. >> reporter: 25-year-old lauren works at match.com.did you do it? >> magic. >> reporter: and 20-year-old johna, a college student. all of them have paid their dues in one wail or another. >> i was bullied, so, my family thought, if you are interested in art and gymnastics and tennis instead of magic, you might have more friends. >> reporter: everybody loves magic as a child. >> right. >> reporter: and yet, magic has the sort of sense of, ma jixs aren't that cool. >> yeah, it does, definitely. >> reporter: is that fair? >> i get that question all the time. do you use magic to get girls? and i always go, no. are you kidding me? >> reporter: so, there's an awful lot riding on this audition. jack goldfinger is on the selection committee. a small group of veterans tasked with determining if potential new members have what it takes. >> wow. >> if magic became illegal tomorrow, is there enough evidence in their house to convict them? if there is, they're a magician. >> reporter: this is a place for people who are great at magic and also for p