* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Zealand's MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #104 Date: Sunday 20th January 2002 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. IBM Convention - San Diego Update 3. S.A.M. Convention - New York Update 4. Planning Trips To The UK 5. 5th Annual Sorcerer's Safari In The Muskokas 6. Hi From Argentina!! 7. Excellent Effect From Peter Marucci 8. Vanishing Cigarettes 9. The Orchante Saga #59 10. MagicNZ e-zine archives 11. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One CONGRATULATIONS to Bill & Marlene Seagraves (Scotland) now living in Taupo, New Zealand on the arrival of their new granddaughter, Paris Breeze to their daughter Leanne and husband Paul. Paris weighed in a 3.240 kg (approx. 7lbs 2oz) on 11th January. ----------------------------------------------------- Ross Skiffington (Melbourne, Australia) ex-pat Kiwi is getting ready to board a cruise ship for 9 weeks next Wednesday. Rehearsing and refining the act, one 45 min show plus 2, 15 min ones. All we are doing is going around New Zealand and back to Australia so nothing too adventurous. ----------------------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. IBM Convention - San Diego Update ---------------------------------- Message from Mindy Burden (US) Remember, prices for the IBM Convention at San Diego (July 2-6) will go up to $120 effective March 1, so be sure to get your registrations in NOW! You won't want to miss the ALL NEW Kick-Off Party on Tuesday, July 2 and the ALL NEW fun and entertaining Banquet on Saturday, July 6. In addition, we will continue the Gold Cups Finals which was a huge success at its inaugural last year. We have a fabulous Museum planned featuring collections from JP Jackson and Norm Nielsen. Stage Talent: The Great Tomsoni, Jason Byrne, Carl Ballantine, Omar Pasha, Alan Shaxon, Norm Nielsen, Chuck Jones & Co., James Dimmare, Aldo Colombini, Todd Charles, John Carney, Rich Bloch, Stephen Bargatze, Joaquin Ayala Close-Up: Steve Dacri, Lupe, Alan Shaxon, David Stone, Johnny Thompson One Man Show: Bev Bergeron Big 3 Lecture: Bob Fitch Lecturers: Marvyn & Carol Roy, Johnny & Pam Thompson, Tom Jones & Rachel Wild, Carl Ballantine with Steve Dacri, David Stone, The Spencers' Healing of Magic, Alan Shaxon, Steve Dacri, Aldo Colombini, John Carney, Danny Archer, Richard Hughes Interested Dealers may contact Suzanne Burton at SuzanneBur@aol.com To place an ad in the souvenir program, contact Mindy Burden at jam3rma@avolve.net Interested stage and close-up contestants should contact Jerry Schnepp at jcschnepp@aol.com Check the IBM website for updates and registration information: www.magician.org ---------------------------------- 3. S.A.M. Convention - New York Update ---------------------------------- Message from George Schindler - Society of American Magicians-Public Relations Marc Salem's "Mind Games Too!" To Be Featured At Centennial MARC SALEM will present his highly acclaimed MIND GAMES TOO! Show at the Society of American Magicians convention July 4, 2002. The show is a captivating excursion into the possibilities of the human mind.. Marc takes his audiences through a series of hilarious, astounding and mystifying Mind Games. The show is now taking London by storm as it has done twice before in New York City with great reviews. The July 4 appearance is not open to the public but is presented as another convention "happening". Don't miss this one! www.magicsam.com (Photo can be e-mailed on request) ---------------------------------- 4. Planning Trips To The UK ---------------------------------- Message from Tony Shelley (UK) Pharmagic@aol.com If you are planning trips to the UK don't forget the IBM British Ring Convention takes place at Eastbourne September 24th-29th 2002. We would be delighted to have any of you over here. ------------------------------------------------------- 5. 5th Annual Sorcerer's Safari In The Muskokas ------------------------------------------------------- Message from Magic Mike I just wanted to let you know that we are gearing up for this summers 5th annual Sorcerer's Safari in the Muskokas here in Ontario, Canada. Now that we are getting bigger and more media coverage, many magicians have been asking how they can be involved. I just wanted to let you and your members know that will be starting our counsellor interviews at the end of this month. As well, we are putting our list of guests together and have been since the end of camp last summer. If there is anyone interested in attending, camper, staff or performer-they should contact me or Lynda Grose at their earliest convenience. If you wouldn't mind passing this on, I would really appreciate it. Thanks for all your support and I look forward to hearing from you and other area magicians. (416) 322-1442 magicmike@Sorcerers-Safari.com lynda@Sorcerers-Safari.com www.Sorcerers-Safari.com www.Magic-Mike.com ---------------------------------- 6. Hi From Argentina!! ---------------------------------- Message from Quique Marduk I'm the owner of Bazar de Magia, the largest magic shop in South America, and member of the IBM Ring 182 (called Fantasio ring) Reading on your newsletter about the South American Cruise, I wonder when will arrive the cruise to Argentina? The situation here is very quiet now, there is no reason to be afraid on visiting us. Please, contact us and let us know if the cruise will stop in Buenos Aires, because we would like to arrange a special meeting here! all the best! Quique Marduk Bazar de Magia Argentina ---------------------------------- 7. Excellent Effect From Peter Marucci ---------------------------------- Message from John Fells What an excellent effect from Peter Marucci of Canada in issue 103. And for free. Surely one that some would have paid for, if seen advertised as a dealer item. Great idea. I thought that instead of gluing a coin to the paddle, a metal paddle could be used together with a magnetic coin; or even a wooden paddle with a steel shim. On a related subject. The new Euro coins are magnetic. Or rather, are attracted by magnets. ---------------------------------- 8. Vanishing Cigarettes ---------------------------------- Message from Dave Boyd (Aust) I smiled while reading Orchante saga 58 regarding the vanishing cigs in my 20 years at Magic Mountain I have vanished probably thousands of cigarettes while wandering around the tables between stage shows. Like Orchante, I have never been sprung using the thumb tip, except, for once. I had done it for a group of 20+ year olds of both sexes. One of the guys said, that's incredible, do it for my girlfriend, (who had just joined them) taking his lighted cigarette, into my fist it went and duly vanished, each time I did it, they called someone else over to be shown. Normally the maximum I will do it for the one group is twice, but I broke my own rule and on the fourth time I guy said "Hey! what's that on you thumb" I had been sprung, off the top of my head I said "what this?" Holding up my thumb complete with thumb tip. "That's what happens when you talk to some one while using a band saw. It's not very realistic, but it looks better than the stump, especially when people are eating their lunch." That bloke was that embarrassed, he could not apologize enough. The only problem was, every time I saw him approaching I had to slip on my thumb tip. It's good out to remember, if you are ever caught using a tip. ---------------------------------- 9. The Orchante Saga #59 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) SKIPPEE, Skippee, Skippy the Bush kangaroo Must say, every time I open up the lid of my 'bottomless' aluminium trunk it feels like I'm blindingly inserting my hands into the - 'swirling, nebulous mists of times and memories past'. On this occasion the original itinerary (with amendments) for a South Island tour, fluttered up from its unfathomable depths into my fingers, which is how this episode got started. David McKee, promoter in Auckland, telephoned me saying that he'd had a query from a promoter who was based in the capital city of New Zealand - Wellington, regarding a show that was to tour the South Island for a total of 18 performances. The INTERNATIONAL 'TELEVISION STAR' headlining the show was -' SKIPPY - THE BUSH KANGAROO'! The tour dates were from August -16th to the 24th - the year was 1973. "Unfortunately", David said, "the money is pathetic, 'McDonald' is only offering $250, the miserable sod, so it's up to you whether you take it or not but, forgetting the money (which wasn't difficult), the publicity should be fantastic - oh, and by the way, your mate Peter Newberry' - 'Crunchy the Clown', will be on the tour as well". Well it was only nine days, we had nothing else on and we should at least, have a good time. "Okay Dave" I said, "we'll do it". FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED, ESPECIALLY EX PAT KIWIS, HERE IS THE ITINERARY, WHICH MORE THAN LIKELY WILL MAKE YOU FEEL RATHER HOMESICK - IT DOES ME. Thursday 16th August: Skippy arrives CHRISTCHURCH airport 12:45pm - TV and press promotion then leave for TIMARU. More promotion. Distance - 100 miles Friday 17th - leave TIMARU for DUNEDIN - even more promotion, 130 miles. LEAVE FOR INVERCARGILL - still more promotions. 140 miles. Saturday 18th - perform six shows at INVERCARGILL CIVIC THEATRE - 10:30am, 12, 2, 4, 5:30 and 7pm then LEAVE FOR GORE - 50 miles . Sunday 19th - perform three shows at St Mary's - 12, 1:30 and 2:30pm. LEAVE GORE FOR BALCLUTHA - 50 miles - one show only, at 5:00pm then LEAVE FOR DUNEDIN - 50 miles. Monday 20th - worked five shows at the DUNEDIN IN TOWN HALL - 10:30am, 12, 2, 4, and 5:15pm. LEAVE FOR OAMARU - 50 miles. Tuesday 21st - two shows at the OPERA HOUSE, OAMARU, 9:30 and 11am then leave for TIMARU - 50 miles; three performances at the THEATRE ROYAL - 2:30, 4, and 5:30pm. LEAVE FOR CHRISTCHURCH - 100 miles. Wednesday 22nd - four shows at the CHRISTCHURCH TOWN HALL - 10 and 11:30am, 1 and 3 pm. then LEFT FOR BLENHEIM - 200 miles. Thursday 23rd - two shows at the BLENHEIM CENTENNIAL HALL - 9:30 and 11 am then LEFT FOR NELSON - 75 miles. Perform two at the TRAFALGAR CENTRE - 3:30 and 5pm then RETURNED BLENHEIM to stay the night. Friday 24th - LEFT BLENHEIM FOR CHRISTCHURCH where originally, we should have gone to the airport to fly back home to Auckland. We stay the night. Saturday 25th - JAMES HAY THEATRE CHRISTCHURCH. We worked four shows, 10 and 11 am, 12:30 and 2:30pm. The original contract was for 18 SHOWS - WE DID 26 - EIGHT EXTRA! The overwhelming success of the Skippy tour was way beyond Tom McDonald's wildest imagination, or anybody else's for that matter. EVERY SHOW WAS TOTALLY AND UTTERLY PACKED OUT! To give you a good example, the Christchurch town hall auditorium has a capacity of 5000 plus. If you look at the itinerary - Wednesday the 22nd, we did four shows, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. THAT IS OVER 20,000 PEOPLE, IN ONE-DAY! Now I have photographs taken many years ago of the FRANQUIN HYPNOTISM SHOW, which shows people queuing around the block hoping to buy tickets for his shows - that were already sold out! It is something rather difficult to comprehend until you see it with your own eyes. That's how it was with the Skippy show - no matter where we went, the 'HOUSE FULL' sign would go up - WITH QUEUES STRETCHING AROUND THE BLOCK FOR EACH AND EVERY SHOW - FOUR OR MORE SHOWS A DAY! As you can see from the itinerary, we were in Nelson on Thursday the 23rd, which should have been the last show, but we went back to Christchurch and did another four shows at the James Hay Theatre, and once again, ALL FOUR SHOWS WERE TOTALLY SOLD OUT. AMAZING! Personally, I think the show should have been renamed the 'CRUNCHY THE CLOWN and ORCHANTÉ' SHOW. Why? Because 'Skippy' couldn't do a blind thing! The first half of the show was Peter Newberry and myself doing OUR thing and the second half was a simple question and answer programme from the audience to Phil Bowers (an Australian park ranger who had come over as Skippy's keeper), about Skippy the kangaroo and information about kangaroos in general. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE RIP-OFF! The kids were expecting Skippy to at least perform some tricks, as they had seen her apparently do, on television. In actual fact, kangaroos are as thick as two planks! While I'm the subject of rip-offs, for the EXTRA EIGHT SHOWS, we got paid - wait for it, - $50!!! Never in my life, before or since, have I ever met such a mean, tight-fisted bastard! Needless to say I refused, never did work for that total - ~~##**^*- promoter again! In the space of seven working days, he cleared, after tax and expenses, well over $20,000 plus. Fair pay/bonuses are not in his vocabulary! With that sort of attitude, it's no wonder the 'arsehole' went 'bust' and took off for Australia! THE SKIPPY TOUR BROKE EVERY BOX OFFICE RECORD IN NEW ZEALAND'S SHOW BUSINESS HISTORY! NOT EVEN 'FRANQUIN' OR 'THE BEATLES' COULD MATCH IT. I CALLED IT 'THE SEVEN-DAY WONDER'! In New Zealand during the late Sixties and Seventies, ' Crunchy the Clown' (Peter Newberry) was almost of SUPERSTAR STATUS as far as the kids were concerned, with his own television show and quite naturally, Peter capitalised on this, during the Skippy tour. He had hundreds of photographs of himself, as Crunchy the Clown of course, on which he would sign his autograph and give away to kids after shows. The ' FANTA' drinks company, who were his sponsors, paid for them. The bottom quarter of the photograph was taken up, quite logically, by the 'FANTA' logo. Great publicity for both parties. After signing a few hundred copies of these during the first few shows of the 'Skippy' tour, Peter hit on a 'great idea'. He cut the 'FANTA' logo off, pre-autographed every one that he had then, instead of giving them away as he was supposed to, he sold them, the cheeky bugger, for 10˘ each, after every show! I bet 'FANTA' WOULD NOT have been too pleased had they are known about this (more than likely, he'd have lost their sponsorship), especially when he phoned them in Auckland requesting thousands more, and that it was of the utmost urgency! They arrived at one of the theatres within days. Imagine 'Crunchy the Clown', either in the theatre foyer or outside on the footpath, with thousands of excited kids milling around after a show. There were so many kids happy to pay 10˘ a pop for a photograph that Peter couldn't cope, so he roped Veronica (my wife and assistant) in, to sell them as well - for a commission per 100 sold! There was one incident that upset Veronica terribly at the time. A little boy around two years of age, dressed in a 'bunny' outfit, approached 'Crunchy'. Timidly holding up a one cent -piece for a photograph - Peter told him that, 'they cost 10˘ each', then sent to him away! (The McDonald syndrome / greed must have rubbed off) Peter lost a lot of Veronica's respect, and mine after that. God knows how many thousands of - HIS FREE, autographed photographs he sold by the end of the tour; he probably made more money from the sales of them, than his actual fee! The only thing that was memorable about 'Skippy, the Bush kangaroo', as far as we were concerned, was that when she defecated, the stink was unbelievable - it 'hung' around forever and seemed to 'stick' to everything! Five or six months after the 'Skippy' run, we were touring the South Island on a different show, and arrived once again at the Dunedin town hall. THE AWFUL, UNMISTAKABLE 'HEAVY AROMA' OF - 'SKIPPY CRAP' WAS STILL PERVADING THE AIR BACKSTAGE! OH, SUCH 'SWEET' MEMORIES! ------------------------------------- 10. MagicNZ e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: ezine Password: newzealand When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001nov0699.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (nov06) and the last next two numbers the year (99) If you want to print copies of MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive ------------------------------------- 11. 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 MagicNZ e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors. Neither MagicNZ or 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 << © Copyright 2002 Alan Watson