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* Magic New Zealand®
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Issue Number: #1743
Date: Sunday 26th November 2023
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. FISM Europe, May 23-26, 2024
3. Broken Wand Micky Hades
4. December Issue Of Genii Magazine
5. Criss Angel Proposes To Ex-Wife
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #135
7. R.I.P. Jack Delvin (UK)
8. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 57
9. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #68
10. What Is The Real Work? An Essay - John Carey #217
11. Magic Texas Update
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/2023-Jan-to-Dec-2023/1743-Nov26-2023.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. FISM Europe, May 23-26, 2024
-------------------------------------
Message by Joan Caesar (Canada)
This
adventure that happens only once every 3 years .....
Christmas
is only a month away. If you're looking for a fantastic
Christmas present, look no further. The magician in your
family will be delighted to receive a registration to FISM
Europe, where some of the best magicians in Europe will
compete for a place at FISM. It will be an exciting time
to be a part of this adventure that happens only once every
3 years.
The
Gala and Close-Up Shows will feature magicians from around
the world, some of whom have won FISM in past years. One-man
shows, workshops and lectures are just a few of the things
you will enjoy. And don't forget the famous Italian spaghetti
parties.
This
is the place to meet friends and make new ones!
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3. Broken Wand Micky Hades
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Message by Brent Smith (US)
I'm
sad these days as my friend and teacher in magic Micky Hades
has passed away at the age of 97. I call him a teacher because
he never mentored me but his door was always open for me
and I could ask any question. They say to be successful
in something you keep your mouth closed and your ears open
and I did just that with Micky but I also asked a lot of
questions. I enjoyed our time together especially because
Micky would always ask me questions about magic, history
and all about magic posters, not because he didn't know,
but to test me and see if I knew what I was talking about
and I do :)
Micky
Hades was a man who embraced all aspects of magic: Performer,
publisher, collector, manufacturer, inventor, author, editor
and a pioneer of the art of magic. He was born of Ukrainian
parentage on a farm in Alberta. He got started in magic
when he saw the magician John C. Green. Micky had mundane
jobs but realised magic is what he wanted to do so he studied
and learned all he could on magic. He then joined a travelling
sideshow which featured not only magic but also fire eating.
He
then joined carnivals like Conklin Brothers Circus and then
Clifford Entertainers Vaudeville circuit. Micky then quit
show business for a while and went into Silk Screening and
then went onto being a fire prevention Officer in the Army.
Then for 13 months he worked in the Gold mines in Yellowknife
in the NWT. There in the Artic climate he invented the Micky
Hades finger chopper 2000 feet below the surface of the
ground. Imagine just how many of those he sold. Micky Hades
enterprises became Micky Hade international and become a
name recognized throughout the world of magic.
Micky
was behind the TV Show, Dale Harney's Magic Palace and Micky
brought in all the top guys in magic at that time. Blackstone,
Al Goshman, Paul Harris, Martin Nash, Slydini..... the list
goes on and on and on. I would get my dad to drive me down
to Channel 2 and 7 TV Studios just to see Dale Harney with
the world's Top Magicians perform.
I
miss that time in magic with no internet, without exposure
on YouTube, magicians being babies online. Magic was real
and everyone sacrificed and treated magic with great importance
and value. When people don't sacrifice much for what they
have do not treat it with great importance or value hence
what some people are doing on the internet with exposure.
Anyone who suffered for anything knows the value of what
they suffered for.
Micky
said to me once that you cannot make someone into a magician
but they are born and that being a magician is a state of
mind and a way of life. Micky never taught anyone magic,
he never taught sleight of hand but he taught them the state
of mind to make a living at magic. The only one I know of
who Micky taught this to is John Kaplan.
Micky
had many stories. How he told Martin Nash that he should
call himself "The Charming Cheat" and that he
should wear big gold rings and fancy suits. He had a great
ZIG ZAG lady Illusion story, How he gave Doug Henning a
job and he accepted the position of editor of the Young
Magicians section of the Hade-E-Gram MagiZette and performed
his first professional appearance at the Jubilee Auditorium
in Calgary in 1965.
Micky
had four Magic Shops, Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary and Washington.
They were eventually closed or sold off.
In
2015 Micky sold me his 500 piece magic Poster collection
which some I will treasure forever. They are framed in my
house and I still enjoy every day.
I
will miss Micky and the coffee time we had together, I will
miss going to visit him and seeing what magic he still had
for sale all of which the props I grew up with, I will miss
the jewels and treasures I would find when Micky let me
look through boxes. I will miss talking to him about illusions
and I will miss talking to him about Magic Posters.
Micky
once said to me that if you really want to make a living
at something have NOTHING to fall back on that way the fire
under your butt stays lit. We both laughed at that for a
long time.
The
Micky Hades story is too incredible for this short newsletter
so look for this book coming out of the Magical Life of
Micky Hades in the new year by his daughter Brenda.
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4. December Issue Of Genii Magazine
-------------------------------------
Message by Richard Kaufman - Editor Genii Magazine
For
only $35 (which just happens to be the cost of a one year
digital subscription to Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine,
www.geniimagazine.com) you can also visit the world-famous
Magic Castle in Hollywood, California!
In
this issue you will find a cover story about the unique
magician Jeanette Andrews, written by Chloe Olewitz. Jeanette's
intellectual art-based approach to the shows she does in
museums and art galleries is tremendously different.
Our
secondary story focuses on the traveling show Champions
of Magic, which began its journey in the U.K. in 2013 and
has been touring the U.S.A. since 2017. The show is the
brainchild of Alex Jarrett, who even now is only 32 years
of age. Amazing!
Our
obituaries this month include Dan Garrett, Larry Becker,
Darwin Ortiz, and Dick Gustafson.
In
this gap month before Jamy Ian Swiss begins his work as
editor of "Magician" I step in with a holiday
gift from Larry Jennings: a "Magicana" composed
of three previously-unpublished routines pulled from what
I've already written for his next book Mr. Jennings Takes
it Tough.
Jim
Steinmeyer reveals a new creation, an opening routine for
mentalists, in "Conjuring."
Jon Racherbaumer digs out a red/blue miracle in "Exhumations."
Krystyn
Lambert ponders beautiful moments of astonishment in "Stage
as Studio."
Jonathan
Freedman explains a clever prediction written on a card
box in "WWPD."
David
Regal divulges a new way to do an old thing, in a good routine,
in "Material Concessions."
John
Bannon teaches a short poker deal in "Dealing with
It."
Vanessa
Armstrong gives the newsy bits in "The Eye," where
you can learn all about the Magic Castle style lounge, bar,
and performance space on the newest ship in the Princess
Cruise line, as well as the next Magic Castle Conjurer's
Cruise which will depart from Ft. Lauderdale in November
2024 - just about a year from now.
Shawn
McMaster shares recent AMA's recent happenings in "Knights
at The Magic Castle."
And to wrap up the issue we have reviews of books, videos,
and tricks from Nathan Coe Marsh, Suzanne, and Ryan Plunkett.
-------------------------------------
5. Criss Angel Proposes To Ex-Wife
-------------------------------------
Article forwarded on by Peter Phillips (US)
Criss
Angel proposed to his ex-wife Shaunyl Benson once again.
The
Australian singer shared a sweet video on Instagram Saturday
of herself looking surprised at dinner as the famed magician
presented her with an engagement ring and asked her to remarry
him.
Benson
held her hands over her face in shock and began to tear
up as Angel spoke, though she put musician Will Gittens'
cover of Shania Twain's "You're Still the One"
over the footage to keep the speech private.
The
illusionist then helped his on-again fiancée put
the ring on her finger as she stood up and held his face
during a kiss.
https://pagesix.com/2023/11/13/entertainment/criss-angel-proposes-to-shaunyl-
benson-again-after-divorce/?fbclid=IwAR3ExU5NJ_kRXaCrynGPcsFK60k68ofraq
IIN8LQ_G9F3SXTVO1Yt7N8o8c
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6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #135
-------------------------------------
Message by Paul Stone (US)
This
week, I am writing my article on the day before Thanksgiving
here in USA. It is definitely a time to stop and reflect
on all the good things we have in our lives. For me personally,
I'm very thankful for my friends and family.
Magic is a unique art form in so many ways, but one of the
main things that stands it apart in my view, is the camaraderie,
something that you don't find in many other areas of the
entertainment world.
If you found yourself in trouble in a foreign city virtually
anywhere in the world, the chances are that there would
be a local magician who would come to your aid.
Michael Weber was lecturing recently to the Juniors at the
Magic Castle, and actually made this exact observation,
and whilst the younger magicians might not have fully appreciated
it, those of us who have been around the world of magic
much longer, can fully relate to this.
Over the years I have been fortunate to meet and build up
some wonderful friendships with magicians in several different
countries, and I've lectured in several of them too.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned an initiative that I am launching
in 2024 called the 'AOK Revolution' which, through simple
Acts of Kindness, aims to spread awareness for people who
are suffering from loneliness.
This is not rocket science, the aim is to encourage people
to reach out to anyone, young or older, who might be lonely.
This seems especially important right now with the world
in the fragile state it finds itself in.
Although I've been writing these weekly articles for nearly
three years, I've rarely talked about my family, but this
seems like an appropriate time to do so. I hope you'll indulge
me!
I have two real passions in my life, one, which I've written
about often in my Magic New Zealand articles, is Variety
Shows, and in particular all types of Speciality Acts. The
other is Football (Soccer to our American friends!).
So, I suppose it was somewhat inevitable that one of my
sons Ben, went into Show Business, and my other son Danny,
became a professional football player in UK.
Ben is an accomplished magician, starting out his performing
life working at numerous private and corporate events table
hopping with a couple of stellar magicians, Mark Mason and
Phil Jay.
When Ben moved out to live in Las Vegas, he met American
Idol Singing Star, Jasmine Trias, from Hawaii, at a show
that I produced at the Suncoast Hotel & Casino featuring
a well-known Show Band called 'The Society of Seven'. Jasmine
was special Guest Star.
It turned out that Ben had another hidden talent …
he could sing, and sing really well. Who knew?!
When I produced 'Vegas Magic Theatre', a Magic & Variety
Show at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino for 6 months,
featuring different magic acts every week from around the
world, Ben was the Host and Emcee. He performed magic, and
also sang, and he did a great job.
More recently Ben has focused on his singing career, and
he has appeared in most of the major Showrooms on the Las
Vegas Strip , many of them together with Jasmine, to whom
he is happily married.
If you get a chance, go to YouTube and check out Ben Stone
& Jasmine Trias singing 'The Prayer'. It is the perfect
Thanksgiving and Christmas song, and it gives me goosebumps
every time I hear it.
Next week I'll tell you about Danny, and of course all the
latest magic news from Las Vegas.
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7. R.I.P. Jack Delvin (UK)
-------------------------------------
Message published in Facebook by John Gordon
It
was 40 years ago today that I first saw David Carre perform
(on 8mm B/W movie) at a London Magic Club that Jack Delvin
was running. My life was to change forever!
14
years later Jack asked to join my company (MagicWorks) to
work on some projects together. Later Jack was to become
President of The Magic Circle. Now he has gone.
Rest
in peace now Jack.
--------------------------------------------
8. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 57
---------------------------------------------
Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)
What a week!
Act
1
Opening of the Alexander Adrion exhibition at Museum Bellachini
Around
30 guests from all walks of life attended the opening of
the special exhibition on the great philosopher of magic
Alexander Adrion. Magicians, artists and "normal"
people. Stefan Alexander Rauten gave a wonderful laudatory
speech and then performed two tricks in memory of Adrion:
the cups and balls and trouble wit.
Act
2
Stefan Rautenberg then received one of the highest magical
honours awarded in the German-speaking world: The Johann
Nepomuk Hofzinser Memorial Ring.
Until
recently, it was awarded every three years to a magician
who had rendered outstanding services to the art of magic.
Rautenberg performs in the tradition of Hofzinser and Robert
Houdin.
Background
to the ring: The ring was created in 1933 by the magician
Robert Farchmin. The first bearer was Ottokar Fischer, followed
by Kalanag, Punx and Werry, the magic dealer. From 2000,
the bearers included Magic Christian from Austria, Frascatelli
and Tre Face, Markus Zink and Jan Logemann. Stefan Alexander
Rautenberg has now been chosen as the new bearer. He will
receive the ring for life.
Here
is an impression of the opening of the exhibition with the
ring presentation:
https://youtu.be/_Ok1NsRv7nU
Act
3
After around 2 years of preparation, the third volume of
the trilogy "Magic Cities in Germany" has finally
been published: Zauberstadt Berlin (Magic City Berlin).
It is a magnificent volume with 268 pages and over 300 illustrations.
Here
is an impression of the book:
https://youtu.be/MWbIASAVtDU
See
you next week.
Wittus
Witt
--------------------------------------------
9. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #68
--------------------------------------------
Message by Kent Cummins, Director (US)
Juggling
for Success
When
I learned how to juggle, in the summer of 1955 at the age
of 12, I felt good about my physical abilities.
As
a young child, I was the last one called in "Red Rover
Come Over." My dad sent me to baseball camp, where
I learned that I had no talent whatsoever for baseball.
I was too small for football, so I tried out for basketball
in middle school. The coach told me that all I would ever
do was sit on the bench. "Why don't you quit basketball
and go find something you are good at?"
So,
I wrote to my pen pal Kennet Meaux in Kaplan, Louisiana,
and asked him if he could teach me to juggle. He sent me
back a hand-written letter with drawing showing how to do
the cascade, the basic juggling pattern. It took me several
weeks, but I finally learned. And I discovered, to my chagrin,
that audiences gave me more credit for my meager juggling
ability than my hard-earned ability with magic.
Many
years later, while stationed in Korea, I met Dave Finnigan,
who quit his government job to "teach the world how
to juggle." I had the opportunity to travel with him
in Central Texas, teaching Physical Education teachers how
to teach juggling. Dave developed an educational program
which he called, "Juggling for Success," and I
learned how to present the program to schools and other
organizations.
Dave
established "The Juggling Institute" of Seattle,
which taught others how to teach the art of juggling.
So,
I became as Certified Juggling Instructor! This paved the
way for the juggling curriculum at Fantastic magic Camp.
The
Fantastic Magic Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing
the art of magic. But I can't do it without your help. My
Patreon account is the same place as my free weekly podcast:
www.FantasticMagicCenter.com
kent@magichotline.com
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10. What Is The Real Work? An Essay - John Carey #217
-------------------------------------------
Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/
What
exactly is the real work when it comes to card magic?
As
a youngster, whilst devouring the classic books and journals,
the impression I got and indeed read most times was that
it concerned flawless deal and shuffle work and other artifice
at the table. I have been lucky to have met and known some
brilliant practitioners of this branch of the craft and
take my hat off to their prowess.
But
in recent years, to me, the term 'real work' means something
completely different.
I
am of the strong opinion that what it should mean is that
we take what we already know and perform and endeavor to
push the envelope and raise the bar with the material we
already know and do. This could be purely technical, but
in most instances it should concern not just the nuts and
bolts but the construction of an effect, the timing and
the pauses, as well as the all-important presentation and
psychology.
Let's
take an example. Dai Vernon's Emotional reaction, from a
technical point of view is as simple as it gets. Indeed,
back in my early years I actually never realized its power.
I guess I was just concerned with moves, moves and yet more
moves then. But as you mature and progress, the
sheer beauty of subtlety and simplicity in magic can strike
you like a bolt of lightning. I revisited this absolute
gem for no particular reason one day and then everything
changed. It affected all my magic. I studied it and studied
it some more. Then I went out and worked it at every opportunity
I could get. I started to tweak it presentation wise and
turned the effect upside down and made it an empowerment
piece, where my spectators would read my mind and thusly
made them the focal point and star. How rewarding?!
Warmed
by the responses I was getting, I started to strip down
methods, find other outlets and see which way the dice landed.
As the weeks, months and years passed I felt like I was
finally making progress with my magic. Indeed it was only
about 10 years ago that I was just doing the
same stuff as everyone from the books and videos. But then
everything seemed to change and I started to become quite
creative. Creativity is like a drug. Once you create something
quite good you want another fix. Everyone can be creative.
Never say never. But you must pay your dues
first, study hard, work even harder and once you have the
foundations, you can then begin to build a house.
Wrapping
this up, these are purely my thoughts and nothing is set
in stone. But never settle for mediocrity. Push the envelope
and raise the bar, not just in magic but in life too. What
exactly is the real work? Seek it, find it and enjoy the
ride.
---------------------------------------------
11. Magic Texas Update
---------------------------------------------
Message by Dal Sanders (US)
The
TAOM-SAM Combined Convention, better known as Magic Texas,
continues to build a lot of excitement. The word is out
that this convention is going to be a once in a lifetime
experience. We are taking the best ideas of two incredibly
popular organizations (The Society of American Magicians
and The Texas Association of Magicians) and are combining
them with one of the premier magic competitions in the world,
the FISM North American Championship of Magic.
The
only path for someone in North America to be able to compete
at the World Championship of Magic in Italy in 2025, is
to first compete in Texas in 2024. The fact that you will
see the BEST of the BEST compete in Texas should make you
VERY excited. If you are interested in competing at the
FISM North American Championship of Magic, please go to
https://fism-nacm.com/contests.
Ordinarily, all of that alone would be enough for most conventions,
but our team wanted to make this convention an unforgettable
experience so we decided that the convention hotel should
also be incredible. We chose the BRAND-NEW Loews Arlington
that is being built across the street from the new Rangers
Ballpark and within walking distance of the Dallas Cowboys
Stadium.
This
is an incredible facility that also houses the new Arlington
Convention Center. The hotel won't open until February 13th
so by the time we are there, all the kinks will be worked
out and it will still have that "New Hotel Smell".
The hotel hasn't opened yet but several of us took a "Hard
Hat Tour" of the facility. This is going to be an incredible
home for our convention. To get a preview of this incredible
location, go to
https://fism-nacm.com/hotel/
FISM
Grand Prix Winners Perform at MAGIC Texas
We
are also scheduling some incredible talent including Laurent
Piron who won the world champion of magic prize and Grand
Prix FISM in Quebec in 2022 with his "Paper Ball"
act. Since 2005, Laurent Piron from Belgium has been performing
his various shows around the world. He has entertained audiences
from street performances in Sydney to the Fringe Festival
in Edinburgh and even on America's Got Talent. Laurent's
acts are original and very creative. Laurent never stops
experimenting with illusions and researching new effects.
Another FISM Grand Prix winner scheduled to perform at Magic
Texas is Shawn Farquhar from British Columbia, Canada. Shawn
is one of the most loved magicians in the world and we are
thrilled that he will be joining us in Texas. Farquhar travels
the world extensively performing and lecturing for magicians
and consulting for TV shows and motion pictures. He has
appeared on the cover of the largest magic publications
in Asia, Europe, and North America. He has appeared on stages
all over the world and has in addition to all the trophies
and awards he has won, he has even fooled Penn and Teller,
TWICE! Shawn is a Past President of the International Brotherhood
of Magicians, the Canadian Association of Magicians and
Pacific Coast Association of Magicians.
To
see the incredible talent we are lining up, and to register
for this incredible convention, please go to
https://MagicTexas.com
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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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© Copyright 2023 Alan Watson QSM
www.magicnewzealand.com
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www.watson.co.nz
www.balloon-twister.co.nz
