Michele and I were asked on behalf of the Magic New Zealand awards committee to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ross Skiffington at the IBM Kiwi Day of Magic

Ross is a Kiwi who has lived in Australia since 1975. For over thirty years he has worked with theatre companies, television networks, corporate and film production houses as an Actor, Illusionist, Director and Magic Consultant.

He trained in New Zealand as an actor at the Mercury Theatre and graduated from Auckland University with a Diploma in Fine Arts.

Ross is the only Illusionist to have appeared in every Casino showroom in Australia either as a consultant, writer-director, solo artist or with his own illusion and dance shows.

He is recognised as Australia's finest Illusionist - I might add that those Aussies often forget that he is a Kiwi!!!

Some of the many major musicals and stage productions Ross has been magic consultant for include Disney's Beauty & The Beast, A Little Night Music, Into The Woods, The Hobbit, CATS, The Witches of Eastwick.

Ross has written and directed original works including Patrick's Hat Trick, Tricks, Electricks, Silver's Grand Magic Circus, The Fabulous Fontaines!, Chiller!, CHINOIS! and he was Writer and Artistic Director of the 1997 Melbourne International Festival of the Arts Opening Night Spectacular.

He is a regular guest performer on cruise ships and has performed throughout Australia and Asia.

In 2003/4 Ross was consultant to the Melbourne and Sydney Theatre Company's production of Blithe Spirit and performed his magic cabaret show LOUNGE WIZARD.

Throughout 2002 & 2004 Ross toured with The Bell Shakespeare Company in The Comedy of Errors. This production is due to travel to England for the Bath Shakespeare Festival in 2006.

Ross is currently magic consultant for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and a new production of The Magic Flute for Opera Australia.


The Magic New Zealand citation reads……

Lifetime Achievement Award

In recognition of a lifetime dedication to excellence in the magical arts


IBM Kiwi Magic Day
Dolphin Theatre, Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand
22-23 October 2005

Competition Results:

Junior Close-up
1st Jarred Fell
2nd Matthew Winnard
3rd Raoul Solomon

Junior Stage
1st Jarred Fell
2nd Raoul Solomon
3rd Mitchell Round

Quick Trick
1st Greg Britt
2nd Nick Britt
3rd Raoul Solomon

Senior Close-up
1st Greg Britt
2nd Theo De Leeuw

Stage
1st Nick Britt
2nd Malcolm Solomon
3rd Brett McLeod

There will be a full report an extensive photographs in the next issue of Magicana magazine due out at the beginning of December.

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