Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
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Issue Number: #1676
Date: Sunday 17th July 2022
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. Ex-Magician's Assistant Vying To Become Prime Minister Of UK
3. Tales from the Fantastic Magic Center - #1
4. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #67
5. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
6. Beneath the Trapdoor #6 by Bronson Chadwick
7. The Bernard Control - John Carey #164
8. Great News From Germany
9. Jeff McBride's Magic & Mystery School Events
10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
11. Masters Of Illusion
12. E-zine Archives
13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML format
go to: https://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2022-Jan-to-Dec2022/1676-Jul17-2022.html

If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. Ex-Magician's Assistant Vying To Become Prime Minister Of UK
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SKY News

Who is Penny Mordaunt, the Navy reservist and ex-magician's assistant vying to become PM?

Currently second to Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership contest, Penny Mordaunt has fast become a serious candidate to be the next prime minister…….

Magician's assistant at uni

In order to fund her studies, she worked in a Johnson and Johnson factory and as a magician's assistant to the then-president of the Portsmouth Magical Society and British Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Having been active in student politics, after she graduated in 1995 she worked as head of youth for the Conservative Party under John Major and as head of broadcasting when William Hague was in opposition.

Between 2001 and 2003 she headed communications for the Conservative-run Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, while juggling a brief stint as head of foreign press for George W Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.

She worked for Mr Bush again when he ran for a second time in 2004 before branching out into the charity sector…

For the full article go to:
https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-penny-mordaunt-the-navy-reservist-and-ex-magicians-assistant-vying-to-become-pm-12651726

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3. Tales from the Fantastic Magic Center - #1
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Message by Kent Cummins, Director (USA)

What is The Fantastic Magic Center?

Do you love MAGIC as much as I do?

The Fantastic Magic Center is a museum, research center and cabaret theatre dedicated to the preservation and sharing of magic. The physical location is in an unassuming building (half of a duplex) in Georgetown, Texas (near Austin). There are no signs pointing the way, nor is there any signage on the property. Like the "secret location" of David Copperfield's amazing museum in Las Vegas, you have to be invited to find it.

But you are all invited! Every Monday I will be hosting a podcast, "The Real Secrets of Magic," from the center, highlighting one or more of the posters, props, programs, and magical memorabilia contained within. Sign up at www.FantasticMagicCenter.com. It's free!

As Copperfield said in a recent interview for The Skeptical Inquirer, "It's not about the stuff. It's about the stories!"

And I have so many stories from a lifetime--more than 73 years so far--as a magician, full-time since 1986. I not only saw Blackstone Senior perform in 1952; I put my hand on the birdcage before it disappeared. I not only studied the Tarbell Course; I saw Harlan Tarbell perform live in 1957, talked to him, and got his autograph in my program. I did a magic show for the American Spiritualist Alliance in 1958, and started the Junior Society for Psychical Research at my high school in 1960.

I also want to hear your stories! Let's preserve these wonderful, magical stories for future generations. Today, the world needs MAGIC more than ever.

Join me every week as I share these and other stories. You can get summaries of many of these stories every week right here in the New Zealand e-zine, and please join me for the free weekly podcast at www.FantasticMagicCenter.com.

Sometimes, it takes a Magician!
kent@fantasticmagiccenter.com

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4. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #68
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Message by Paul Stone (US)

A few weeks ago, I extolled the virtues of Mac King, and his likeability and professionalism. I have been a long time fan of his, and always without fail recommend his show to any friends visiting Las Vegas.

I've also had the pleasure of booking Mac to appear in UK on a couple of occasions at London West End theatres, including in one of my Gala Variety Shows at the London Palladium. I've just realized that was 11 years ago!

Although more recently I did enjoy hosting 'An Audience With' talk with Mac & Lance Burton' at the Blackpool Magic Convention in 2020, just before the pandemic reared its ugly head.

If you read my previous article about Mac, you'll know that what especially impressed me when I saw his show a few weeks ago, was the fact that he gave 110% even though he was working to a smallish audience.

Last night - I'm writing this on 13th July - the Mac King Comedy Magic Show celebrated the one year anniversary at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino, and Mac gave a rare evening performance in front of, I'm delighted to say, a full house of invited VIP guests, and some lucky visitors.

It was a 'who's who' of magic and also other celebrity Las Vegas headliners. Penn Jillette, Kevin James with his wife Claudia, Bill Smith, Fielding West showing off the first of his two new knees, Banachek, and legendary Las Vegas singing star Clint Holmes with his talented wife Kelly, also a great singer, were amongst the packed audience. And not forgetting the new owner of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Randy Pitchford.

Mac's wife, Jennifer, was charming as ever, and seemed to greet everyone personally. What a lovely lady she is.

And the show itself? … It was Mac at his very best, but then it's always Mac at his very best. All his routines, from his incredible opening rope trick and cards across with the cloak of invisibility, right through to his final illusion, are all original, entertaining and honed to perfection. The result of twenty years working five days a week, two shows a day.

Mac truly is a Las Vegas magic legend, and he is one of the nicest and most humble guys you'll ever meet. A class act if ever there was one.

I was in touch this week with an old friend of mine, Don Wiberg, who unfortunately I haven't seen for quite some time. Don lives in Chicago, and as you may know, was the International Secretary of the IBM for many years, and International President in 1984/85.

He and his wife Joyce are headed off to the IBM Annual Convention in Atlanta, or in Joyce's case I should say hobbling off, as she recently fell and broke her ankle. But it will take a lot more than that to slow her down!

There are a number of reasons why I'll never forget Don and Joyce, including enjoying their company at various conventions, as well as meeting up with them in London and giving them the tour, along with Fielding West.

But the one memory that will forever be imprinted on my mind was when we were all attending the IBM Convention in Boston, which included a clambake as part of a welcome event.

Don tucked in with great gusto, and sadly suffered the consequences. He must have eaten a rogue clam, or possibly several, because it made him violently ill. I've never seen anything like it, and to be quite honest, I'm surprised to this day that he survived to tell the tale.

But survive he did, and Don and Joyce recently became great grandparents. Many Congratulations to them both!

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5. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
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Message by Connie Boyd (USA)

Coach John Wooden's quote "Make each day your Masterpiece" is a super match for Roxanne's masterful manipulation magic, do you agree? Roxanne's FISM performance from 2000 at the World Championships of Magic, FISM. Roxanne won 3rd Place in General Magic with this performance. Roxanne is the wife and partner of internationally acclaimed magician TOPAS. They often perform together.

https://youtu.be/-tOYMk-mIP0
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6. Beneath the Trapdoor #6 by Bronson Chadwick
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Message by Jeff Bibik (US)

Where does all of the time go?? Seems only a month ago I updated the events at the Chicago Magic Lounge. We are quickly approaching the 1 year anniversary of our reopening. We're getting a lot of folks that had either tickets or had plans to visit before the shutdown, so it's nice to see them. Attendance is back at capacity and the bar is hopping every weekend.
Recently we had a guest who is blind visit us. He sat ringside at the bar with his girlfriend, who happened to be the mother of one of our bartenders. It is impossible to tell by looking how deeply a person's vision is impaired, but I was able to learn from our bartender that he could really only see shadows.

So how can you possibly present a visual art like magic for someone that cannot see? In his book "Chicken Soup for the Soul' author Jack Canfield has a story of a magician that was sitting next to a blind person and was able to cue them by tapping their foot with his. The person was able to stop on the other spectator's selected card by being cued. I actually tried this once but it failed, I think that person just wondered why I kept stepping on their toe!!!

The answer for me has been sponge balls, or at the Lounge, sponge bunnies. I asked the person to hold out their hand and I gave him a single bunny to feel. I told him what it was, and described its ears, body, and fuzzy tail. I asked, "Are you right or left handed?" He said right, so I took the bunny out of his left hand and put it in his right hand while secretly adding another bunny. "Can everyone agree that Dennis has one bunny?" "Yes!" With a few waves of the wand I had him open his hand and feel the bunny- he felt two bunnies!! His response was priceless, he screamed "THE DEVIL IS ALIVE!" and laughed and laughed. He felt included because he was and it was a magical moment.

It is actually not the first time I have done sponges for a blind person. What I noticed this time was how many visual references we have in our shows. Phrases like "Watch carefully"…, "As you can see…", "Don't take your eyes off the cards…" etc. are all over magic routines. Not surprising, it is mainly a visual art, but I challenge you to become aware of these phrases as you perform.

We have a special show coming up at the Lounge on Monday August 1 as Mac King, Mike Caveney and Guy Hollingworth take the stage for one night only. They are stopping on the way to the Abbott's Get Together which takes place later that week. Mac has been there before, but it will be the first time for Mike and Guy. Sorry folks, it is already sold out! That is going to be a fun night and I look forward to being there, standing in the back, because I don't have a ticket either!!

www.ChicagoMagicLounge.com
www.Bibik.com

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7. The Bernard Control - John Carey #164
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Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/

Here's a wee control I call the Bernard control, which utilizes the mechanics of the late Bobby Bernard's false-cut for a top control. Hold the deck in left-hand dealing grip and ask a spectator to cut off about half the deck and table it. Push off the top card of the packet left in your hand about two inches and raise the left hand to show your helper their selection. Lower the left hand and pull the selection square.

Take the packet from above in Biddle grip and swing cut half the packet into left hand dealing grip. Immediately turn the left hand slightly so that the back faces your right hand and bring the right hand over to the left hand and tap the left long edge of the right hand section against the back of the left hand packet twice. Then drop the right hand cards on top of the tabled cards and finally take the cards in your left hand from above in the right hand and drop them on top of everything and square up. The selection now resides on top.

Notes: You can apply this half deck ploy to many false cuts, like the Thompson cut etc to effect a nice casual top control. Sometimes when I place the last packet on top I immediately in one seamless action ribbon spread the deck, which seems to add another visual layer.

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8. Great News From Germany
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Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)

The July cover of Germany's only independent magic magazine, Magische Welt (longest running in Europe) just featured fantastic French artist Alexandra Duvivier.
The original interview can be heard on YouTube (in English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNw5ew9svko&t=41s

Personally I have decided to open the first German magic museum soon in the heart of Hamburg. It will carry the title "Bellachini".

Bellachini was one of the most prominent stage names for magicians since the 19th century.
The original Bellachini was Samuel Berlach, 1827-1885; he was followed by Lucas Strack-Bellachini, 1861-1930; Bellachini no. 3 was Franz Schweizer-Bellachini, 1886-1969
Bellachini no. 4 was Theodor von Schledorn-Bellachini, 1896-1975.

Besides these well-known protagonists there were more than 30 who used the name Bellachini.

And now I will call Germany's first magic museum also "Bellachini": https://hamburger-zaubermuseum.com/

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9. Jeff McBride's Magic & Mystery School Events
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Message by Jeff McBride (US)

July 2022 - Magic & Mystery School Events
14, & 21 - Social Media for Magicians - with Jason Porter and Tobias Beckwith - Live Online

August 2022 - Magic & Mystery School Events
6, 13 & 20 - Immersive Magic Theater - with Friends of the Magic & Mystery School
26-28 - The 2nd Annual Inclusivity & Diversity in Magic Conference - with Paul Draper and many guests - Live Online

September 2022 - Magic & Mystery School Events
20-26 - Magic & Meaning Conference 2022 - with Jeff McBride and Larry Hass - Live Online

October 2022 - Magic & Mystery School Events
14-16 - Weekend of Wisdom - with Jeff McBride, Larry Hass & Tobias Beckwith - Live In Las Vegas

https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/events

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10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
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Message by Jay Scott Berry (Australia)

Unlike paintings and sculptures, Magic is a living Art. With each show, we are recreating the experience and, hopefully, fine-tuning it. This includes all aspects of the presentation, from effects and techniques to character and costume. I realized this in High School Drama Class when we were handed a script and told to memorize it, word for word. After a few plays, I grew tired of the lack of flexibility. As a magician, I realized that I was my own producer, script writer, costume designer and director. I opted for the creative freedom, and responsibility, afforded in pursuing the Art of Wonder. It was by no means the easier choice, and certainly the road less traveled.

This freedom to create is one of the greatest aspects of being a professional magician. This goes for teaching as well. In 1983, I gave my first lecture at The Magic Castle. Since then, I've presented over a thousand seminars and workshops at Conventions and for Magic Clubs the world over. I realized early on that a lecture IS a show. It has to be both entertaining and educational. So, 35 years ago, I coined the word, "Edutainment".

Now, with the advent of Zoom technology, we enter a brave new world of teaching and sharing the Art. This has been my primary focus for the last 2 years. One of our big successes at the Academy have been the ZoomStorming Masterclasses. In the last 10 months, I've presented over 30 of these, covering all aspects of the Art, from Close-up to Stage and Kids to Corporate. As with shows, I continue to fine-tune the presentation, both technically, and in curriculum. From building a solid foundation in sleight-of-hand skills to opening up new doors for the future, these have been a great learning experience, for the students and myself.

Next up is the Wonder Workshop ZoomStorming, on Saturday July 23rd at 12pm LA, 3pm NY and 8pm UK. Balloon Modeling has been a staple in many magician's repertoire for years. The problems, however, are self-evident: The obvious being that balloons pop, often sooner than later. So, at worst, you have upset, crying children. At best, the balloons are gone in a few days and consigned to the waste bin. Also, many venues and festivals now prohibit balloons, for environmental and noise reasons. To address the need for practical alternatives, I have created a wondrous spectrum of original, magical crafts, sure to leave a lasting impression.

In this 2 hour, intensive Masterclass, you will learn how to construct over a dozen, inexpensive, promotional items, using Pipe Cleaners, Tissue Paper and Popsicle sticks. These are perfect as giveaways for Stage, Parties and Strolling. They include Colorful Magic Wands, Flowers, Puzzles, Gifts, Decorations, Bling and more!

All of these have been created and fine-tuned in hundreds of shows, for all ages and conditions. Plus, they are perfect for craft workshops as well. So, here's your chance to add a whole new set of practical skills to your repertoire, that will pay for themselves a hundred times over. Tickets are only $20 (USD) and include the HD Download. www.MagicLadder.net

Whether performing or teaching, we are all responsible for the impression we leave. It doesn't matter where you are on the ladder. What matters is always reaching for the next rung. Excelsior!

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11. Masters Of Illusion
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Message by Steve Moyer (US)

Up next on Masters Of Illusion on The CW on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 9/8c hosted by Dean Cain: the Original Episode, "Right Before Your Very Eyes," starring magicians Farrell Dillon, Kevin Li, Murray SawChuck, Ran'D Shine, Eric Eaton, Shoot Ogawa and Louie Foxx, following by an Encore Presentation of "Music and Tech Magic" starring magicians Levent, Jeff Hobson, Kid Ace, Trigg Watson, Chris Funk, Johnny Ace Palmer and Ed Alonzo.

To view performance highlights of the July 16th original episode airing from 9:00 - 9:30 p.m., please visit: (Highlight Clip of magician Farrell Dillon and Dean Cain) https://warnerbros.box.com/s/qgufvocxi9sq44felr5l9i7cg3dk7629 and (Compilation Clip of all the magicians in this episode) https://vimeo.com/722345852/800209c9a7

To view performance highlights of the July 16th encore episode airing from 9:30 - 10:00 p.m., please visit: (Highlight Clip of Magician Levent and Dean Cain) https://warnerbros.box.com/s/vjhkfp2ipxt99v18cwrlxjfhxrslyiwf and (Compilation Clip of all the magicians in this episode) https://vimeo.com/699626541/90b0a5e636

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12. 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 centre 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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13. 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.

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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.