman, Nicolas Cage, Jason Alexander, Demi Moore, Teri Hatcher, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Carell, Jane Fonda, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, Michael Ovitz, and the late Aaron Spelling and Robin Leach . 

Las Vegas superstar Lance Burton calls Goldenhersh a "genius". The world-renowned David Copperfield recently licensed one of his routines.

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson” for over 25 years.

For tickets and information, visit www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com