* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #513 Date: Sunday 15th July 2007 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. FISM European Championship Of Magic 2008 Goes To Sofia 3. Fielding West - The Tiger Trick 4. Clarifying The Tiger Trick - Chris Stanley 5. U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator 6. Kyle Peron Back From Vacation 7. Being Remembered! - By Kyle Peron 8. ASM Centenary Convention 9. A Personal Favor, Please 10. Fantasma Award To Sterling Dietz 11. Award Two College Scholarships 12. Southport 2007 13. The KIDabra International Conference August 15-18, 2007 14. This Is Not A Carney Update 15. Latest News On The British Ring Convention 16. Official Harry Potter Book Launch 17. Check Out Jimmy Brown's Excellent Show 18. Broken Wand - Peter Evans 19. Tony Wilson's Magical Adventures Number 2 20. We Are Dropping Like Flies; Whose Next, I Wonder? 21. The Amazing Orchante Saga 22. e-zine Archives 23. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Michele and I have just returned after attending the Australian Society of Magicians Centenary Convention in Melbourne which we really enjoyed. -----------------------------------. Have you registered for the July 21-26, 2008 joint IBM / SAM convention in Louisville, Kentucky? We hear that the registrations are flooding in and predict the convention will be sold out before the end of the year. If you are planning to attend register NOW. For more information on the convention go to: www.ibmsam2008.com ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ----------------- 2. FISM European Championship Of Magic 2008 Goes To Sofia ----------------- Message from FISM Press Alexis Duvernoy London, - Next year, for the first time ever, the FISM European Championships of Magic will be held. Top magicians from all over Europe will gather to perform their spectacular and astonishing acts in hopes of being able to be known as the very best magicians in Europe. Out of the countries thought to host the first edition of the FISM European Championships of Magic, the FISM Europe Executive Board had narrowed down the choices to three cities; Sofia (Bulgaria), Prague (Czech Republic) and Aix-les-Bains (France). On 13 June, 2007 Sofia, Bulgaria was announced to be the winner. Sofia will be the home of the first ever European Championships of Magic where the Bulgarian Magic Union will be responsible for organising, developing, and hosting this event. The 3 candidate cities were evaluated on criteria such as venues, accommodation facilities, affordability and political support but also on their abilities and proposals to enhance the art of magic as well as their vision for the future of FISM Europe. The choice of Sofia was finally influenced by the full support and implication of the Balkan Magic Societies and the first ever FISM European Championship of Magic will be held in the frame of the 6th Balkan Magic Convention from 20 to 23 November 2008. Astor, President of the Bulgarian Magic Union stated "We are extremely excited for this first FISM European Championship of Magic to be held in Sofia. This is a great opportunity for Bulgaria, for magic in the Balkans and we are committed to make this competition a successful and entertaining event." André Ciocca, Interim President of FISM Europe, said "Congratulations to the Bulgarian Magic Union and the other candidate-cities, Prague and Aix-les-Bains who did a fantastic job in bidding to host this already trusted magic event. The FISM European Championships of Magic will bring the magic community together in what is to be the last big event before the World Championships of Magic 2009 in Beijing". The FISM European Championship of Magic was developed to further newly organised FISM Europe's goals. FISM Europe was established to provide services to European magicians that would be difficult for FISM International to offer. Through this continental competition FISM hopes to increase the talent of magic and the level of the FISM World Championships of Magic. With the FISM European Championships of Magic that is another opportunity for all European magicians to make a name for themselves! *** About FISM: The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques (International Federation of Magic Societies) -FISM- is the International body bringing together the world's leading magic societies. The federation was created in 1948, and consists of 74 magic societies, both national and international, as well as national federations which represent over 50,000 magicians from 40 countries. FISM's aim is to create a centralised body unifying the magic world, to be the voice of magic around the world providing a focal point for communication about magic and magicians; to develop, elevate and promote the art of magic; to coordinate the activities of Member Societies, enhancing their authority and encouraging the exchange of reciprocal cooperation and services; to fight against exposure and copying of acts, effects or inventions, presentations or original routines; to organize the World Championships of Magic. For more information please visit www.fism.org; www.fismstore.com; www.fismtv.com ; www.fismphoto.com Contacts: FISM Europe Mrs Priska Walther Tel: +41 413 100 170 Email: pw@renault-wild.ch FISM Press Alexis Duvernoy Tel: +44 208 487 8685 Email: press@fism.org -------------------------------------------- 3. Fielding West - The Tiger Trick -------------------------------------------- Message from Fielding West This message is directed to Chris Stanley and all other members of the Sean-Paul Magic show at the World of Magic at the Magical Palace in Branson, Missouri. I have just read what is in print in the Linking Ring Magazine Volume 87 Number 7 July 2007. On page 53 in an article about Chris Stanley performing Fielding West Tiger Tear Production (used with permission). Nothing could be further from the TRUTH. Chris Stanley does NOT and has never had permission to perform any magic from the Fielding West Show, nor does any other performing professional magician!! In all of my DVD tapes and lectures across America and soon to be Europe I have stressed the importance of performing your own magic. In my lectures I use my own experiences of doing Steve Martin's act verbatim from 1973-1975 until it was brought to my attention that it was not ethical to perform another artist's material without their written permission. Chris Stanley does not have any right to my act! If Chris Stanley has any true aspirations of being a RESPECTED professional Magician and performer he will remove my trade mark material from his act. -------------------------------------------- 4. Clarifying The Tiger Trick - Chris Stanley -------------------------------------------- Message from Chris Stanley To All Parties Involved: I am Chris Stanley. I understand you were sent an email by Fielding West. I would like to give you a copy of my response to His statements. I am sorry that you were made involved by Fielding West and that I was not contacted directly to answer his concerns. If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and once again I am so sorry that you were placed in this position. Mr. West, Thank you for your email. I believe there has been a big misunderstanding concerning your Tiger Production effect. I hope this email will resolve the issues. I have purchased a copy of your instructional video that includes the tiger production. I made sure to ask the dealer if the tiger production was on the DVD's and if there were any restrictions. After reading the case, there was no restriction. The Mac King quote stated "It's extremely rare when a full-time professional comedy magician willingly shares stuff from his actual act." And under the information of Disc 2 -The Secrets is a statement "he explains the 'how's' and the 'why's' with absolutely nothing held back!" To both the dealer and I, this stated you could perform the effects (i.e. you have permission to perform them). I was told however that there were some effects that were marked performance only and that the tiger production was not one of them. The explanation of the tiger production does say that you restrict publication. I have not published this effect in any of my lectures or in any of the script that I have been hired to write. Also you encourage performers to do the effect differently and you give an alternate ending. And I quote "I would like to see one of you out their get luck and put a bomb blast in you show". Also in your email you stated "I have stressed the importance of performing your own magic. In my lectures I use my own experiences of doing Steve Martin's act verbatim from 1973-1975 until it was brought to my attention that it was not ethical to perform another artist's material without their written permission." First, owning the instruction DVD is gaining permission. I have other DVD and tapes that are performance rights. For example Kevin James Floating Rose, Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries, McBride Magic on Stage, Michael Ammar, etc. That is what an instructional video is. It is of no use to anyone otherwise if you cannot perform the material and is false advertising to say the least. I purchased a legitimate copy to pay for the effect and I also give credit to you. If you are not allowed to perform the effects on the DVD, please contact L and L Publishing and place a statement to that effect clearly on the back cover. Secondly, I in no way do it verbatim. I believe this is where the misunderstanding lies. I am a comedian that does magic. Your patter does not fit me. We have different styles. I have also added a lot of comedy material to the act and, the largest laugh comes after the effect and not the revelation of ripped cloths. Even before your email the act was changed once again and I do not even try to produce a tiger. I am in a Pet Show so I do still try to produce an animal but fail twice and produce the wrong ones twice. I am also working on a livestock production at the end. There for you can rest assured that it is in no way your patter and it is the basic effect (quick change to torn cloths) that I perform. I would also like to address the comment made by Mr. West "If Chris Stanley has any true aspirations of being a RESPECTED professional Magician and performer he will remove my trade mark material from his act." I am a respected professional Comedian and Performer. Your trademark material has not made it into my act nor will it. My routine is only based on your idea. I am always changing my act. Comedy does not stay the same from day to day but changes over time. However, I will make it a top priority to make the difference between us even greater. Thank you for your concerns and I hope this puts the matter to rest. Thank you for your time. Chris Stanley -------------------------------------------- 5. U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator -------------------------------------------- Message from - Harry Monti Society of American Magicians National President 1999-2000 To Our Fellow Magicians: 2009 will be a truly exciting year for the world of magic. Beijing will be the host city for the FISM World Championship of Magic. Having prepared itself royally for the Olympics, Beijing will be in a position to host a truly impressive and magical gathering. From July 26 to July 31, 2009, magicians from around the world will be gathering to compete for the World Championship of Magic. We hope that you and your fellow magicians will plan to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Prior to that time - and in preparation for international travel - we have a special request for all who normally travel within the United States. American Airlines is asking the United States Department of Transportation for authority to fly nonstop from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Beijing, China, beginning March 25, 2009. If authority for this direct route to Beijing is granted, it would start prior to FISM and would be a great asset to those in America traveling to Beijing. Please help us help American Airlines receive a direct route from Chicago to Beijing. The Department of Transportation bases its decision on many factors, including the amount of public support that an applicant has for its proposed route. Because a direct route from the middle of America would be so positive in promoting travel to FISM, we are asking you to help American Airlines acquire this flight by signing your name to American Airlines' online petition. If you are located in the United States and would like to help us, please log on to the following website, complete the petition and send it via email to the Department of Transportation. ALL PETITIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED PRIOR TO JULY 31ST. http://info.aa.com/Key=55392.FWNs.K.D46PhM">https://www.flytochinaonaa.com If you would like more information on FISM, please check their website at www.fism.org. Also, for information on the Beijing convention, you may go to their website at www.fism2009.org. Please contact us directly if you have questions about travel from the U.S. and tours in and around Beijing that will be planned in conjunction with FISM 2009. We will be glad to add your name to our mailing list and keep you apprised as plans are forthcoming on FISM 2009 in Beijing. HarryMontiFISM@aol.com HARRY MONTI Society of American Magicians National President 1999-2000 U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator TRUDY MONTI Society of American Magicians Secretary, Magic Endowment Fund U.S. 2009 Beijing FISM Tour Coordinator -------------------------------------------- 6. Kyle Peron Back From Vacation -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) Dear E-zine Readers, I am finally back in town after my vacation trip to lecture/session at the SAM Convention in Dallas, TX. I had a great time and was so very grateful to be given the opportunity to share my magic and ideas with others. Thank you also for allowing me to take a short 4 week hiatus from my writing duties. I wanted to take this time to simply thank everyone of you who read my articles each week and who took time to e-mail your feedback, ideas and compliments. It is so greatly appreciated. I had many folks come up to talk to me and thank me at the convention and words cannot express how important that is to me. Thank you all for your kind and continued support. I am back in town again and eager to get back to writing my weekly article/column for the e-zine. Look for the first of the new articles in this week's e-zine. Thank you again for your continued support. Magically, Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- 7. Being Remembered! - By Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) I am sure from time to time you may have experienced the following. You have performed at a gig and they loved the magic. Someone says "Wow that was great, we saw a magician once and he/she was good but you were better" You reply, "Excellent, what was his / her name?" They say "Well I can't remember but he did this and this etc." So the question now becomes, how do they remember you and not the tricks you do? How can you instill in them such a presence that it is YOU they remember and your name will come up for possible bookings? There are several things I do to get them to remember ME instead of the tricks I do. I do not want them so much to remember what effects I do but I do want them to remember that Kyle and Kelly provide something that is different and unique that they remember us long after we have left the event. Part of getting them to remember you stems from a theory I put into place right from the start. This means being a professional does not start when the curtains open and end when they close. Simply put, it means that I go above and beyond from the moment I first make contact with a prospect to the time they turn into a client and long after the event is over. By being a true professional, it means I am really building a relationship with the customer. I do not want to be seen as product A, B or C. I want to be remembered far greater then that. So how does one do this? For starters, you can increase your perceived value in the minds of the client. I do this through a theory we like to call being a "solutions provider". Simply put it means that I am not there to just perform a show. Anyone can do that. Every single client has needs, wants and problems they are looking for answers to. The problem is that we as magician forget this aspect of performance. There is a reason why they call it "Show BUSINESS" after all. If I know that the above statement is true, I can train myself into learning to listen more to my clients and prospects instead of always selling to them only. I listen to what problems they may be telling me. I listen to their needs and wants. The more of these problems I can directly solve for them, the greater my perceived value becomes in their mind. Now I am not simply just magician A, I am Kyle and Kelly and in that lies a big difference. Think about this for a second. If you are hiring a plumber (lets us say 3) to do a job. Each could be completely capable of doing what needs to be done. So what makes you as a consumer remember one of those plumbers over the other one? They all can do the job well. The thing that probably makes you remember them specifically by name may be the fact 1 is solving more of your needs and creating solutions to your problems and doing so in a professional manner that makes it so much easier for you. Their customer service might be the best of the 3. They may return calls in a timely manner. When they do return calls, they may be polite and instead of selling or being rude, they actually listen to you. Maybe they even ask you questions in regards to what you need done and what you would like the final outcome to be. Maybe they are very polite when they get there and they call you by name. Maybe they ask permission to do something before just doing it. In these examples you can already see that often times simple things like this makes a difference in the consumer's mind. You get to notice that one of them simply stands out more than the others. Now how can you get them to remember you after the event is over? Well first of all you hope by the time you leave you have 1) provided a great show 2) provided a great service 3) solved as many problems for them as you could 4) were as professional as you could be to build a relationship with them and 5) have used effective style marketing to ensure your name gets out there to not only the client but the people at the event. If you have done this, the one thing many magicians forget about is that the gig is not over after you leave the event. It never should be. That is such a mistake magicians make. They forget their past clients. Why forget a client who you already performed for? Let us think about it. If you did your job well, then that person can and should be a walking advertisement for you and what you do. Do NOT forget about these people. Encourage them to spread the word. I first start doing this by giving the client my thank you kit after the event is over. This is a thank you letter and an evaluation form with a SASE. This also makes a difference to them. How good do you think it makes the client feel if they are given a thank you from you the client they paid for? Time and again they are simply delighted because chances are no one has ever done that for them before. Now after I leave, they remember me and as they fill out the simple evaluation form, they recall the experience. The form shows them that I do indeed care about the service I provide and encourages them to refer me to people they feel could benefit from what I gave to them. When I get home, I can now enter them and their information back into my contact database (like ACT) and now I can remember them throughout the year. Now touching base with them does not mean I always have to hard sell to them. What it does mean is keeping my name fresh in their mind throughout the year. I can do this easily. For example when it is a holiday, I can send out a holiday greeting their way. Nothing more than well wishes and my name and contact info. Not a hard sell at all. There are many more ideas like this that you can do to keep your name in their mind throughout the year effectively. I hope this does help and perhaps gets you thinking a little bit. Start to think and rethink how you do things and how you come across to prospects and clients. Start to work on systems to really provide a level of customer satisfaction and service above and beyond what they expect. Grow your perceived value in their mind's eye and I guarantee they will remember you for it. Kyle Peron Magician and Illusionist Graphic Designer and Illustrator (Specializing in Logo creation) www.kyleandkellymagic.com Chair Suspension Ebook Author http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 8. ASM Centenary Convention -------------------------------------------- Message from Charles Gauci President ASM Inc. Melbourne Just a quick note to thank all the participants from the visiting and local artists to the ushers, flyer distributors, stage hands, ticket sellers, drivers who picked up the overseas guests at the airport and so many people too numerous to mention here. Your contribution will be recorded in a specially produced certificate which will be framed and take pride of place in our clubrooms for all to see. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control we had to rush the presentation of awards as we had run out of time and the bus drivers wanted to return to the city. I did not have time to thank the following overseas guests for their support. Mr and Mrs Ton Onosaka from Japan. Mr and Mrs Gerald Mainart who is President of Club Magica in Nice. And from Korea Mrs Park and her son Minsoo. Also many thanks to Alan Watson from NZ. We will be posting hundreds of photos on our club's website which those interested will be able to download. When I embarked upon this venture my main aim was to give all attendees an unforgettable experience by providing the greatest line-up of international guests ever. Giving you all what I considered great value for money. I would like to think that I achieved my objective and thank you all for making this for me a successful three days. It goes without saying that without the help and support of Brian Pleasants, Ross Skiffington, Tom Stevens and Nick Morton this event would not have succeeded. In due course we will announce to our members the financial results which will boost our coffers enormously. -------------------------------------------- 9. A Personal Favor, Please -------------------------------------------- Message from Maria Ibâñez Society of American Magicians National President 2007-2008 Now that July is half over and we are all back from national conventions, please allow me to take a moment of your time and ask for a personal favor. Somewhere between the two national conventions my charger and second battery for my camera was left at a hotel and consequently I was unable to take any photographs once the battery in the camera was exhausted. This year was a once in a lifetime convention for me as it was the year I was installed as President and you can understand why I am upset about not having any photos. If you were at the convention and took photos and would be willing to share them with me, I would ask that you please burn them on a CD or e-mail them to me (merlina17@aol.com) or share them in whatever way is easiest for you. I would be happy to pay for the CDs, postage, etc. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me with helping me save the memories through your photographs. -------------------------------------------- 10. Fantasma Award To Sterling Dietz -------------------------------------------- Message from Roger Dreyer (US) Fantasma Magic for the 5th year has been sponsoring the International Brotherhood of Magicians youth stage competition with a memorable prize package. On June 29th, Fantasma Magic CEO Roger Dreyer awarded Sterling Dietz the first place winner of the Junior Stage Competition. Not only did Sterling win the Fantasma and IBM award, but also the Peoples Choice Award. Sterling has chosen an all expense paid trip for 2 to New York City, home of Fantasma. The amazing prize package includes air fare for two; 3 days and 2 nights hotel accommodations; a Victor Trabucco award lead crystal award; $250 gift certificate from FAO Schwarz Toy Store; a magic lesson from David Roth; a large amount of Fantasma Magic products and lunch with Simon Lovell. Yikes! Fantasma will not be held responsible for this luncheon meeting (Just kidding). Sterling has also been invited to perform on the Fantasma Ring 257 Las Vegas annual holiday tribute on December 3rd. Sterling will be presenting to the legendary Mr. John Calvert this years Fantasma Magician of the Year award. Seats for this celebrity show are available to the public. Fantasma is committed to exposing today's youth with the legends of magic. Congrats Sterling! -------------------------------------------- 11. Award Two College Scholarships -------------------------------------------- Message from Harry and Trudy Monti (US) Harry and Trudy Monti were pleased to award two college scholarships at the recent Society of American Magicians National Convention in Dallas, Texas. The 2007-2008 recipients are Lucas Rider and Jimmy Imoehl. Lucas Rider will be a Junior at Fullerton College in Fullerton, California majoring in Communications. Lucas is an active participant in the Juniors Program at the Magic Castle and is always the first of the Juniors to volunteer for charity performances and projects. He holds the rank of Eagle Scout and, for his Eagles Project, built an entire playground for a K-6 elementary school, a project that took 7 months and over 500 community volunteer hours. He is a founding board member of the Youth Leadership Program in Anaheim, a program that focuses on teaching skills that foster creating the future leaders of tomorrow. Lucas performs magic for oncology patients at Choc Hospital where he has formed "Magicians for Patients," a program providing entertainment for hospital cancer patients. To help finance his college education, Lucas serves as production assistant for KTLA-TV Channel 5 Morning Show. Jimmy Imoehl, will be a Junior at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and was also a recipient of this scholarship his freshman year. As a part of Jimmy's theater major, he has participated in drama workshops and had the opportunity to tour elementary schools as part of a play, learning to travel effectively in producing a large theatrical production including properly lighting a stage, dispersing sound effectively and presenting himself properly as a performer on stage. Jimmy has participated in varsity football, wrestling and track and field, receiving awards for "Player of the Year," "Outstanding Work Ethic," and the "Coaches Award." Jimmy has served as both an assistant and an opening act for Ardan James. In addition, while in college, Jimmy has served his country as a member of the NAVY Reserves. Previous Harry and Trudy Monti College Scholarship recipients include: 2002, 2003 and 2004, Kristoffer Olson; 2004 and 2005, Michael Jacobson; 2005, James Imoehl; 2006, Brad Aldridge; and 2006, Chad Juros. For more information about the Harry and Trudy Monti College Scholarship, and to receive an application, contact the S.A.M at www.magicsam.com The Harry and Trudy Monti College Scholarships are award by the Montis under the auspicis of the Magic Endowment Fund. -------------------------------------------- 12. Southport 2007 -------------------------------------------- Message from Bob Hayden Three of our headliner acts, Boris Wild, Lennart Green and Michael Close we are most pleased and delighted to welcome back this year's British Ring Convention. Whenever they have been with us all three have received monumental praise for their performances and lectures. It was back in 1998 when we first saw Boris Wild. He caused a sensation, when in the International Close-up Gala he presented his 'Kiss Act'. It was probably the first time the majority of the audience had seen this approach to close-up magic done, silently to a background of romantic music. It was the emotion and passion with which Boris performed that stimulated everyone's imagination. The charm of Boris stood out in his lecture, which was given in a most assured manner with the explanations concisely given in immaculate English. How has it happened for Boris? He began practising magic in 1985 when he was 12. He is now one of the most renowned of French magicians. He is an International performer and lecturer, author and creator of original effects. Close-up magic is his specialty, a top-level performance happening only a few inches from your eyes! Whether at your table, during a cocktail party or a private show, magic effects follow at a tremulous rhythm. Boris also performs a stage act in which he puts new life into classics of magic with class and elegance to a contemporary soundtrack. His list of awards is prestigious and has never been equalled by a French magician. Boris has notably won the title of 'French Champion of Magic' in 1996. He has also been awarded at the F.I.S.M. World Magic Championships and at the 'Monte Carlo Magic Stars'. Boris makes his home in London, New York, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney and Paris. His performances have drawn thousands of spectators all over the world and his romantic 'Kiss Act' has quickly become a classic of close-up magic. is books, effects and videos are distributed everywhere  His books, effects and videos are distributed everywhere in the world and are best sellers in the category. It has been even longer since Lennart Green was at our Convention. 1993 was the last time we were mesmerised with his chaotic routines, which are so highly original and that display the highest of skills. To describe the card work of this world champion close-up/card magician, a title he won in 1991 at the F.I.S.M. Convention in Lausanne Switzerland is practically impossible; too many things happen too quickly. What however can be guaranteed is that you will see an incredible exhibition of talent from an incredible card worker. Lennart will also be lecturing but here is a warning. From what you will be shown and from what will be explained it is doubtful whether you will be able to master his technique. If you succeed in doing so you would possibly be the first in this country. Lennart Green is a sui generis; a one off. However watching Lennart's 'Classical Green' a set of videos in seven volumes or getting 'Greens Magic' volumes 1 to 3 could possibly help you. To be present when Lennart is at the table displaying his captivating magical skill is something you should not miss. Lennart's performance and lecture are sure to be one of the highlights of the Convention. What a pleasure it is for the third successive year for us to have the company of the ever-popular Michael Close at our Convention, a multitalented icon, who readily endears himself to everybody. His midnight lecture last year was scheduled for one night only with limited access but such was the demand for tickets Michael generously agreed to repeat it. The theme of his lecture was 'Problem Solving' by taking an effect, examining it closely, finding the weaknesses and finding a solution to correct them. The number of effects that were examined proved to be of great interest to the attentive audience. Another idea of Michael's was to combine and routine two effects to give more impact. He fully illustrated this notion and proved to everyone's satisfaction that the combined effect to be greater than the sum of the parts. It was at the Thursday Night Show that Michael displayed his extraordinary keyboard skills when he filled the Congress Theatre with the melodic sound of some contempary jazz giving a great lift to the show that followed. This man can really boogie. There was magic in his left hand playing. It was in 2005 that Michael dominated in the international Close-Up Gala when he not only proved to be an expert close-up worker but a superb entertainer with his unique sense of humour coupled with some original card work. He emerged as a more than competent host when he compared the Saturday International Show. In a lecture he explained his original thinking regarding his initial approach making magic meaningful and searching for the right emotional 'hook' to hold and entertain an audience. To find out what Michael Close will be doing this year it will be necessary for you to be at Southport. Whatever he does you can do no better than take Trevor Lewis's advice to seek, enjoy and 'Take the Michael' as often as you can. Bob Sheets is an interesting character and a 'Good magician and a funny guy'. He burst upon the British magic scene when in 1996 he won the prestigious 'Ron MacMillian World Close-up Magic Contest'. His impact upon the audience was dynamic. It was to lift close-up magic and take to a much higher dimension and opening a new conception of the presentation of this art form. This was solid gold entertainment. Behind Bob's humorous presentation style is experience gained from one of the most diverse work histories in magic. Serious credentials in a variety of venues include Circus and Side Show performer, Shopping Centre Magic promotions, Magic bartender, Street magician, Bar/Restaurant Owner, Renaissance Festival performer, Magic Dinner Theatre entrepreneur, Trade Show crowd stopper and Sales Meeting wake up artist. Today Bob Sheets, ranked among top comic magicians, is a high-energy performer that mixes magic that astounds with non-stop wit that leaves audiences holding their sides. If you are into close-up you are urged not to miss Bob Sheets. Still having doubts whether to attend the British Ring Convention? Don't for if you do so you will miss four packed days of magic from a galaxy of the World's Stars of Magic. Don't procrastinate and register today by down loading the form from this website. Come to Southport, mingle and chat with the elite of the countries practising magicians, soak up the atmosphere and savour the complete range of facets of magic on offer. -------------------------------------------- 13. The KIDabra International Conference August 15-18, 2007 -------------------------------------------- Message from Mark Daniel Folks are preparing to travel from all over the US, Canada, Australia and from throughout Europe to attend The KIDabra Conference in Pigeon Forge next month. Occasionally a person will ask where in the world is Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? Pigeon Forge is a resort/vacation town tucked in the corner of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (The most visited national park in the US) and just next to the lovely town of Gatlinburg in eastern Tennessee. Pigeon Forge is known for its many theaters and outside of Broadway, Las Vegas and Branson, Missouri comes in 4th in the live show category. The area is rich with Country Music and is one of the areas of origin of Bluegrass Music. Outlet mall shopping with all the popular stores represented is huge here and close to our hotel. Yes, there are bargains to be had! Of course what really put Pigeon Forge on the map many years ago is it's the birthplace of Dolly Parton and her theme park Dollywood. And yes, just like Las Vegas, Pigeon Forge has it's wonderfully tacky strip of Restaurants, Hotels, Attractions and Shops. (Just no gambling, that's 45 minutes away in Cherokee, NC) If the kids are coming with you there's endless stuff to do at water parks, wacky miniature golf courses galore, touring Cades Cove the very popular restored settlement, exploring Forbidden Caverns in nearby Seviereville (very cool), panning for gold and gems up and down the strip, checking out Wonderworks (the upside down building) full of interactive, hands-on science fun (Which gets an enthusiastic thumbs-up from Ralph the great and Jozo Bozo) and of course going to see our friend Terry Evanswood's fantastic show in his new theater! Discover more info about Pigeon Forge at mypigeonforge.com It really is a fun area to explore, come a day or 2 early or stay a bit after Conference, to soak in the scenery, you'll be glad you did! In addition to the sensational Terry Evanswood, the area is no stranger to great magic, the world's greatest magicians have trekked there annually for 30 years to take part in another wonderful gathering, the long running convention held every March there called Winter Carnival of Magic. Pigeon Forge is served by the McGee-Tyson Airport only 45 minutes away in Knoxville. Rocky Top Tours is our official shuttle company dropping you off at the door of the Music Road Hotel and back to the airport for just thirty dollars each way. Some folks rent a car if they're going to do a lot of sightseeing, however that's not necessary as the trolley stops in the parking lot of the hotel and for twenty-five cents to a dollar a ride, it will take you all over the area. Driving into Pigeon Forge is one day trip for two-thirds of the US and parts of Canada. Plus it's scenic travel to boot. Make plans to attend the 16th annual KIDabra Conference August 15-18 with the only North American appearance of the incomparable Terry Herbert this year! Add in Chris Capehart, Magic Al, Jozo Bozo, David Kaye, Barry Mitchell, Ken Scott and many more! Plus the world's largest KIDshow Magic Auction, the funniest dealer's show ever, the Live KIDabra Library/Summer Reading Session and the Hands-on Breakout Sessions, tons of lectures, the KIDshow dealers Room and more! Discover all things KIDabra at kidabra.org -------------------------------------------- 14. This Is Not A Carney Update -------------------------------------------- Message from John Carney (US) This is not a Carney update...............but if you like great magic and want to have an entertaining afternoon, you've got to seize this rare opportunity to see the one and only David Williamson! http://williamsonmagic.com/ This is a last minute, one-time-only opportunity.......... Don't miss him! July 22nd 7pm Theatre Unlimited 10943 Camarillo St. North Hollywood, CA 91602 All the Best, Carney www.CarneyMagic.com -------------------------------------------- 15. Latest News On The British Ring Convention -------------------------------------------- Message from Bob Hayden STOP PRESS NEWS! More names just added to the Southport line-up are Robert Baxt, John Fealey, Daniel Hochsteiner, Erik Borgman, Michael Close, Stringfever, Mark Raffles, Tony Rix, and Percy Piecrust The British Acts, who will be appearing at Southport profiled here are, Paul Zenon, Michael Vincent, Les Bubb, Romany, Paul Dabek and Ray Alan with Lord Charles. Profiles on Mark Raffles, Tony Rix and Percy Piecrust will follow.  Paul Zenon, the original Fun Loving Criminal (other aliases include 'King Con' and the 'Sultan of Swindle!') is one of the U.K.'s leading comedy magicians with dozens of T.V credits to his name including three recent hour-long one man 'street magic' specials screened by Channel 4. Paul has appeared in around thirty countries and in every conceivable location; from the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas to the hold of an aircraft carrier in the Adriatic, from the London Palladium to a clearing in the jungles of Belize and from the Magic Castle in Hollywood to the back of a truck in a Bosnia War Zone. He is possibly the U.K's busiest corporate entertainer and presenter. His client list is a Who's Who in Blue Chip Companies and he has twenty years experience in performing in after dinner cabaret and hosting awards ceremonies and other audiences ranging in size from a dozen to thousands at top venues all over the world. His act has been described as street-style magic played for laughs and as stand-up comedy with tricks. The magic is contemporary, amazing and funny, and his style is cheeky and irreverent but never offensive. The comedy is fresh, personalised and often improvised; adaptability being one of Paul's strengths. Recently you have seen Paul Zenon as a guest on Countdown. Now see him live at Southport! Michael Vincent is a Classic Magician. Contrary to the current trend for urban and street magic, Michael embodies the teachings of history's masters of magic, performing classic sleight of hand and making it relevant for the 21st century all delivered with style and panache. The magician's magician Michael is the only person ever to have been named Best Close-Up Magician three times by The Magic Circle. A regular performer in Hollywood, he has been voted International Magician of the year and ranked world number 2 in a career that continues to demand his presence at celebrity parties, international casinos and high end corporate events. His stylish and sophisticated performance takes sleight of hand to an art form. To achieve this level of excellence, Michael is self-disciplined, adhering to a strict daily rehearsal routine that involves hours of high-level concentration on all aspects of his performance. Studying the art of deception and close-up from his own perceptive, then from that of the audience, examining eye-line, body language and vocal intonation, his desire for perfection is paramount. Such dedication to his art is not always found in some of today's performers. It is therefore comes as no surprise that Michael was chosen to entertain the world's greatest gathering of magicians in Sweden at the World Magic Championships. Michael Vincent will be conducting a workshop at Southport. If card magic is your forte then you are sure that your technique and presentation skills will benefit from the advice of a maestro. Les Bubb. To call Les Bubb just a mime act would do a gross injustice towards an energetic and enigmatic character, which for twenty years has been peddling his brand of inimitable mimicry and physical comedy all over the world to great demand. He's a showman, mime, clown and high-spirited entertainer whose routines will leave you breathless. To quote Time Out he is 'Dynamic and explosively funny' He started performing at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in the early eighties. Training continued at the Desmond Jones School of mime in London and in Paris with Phillipe Gaulier (Le Coq) and Etienne Decroux and his assistants. He quickly became popular with his unique brand of mime and contemporary clowning joining the 'new wave' of alternative comedy with contempories Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Lenny Henry and Harry Enfield. Les is a phenomenon to be experienced. A cacophony of comical illusions, Les is one of the most innovative and accessible physical comics in the world. Les Bubb will bring a new dimension and experience to a British Ring Convention. Romany! Diva of Magic By Royal Appointment! This charismatic and glamorous artiste has performed before royalty and A-list Hollywood celebrities. A multi-lingual multi-talented lady who can turn her hand to whatever she wishes. From stilt walking to comedy knife-throwing Romany will wow you with her charm and her extraordinary prestidigitative abilities. Hailed as a 'flamboyant hybrid of Bette Midler, Mary Poppins and Tommy Cooper!' this magical Diva has to be seen to be believed. In 2006 Romany was chosen to entertain the Queen and her family and friends at the Ritz on the occasion of her 80th Birthday. 2007 starts the year by her being named The Magic Circle Stage Magician of the Year competing on stage against the best in the business. Before discovering and falling in love with the art of Prestidigitation, which she studied with the masters of McBride's Mystery School and Master class in Las Vegas, Romany originally trained in dance, circus skills and theatre, graduating with a BA Hons. in English/Italian Literature. Thoroughly influenced by 50's Hollywood and the stars of Burlesque. Romany appears in elegant gowns or fabulous costumes, diamonds and feathers. What will she be wearing at Southport? To find out you will have to be there! Paul Dabek is no stranger to regular British Ring Conventioneers. Occasionally there emerges an artiste who sets a new standard, someone who can lead instead of following, and someone who naturally has a style that is both original and commercial. Paul Dabek is one of those performers. From a background of extensive theatrical experience, Paul has established himself as one of the rising stars in the magic world. His dynamic and high-energy style has earned him some of the highest titles in the field of magic. In 2003 The Magic Circle awarded him, the title of Young Magician of the Year. His winning our own Silver Shield followed this in 2006. Audiences and critics alike have praised his skill and personality. As The Stage newspaper reported 'Paul Dabek is quite simply superb, immaculately presented.a force to be reckoned with in his field'. If you were not at Eastbourne you missed Paul's performance. Don't make the same mistake this year by being at Southport! Ventriloquists are always welcome to our Convention stage and none more so than the immortal and evergreen Ray Alan. For nearly six decades he has been entertaining the masses with the monocled Lord Charles. Throughout this period he has never relinquished the accolade of being a top rated star. Starting in the 1950's Ray could continuously be seen touring the No1 circuit of the Variety Theatres. Sadly as these halls slowly eroded from the towns around the country, on television we were still able to enjoy the crisp irrelevant banter between Ray and Lord Charles. They were regulars on the B.B.C's The Good Old Days and for HTV Ray created Ali Cat for the Magic Circle series in 1977. For two years he was the presenter of the B.B.C's 'Ice Show'. Never appearing without Lord Charles he made many appearances on Game Shows such as Celebrity squares, Give Us A Clue, Family Fortunes, 3-2-1, and Bullseye. Ray still performs tours and also undertakes conference and corporate events. Here is the opportunity of seeing the act of a Master Ventriloquist. It is an act you will thoroughly enjoy. These are only six of the 26 magical top liners who are coming to Southport in September. If you have not already done so make your registration for this outstanding Magic Convention. You can do so by downloading the registration form on this website and if you wish you can make payment by Paypal. -------------------------------------------- 16. Official Harry Potter Book Launch -------------------------------------------- Message from Cath Jamison (Aust) Cath Jamison and Melbournes Lord Mayor , John So officially Launch Harry Potter Book. Cath Sells out at International Comedy festival, and recent media. Official Harry Potter Book Launch Cath Jamison and The Lord Mayor John So will preside over the opening ceremony for the final installment to the Harry Potter series for the Readers Feast Bookstore and City of Melbourne. Saturday 21st July 8.00am - 9.30am City Square. (cnr Swanston & Collins Street) -------------------------------------------- 17. Check Out Jimmy Brown's Excellent Show -------------------------------------------- Message from Jane Stuart (US) From the J.Marberger Stuart Foundation, home of the Dragon Awards: If you are interested in seeing an expert in children's magic, be sure to check out Jimmy Brown's excellent show at the Magic Forest in Lake George, NY. He is doing some very good work. -------------------------------------------- 18. Broken Wand - Peter Evans -------------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson Funeral arrangements for Peter Evans, Grand Master of Magic Peter's funeral will be held on Monday 16th July at 11.00am at the Zion Hill church on the corner of Onewa Rd and Birkenhead Ave. I will be reading the following at Peter's funeral... Peter was a very close friend who I had great deal of respect for as a person and as a performer. As Editor of Magic New Zealand I received many tributes to Peter and I picked out one to read today as it sums up our very special friend Peter Evans. This message is from Paul Romhany. Dear Alan, I just turned on my computer here in Vancouver to read the very sad news of entertainment Magic Legend Peter Evans passing away only 20 minutes ago. Peter was without a doubt one of the greatest magicians New Zealand has seen. In his day he and his wife Philipa were the most professional and busiest magic team around and were up there with many of the great magic acts in the world. It is almost 30 years ago to the day that I witnessed my very first magic show by a magician called Peter Evans. I'll never forget that night because that was the night I decided (at age 8) I wanted to be a magician.  It's rather strange when I think about it because Peter wanted an assistant to do the 'arm chopper' routine with, and I was chosen. I was so scared when he cut the carrot that I ran away!! None the less, when he floated Phillipa on that one sword I was hooked, I knew I had just witness a real magician. From that point on my life changed and it was Peter and Phillipa Evans who changed it. For that I will always be grateful and words cannot describe the loss I am feeling. Thanks to Alan Watson I visited Peter and Philipa in January 2007 and was so glad I did as he was able to see how far I have come in the magic business, and I was able to thank him and remind him of the very first time I saw a magician. It was Peter who gave that little boy something to dream about and goals to reach. Peter was always so encouraging to young magicians and he had a passion for magic that he passed on to all of us in the North Shore Magic Club. His dove act was the slickest I had ever seen and very few people have that special 'charismatic spark' that Peter had whenever he performed. Peter, thank you for passing on your passion for our craft and for being such a great role model for me. I'll never forget the 'cheeky' spark in your eye and the laughter you would always bring to any conversation. Signed Paul Romhany Paul now performs on cruise ships all over the world. Peter Evans touched many lives on his journey though life and he was an inspiration to us all. We will miss you mate. -------------------------------------------- 19. Tony Wilson's Magical Adventures Number 2 -------------------------------------------- Message from Tony Wilson (NZ) The Reno 2007 IBM Convention is now past history. Mary and I were driven through by road from San Francisco and enjoyed the scenery and company of friends including Bill and Marlene Seagraves, now living in New Zealand but originally from Scotland who was also there for my Convention in 2005. The other two New Zealanders attending the Convention were Ricky and Renu Prasad from NZ Ring 160. Six in total compared to about 36 in 2005! It was good to catch up with magical friends from all over the world, watch the 31 stage acts, act as a judge for the close up finals, help sell IBM merchandise in the dealers room, attend three late night parties including outgoing President Fred Casto who, with his lovely wife Manya, were resident in the exact same suite Mary and I had for the 2005 IBM Convention. Read more about the Convention in the magical publications to follow. After seven nights in Reno we flew onto Dallas Texas for the SAM Convention for another seven nights of magic. More to come!!!! ----------------- 20. We Are Dropping Like Flies; Whose Next, I Wonder? ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard - ex pat Kiwi (The Amazing Orchanté) So yet another from the 'Old Auckland 60's Gang' moves on - we are dropping like flies; whose next, I wonder? Although it has been three decades since I last laid eyes on him, I have great memories of Peter, and his first wife Margo, and the sensation they caused with their Fantastic, Magical Dove Act; it's all so long ago, when we were all so much younger - a time when Show-Biz and life in New Zealand was so much fun... a fabulous period of time for Kiwi entertainers that will never be repeated, an experience that today's performers could never hope to compete with! You will be sorely missed Peter, by all of us who were there at the beginning... Tommy ----------------- 21. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 4 Not surprisingly, 'The Done Lane Show' vanished from Australian television screens overnight. In a matter of days, this television 'Super Star' had left Australia for America in disgrace, never to be heard of again. How the mighty can fall - WOW! Bert Newton is a very funny, likeable man, one of Australia's top TV personalities and most talented actors; he is still going strong. In fact our own Kiwi 'Wonder Voice', Derek Metzger, was working with Bert a few years ago in the long running Theatre Production of -'The Wizard of OZ', in Melbourne. Getting back to Clive Herring at the Wentworthville Leagues Club, I was very grateful to him and his 'Back Stage Boys for all their assistance and advice when it came to protocol and 'How Things Are Done' in the Sydney clubs. The very first thing you learnt was that you arrived on time at the club; and that meant - AT LEAST ONE-HOUR BEFORE SHOWTIME! Rehearsals with the band and sound and lighting checks with the technicians had to be completed by all artists, no exceptions, before the audience rolled in. This rule was strictly enforced, as I was to discover, in all of the thousands of clubs throughout Sydney Town, and beyond - throughout the whole of the State of New South Wales. If you turned up late, you didn't go on and, you didn't get paid! 'Them were the rules'! Consequently, everyone made bloody sure that they left home in plenty of time to arrive at the club and park as near to the stage entrance as possible, especially if you had equipment to get in. Some of the clubs even provided a special - 'ARTISTS CAR PARK', for the entertainer's convenience. Not only that, but from the artists entrance door, you walk straight into a corridor that had several dressing rooms leading off it; toilets/ showers were also provided. What a far cry from the crap conditions we had to put up with back in New Zealand! If you had another club job to get to after you had finished that gig, you had to make sure that you could get on the running order early, so that you could pack up and get going, to arrive at the next gig in time for their sound and lighting checks etc. As long as you let everyone know, there rarely was a problem. In some clubs, you were required to stay to the end, for an 'All Cast Finale Bow' to the audience, which was a right pain in the arse if you had another show to get to. If another gig came in to follow the first booking, and the timing to get there clashed, you just had to decline the job and lose money - all because some 'TIT' required that you stay, for the sake of a few minutes bow! Also, it was extremely important to know, to the exact minute, how long your act(s) was. There were several reasons for this. All the club's concerts ran a specified length - every minute taken up with the show meant that the audience weren't playing the all important Poker Machines that paid for everything, or rather, the punters who played them did! You had a running order of all the artists, and the length of their act, so there was no excuse for you not to be ready to walk on stage when you were announced. Also, if you had the temerity to run overtime, you brought not only the wrath of the club management upon your head (which meant you would never get a re-booking at that particular club, and word would very quickly get around that you were unreliable. The consequences meant 'Death and Starvation'), but the anger of all the other acts as well; most of them would have another club show to get to, and if they were late turning up at their next gig because of your egoism and disdain by 'stealing their time'- and consequently lost money, well.? You never, ever, ran overtime! There was another reason for knowing the exact length of your act(s). If you were doing a Sunday concert at an RSL, they would always, at precisely 9pm, have - 'THE ODE'. It wouldn't be the first time that an artist in full swing would find that the lights have faded to a blackout and the microphone - the entire stage sound system had suddenly gone dead! A recorded voice would then slowly intone the revered words of the ode, to 'Those who have fallen'. You made bloody sure that your act would be finished by 9pm. We never got caught, but I remember a few who did! -------------------------------------------- 22. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 23. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2007 Alan Watson