* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #18 Date: Sunday 23rd April 2000 Editor: Alan Watson www.alan-watson.com =============================== Contents =============================== 1. Editors Message 2. New shows - school and Fun & Magic Shows 3. Five months in Seattle at Teatro Zinn Zanni 4. Richard Webster - books for sale 5. Magic on TV this coming week - by Ed Hall 6. Grand Magic Company went to Dubai 7. History of Mystery (NZBC-TV, January 1965) 8. Melbourne Convention 9. Performing at the British Close-up Symposium 10. The Shore Club had its first open night 11. An Amazing Story 12. Now, in regard to Ken Ring's message 13. Wanted to buy 14. Diarise these events 15. News Items 16. MagicNZ e-zine archives 17. Benefit of subscribing to the MagicNZ e-zine 18. Subscription Management 19. Contact Information. ------------------------------------- 1. Editors Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Thank you to all those who have contributed so far to the MagicNZ e-zine. To help save time please do not submit your messages in ALL CAPITALS or written in third party!! All messages are credited to the originator. I am sure that the e-zine will be of interest to all New Zealand magicians and it would be great to share the e-zine messages with your fellow club members who aren't on the Internet so take copies along to your next meeting. ------------------------------------- 2. New shows - school and Fun & Magic Shows ------------------------------------- Message from Ronald McDonald Checked my schedule - We have no Ronald McDonald shows coming up until July...so will be in touch closer to the time. We are in recess from now as we start to rehearse our new shows - school and Fun and Magic Shows. Then in June its just school visits (which are road safety shows). ------------------------------------- 3. Five months in Seattle at Teatro Zinn Zanni ------------------------------------- Message from Sam Angelico ......I'm very well and have been back in Australia a couple of months now after 5 months in Seattle at Teatro Zinn Zanni, which is a wonderful European Style Variety Show dinner is also served. Which has been a big success, sold out for most of the last year. The Show has now moved to San Fransisco. I leave Melbourne in 6 weeks to begin another 5 months contract with the same show in San Fransisco ------------------------------------- 4. Richard Webster - books for sale - esp@psychic.co.nz ------------------------------------- Thanks for mentioning the Popular Fiction Award on last week's MagicNZ e-zine. Here is the latest selection: Genie Presentations by Will Ayling (Supreme) Good condition $20.00 Magic with Fawcett Ross by Lewis Ganson (Supreme) Good condition $20.00 McComb's Magic: 25 Years Wiser by Billy McComb (Supreme) Good condition $20.00 Ponsin on Conjuring (Jeff Busby) $10.00 Bruce Cervin's The Black and White Trick and other assorted mysteries by Mike Maxwell $20.00 ------------------------------------- 5. Magic on TV this coming week - by Ed Hall ------------------------------------- Sunday 30 April, 3pm, TV4. TV Guide lists the weekly series 'Masters of Illusion'. Ed Hall email: edhall@ihug.co.nz http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~edhall/magic/ ------------------------------------- 6. Grand Magic Company went to Dubai ------------------------------------- Message from Ross Skiffington I have been working on the production of CATS (Runs away to the Circus) as magic consultant. It is the $10 Million dollar tent show currently touring Australia and eventually will get to NZ. Likewise The Hobbit. A stage production of the Tolkein book which is a giant puppet show for adults. The "puppets" are from one meter to 3 meter with the Dragon a genuine giant that fills the stage. Forget marionettes.....go see it for a great theatrical experience..... The entire Ross Skiffington Grand Magic Company went to Dubai for a big show prior to Xmas which turned out to be one of the best gigs we have ever done. The show was for 5000 plus people and we did an hour of material taking 1.5 tons of gear. Not a bit of damage during transport and all on time. What a pleasant change. Great facilities and we were very well looked after. Hopefully we will be making an appearance at the convention in Melbourne for the public show but this has to be confirmed. I am currently writing a cabaret for myself and Wendy called, "Lounge Wizard" (c) this is due to go into production later in the year for touring. Also reworking my kids play that features magic called Patrick's Hatrick. This will be ready for the next school hols. I will be directing and there will be a young actor/magician playing Patrick, this role yet to be cast. We have also designed and built for Sam Angelico a new effect that he will be taking back to the USA. He is currently featured in "Teatro Zinzanni" the speigletent show that has opened in San Francisco. There was an article about the show in the March 99 edition of MAGIC. That's about it. There are other projects that I am working on but am not in a position to release any of the details. All I can say is that one will have me back in China and then to Las Vegas. That's all I can say at this time but will let you know. Trust you and all NZ magicians are in fine form. Yours Magically Ross Skiffington ======================== Editor - Ross is an e-pat Kiwi ======================== ------------------------------------- 7. History of Mystery (NZBC-TV, January 1965) ------------------------------------- Message from Clive Court In your last editor's message, you mentioned about historians and access to the ezine files. It alerted me to the fact that there could be a few who might be interested in materials about The History of Mystery (NZBC-TV, January 1965). I have press clippings, a 30-page production script, and productions stills. I have a 10x8 montage print of four production stills currently available in multiple copies (I'll send one to Magicana for their files). If anyone is interested in copies of this material, please contact me. I would also like to hear from anyone who might have any clippings, etc about The History of Mystery. The actual videotape of NZ's first TV magic special was erased in the late sixties so it's not available in your TV archives (incidently, they also erased the pre-Monty Python radio recordings as well as erase everything but the music on a radio special I worked on for the 1963 opening of Broadcasting House in Wellington). You've got to wonder who they put in charge of archives in those days! funslinger@magicwest.com PS--Incidently, when I ask the current archives manager for a listing on what's available on visual or non-musical performers in New Zealand--all I get is mumbles-a confused reaction to the question. I think more of you should be asking--after all, you're paying for them. ------------------------------------- 8. Melbourne Convention ------------------------------------- Message from Michael Woolf Paul Bowen and Les Cohen have made contact from Melbourne with a special message to New Zealand magicians. If you are going to Melbourne for what should be a truly great Convention, June 9-12, please register immediately. The numbers are urgently needed so that catering arrangements can be confirmed. Please contact Paul at convention2000@hotmail.com or Les Cohen at lesco@tpg.com.au You can visit the Convention Website at http://www.members.tripod.com/~convention2000/ Please register now." ------------------------------------- 9. Performing at the British Close-up Symposium ------------------------------------- Message from Sean Taylor I have lectured recently in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide with a lecture which combines some of the items from my Platform 1 book and some of the items from my new lecture Seven Deadly Things which is all on close-up. I will be taking this lecture to the UK for a month next year. I have been booked for the British Close-up Symposium, the Irish Convention and a swag of other lectures in between. Entertainment wise, most of my work these days is comedy standup with alittle close-up to pay the bills. The shop has taken up so much of our time these past few months as we have completely re-furbished, removing all the gags and novelties and replacing them with a bigger range of professional magic and juggling equipment. The shop looks so different now with huge illuminated cabinets, lots more display space and a good deal of new Aussie made stuff. I have a new book on the way with six new dealer items due by the end of the year including a card trick which I have sold to an American manufacturer (they are printing 5000!). ------------------------------------- 10. The Shore Club had its first open night ------------------------------------- Message from Michael Peck The Shore Club had its first open night since reforming last month. We have a bunch of really dedicated kids coming along now... generally about six or seven regulars at each meeting. If you have contact with any prospective members Bruce Allens phone number is 424 3588. ------------------------------------- 11. An Amazing Story ------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany Just arrived back from Asia a few days ago and am in New Zealand for a few weeks before heading off overseas again. My last flight was just amazing. I received a phone call from Singapore Airlines before I left to say that I had double booked my flight, as there were two P. Romhany's on the flight. My travel agent phoned to find out what the story was. After a bit of research we found out that the other P. Romhany was booked via London and I then realised it was my twin brother who was catching a flight with his wife from London to Auckland via Singapore coming to our wedding. He had no idea that I would be on the flight so I managed along with the help of Singapore Airlines to book a seat next to him on the plane coming to Auckland. I have never in my life seen anybody's face drop in surprise (I hope it was surprise) as much as Peter and Amanda's. They were looking around duty free in Singapore while in transit when I walked up to them and said, "they'll let anybody in this airport". To say they were in shock to see me was an understatement. It was a brilliant flight as I got to fly back with them. We have family from Holland, London etc. now in New Zealand so things are incredibly busy getting ready for the big day. At the same time I have been working at Rainbows End every day. After the wedding I'm off overseas then should be back in New Zealand mid-may, away again in June. I will post wedding photos on my web site in a couple of weeks. ------------------------------------- 12. Now, in regard to Ken Ring's message ------------------------------------- Message from Kath Worsfold - good on him for teaching the kids! I don't know if the rest of you are aware of it, but there IS a magic club for kids in Auckland, run by Bruce Allan (BJ the clown). It is in Takapuna, in the Senior Citizens Hall right by the Library in The Strand. The club meets the first Wednesday evening of each month at 7:30 p.m. BJ's phone number is: (09) 424 3588 and his Mobile is: (021) 901 975. Takapuna is only five minutes drive from Auckland city, so in my book it qualifies as an Auckland club, but I realise that many of those city types like everything to be within two minutes drive - not like us country types who think nothing of driving 45 minutes to get into Auckland for all our activities! Bruce can tell you all about the club, if you give him a ring. I believe he's also trying to encourage adult membership, and the adults will meet after the kids' club. For any of us from points north, this could be a bit closer than travelling right into Auckland to a club, and a lot of us have also lost our club anyway, so other magicians who (like us) only belong to the NZSM, could also think about joining. Talk to Bruce about it anyway. ------------------------------------- 13. Wanted to buy ------------------------------------- Message from Bill Reid 1x hand held UHF radio microphone and receiver Contact Bill Reid bmreid@magicians.co.nz Mobile: 025 454020 ------------------------------------- 14. Diarise these events ------------------------------------- Sunday 25th June Auckland - Harvey Berg (USA) - lecture Tuesday 27th June Wellington - Harvey Berg (USA) - lecture Thursday 29th June Christchurch - Harvey Berg (USA) - lecture Sunday 22nd October- IBM Ring 160 Day of magic Thursday 12th - 16th April (Easter) 2001 New Zealand Magicians' Convention If you require more information about the above events go to www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive to research for more information. ------------------------------------- 15. News Items ------------------------------------- If you have any news items that you feel the majority of our subscribers would be interested in please e-mail me so I can include them in the next e-zine. The magician who e-mails me a particular news item FIRST will receive full credit at the top of that item. If the news is of major importance I will send them out immediately as a Newsflash. ------------------------------------- 16. MagicNZ e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: ezine Password: magicnz When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001nov6.txt first three numbers denote issue number then the date. ------------------------------------- 17. Benefit of subscribing to the MagicNZ e-zine ------------------------------------- You will now be informed well in advance of coming events and kept right up to date with the latest news. MagicNZ e-zine is published weekly, late on Sunday night. ------------------------------------- 18. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the MagicNZ e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors. Neither MagicNZ nor Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via MagicNZ e-zine. We reserve the right to correct any errors or omissions as we see fit. >> This publication may be freely redistributed to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY << (c) Copyright 2000 Alan Watson ------------------------------------- 19. Contact Information ------------------------------------- Alan Watson Ph. (9) 483-9274 Fax. (09) 483-9274 Mobile 025 95-7070 e-mail alan@watson.co.nz www.magician.co.nz www.magicianz.com