*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #1776
Date: Sunday 22nd September 2024
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: Editor@magicnewzealand.com
================================
Hi here is the latest news
================================
1.Editor's
Message
2. Sydney Magic Day 2024
3. Al The Only On The Magic Word Podcast
4. Dynamo Hopes To Bring Magic Touch To Bradford
5. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article 169
6. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 89
7. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #101
8. PSI FI - John Carey #245
9. E-zine Archives
10. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
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-2024/1776-Sep22-2024.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
--------------------------------------------
2. Sydney Magic Day 2024
---------------------------------------------
October
28th 2024 - North Ryde RSL, Sydney
A full day Magician's seminar with guest speakers, lectures,
workshops, forums and shows. Back at the same venue with
the same sensational value.
Special
Guest lecturers from the UK
Lee
Hathaway and Matthew Le Mottee
The
ticket price includes
All
lectures
Lunch and refreshments
Close up and stage performances
Guests
Lee Hathaway
Matthew Le Mottee
https://sydneymagicclub.com/sydney-magic-day-2024/
-------------------------------------
3. Al The Only On The Magic Word Podcast
-------------------------------------
Message by Scott Well - M.I.M.C. with Gold Star
After
a hectic convention season, we are calming down a bit for
a couple of months before our next sojourn to the next one
in November. But until then, we have gathered quite a few
recordings with some outstanding magicians. This week we
feature a chat with Al the Only. You may know him from his
many contributions to The Magic Menu many years ago with
tips and tricks for the restaurant workers.
Originally
from the Detroit, Michigan, area, Al was not only a busy
restaurant performer, but also an in-demand trade show magician.
He is also the author of The Magic Graveyard which has stories
about the many magicians who are buried in Lakeside Cemetery
in Colon, Michigan. He gives annual tours to dozens of attendees
of Abbott's Get Together. A few years ago, Al and his wife,
Lori, moved to Lahaina, Hawaii, where their home was destroyed
in the tragic fire in 2023. All of this and more are discussed
this week on The Magic Word Podcast.
You
can listen wherever you get your podcasts, but to watch
videos, see photos, read the blog, and more, please visit:
https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/861-al-the-only
If
you have not already done so, then please subscribe to the
podletter that is distributed each week in conjunction with
the release of the Magic Word episodes. It tells you who
is on this week, who is coming up next week, a suggestion
from the archives, and more. You can sign up for the podletter
when you visit the Magic Word website.
-------------------------------------
4. Dynamo Hopes To Bring Magic Touch To Bradford
-------------------------------------
Article forward by James Petterson (UK)
Mirror
Magician
Dynamo hopes an outdoor theatrical event he has created
will do the trick when it launches Bradford's stint as UK
City of Culture 2025. Other parts of the programme announced
yesterday include an adaptation of The Railway Children
in locations used for the 1970 film.
There
will also be a nationwide drawing project supported by painter
David Hockney, 87, who is from the West Yorkshire city.
Bradford 2025 creative director Shanaz Gulzar said: "This
is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate our extraordinary
cultural heritage."
The
theatrical event created by Dynamo, real name Steven Frayne,
41, who is also from the city, kicks things off on January
10-11. In the same month, the National Science and Media
Museum in Bradford is due to reopen after a multimillion-pound
transformation. While the Turner Prize is being hosted at
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery from September.
For
the balance of the article go to:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dynamo-hopes-bring-magic-touch-33657766?fbclid=IwY2xjawFZoQBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZ5l70vTI6x5
JO9yoEW5ieIOTgJALKn7d82CmOeydS7XGT5hptFUS005EQ_aem_VCW
fuWOG0zBa4PyH7MmyHw
-------------------------------------
5. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article 169
-------------------------------------
Message by Paul Stone (US)
'Magic
on the Beach' was a wonderful convention!
I've attended my fair share of magic conventions in several
countries around the world over the past fifty years, including
the larger ones like Magic Live, Blackpool and FISM.
I've
also produced a few too, the IBM British Ring Convention
for three years, and my own INNOVENTION Convention in Las
Vegas and in Liverpool.
But,
I have to say that in all that time I have rarely enjoyed
a convention as much as 'Magic on the Beach' which took
place in Myrtle Beach last week. There are a myriad of reasons
why this was the case.
Let's
start with the main man and driving force behind the whole
event, Charles Bach. It would actually be more accurate
to describe him as the producer, chief tech, stage hand,
… oh, and the stand out star performer too!
As
I mentioned in last week's article, I've known Charles for
thirty years from our days working with Lance Burton at
his show at the Monte Carlo on the Las Vegas Strip. He has
always been an incredibly hard worker, and it's no coincidence
that his career has gone from strength to strength. He has
paid his dues and arguably now has one of the tightest and
most entertaining magic shows anywhere in the world.
Charles's
show at the Wonders Theatre in the heart of the very attractive
and lively 'Broadway At The Beach' area of Myrtle Beach,
is advertised as a Magical Experience, and it really is.
The show is fast moving, features several baffling illusions,
most with original twists, several other strong magic effects,
including a cameo close-up section, and lots of audience
participation, and as I also mentioned last week, two outstanding
magic assistants, Macy & Sharon who, like Charles himself,
are both talented dancers.
And
for me, as equally important, were the production values
in the show. The attention to detail with the lighting effects,
the choice of music and the sound quality, perfectly complemented
the action on stage. Bravo for this!
And
even though Charles hardly left the theatre for three days,
he couldn't have pulled this convention off without a great
deal of support, and he was fortunate to have it in the
shape of his two co-convention organisers, Dave Tanner and
Gerry Thompson. These two guys worked non stop and succeeded
in making the event as special as it was.
The
Wonders Theatre was the perfect venue for this convention.
Seating around 200 people, the new seats that Charles has
put in, has added to the comfort and general ambience of
this very intimate theatre. There isn't a bad seat in the
house, and there's even a balcony and a VIP Box too!
And
then there were the performers and lecturers, and it was
quite a line-up! I'm not going to describe all the lectures
and shows here. If you'd like to know the full details you
should check out Scott Wells's excellent podcast. Yes, Scott
was there with his microphone and daily updates. I've known
Scott for many years too, and it's always great to spend
time with him. One of the great advantages of a smaller
convention like this - there were around 100 registrants
- is that there is time to sit down and chat to friends.
It
was also nice to meet a few new faces, at least to me. And
whilst they were new to me, they included some very established
pro's. I particularly enjoyed hanging out with Michael Paul
(check out his vent appearance on AGT, it's hilarious!)
and Chris Blackmore, both with many years of performing
experience at the highest level, and it showed.
I
hadn't seen James Brandon for over thirty years, he won
the Siegfried & Roy 'Golden Lion' Award at the Las Vegas
Desert Magic Seminar back in 1988! His performing credits
are majorly impressive too!
Charles
Peachock was another name new to me, but what a juggler
he is! He was as technically talented as any juggler I've
ever seen, and I've seen and booked a few!
Greg
Gleason only arrived for the final day, having disembarked
from yet another cruise ship, and although he is predominantly
known for being an illusionist, his card work was a highlight
in the final Gala Show.
The
'Headliner' at the convention was Dan Sperry, consistently
voted as the most popular performer in the incredibly successful
'Illusionists' touring show. Dan presented an excellent,
if rather surprising, Children's lecture, and a terrific
closing spot in the Gala Show. His engaging stage presence,
strong onstage personality, and some fabulous magic earned
him a well deserved standing ovation. He's definitely a
cool dude!
I
couldn't end this article without mentioning Charles Bach's
beautiful wife Magdalena. She was kindness personified,
and couldn't do enough to make everyone, from performers
to those attending the convention, feel special. This was
whilst at the same time running the Box Office, and taking
care of their cute little dog Moose, and their even cuter
and bright young son, Benji! Charles is a VERY lucky man!
'Magic
on the Beach' was a wonderful convention!
--------------------------------------------
6. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 89
---------------------------------------------
Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)
Let
us recall: Volker Huber, collector and historian, passed
away in 2022. Many colleagues wondered what would happen
to his collection. However, Volker's wife, Christina, was
certain she would not put the collection up for auction.
Her wish was to keep the collection intact and, if possible,
make it accessible to the public. This wish has now become
a reality.
Christina
Huber has donated the entire collection to the Theatre Studies
Collection in Cologne. The Huber Collection on magic is
of outstanding international significance. It is considered
one of the largest resources on the history of magic worldwide
and is regarded by experts as being on par with major collections
such as the "Harry Price Library of Magical Literature"
at the University of London, the "Harry Houdini Collection,"
and the "McManus-Young Collection" at the Library
of Congress, Washington, DC.
The
director of the Theatre Studies Collection, Professor Dr.
Peter Marx, along with his colleagues Dr. Mathilde Frank
and Dr. Gerald Köhler, will present selected objects
from the collection on September 29. It will be an open
house, and everyone is welcome to view the first part of
the permanent exhibition.
The
Huber Collection offers scholars with historical, epistemological,
artistic, cultural, and even scientific research interests
the opportunity to engage with the art of magic and its
relationship to everyday life and scientific culture at
a high academic level. The core of the Huber Collection
consists of its library holdings, which include more than
10,000 bibliographic units in German, Latin, English, French,
Spanish, Dutch, and Italian.
Among
the most noteworthy items are first or early editions of
works by authors such as Athanasius Kircher, Caspar Schott,
and Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. The graphics,
flyers, and posters accompanying the books comprise numerous
valuable copper, steel, and wood engravings, rare lithographs,
and other often scarce prints.
Particularly
deserving of mention are several valuable historical automata
and music boxes with magic-related themes, as well as numerous
magic apparatuses and tools, some of which were used by
famous magicians, thus providing especially authentic material
for studying magic as an art form.
If
you'd like to learn more, feel free to get in touch with
me.
That's
all for today.
Wittus
Magic Museum Bellachini
www.hamburger-zaubermuseum.com
--------------------------------------------
7. Tales From the Fantastic Magic Center - #101
--------------------------------------------
Message by Kent Cummins (US)
"Tools
of the Magician's Trade"
When
I am teaching a Beginning Magic course, my second class
is usually "Tools of the Magician's Trade". Of
course I talk about props, costumes, and misdirection, but
I point out that all of these things are used by some non-magicians.
There is only one tool that is exclusive to magicians: the
Magic Wand.
In
Western culture, the magic wand is typically portrayed as
a black stick with white tips. The Harry Potter craze has
added a new dimension to the types of magic wands, but let's
be fair: These specialty wands are for wizards, not magicians.
Magicians
use playing cards, but so do millions of bridge and poker
players. Magicians might wear a top hat, but apparently,
so did Abraham Lincoln. Magicians use silk scarves, but
so do women completing their couture. Coins? Billiard balls?
Thimbles? Ropes? Handcuffs? A milk pitcher? Just about everything
used by magicians have other roles.
What
about beautiful assistants? I am sorry to point this out,
but that also seems common among corporate executives!
A
cook does not stir the bouillabaisse with a magic wand.
A bookkeeper does not write debits and credits with a magic
wand. A golfer does not hit the golf ball with a magic wand
(although they might wish they could!)
Magic
wands are only used by magicians.
And
of course, magicians have created hundreds of different
kinds of magic wands, some to secretly aid in making the
magic happen, and others to add comedy to their shows. If
you perform for kids, you probably have a Breakaway Wand.
Want
to see hundreds of magic wands? Come to the Fantastic Magic
Center.
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
-------------------------------------------
8. PSI FI - John Carey #245
-------------------------------------------
Message by John Carey (UK)
We
now come to a special chapter that uses one concept that
you can truly create infinite Mentalism and Magic effects
with. You truly are only limited by your imagination. The
roots of this concept come from the classic Grey Elephants
in Denmark effect. In that effect you ask a
participant to quickly think of a simple shape like a star
that they could draw in a second. The choices aren't that
many, but they won't realize. The shapes they will think
of after you mention star as an example are:
Square
Circle
Triangle
Rectangle
All
these shapes very conveniently end in the letter E. In the
applications and effects that follow, we will exploit and
build upon this concept to create some very powerful routines.
I believe you will love adding some of these to your repertoires
and then creating your own effects too! So first up we have...
---------------------------------------------
9. E-zine Archives
---------------------------------------------
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)
--------------------------------------------
10. 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.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.
Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute
to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand®
or Alan Watson QSM, jointly or individually liable or responsible
in any way for the opinions or statements contained 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 2024 Alan Watson QSM
www.magicnewzealand.com
http://twitter.com/#!/magicnewzealand
www.watson.co.nz
www.balloon-twister.co.nz
