Magic New Zealand E-zine Issue Number: #1710

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* Magic New Zealand®
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Issue Number: #1760
Date: Sunday 5th May 2024
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. 2024 AMA Awards
3. Vanish Magic Magazine May 2024
4. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #154
5. MAGIC Live Is Now Sold Out!
6. Seven Years of "The Doug Henning Project"
7. Beneath the Trapdoor with Bronson Chadwick #10
8. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 73
9. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #85
10. Easy As 1,2,3!!! - John Carey #231
11. E-zine Archives
12. 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: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2024-Jan-to-Dec-2024/1760-May05-2024.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. 2024 Academy of Magical Arts Awards (AMA) Hollywood
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Awards Show May 17, 2024

The nominees are:

Close-Up:
Bill Goodwin
David Regal
Paul Green R.
Paul Wilson
Zabrecky

Parlour/Pellar:
Alfonso Ben
Seidman Chris
Capehart
El Ropo
Jonathan Levit

Stage:
Arthur Trace
Chipper Lowell
David Kovac
Jon Armstrong
Tina Lenert

Lecturer:
Jon Armstrong
Paul Gertner
Paul Vigil
Pop Haydn
Shoot Ogawa

The years AMA Board of Trustees honorees:

Masters Fellowship - Penn & Teller

Lifetime Achievement Award - The Davenport Family

Magician of the Year - Piff the Magic Dragon

Performing Fellowship - Steve Cohen for Parlor Magic

Performing Fellowship - Jorge Blass for Stage Magic

Creative Fellowship - Mario the Maker

Literary & Media Fellowship - Paul Romhany

Special Fellowship - Scott Wells

Special Fellowship - Mike Miller

Special Fellowship - Willie Kennedy

Special Fellowship - Curtis Kam

Junior Achievement Award - Day Mori

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3. Vanish Magic Magazine May 2024
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Message by Editor, Vanish Magazine

Printed and download available

Our two featured artists this month are two performers who have both appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Benjamin Kraatz shares his Fool Us journey and how he went about preparing for it. He offers great advice and tips for anybody considering getting on the show. Our other artist is Emily Robinson-Hardy from England who fooled them with possibly the best ACAAN routine I've seen. Not only did she fool P&T but she fooled everybody who has seen it.

Social media has been alive with theories on how she did it but what has come out of this is the discovery of young of the most natural and talented young performers we've seen in a very long time. Vanish Is excited to get another EXCLUSIVE on an artist who will be a mover and shaker in magic.

We have product highlights including Illuminati's new Mindscale which is lighters ahead of anything else produced by other magic creators. We also look at an amazing app called Duality Pro and the new extension pack that allows the performer to do multiply predictions on their phone while watching a video revelation.

Product Reviews with the very latest magic tricks, downloads and books.

This month the European Championship of Magic 2024 will be held in Italy and you can find out all about the venue in this month's issue of Vanish.

Nick Lewin looks at the different type of magic conventions and pros and cons of smaller more intimate conventions.

Magic In The Hands of Women exhibition in Germany. Connie Boyd looks at an upcoming exhibition in Germany.

Magic tricks - we have a selection of magic tricks by some of the most creative magicians working today

This and so much more.

100 pages

Paul Romhany
Editor

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4. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #154
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Message by Paul Stone (US)

Last weekend I went to see a magic variety show at the Illusion Magic Lounge, formerly known as Magicopolis, in Santa Monica.

The show was produced by, and featured David Kovac, with support from Mat O'Neill and a musical duo and female vocalist.

David is a very talented and experienced performer. Not only is he an excellent magician, his juggling is pretty impressive too. David is also a classically trained actor, which is very apparent in his clever and humorous monologues and why he is in such demand as an emcee / host for several major corporate clients.

I'm a huge fan of variety shows, having produced many of them around the world over the last 40 years, and I have always advocated for live musicians to back a show wherever possible.

On this occasion, if I'm being totally honest, the ambience in the theatre let the show down, and didn't help the performers. The room is long and narrow, and is rather soulless. It is amazing how much a few gobos and creative lighting can add to a show, and this theatre was crying out for some! It would have made such a difference to the whole production.

David romped through a few well known magic classics, including Sidewalk Shuffle and the Magic Square and also performed a couple of juggling stunts which were fast and eye catching. Everything David did was slick and very professional, with lots of his trademark and clever one liners. I'd definitely book David as an emcee for my corporate clients any time.

Also in the show, fresh from his resounding success at the Blackpool Magic Convention in England was Mat O'Neill. He performed his extraordinary memory feat to open the show, and then did an all too short mentalism spot which was very strong. Mat is extremely charismatic and likeable and has a big future ahead of him.

It's unusual for me to see two magic shows in one week, but this week is an exception. I've been invited to the Magic Castle in Hollywood to see a show in the Palace of Mystery featuring Mike Caveney, Guy Hollingworth and John Gaughan. It's quite a line-up, and I'm especially intrigued to see John Gaughan. I'll report back next week!

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5. MAGIC Live Is Now Sold Out!
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Message by Stan Allen (US)

Two reasons why you should sign up for our waitlist:

Each year, as we're arranging talent, we set aside a number of registrations for "emergencies."

Well, the convention is just about fully booked, and we'll be releasing those registrations to our waitlist.

There's no charge to get on the list, and the sooner you sign up, the better your chance of getting in.

Still hope to see you in August,

Stan

https://app.magicconvention.com/join-waitlist

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6. Seven Years of "The Doug Henning Project"
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Posted by Neil McNally on 1 May 2024

Well, friends here we are again. Another year has passed, and another anniversary of the website is staring me right in the face. Where does the time go? Things have been busy for me personally and professionally as of late, and I'm not always able to do as many posts as I'd like. But, fear not, as long as new material finds its way to my desk I'll put it up on the site.

As I've stated before, I started this website back in 2017 as a way to get Doug back into the cultural zeitgeist. In a small way, I think I have. It's always been thanks to you the readers for your continued interest and appreciation of what I do.

I always try to close with something special. However, I think this time I'll just close with an oldie but a goodie from Doug himself. It's a fast and simple quote, but one that still applies today…

Magic is a reminder that anything is possible if we dare to dream.

https://doughenningproject.com/

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7. Beneath the Trapdoor with Bronson Chadwick #10
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Message by Bronson Chadwick (US)

Ten Things that Happen When You Rehearse

[It's been a year since I last published one of these pieces. I took some time away from writing Beneath the Trapdoor to work on a book that I hope to publish in the summer. Stay tuned.]

Every magician knows the real secret of magic is rehearsal. Learning to do a trick is but the first baby step in magic. But those few magicians who dedicate their time and attention to rigorous rehearsal sessions are the ones who are remembered. Will you be remembered?

One - You Resist the Disease of Newness. Do you have a collection of magic supplies that never sees the light of day? Magicians have a problem that other artists lack: we love to buy stuff. The consumerism bug has infiltrated every aspect of the lives of modern people, especially here in America. There's nothing wrong with collecting material but so many magicians make the mistake of thinking "if only I had item X, then everything would be better." When you rehearse you are practicing a form of gratitude which is the antidote to craving more stuff. Furthermore, rehearsal makes you realize that it's never about the stuff, but about you as a performer!

Two - You Discover New Ideas. While some of my best material comes from the pressure of being on stage, so many more amazing ideas come to me while rehearsing. When you rehearse regularly you train your brain to think creatively on schedule! You will then begin producing original material.

Three - You Discover Yourself. Rehearsing in front of a mirror or camera forces you to do something we all hate doing: watching yourself. You see every flaw, awkward tick, and suspicious moment, which is a good thing. A performer who cannot accurately identify themselves in terms of onstage (or closeup) character is a threat to themselves. Rehearsing allows you the opportunity to change the negative qualities about your persona before going on stage oblivious to yourself.

Four - You Forget Your Heroes. When you're focused on improving yourself as a performer, you tend to let go of your desire to emulate your idols. Discovering yourself in magic helps you to see in stark contrast who you are and are not. Whenever I see a magician imitating another magician there are two tragedies on stage: (1) The onstage copycat magician does the original performer a disservice in creating a poor shadow of the original and (2) the copycat neglects the fact that they have the capability to be a magician unlike anyone else in history!

Five - You Build Self-Confidence. Magicians should always be confident, but not cocky. The magician is the closest thing to a real-life superhero that people will ever meet. If that superhero bumbles about during a performance, then the audience's expectations are unmet, and magic is punished. While all magicians have a bad night here or there, the magician who consistently attracts that bad luck is the one who fails to rehearse and build self-confidence. With ample practice, the magician not only builds up their confidence as a performer but also as a businessperson. When you've rehearsed intensively, you'll feel comfortable going up on your fees!

Six - You Elevate Magic Artistically. I see magicians trying out underbaked ideas frequently, often as the result of hype over a new trick on the market. The trick is rushed, and the performance suffers, demoting the art of magic to the level of puzzles. Worse yet, the audience suffers through an unpleasant experience. The magician who buys props but fails to rehearse is like a painter who thinks that they will be respected for their high-quality art supplies and yet cannot paint. Art does not come automatically.

Seven - You Develop Muscle Memory. As a kid I played two musical instruments: the flute and the tuba. Both required the ability to learn specialized and awkward muscle movements. Likewise, rehearsing magic trains your body to know the movements without concentration, allowing you to engage the audience without bothering to look down to see if the gap on the Linking Ring is showing or if the Thumb Tip is flashing. Rehearsing movements allows you to be in the moment with your audience without worrying about the small stuff. To evaluate your muscle memory, try rehearsing your act in complete darkness!

Eight - You Gain Appreciation for Magic. The magician who rehearses intensively is often the quietest person in the room at magic conventions and club meetings. The truly seasoned pro greets the art calmly with respect and acts with humility and grace (two things the magic community could use more of). Those magicians who rehearse resolutely also are those who exhibit a great deal of patience which is required in rehearsal! When we as magicians gain this appreciation for magic, we treat it as an art. Only then can we expect the public to do likewise.

Nine - You Gain the Respect of Non-Magicians. Members of laity often do not regard the workday of the commercial magician as something respectable until they realize that an industrious magician isn't at home fidgeting with cards but is engaging in intensive study and training during rehearsal times. Your family and close friends (who should NOT be watching you rehearse) will know that you're locked away in your magic room preparing to eventually do something amazing and important.

Ten - You Learn to Adapt Under Pressure. Rehearsal removes undue pressure from a performance allowing you to cope with emergencies. No matter your skill level in magic, eventually something WILL go wrong. A force card will be missed or perhaps you'll knick your fingers while cutting rope. Things also happen beyond your control. Your technician may miss an important light cue! Rehearsal allows you ample training to recover from such countless disasters by thinking quickly Take joy in your rehearsals!

What do YOU think?

Write to me at bronsonchadwick@gmail.com

www.BronsonChadwick.com/trapdoor

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8. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 73
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Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)

As I am writing this article, I am in the middle of preparations for the upcoming exhibition in my museum "Magic in women's hands". The press has already responded very well. The big show at the theater is already sold out. There are only tickets left for Belinda Sinclair's "Parlour Show" in my magic salon.

I was able to pick Belinda up from the airport on time a few days ago. She hardly had time to get used to the new time and surroundings, as a press conference was arranged shortly after her arrival. Together with the Hamburg magician Alana. The topic "Women in the art of magic" generated a great deal of media coverage. An almost full-page report had already appeared the day before. Some people are particularly impressed by the book accompanying the exhibition.

By the time you read this article, however, it will all be in the past again, but I will report on it.

Here is a small impression of the first press conference with Belinda and Alana at the Bellachini Museum.

https://youtu.be/4WcNZ3CmwC4

You can already see something of the exhibition.

More from Germany next time.

Wittus

www.hamburger-zaubermuseum.com

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9. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #85
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Message by Kent Cummins (US)

OOPS!

I am fond of playing the "What Could Go Wrong Game." Perhaps you are familiar with Murphy's Law, which says that anything that can go wrong will go wrong…probably at the worst possible time. My experience indicates that Murphy was an optimist. Even things that cannot go wrong will go wrong when you least expect it.

My dad said that an optimist is someone who believes that we live in the best of all possible worlds…and that a pessimist is someone who is afraid that the optimist might be correct! He also said that things always work out for the best, but when he died at age 69, I found it hard to believe that this was "for the best." (I do believe, however, that we should make the best of the way things turn out.)

How do you play the "What Could Go Wrong Game?" Think about an upcoming project, such as a magic show, and think about what could happen that would negatively impact your carefully-rehearsed show. Be creative. Dig deep. List more than just the obvious things, such as having a spectator "take a card, any card", and then dramatically revealing the wrong card!

The MC might pronounce your name wrong. The sound person might play the wrong music. The microphone might stop working. All the lights might go out. You might trip and knock over your table. Your pants might rip when you bend down to pick up a fallen prop. A kid might rush up onto the stage and steal your favorite prop. Someone in the audience might have a heart attack, and EMS responders come running in.

More next week!

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. Easy As 1,2,3!!! - John Carey #231
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Message by John Carey (UK)

If you play by the rules of "effect is everything", the following triple 'Which Hand' routine should get your interest. The price to pay is three gaffed coins. A double headed two pence, a double tailed ten pence and a double headed 50 pence. Carry these in your pocket with a few
regular coins of different values to the gaffs and you're all set.

Request the help of three people. "Today I would like to demonstrate the sending of thoughts. I've got some change here we can use for our test." Bring out all your pocket change and casually hand the two pence to spectator one, the ten pence to spectator two and the 50 pence to
spectator three. Put the rest of the change away. Ask each participant to cover their coin with their other hand and shake their hands up a few times. "I will look away now. Take a peek at your coins. If it landed heads up, hold it in your left fist. If it's tails up hold it in your right first. Then each of you make your other hands into fists and then tell me when it's cool to turn back to face you."

So as per the above script when you turn around you will be all set for a beautiful triple divination. But don't throw the power of the effect away by doing so immediately. Work with each participant in turn, saying you will try and pick up on their thoughts, the inflections in their voice and so on. Really act out the moment because if you really could read minds it wouldn't be easy!

Eventually you can do the triple revelation. I hold my left hand out palm down and push down the right hand of the person holding the two pence, the left hand of the person holding the ten pence and finally the right hand of the participant with the 50 pence. This can be and indeed
should be dramatic. All that's left to do is ask each person to open their remaining hand that's in a fist to reveal a super strong triple 'Which Hand' divination!

Notes: Overseas readers naturally substitute double sided coins you can acquire in your own currency.

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11. 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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12. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
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Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday.

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