Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
* www.magicnewzealand.com
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Issue Number: #1251
Date: Sunday 13th December 2015
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
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1. Editor's Message
2. Penn Jillette 120-Pound Weight Loss
3. Paul Zenon's In London's West End
4. SAM 2016 Convention Acts On Social Media
5. The Best Marketing Tip for Magicians We've Seen This Year
6. Magic Word Podcast - Talking Magic With Stan Allen
7. World War II Epic 'The War Magician'
8. The Illusionists 1903
9. Updates So Far This Week on VanishLive.com
10. Holiday Shows At The Historic North Theatre
11. Broken Wand Alfredo deCampe
12. Carney Theater Show-One Night Only In Burbank
13. Scamapalooza Podcast
14. David Ginn's December News
15. e-zine Archives
16. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note next week's issue (Sunday 20th December) of the Magic New Zealand e-zine will be the final issue for this year. Magic New Zealand will then resume publication on January 10th 2016.

If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in a HTML format go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2015-Jan-to-Dec-2015/1251-Dec12-2015.html

Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. Penn Jillette 120-Pound Weight Loss
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Article forwarded by Phillip Rogers (US)

HNGN
Penn Jillette 120-Pound Weight Loss: Magician Used Technology To Drop The Pounds In Just Four Months

Magician Penn Jilliette's suddenly slim figure has everybody talking about how he shed the pounds so quickly, especially since there was no magic involved whatsoever.

When the 6-foot-6-inch 60-year-old illusionist was hospitalized in October 2014 because he had reached 330 pounds and was in danger of having a stroke, he knew he had to do something about his weight, but he also was a firm believer that too much moderation is bad for you.

For the balance of the article go to:

http://www.hngn.com/articles/159281/20151211/penn-jillette-120-pound-weight-loss-magician-used-technology-drop.htm

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3. Paul Zenon's In London's West End
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Message by Paul Zenon (UK)

My one-man theatre piece Linking Rings is set for a short run in London's West End in the New Year, at Jermyn Street Theatre, 25th to 30th January 2016.

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4. SAM 2016 Convention Acts On Social Media
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Message by George Schindler (US)

Society of American Magicians announces 2016 Convention Acts on social media

A short pre-holiday video by the Society of American Magicians surfaced this week on Facebook and YouTube. A partial lineup of some of the acts booked for the 2016 July 13-16 convention in Indianapolis is featured as a slide show on social media and on their website at www.magicsam.com.. Here are the links where you can view the film.

https://youtu.be/RnEQZYIfK4M and on Facebook- at https://www.facebook.com/SAMAnnualConference/videos/1205248029490829/

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5. The Best Marketing Tip for Magicians We've Seen This Year
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Message by Laurice Chavez

Link: http://kidsentertainerhub.com/the-best-marketing-tip-for-childrens-entertainers-weve-seen-this-year/

Marketing is a piece of cake-and fun-with this insanely effective promotional material that you can personalize to promote your magic business. It's great whether you're doing strolling magic, promoting at a trade show gig, or as the example here, performing a kids magic show. Learn about this marketing tip at http://kidsentertainerhub.com/the-best-marketing-tip-for-childrens-entertainers-weve-seen-this-year/

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6. Magic Word Podcast - Talking Magic With Stan Allen
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Message by Scott Wells (US)

This week on The Magic Word, Stan Allen, editor and publisher of MAGIC Magazine, talks about the state of hard copies of magic magazines versus going digital. MAGIC Magazine will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year and also host a MAGIC Live! Convention next August. This has always been the well-attended magic event in North America and this one should blow out all the stops. Attendance has always been capped by the number of available seats in the theater and this event will be no exception.

Stan talks about the past conventions he has hosted and the challenges of creating and organizing something new time after time. To see some exclusive photos, read the blog, listen to the podcast and download the MP3 file, visit: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/267-stan-allen

Of course you can listen through iTunes, Stitcher, Tunein and FeedPress. Don't forget to subscribe for free so you don't miss a single podcast.

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7. World War II Epic 'The War Magician'
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Article forward by William Bowers (US)

The Hollywood Reporter

Benedict Cumberbatch to Star in World War II Epic 'The War Magician'

Gary Whitta, who wrote 'The Book of Eli' and worked on 'Rogue One,' is penning the adaptation.

Benedict Cumberbatch is attached to star in The War Magician, a World War II epic tale that Studio Canal is financing.

Storyscape Entertainment principals Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein, who made the announcement on Tuesday, are producing the pic, which has Garry Whitta adapting the fact-based book by David Fisher. No director currently is on board the project.

Cumberbatch will portray British hero Jasper Maskelyne, the titular spellbinder whose clever illusions helped the Allied forces fight the Nazis during World War II.

According to the producers, Maskelyne put together a rag?tag "dirty dozen" of accomplices dubbed "The Magic Gang" who used illusion tricks to hide strategic targets such as the Alexandria harbor near the Suez Canal, in the process concealing 150,000 men with 1,000 guns and tanks. The book says the illusions helped turn the tide of the war against General Rommel and the Germans in North Africa, leading up to the Battle of El Alamein.

The announcement states that Maskelyne's techniques were so effective that Adolf Hitler added him to his personal blacklist alongside men like General Douglas MacArthur and British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery who, if captured alive, were to receive "special" treatment by the Nazis.

Balance of article go to:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/benedict-cumberbatch-star-world-war-846899?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%20Breaking%20News_2015-12-08%2013:00:00_ehayden&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_breakingnews

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8. The Illusionists 1903
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Article forwarded by Mel Kientz (US)

The Illusionists 1903 brings back the magic of the past

by Ron Cerabona
Arts reporter for The Canberra Times

The golden age of magic was recreated when The Illusionists 1903 opened at the Canberra Theatre on Tuesday night.

Levitation, disappearance and reappearance and clairvoyance were just some of the acts presented by a group of international performers specialising in visual, mental and optical illusion.

Among them were husband and wife Mark Kalin ("The Showman") and Jinger Leigh ("The Conjuress") who perform several acts in the show including the bullet catch, in which she fires a bullet marked by an audience member and he catches it in his teeth.

Kalin said, "12 magicians have died while performing that trick ... I'm trying not to be number 13."

"That would be very unlucky," Leigh added.

One of the genuine fatalities, he said, was the magician Chung Ling Soo, who was fatally shot while performing the bullet catch in 1918 - and his public was shocked to learn after his death that he was not Chinese, as he appeared from his looks and dress, but an American named William Robinson.

Kalin said this show - the third Illusionists production and the first to evoke the past - has 1903 in its title because that came in the middle of "the Golden Age of Magic ...a period of 20 or 25 years from the late 1800s to 1920-21".

It was, he said, a time when the industrial age was in full swing and big theatres were built in cities that enabled magicians to add new and bigger elements to their shows.

"While singers still sang songs and jugglers still juggled, magicians had a new playing field," he said.

"They were the rock stars of their day."

Some of the illusions in the show are performed as they were originally including P.T. Selbit's sawing a woman in half trick, which premiered in 1921. Originally the assistant was to be a man, Kalin said, but Selbit decided to draw on the attention raised by the suffragette movement by using a woman instead.

"It caused a sensation and was copied by other magicians and became the most famous illusion of all time."

Leigh said she was originally a dancer - she began her professional career at the age of 15 - and met Kalin while working in Guam 24 years ago. They have been married for 21 years, are based in Reno, Nevada, and work all around the world - including all the Illusionist shows in Australia

She said while she had never lost her passion for dancing, she enjoyed magic, particularly the psychological element of learning how to present an illusion. In 1998 the couple were awarded Magicians of the Year from The Academy of Magical Arts.

The Illusionists 1903 is on at the Canberra Theatre until December 16. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700.

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9. Updates So Far This Week on VanishLive.com
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Message by Mick Peck (New Zealand)
Online Content Editor
www.VanishLive.com

Latest updates on VanishLive.com include:

- Criss Angel To Reappear For Two Shows
- Scott Fillers' Magic Lessons
- Hacked by Brian Kennedy
- Magician's Philosophy On Critical Thinking
- Vanish Edition 23
- Crist Connects With Inner Child
- Two Brothers One Mind
- Crist Connects With Inner Child
- Two Brothers One Mind

Video of the Week: Magic, Rhyme and Reason: Krystyn Lambert at TEDxTeen.

Magic news, articles from around the world and product reviews from working professional magicians.

Visit us today at:
http://www.VanishLive.com

- Mick Peck
Online Content Editor
www.VanishLive.com

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10. Holiday Shows At The Historic North Theatre
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Message by Wayne Alan

Disney's Elf the Musical, Jr., Dec. 11 at 7:30 PM and matinees Dec. 12 & 13 at 2:30. Tickets $15.00 adults & $10.00 children/students. This Disney Musical is based on the beloved holiday film. This hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity featuring local youth and directed by Mimi Johnson Grubb.

Magic of Christmas Stage Illusion Show
Saturdays-12, 19, 26 at 7:30 PM and a Matinee on Sunday, Dec. 27 at 2:30 PM. Tickets $20.00 & $15.00 adults & $10.00 children 12 & under
The NEW 2015 Edition of the Magic of Christmas Illusion Show opens at the Historic North Theatre. This live show stars Celebrity Magician and World Champion Illusionist Wayne Alan. It is an exciting yet heartwarming magic and illusion show themed around Christmas full of family fun with not only amazing magic but also great music, including many of your favorite sacred and secular holiday songs. This year's show features Special Guest Star Frederico Cardella, a world class tenor. His agent has also represented Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. Mr. Cardella's fabulous voice will truly amaze the audience.

This holiday show is becoming the newest Christmas tradition in the region while also receiving national recognition. This wonderful show is inspired by the famous Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. By popular demand the Danville Academy of Dance will present to holiday numbers. Christianity, the real meaning of Christmas, is woven throughout the show which closes with the dramatic "One Solitary Man" on the big screen.

Friday, Dec. 18-7:00 PM-Adults-$10.00 and Children $5.00
Donna Strother Deekens will be singing live on our stage and talking about her days playing the role of a "Snow Queen" for many years with "The Real Santa" at the Miller & Rhoads downtown department store in Richmond from 1971 - 1989, and also at Thalhimers, from 1990 - 1991. She is the author of four books, Christmas at Miller & Rhoads: Memoirs of a Snow Queen; Santaland: A Miller & Rhoads Christmas; Virginia's Legendary Santa Trains (co-authored with Doug Riddell); and The Real Santa of Miller & Rhoads: The Extraordinary Life of Bill Strother. She will be signing books after her show followed by a classic Christmas film.

The theatre is also negotiating with Hollywood studios to show Classic Christmas Films on the big screen.

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11. Broken Wand Alfredo deCampe
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Message by JB

The official Death Notices are for Alfredo De Campi. So "Fair Fred", as he liked to be known, was born circa 1911 - but the WASM, where he spent many years from the late 1950's, was founded in 1922. So was not a foundation member - but it was his base from those later years onwards. He became a Life Member, and by tradition became the first act on the Bill. Whether a public, club or private show.

I knew many of the club's early members from my late 1940's membership - but never heard that Houdini story. Harry Weiss flew the first powered airplane flight in Australia in December 1912. Hargreaves had already proven to the Wright brothers that box-kite arrangements were needed for powered flight. Fair Fred saw his first travelling professional magician when about 14 - & was probably the Great Nicola. Fred's home town was Kalgoorlie, the area is known as the Goldfields, and a source then and now of much of Australia's gold production.

Drilling has now started for a new lode under the town many of the world's great performers performed there. In the 1800's Maskelyne presented some of the illusions developed with David Devant. He later wrote the "miners fired their guns in the air when he did the famous ones" - probably got confused with the other "Wild West".

Fair Fred had several full scale acts. Among them a Chinese Act, with genuine flowing robes and huge 'Rice' silks. Buying them from a retiring magician in the Goldfields -which had developed a magic club. Fair Fred last performed that act at the 1990 WASM annual dinner. After Fred retired to Perth - some 350 miles west of Kalgoorlie. Fair Fred helped aid the formation of other magic clubs & made his huge garage part of their 'workshops'.

There are many anecdotes of Fair Fred. He and brother Clarrie taught themselves carpentry from books, and then started building illusions and a Magic Show. In an ancient truck, they bounced along tracks created for camel trains, and brought magic to remote country towns. Kalgoorlie has the widest main street of any outback country town. It was the only way their Afghan drivers could turn their trains around. Australia's North-South railway is called "The Ghan" in their honour of opening the Outback.

Fair Fred and brother, Clarrie, are a history legend and a lesson for magicians of the world.

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12. Carney Theater Show-One Night Only In Burbank
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Message by John Carney (US)

The Colony Theater
555 North Third Street
Burbank, California 91502

One Show Only
Saturday, January 9 @ 7:30pm

Tickets at
colonytheatre.org
818 - 558 - 7000 x15

Magic Castle's Most Awarded Performer
CarneyMagic is a theatre show that blends mind-blowing sleight of hand with intelligence, taste, and wit, into a unique evening of pure entertainment. This is definitely NOT your typical "magic" show. Carney's approach is smart, engaging, and often hilarious.

As seen on David Letterman's Late Night
Pin-balling between jaunty comedic riffs and astonishing sleight of hand, Carney will have you reeling with his hilarious audience participation segments, as well as his embodiment of multiple characters. He's not like any magician you've seen before.

Regarded by his peers as one of the top sleight of hand performers in the world, Carney has won more awards from Hollywood's Magic Castle than anyone in their history, in every category.

You won't see any big boxes, tigers, dancing girls, or lasers. Just a quirky, likable guy, cracking-wise and doing some pretty amazing things … and all the while, you'll be laughing yourself silly.

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13. Scamapalooza Podcast
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Message by Nicholas Johnson

This week on Scamapalooza I'm joined by Piff The Magic Dragon. We talk about conquering Americas Got Talent, creating a memorable character and his take on the magic community.

Piff (aka John Van Der Put) doesn't pull any punches and is hilariously honest about his work and his experiences.

http://www.conman.com.au/piffthemagicdragon/

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14. David Ginn's December News
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Message by David Ginn (US)

David Ginn's December news is out with lots of new magic toys! David says if you order $45 or more by Jan. 15, 2016 -- you may take any Ginn DVD free with the order. Here's the link: molliejohanson.com/AutumnsLeaflet_Dec15.pdf

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15. E-zine Archives
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Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button center right "Archives"

When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)

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16. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
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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.magicnewzealand.com

Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday.

The opinions and statements expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson QSM vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine.

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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.