* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #667 Date: Sunday 14th June 2009 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Update On The Who's Who In Magic 3. Statue Of The President 4. Remarkable Magic #98 - Nick Lewin 5. Festival Performer's Tips - #122 - Kyle Peron 6. Cruising With Paul Romhany #721 7. International Brotherhood Of Magicians Annual Convention 8. Brooks McNamara Dies, May 8 At 72 9. Sam Convention Room Rates- July 20 Deadline 10. Broken Wand - Trevor Yates 11. British Ring Convention News 12. Eric De Camps Named New PA#1 Dean 13. Chin-Chin's 'Hocus Refocused' 14. John Carney Appearing In Salt Lake City 15. Darren Carr Is Coming To Melbourne 16. Melbourne Magic Festival Two Weeks Away! 17. Auction Of Master Craftsman & Collector 18. Fabulous Showstoppers And Michael Finney Live 19. Magic For Sale 20. Magician's Solution To "Real Job" Problem! 21. e-zine Archives 22. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Had a number of e-mails asking questions about the Who's Who in Magic over the last 2 weeks. Rather than respond individually I will endeavor to answer them here. The First Edition of Bart Whaley's Who's Who in Magic was released in 1990. It was published by Jeff Busby and was a limited edition of 500 of which 100 were hardback and 400 were spiral bound. The second edition was brought out on CD 2000. Then Chris Wasshuber purchased the rights for publication and has now released a 3rd Edition in a PDF format. It is a great resource and I constantly refer to it for information. For full details refer item 2. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Update On The Who's Who In Magic -------------------------------------------- Message by Chris Wasshuber We are very fortunate that some of the most respected magic scholars and historians have joined the team that will check and expand the "Who's Who in Magic". Among those are Eddie Dawes from the UK, Brian McCullagh from Australia, Mitsunobu Matsuyama from Japan, Ben Robinson from the USA and Reinhard Mueller from Germany. And that is just the start. Richard Webster for example sent in a list of updates. And I am sure there will be others helping out. It is exciting to work with such an international group of experts. Building on Bart Whaley's phenomenal work the Who's Who will continue to document magicians and thus magic as a whole. Customers of this EBook will receive updates free of charge. One can therefore better characterize this product as a life-time subscription to an ever improving and expanding Who's Who in Magic. New updated edition. 3rd edition 2009; 854 pages. To purchase this EBook go to: http://www.lybrary.com/whos-magic-p-17829.html -------------------------------------------- 3. Statue Of The President -------------------------------------------- Message by Blackpool Magicians' Club Ken Dodd, Honorary Life President of the Blackpool Magicians' Club, unveiled a statue of himself at Liverpool, Lime Street railway station on Thursday 11th June. Attendees at the Blackpool Magicians' Convention each February know and love Ken for he invariably says 'a few words' during the Gala Show on Sunday evening. Britain's favourite comedian was born and still lives in Knotty Ash, an area of Liverpool made famous by Ken Dodd, and now his effigy will greet travelers arriving at the station. "It will give the pigeons something to aim at." he said. -------------------------------------------- 4. Remarkable Magic #98 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) My adventures with David Carradine; a truly Remarkable magician. Part one. Following the lurid and sad aftermath of the death of David Carradine I wanted to add this extended and adapted column about my truly memorable experience of working with this amazing man. I will have to split it into two parts due to its length. RIP David, you are truly one of the most Remarkable Magicians it has been my pleasure to meet. I wish I had enjoyed that one extra vodka with you while I had the chance. So, here I am at 1:30am sitting in the bar at the Intercontinental Hotel in Toronto. In one hand I am holding a deck of cards while my right hand is stretched out perpendicular to my body. My right index finger is inside the mouth of a grizzled, gray-haired man. Every time I try to remove, it I feel two rows of very sharp teeth bite into the flesh at the base of my finger. I have been stranded in this position for nearly thirty minutes. Maybe I had better start this story at the beginning! Over the years I have been hired as a magical advisor on dozens of projects. I was the man who turned Kenny Rogers into "The Gambler" for his TV movie. In three weeks I made Sid Caesar look like he had been performing magic for a lifetime! I got a call from my friend Michael Sloan who said that he wanted me to work with him on an episode of "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues." Michael was the executive producer/writer of the series and one of the few stand-up people I have met in the television industry. We had worked on projects before and I was delighted to get the call. A month later I flew from Los Angeles to Toronto and the madness began. One of the regulars on the show was Robert Lansing who, aside from being a great actor, was a regular at the Magic Castle in its early days and a particular friend of Dai Vernon. Lansing had cancer and knowing his time was limited Michael had written a special episode that would allow Robert to fulfill a lifelong dream. Bob wanted to perform Vernon's "Twisting The Aces" routine on camera. One of my jobs was to work with him and build up his confidence a little. I did this in my usual manner; which was to be half magician and half psychologist. Bob actually did the trick perfectly but felt very uneasy, as his hands seemed too dry for his comfort. I eventually had a plan to ease this problem; I had a small jar of Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm in my case and I gave it to Bob and with a total lack of honesty informed him that it was the very same preparation that Vernon used on his hands before working with playing cards. Lansing was very impressed and immediately rubbed a small amount onto his hands. Moments later he performed a perfect version of "Twisting" and there was no more talk of his hands being dry! Working with Bob Lansing was a delight and a privilege; however there was a trial by fire waiting for me that I will never forget if I live to be normal. This was getting to work with the wonderfully eccentric David Carradine. This brings me back to my strange position at the bar in the Hotel Intercontinental. The early part of the evening had consisted of a leisurely dinner with Lansing and Sloan listening to Bob relate stories about his friend and magical mentor Dai Vernon. We arrived back at the hotel and decided to have one last glass of chardonnay at the bar. That was when Carradine arrived! He joined us at our booth and said, "Who is this?" while staring at me with a fairly active dislike. Sloan introduced me and explained that I was to be a guest star in the episode and also magical advisor. Carradine's eyes had never left my face but his look of active dislike turned into something even stronger. I never saw a look like that again until his movie "Kill Bill" was released years later. Unknown to me, one of Carradine's best friends was Patrick Culliton the magician/actor and Houdini expert. David then explained that if there was going to be a magical advisor on the show it was going to be his friend Pat and not Sloan's friend Nick. There followed a brief but intense discussion between the two men about the respective merits of Culliton and myself. Since the episode began filming the next morning the outcome was never in doubt but it was certainly a little unnerving as far as I was concerned. During a brief lull in the debate I took the opportunity to smile at Carradine and say, "I'm really looking forward to working with you, Mr. Carradine." David looked at me without a hint of a smile and said, "We'll see about that!" It wasn't a great start, all things considered, but it got worse. Michael Sloan then said, "Nick, do a card trick for David, show him your chops." Now I have one card trick that I always perform when I need to impress people. During this trick the cards do everything but walk up and down the table whistling the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." I did my trick and then casually left the cards on the table. Carradine grabbed the cards and growled, "That's a trick deck!" He searched through the cards and discovered to his surprise that it was indeed a regular deck of cards. I looked him in the eyes and said, "The cards are the real thing and so am I. That's why I'm here, I'm the best." I had already decided that the only way to deal with Carradine was to meet him toe to toe without ever backing up. David looked at me and said that I seemed to know my stuff and that maybe he would even let me do a couple of hand shots for him. He removed a large jade ring from his finger and said he wanted to see if it fitted. It did fit, however it was rather too snug and I had trouble removing it from my finger. "I'll do it." Said Carradine raising my hand to his face and then my finger disappeared into his mouth. I don't know if you have ever sat in a hotel bar with your finger stuck in a celebrity's mouth but it is rather strange to say the least. Every time I started to remove my finger his teeth clamped back into it. At this point I was wishing to God that it were Pat Culliton sitting there instead of me. Finally he released my finger and said, "I don't know who you are, but I will. I am going to run a make on you and find out every last thing there is to know about you." I stared back into his eyes and said, "Start with my dad, he was in the navy." We then all went our separate ways and I returned to my suite and fell asleep. I was woken from my sleep at 4:00am by the ringing of the bedside phone. I answered it and heard a gruff voice on the other end say, "OK son of a navy man, I will find out everything!" then the phone went dead. To be continued..... Drop me an email at nicklewin1@me.com or check out my website at www.nicklewin.com -------------------------------------------- 5. Festival Performer's Tips - #122 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com Well the Spring months are pretty much over and Summer is upon us. As the grills fire up and drinks are poured, the festival season also comes into full swing. I love working festivals and have for many years. However, working festivals poses issues and potential problems that a performer must think about, plan ahead for and be conscious of. I wanted to take a few moments to go over some of my personal festival tips in hopes that it may be of help to you. - Crowd Management: You really should never have to worry about this. It comes down to the performer having the ability to control, and entertain an audience. If your show is fun and engaging, then you will not have a problem with it. Some performers get scared off when they see folks leave during a festival show. Keep in mind that festivals are places where people are moving about all the time. This means it is happening even as you perform. It usually has nothing to do (most of the time) with your performance. It is just the nature of festivals and how they function. Get used to folks moving about. If you have a great show, people will stay and watch. - Length of Show: Most festivals will want you to do 30 mins or several 30 min. performances during a given time frame. This is standard as 30 mins is enough time for folks to sit and have a great experience. The festival also wants to keep people moving to see the rides and visit the vendors so 30 mins allows them to do that effectively. - Down Time: If you are booked as a festival entertainer, then your downtime is set in your contract agreement with them. You can pretty much do as you like during your downtime as you are getting paid mainly for your performance or performances scheduled in advance. This is a great time to stroll the area. I always stroll around and meet people, network and also tell folks about the next upcoming show. You just need to be there near the stage to go over your stage set up and sound, but the time really is yours. If you go in as a vendor, the same rules apply. You are paying for the spot so can choose to take a break as you need or want to. - Power: You are responsible always to ask if you need power. Never assume a festival will provide it to you. If in doubt, always ask. If you are in a booth, you can opt to run off batteries or can ask ahead of time if you can plug in to a generator. They may allow you to do that if you ask ahead of time. If you are booked as a paid performer, then part of your agreement is that they have electric nearby to the stage for you to plug into. - Wind: Weather is a big factor. But like anything, you simply have to learn the market and adapt to it. A great trick I do to handle wind and silks is to get a band of black elastic. This then gets stretched across the front or top of my roll on table and fastened to the sides. Now I can place a silk under it and it goes nowhere until I need it. It can also be used to hold paper or cards anytime I want and is not seen by the audience. - Sound System: - If you are performing outside, then you simply MUST have a sound system. If the folks cannot hear you, they will not listen. If they do not listen, they get up and leave. It becomes pointless to even perform at that point. You need to have a good mic and a good sound system if you are using music. It does not have to be super pricey, but it does need to be of quality. There are many systems that you can use from self -contained units to a Fender Passport series. I use a Fender Passport 150 system for a lot of my festivals and it works ideal for my wife and I. - Vendor vs Entertainer: - Please note there is a BIG difference between a festival entertainer and a festival vendor. Both areas are handled by different people and different groups. As a festival entertainer, you are hired and paid by the festival to entertain. As a vendor, you usually must pay for a booth space and follow and abide by the vendor rules that the vendor chair person creates. If you do not know these, make sure you call the vendor chair person to get a copy of them. These will tell you what a vendor can and cannot do in detail. -  Sun and Rain: - You must stay hydrated and protected against the sun at all times. Carry with you a small cooler of water or sports drink and make sure you use it. Put on sun screen before getting to any event. Keep in mind about wind, sun and rain. I always take and create a weather kit that is in a Rubbermade container always ready to go. This has in it towels, ponchos, tarps and anything I may need in the event of inclement weather. This way I have everything at my fingertips for any weather event. - Should I Do Festivals: - If you do not like kids or do not enjoy performing for children.. DO NOT DO FESTIVALS! It sounds harsh but I state it simply as a matter of fact. Festivals are geared towards family crowds and family crowds rely heavily on interacting and performing for children. It will be the children who sit in front and the adults sitting near to them. Your show must appeal for ages 4 to 104. You cannot just do adult material or play for any one age level. You must perform for everyone. If you do not like kids, then festivals are not for you. I would seek a different market. I hope these few simple tips will be of help to you as you venture into the summer and fall festival season. Get out there, enjoy and make people smile. Along the way, use these tips to make things easier for you. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" EBook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" EBook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html Check out my brand NEW Book and E-book!!! Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to The Scout Market http://www.magicenhancer.com/Blue/Gold.html -------------------------------------------- 6. Cruising With Paul Romhany #72 -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) Cruising Around the World with Paul Romhany Update on the cruise industry. As many of you know, the cruise industry has gone through many changes over the past few months and I was able to have a good talk to my agent. There is still a demand for good acts out there but the work is spread out amongst more people. Many cruise lines have made cut backs such as having 'dark' nights where there is no entertainment. This really takes a huge chunk out of work for entertainers. Singers and the ones who are really hurting as many lines are now using production singers instead of hiring solo acts. Magicians are still OK as there is, and most likely will be a demand for good, original world class variety acts. I've mentioned before that lines are now asking more of their entertainers so be prepared. Gone are the days where you just do one 45 minute show. You should have several shows prepared, and they all need to be world class plus close-up and a lecture. It is a competitive market out there and to get your foot in the door you will need to know exactly what and how to do it. I talk about all of this in my book, Entertaining on a Cruise Ship - the Ultimate Guide. The book is available from all good magic dealers. I am fortunate in that my act is unique and the magic is original - this sets me apart from other magicians - plus the fact that I've been cruising for ten years - the cruise lines know my work and can trust they get what they pay for. Win A Free Romhany Product. By going to my website at www.paulromhany.com and joining my FREE newsletter you will automatically go in every month to win a free prize. This could range from a DVD, book or magic trick from my vast collection of products that I produce. It is also a great way for me to keep in touch with magicians who want to know my latest projects. Secrets of Success Part 2 Success And Magic Part 3 This is advice I have learned from being a full time professional for the past twenty years. I've been getting loads of emails from magicians who say they really appreciate these articles. I thought I would have a lot of negative feedback about my comments with professionals and magic clubs, however it was quite the opposite. I got many emails from people telling me they felt the same way ... go figure!! Do What You Love You aren't going to be successful at something you spend all day dreading. When I was excited about an upcoming show, I was good. When I got stuck on a project that didn't interest me, I was honestly a poor magician. I now perform jobs that I get excited about. A relatively new passion that has evolved in the past few years is sharing my years of experience with other magicians. This has opened new doors for me both creatively and professionally. After twenty years of performing full time, the enjoyment is still there and when I travel the world with my show, I often pinch myself to make sure it's all real. I still feel like that little kid from New Zealand who dreams of one day flying around the world with my own show. Having passion for something you do doesn't make it feel like a job - I feel like I'm doing my hobby all the time. Preparation and Planning Make a List of Short, Medium, and Long Term Goals - One of the questions I get asked more than any is "where do you find time to do everything?". Here's the real secret. Each night before I go to sleep, I try to write down 5-10 things that I want to accomplish the next day. I make sure that at least 3-4 are things that I can complete that day and purge from my to-do list. I also make sure to add a couple of small parts of medium or long-term projects. If you find there is not enough time in the day to do things, or you keep putting things off, then try this method and make sure you go through your list. Catalog Your Progress I have been keeping a diary since I started as a professional magician. I know all of the shows and performances. I started this blog to keep me accountable. Each day, I think about how I'm going to grow that so that next month I can see what I've accomplished. A classic example are the two new DVDs. I let you all know about them and now am forced to make it happen. Many people will have the idea but no follow through. By writing this weekly ezine report about upcoming projects, I am putting it out there and am forced to see it through. This is what helps me get all my work done. Be sure to check out my weekly BLOG for photos of performances and reviews of the latest magic effects at http://romhanyreport.blogspot.com/ Until next time Happy Cruising Paul Romhany -------------------------------------------- 7. International Brotherhood Of Magicians Annual Convention -------------------------------------------- Just in case you have not registered Time Is Running Out Before Online Registration Closes. June 15th is the last day to register online for the best convention of the year! Join us as we honor Shimada with 50 Years of being and entertainer. Here is what you are going to miss is you don't sign up today: 12 Great Lectures 3 Fantastic Evening Shows in the Acuff Theatre 1 Grande Banquet and Cabaret Show * The Finest Close-Up and Stage Competition. Over $20,000 in Prizes, Trophies and Awards. The Magnificent Opryland Resort and Convention Center The Strolling Olympics Special Spouse Events* The Order of Merlin Breakfast for all Order of Merlins* Lots of Youth Events especially geared to our up and coming magicians. Everything is located on the Opryland Complex You might even run into one of Today's Hot Country stars. Plus look at all the Magic Stars we have coming: Shimada Latimer Charlie Frye & Co Steven Bargatze Steve Daly Jorge Blass David & Dania Eld Ellis BJ Hickman JC Wagner An Ha-Lim Marc Oberon Juliana Chen Hayashi Scott Land Oscar Munoz Losander Yuji Yamamoto Shoot Ogawa and more........ This is a convention you do not want to miss. This is going to be more fun that a person is allowed to have! Don't miss it! Register online by going to: www.Magician.org Help us turn "Music City USA" into "Magic City USA" June 30 - July 4, 2009 Opryland Resort & Convention Center Nashville, Tenn. USA -------------------------------------------- 8. Brooks McNamara Dies, May 8 At 72 -------------------------------------------- Message by Ben Robinson (US) New York City-May 26: It is with great sadness that the New York theatrical community announces the passing theatre historian Brooks McNamara. Dr. McNamara was a great friend to the variety artist; the magician in particular. He was known for having assembled the Schubert Archive over a ten year period of over 100,000 documents from sheet music to busts of prominent composers to theatre posters, which also adorned his spacious NYU office and his homes in New York and Pennsylvania. His book "Step Right Up" traced the antecedents of vaudeville from the western music dance hall stage through the melding with European circus traditions. He loved magic and was a fine amateur magician often fraternizing with other amateur Gordon Bean, Arnold Stang and George Gordon at the Players club (formerly the town house of great Shakespearian actor Edwin Booth) on Gramercy Park South. He taught thousands of students that the art of the theatre often happened not entirely on stage but in the patrons minds and illustrated this illusory technique by having guest artists prove the point. When the New York University Arts school became the Tisch School of the Arts in the late 1960's he featured John Mulholland, Milbourne Christopher and Ben Robinson as guest speakers. Robinson appeared in 1987 after it was announced in the New York Times that he would be presented as a one-man show under the auspices of the renowned Music-Theatre Group. Following a Master's candidate's discussion of 16th century illusion techniques such as the knife in the arm, as shown by Reginald Scot, Robinson produced ahs by performing the exact same effect, with the exact same method employed, and thereby wowed professor McNamara as well showing how what is seen is often not observed - McNamara's entire thesis over 50 years. Brooks Barry McNamara was born in Peoria, Ill. He was graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., received an M.A. from the University of Iowa, and then served in the army before returning to school and earning a Ph.D. in theater history from Tulane. He taught at the University of Delaware and in 1968 moved to New York. He died on May 8th, and was 72 years old. His many students who earned degrees in "performance studies" include several scholars who went on to write about circus, Annie Abbott and the flim flam artists of Coney Island. -------------------------------------------- 9. Sam Convention Room Rates - June 20 Deadline -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler S.A.M. Public Relations The Society of American Magicians special convention room rates expire on JUNE 20. After that date the Buffalo hotel rates go up. If you are not already registered at the hotel please do so immediately. Niagara Falls is a popular tourist spot and the hotel expects to be sold out for the weekend during our convention. Be sure you have your room booked if if you are attending the convention July 15-16-17-18. See the hotel details at our web site www.magicsam.com -------------------------------------------- 10. Broken Wand - Trevor Yates -------------------------------------------- Message from Dave Upfold Sad news from South Africa. One of the South Africa's best known Magician / Actor / Mentor / Teacher of Magic and Friend to all has passed away. Trevor and his wife (Trixie - Stage Name) also did that famous play live - Dinner for Two - as seen on TV over the New Year period. Trevor was a Member of SAMS - South African Magic Society and the Magic Lodge of South Africa. He was always willing to share and help other Magicians. Trevor will be sadly missed by all who knew him and by his friends who he called Family - The Upfold's in New Zealand. Dave Upfold www.not1but2.com -------------------------------------------- 11. British Ring Convention News -------------------------------------------- Message from Bob Hayden PRO to the British Ring John van der Put is an award winning magician who has been dazzling audiences for the past ten years. As a consummate showman John delivers stylish debonair performances of stunning magic laced with dry wit. He is the current holder of the British Ring's premier close-up award the Zina Bennett Trophy and was runner-up in this year's Magic Circle close-up competition being only a whisper away from the winner. Although he started playing with magic when he was 15, he was not particularly enamoured with it. He had never liked it on television or at children's parties. In some ways he thought it ridiculous. So to entertain he tried juggling and being a clown but both of these attempts failed to satisfy his ambition to engage with people. Then he saw on television the close-up magic with cards performed by Jerry Sadowitz in Stuff the White Rabbit. He loved it and it was this that changed John's attitude towards magic and got him interested. Could performing magic be the answer to his life's aspiration? So he found a book on card magic and starting practicing them on his own. After three weeks he felt confident enough to show them to a friend who was suitably impressed. He was then convinced he could perform and at 18 applied to join The Magic Circle and after the required examination was accepted as a member. At aged 19 it was Guy Hollingworth who was to become John's inspiration. He set himself two goals. One was to create a signature piece of magic, the other to learn Guy's Reformation. The former he achieved by accident when he conceived VDP where a card changes a bit at a time and the latter when Guy published his book. But John's parents were concerned about his future as a magician. They suggested he had a back-up career so he took their advice, went to university and studied computer science obtaining a degree in the subject. For the next two years he worked in IT before being struck down with pancreatitis and nearly dying. This caused John to reflect that he was following his back-up life before even trying to lead the life he wanted. So he left work, retrained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Primarily he did not want to be an actor but desperately wanted to learn performance methods. To be an actor and have to continually play the same role night after night did not form part of John's agenda. This training did however steer him into creating a variety of roles, the most notable being Piff the Magic Dragon and has allowed him with great effect to present his magic in ways completely distinct from that of his contempories. Although John is at his happiest performing his magic around the tables or in cabaret he has also found fame from his corporate work. Among his clients are Heston Blumenthal proprietor of the three Michelin star rated Fat Duck Restaurant with whom he is just completing his third project, television manufacturer LG and Pepsi. His commissions for them include product launches, PR stunts, tradeshows and internal presentations. So when you see John van der Put performing in the International Close-up Gala at Southport you can be assured of seeing not only mind blowing magic but magic presented in a completely original manner. Also appearing in this show is Thom (pronounced Tom) Peterson. Previously comparatively unknown in this country it was a year ago that magicians in this country had their first introduction to this talented close-up worker from Winconsin. Then it was restricted to those who were at his lecture at The Magic Circle or the British Magical Society. He describes himself as an Amazing Guy, an utterly correct description endorsed by those who have seen him perform. Thom has a dry sense of humour which combined with his self-deluded belief that he is a magical super hero leaves his audiences rolling with laughter and stuck-jawed with amazement. Thom's interest in magic started very early at the tender age of 5 to be precise. He attended the University of Winconsin graduating with a degree in Organizational Communications with an emphasis in Corporate Training and Development. After graduation he used his degree plus his magical prowness to head into the world of corporate development. After being engaged and reengaged by companies like Boeing, Xerox, Bank One, 3M and Lockhead Martin who found he never failed to make their events a smash he became one of the most sought across the country. At the Magic Castle in Hollywood he is a regular performer and in fact is one of the very few performers authorised to perform in every one of their showrooms. Internationally he has performed in countries as diverse as France, Switzerland, Israel, Scandinavia, Australia, China and Japan. It is widely reported that when Thom performs the audience are reduced to laughing like a little child, utter only vowel sounds, quote scripture and stamp their feet so hard that Dr. Scholl will wake-up. He makes every one of his shows not just ones to watch but ones that become interactive occasions where each individual member of the audience personally can experience the magic and comedy. We look forward to welcoming and seeing this talented Amazing Guy Thom Peterson at our Convention. Joining John van der Put and Thom Peterson in the international Close-up Gala will be Hayashi, Henry Mayol, Tyler Wilson, and Ed Ellis. With this line up there will not be a spare seat in the room. -------------------------------------------- 12. Eric De Camps Named New PA#1 Dean -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler S.A.M. Public Relations Parent Assembly #1 of the Society of American Magicians in New York elected Eric De Camps as their new Dean , succeeding the late Sam Schwartz. Mr. De Camps has been a member for 27 years and was Parent Assembly; #1 "Magician of the Year" in 1996.   He is currently on their Board of Directors. Eric earned a Gold Medal and is a Life Member of the Society.   His "Pure Magic" show is currently running in New York City until the end of June. -------------------------------------------- 13. Chin-Chin's 'Hocus Refocused' -------------------------------------------- Message from Chin-Chin (US) Opening June 13th at J'LaChic Theater 39 San Francisco's Pier 39 will now be the home of Chin-Chin Every Weekend. Saturdays & Sundays  1pm & 3pm As a result of the overwhelming success of May 23rd's performance at J'La Chic Theatre 39, Chin-Chin's 'Hocus Refocused' will now be the theater's ongoing weekend matinee show!  Every Saturday & Sunday at 1pm & 3pm, Chin-Chin will perform his international award-winning brand of magic at the San Francisco Bay Area's most visited attraction, Pier J'LaChic Theatre 39 is located at the front of Pier 39, above the Hard Rock Cafe. This beautiful venue features 275-tiered seats and state-of-the-art lighting and sound. Pier 39 Attracts 14 million Visitors Annually Listed on Forbes.com as the 7th most visited tourist attraction in the United States, San Francisco's Pier 39 attracts more annual visitors than Niagara Falls & The Grand Canyon. Buy Tickets Here: http://jlachic.tix.com/Schedule.asp?ActCode=37467 -------------------------------------------- 14. John Carney Appearing In Salt Lake City -------------------------------------------- Message from John Carney (US) June 30th, John Carney will be holding a workshop in Salt Lake City, followed by a lecture on July 1st. All participants are encouraged to perform a 5 minute routine, or use their time to bring up whatever subject they would like to discuss: specific moves, routines, presentation ideas, works in progress, etc. 7:00-10pm. $50 per person at the door. If you are planning on attending the workshop, read the primer here: http://www.carneymagic.com/seminars/Workshop-Info.pdf July 1st, John Carney will be giving a lecture the same location. He will be covering a variety of material from his book Carneycopia, The Book of Secrets, and his new Master Sessions DVDs. 7:30-9:30pm $25 per person at the door. Western Governors University 4001 South 700 East, Suite 700 Salt Lake City, UT 84107-2526 For more information: http://www.carneymagic.com/seminars/index.html -------------------------------------------- 15. Darren Carr Is Coming To Melbourne -------------------------------------------- Message from Tim Ellis (Aust) Darren Carr is the funniest and the best ventriloquist in Australia. In a few weeks you get the chance to see him perform here in Melbourne at The Melbourne Magic Festival. Darren is performing two shows only on Saturday July 4 at 1.30pm he brings a mix of magic, puppets and ventriloquism in his family show 'D C & WARREN'S MAGIC THINGO' and at 10.30pm that night you can see his comedy ventriloquism show 'DARREN CARR - STAND UP VENTRILOQUIST'. Both shows are exceptional value for money - priced at just $10 per ticket!!! Book now by visiting www.MelbourneMagicFestival.com -------------------------------------------- 16. Melbourne Magic Festival Two Weeks Away! -------------------------------------------- Message from Tim Ellis (Aust) The Melbourne Magic Festival has been getting a lot of promotion in the press and on radio and TV in the last couple of weeks. Ticket sales are going well and the first shows kick off on Monday, June 29 - just two weeks away! (Please help spread the word and let's make this year's event truly amazing). You can hear an interview I did with Denis Walter on 3AW here http://www.3aw.com.au/displayPopUpPlayerAction.action?&url=http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/030609_magician.wma and there's also an interview he did with David Copperfield here http://www.3aw.com.au/displayPopUpPlayerAction.action?&url=http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/270509_Copperfield.wma Tickets can be booked online at www.MelbourneMagicFestival.com or by calling (03) 9481 9500 The Auction (Monday June 29 at 7.30pm) is getting bigger with a second list of items added too! Free Admission to the Auction, so we hope to see you there! -------------------------------------------- 17. Auction Of Master Craftsman & Collector -------------------------------------------- Message from David Goodman The catalog for The Auction of Master Craftsman & Collector Leslie C. Smith of Owen Magic Supreme is now online and available for internet buyer registration and bidding. It can be accessed by going to www.magicauctioneer.com and clicking on the online auction tab. The live auction starts June 28th at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time. This should be a great auction! -------------------------------------------- 18. Fabulous Showstoppers And Michael Finney Live -------------------------------------------- Message from Michael Finney (US) June 9th - 14th All Show Tickets Complimentary Tuesday June 9, 2009 7pm Wednesday June 10, 2009 7pm & 9pm Thursday June 11, 2009 7pm & 9pm Friday June 12, 2009 7pm & 9pm Saturday June 13, 2009 7pm & 9pm Sunday June 14, 2009 (Flag Day) 7pm Complimentary Show Tickets at the Casino Arizona Box Office Come early to get a good seat -------------------------------------------- 19. Magic For Sale -------------------------------------------- Message from Tony Wilson (NZ) Magic for Sale - The sale is restricted to New Zealand residents only. After many years in magic Tony Wilson is selling over 200 individual items of stand up and close up magic between now and July 20th.Most are new or near new items and most have original instruction sheets attached. To obtain a copy of the 222 items just email Tony (tony@twmagic.co.nz) with a request in the subject line MAGIC SALE and he will send you the full list by email in a PDF file. Terms of trade are specified in the document. -------------------------------------------- 20. Magician's Solution To "Real Job" Problem! -------------------------------------------- Message from Aaron Smith MAGIC.ORG - It wasn't that long ago magicians whispered in the ears of kings! It was because our magic was deep, symbolic, and based on the noble desires of hope and wonder. That's been lost. And I think I know why. "Real Jobs." Magicians can't totally dedicate themselves to the art with the constant burden of rent, car payment, new equipment, etc. The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is More Money! Read more at... http://www.magic.org/secrets/?p=77 -------------------------------------------- 21. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 22. 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.Alan-Watson.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson 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, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed 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 2009 Alan Watson