* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #678 Date: Sunday 26th July 2009 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Martin A. Nash Memorial Celebration 3. Tribute Film For Norm Nielsen 4. FISM Announces Special Award Nominations 5. Remarkable Magic #2 - Nick Lewin 6. Lessons For The Teenage Magician - #128 - Kyle Peron 7. Cruising With Paul Romhany #78 8. Las Vegas Magic - August, 2009 9. The Debut Of Charlotte Pendragon 10. Daytona Magic On The Road 11. KIDabra Conference August 12-15 12. British Ring Convention 13. Broken Wand - Wm. "Gene" Keeney 14. Shawn McMaster's New Publication -The New Mandala 15. 33rd Season Of Dale Salwak's International Stars Of Magic 16. 13th Annual Motor City Convention 17. Steve Cohen-From Variety 18. e-zine Archives 19. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- If you are in Las Vegas from 24th July to August 6th drop in to see my brother from another mother Nick Lewin at Harrah's as he subbing for Mac King. Shows are at 1:00 and 3:00 PM daily (dark Sunday and Monday). Call 702-521-9102 if you'd like further information. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Martin A. Nash Memorial Celebration -------------------------------------------- Message by Kent Wong (Canada) Details of the memorial celebration we are planning for Martin A. Nash. As you are aware, Martin died about one week ago in Parksville, B.C. He didn't have many friends/family in Parksville, but he always considered the Magic Castle to be his second home. So, I have been working with the executor of Martin's estate to arrange for the donation of some of his personal effects to the Magic Castle in hopes that we could have a memorial ceremony to celebrate Martin's life. The family agreed and even went so far as to give permission for his ashes to be permanently held at the Magic Castle. With that permission in hand, the Magic Castle has graciously agreed to host a memorial celebration for Martin A. Nash. The details are as follows: Date: August 23, 2009 Time: 4:00 pm It would be greatly appreciated if you could distribute this announcement to your readers and invite them the attend. Thank you in advance for your assistance. -------------------------------------------- 3. Tribute Film For Norm Nielsen -------------------------------------------- Message by Bruce Kalver (US) Norm Nielsen was our honored guest at the S.A.M. Convention in Buffalo. I made a tribute film that we presented at the Kickoff Show. If you wish to view the film, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x8vVrHMTiU Enjoy Bruce Kalver -------------------------------------------- 4. FISM Announces Special Award Nominations -------------------------------------------- Message by Eric Eswin FISM International President During the past half-century, FISM has become the international standard for competitive awards in the field of theatrical magic. At the previous FISM congress, held in Stockholm, Sweden in 2006, a new set of awards was introduced, honoring accomplishments outside the contest. At the request of the convention organizers, Max Maven developed the awards and the system for generating them. Three categories were defined. A large group of international magic figures, including club presidents and well known performers and writers, were then invited to suggest nominees. Based on this input plus a lengthy study of the current state of the conjuring field, the nominations have now been set. There are five nominees in each category. The votes are in the process of being tallied. The results will be kept secret until they are announced at the upcoming FISM congress in Beijing, China. The nominations, listed alphabetically, are as follows: Creativity & Artistic Vision This award appraises creation, not simply in terms of technical invention but also for the larger conceptual views that inform that person's work. The 2006 recipient was Gaëtan Bloom of France. Lubor Fiedler (Czechoslovakia ) Flip (The Netherlands) Finn Jon (Norway) Dr. Sawa (Japan) Jim Steinmeyer (U.S.) History, Research & Scholarship This award recognizes scholarship, assessed both in terms of academic depth and the manner and quality of the distribution of such information. The 2006 recipient was Eddie Dawes of England. Volker Huber (Germany) Bill Kalush (U.S.) Magic Christian (Austria) Mitsunobu Matsuyama (Japan) Jacques Voignier (France) Theory & Philosophy This award gives tribute to a person who has approached magic from a viewpoint that is analytical, academic, perhaps even spiritual. The 2006 recipient was Tommy Wonder of the Netherlands. Eugene Burger (U.S.) René Lavand (Argentina) Robert Neale (U.S.) Eberhard Riese (Germany) Juan Tamariz (Spain) -------------------------------------------- 5. Remarkable Magic #2 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) More Remarkable Magic #2 Keep on iTricking. Let me begin my column this week by expressing my sorrow about the passing of Martin Nash. He was not only the 'Charming Cheat' but also the perfect gentleman. It was always a pleasure to walk into the 'Castle' and see Marty at the bar. Marty realized something very seldom noted by magicians. Lay audiences are not just totally, overwhelmingly excited to watch a piece of sleight of hand just because it has a gambling theme. You have to work at making it interesting and enjoyable to watch. Martin was a true gem of a person and will be sorely missed. On a less somber note, it has been fun watching the Magic Apps arrive for the iPhone. Every day there are more and more of them and some of the most recent are really good. As an avid iPhone nut, I have been enjoying picking up most of them. There is something ultra-cool about being able to perform a strong piece of magic using your phone. Always assuming someone doesn't phone you while you are performing it! The iPhone platform seems ideally suited to the nature of mentalism and I have found several real winners on the iTunes App Store. I heartily recommend Spirit Writer and Fake ESP. 'Marty's Magic Card,' 'Street Magic,' Carl Andrews spiffy 'Any Card' round out my top three Card Apps. If you can't figure out something effective to do with 'Fake Text Message' then you're just not trying. Hand back your iPhone, go back to start and do not collect $200. The very best part of downloading an iTrick is reading the comments that non-magicians have left about the app. Many of them berate the vendors for charging so much for their creations. There are many outraged comments such as, "This App was a total rip-of at $2.99 it is really only worth a dollar!" etc. etc. It is a good job these same people are not buying their magic effects from Joe Stevens! They would die of shock and of course you don't get the free paper bag with a download. Check out 'NowMagic' the new blog on my website at http://www.nicklewin.com -------------------------------------------- 6. Lessons For The Teenage Magician - #128 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com There is nothing like going to a national convention to get the creative juices flowing and to realize why I love magic so much. It is the people that really make the convention such a wonderful experience. This past convention gave me a lot of opportunities to not only work with younger magicians, but to also see them in action. The future of magic rests in the hands of these young stars. But being a teenage magician also means learning. It means allowing oneself to continue to grow. It is up to all of us to be mentors to these young magicians and to take the time out to listen to their questions and their ideas. Too many folks do not consider teenage magicians to be worth the time. I am here to say they are very much worth your time. They are the future of our art. If you take the art seriously enough, then you make the time. But what are some things every teenage magician can learn? What are the things we older magicians can share with our younger comrades? 1) Leave the ego at home. Being a teenager means peer pressure and the desire to always want to look cool and be cool in front of others. However, there is no room in magic for inflated egos. You must realize that the magical arts is an ongoing learning process. You must be willing to allow yourself to learn from anyone. You will never know it all but you can learn a LOT if you are open enough to realize the world does not evolve around you. 2) Think creatively. Do not rely so much on what you see other magicians doing. Do not be so influenced by YouTube that you mimic magician's acts and routines instead of finding out who YOU really are. Each of us has our own style and our own character. It is up to each of us to find it and to find what makes our magic unique. Allow yourself to think creatively and to develop new and fun ideas. Now is YOUR time to learn and no idea is ever a bad one. Write your ideas down and always continue to think outside of the box. Learning to be creative at this early stage can help you so much along your magical journey. 3) Help a friend. Do not think so much of yourself that you do not take the time out to help a friend. Through the process of helping, you both learn more. Several friends in magic can be worth so much more than trying to do it all by yourself. So reach out and assist someone with a question. Help someone with a creative idea. You will be rewarded for it. 4) Slow down. Do not ever feel you are in competition with your fellow young magicians. I see so many teen magicians thinking that there is a race going on. That for some reason they have to beat someone in the race for the most gigs or the best crowd. Because of this they tend to go too fast wanting to achieve an unrealistic goal. It is OK to have goals as long as they are obtainable for you. Only YOU can determine what works best for you. Only YOU can decide what is right for you. There is no race to be won. There are only things to learn if one takes it slow enough to progress naturally. 5) Stop comparing yourself to others.  Do not be so concerned about what your fellow magicians are doing or what they have obtained. By doing so, you slow your own growth. Be concerned about yourself only. Each of us has to chart our own path in magic. We each go down the road our own way and at our own pace. Worry only about yourself and the goals you set for yourself to achieve. 6) Seek mentors.  This simply means not being afraid to ask the advice of an older magician. That old magician you avoid at the convention may have a wealth of information just waiting to be tapped into. All you have to do is be willing to show respect and ask for it. So many magicians are more than willing to share their knowledge with you. 7) Gather your tools.  This means that this is the time where you need to learn as much as you possibly can. Read books and watch instructional DVDs. Attend lectures and go to workshops. Learning the moves and techniques of the craft become your tools. Only when you have your tools can you learn to use the right ones to build an entertaining experience. 8) Explore the territory.  Do not be so set in your ways that you do not allow yourself to explore all avenues of the magical arts. Now is the time to try various forms of magic. By doing so, you start to learn what you feel you are good at and gain a lot of knowledge in the process. 9) Learn to listen.  There is beauty to be found in taking time to listen to people. Instead of wanting to tell them all you are doing or have done, resist the urge.  Instead, take the time out to ask them questions and then listen to what they have to say. One can gain so much through the process. 10) Critique not criticism.  Learn to take critique well. Learn to realize that someone critiquing your show or act is not a personal attack on you. If you want to grow in the magical arts, then one must get used to hearing feedback both positive and negative. Take this information and use it to better yourself and what you do. I hope these 10 pointers can be a help to you. They are things I had to personally learn the hard way. If you remember these and can apply these daily, you will have a wealth of information that can only help to make you excel in magic and do so the right way. 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. - I would like to let everyone know that I just released a new book and E-Book to the magic Community. "Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to Working The Scout Market!" is now available as a soft cover printed book as well as an ebook download. - "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 -------------------------------------------- 7. Cruising With Paul Romhany #78 -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) Creating Magic for Magicians I get so many emails from magicians all over the world each week asking questions on all subjects magic related. I generally get up early to answer all emails as best I can. Recently, there seems to be an interest in the process of developing magic effects for the market. Ninety nine percent of these emails come from young magicians who have 'created' an effect that they feel should be on the market. My question is, do they have the right to release a magic trick if they have been in magic only two years and/or have not road tested the effect. I see this debate coming up more and more on magic chat groups and so thought I would throw in my own views, as somebody who has been performing professionally for the past twenty years, and releases products to the magic community. Over the past few years there has been a big trend in the DVD business to release a one trick DVD. In all honesty, most of them should probably not be released as a single DVD but rather appear in a magic magazine or a book somewhere.  However, with creative marketing there seems to be a generation who want to get the latest 'trick' that will make them appear like their magic heros they see on TV. They are even now creating tricks for TV shows and then selling them afterwards. The shows now appear to be like one huge infomercial. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic marketing ploy and has a huge following. They are just following the trends and there is a demand for this type of hype. I still find it funny that you can watch a TV show, and a week later perform the magic tricks that were on it. Not sure what that tells us about the way magic is heading or the magician on TV?  Is it good for magic or bad?  I'm not sure - it does create an interest in magic of course, but it takes away the mystique surrounding the art of magic. Out of this trend has come a young group of magicians who have a huge following, and they are releasing one off tricks on a rapid basis. It really is fun to watch and see how magic has changed and how the internet has made 'stars' of magicians very quickly. Not quite like the old days where you became a magic star by performing around the world. The only way I got to meet these true stars of magic was by attending a convention or reading about them in Genii magazine. Today, with the Internet I feel like they are dear friends. I'm also interested in this side of magic for competitions such as FISM.  I'm in the belief that FISM is like the Olympics and personally prior to entering you should have a proven track record rather than decide one day you want to enter FISM.  I remember talking to one of the hottest acts in the USA years ago, and when I asked him if he would ever enter FISM his reply was, "you should only enter FISM when you are at the very top of your game - and I might not be there for another twenty years - if at all!" Now that's how FISM should be from my own personal point of view. Back to the product business .. Let's look at how I put together a product. In all cases, the effects I release I have performed in my professional act at one time or another, and many are still in the act. I have performed in pretty much every type of working condition from close-up, restaurants, trade shows to cruise ships, cabaret, comedy clubs, private homes, corporate markets and parties - both adults and children - as well as several years on New Zealand television as part of a comedy magic double act. When I grew up in magic, and especially coming from New Zealand, we didn't have the luxury that the younger generation have today, of having instant access to DVDs, tricks and books. It would take me months to get a book from the USA and cost me a lot of money. There were no DVDs so I was, and still am, an avid reader of books. The upside of growing up, and being so far removed from the hub of magic community, was that I created a lot of my own effects. During the past twenty years I had the chance to work the routines in live performances and since working on cruise ships ten years ago, I was able to film almost every show. This meant I could really iron out any bugs to tricks and get the reactions from the audience. Without knowing it, this has given me a huge arsenal of original magic. It wasn't until a few years when I was approached by Paul Gross at Hocus-Pocus magic to release one of my routines he had heard so much about, that I realised just how much I had to share with others. When you are removed from the general hub of magic and busy working, as I had been, you really don't have much idea of what is happening out there or what the trends are. Years ago I met a young magician who had started to put out a few one trick DVDs. When I asked him to show me one of the tricks he couldn't. I was astounded!! He told me that he had created it just as a product. This was the catalyst that got me thinking about how I wanted to approach releasing magic tricks. The first thing was, I would only put something on the market that was from my own act, and had been performed in front of live audiences in many different situations. Fortunately, I am always working, either on land or at sea, and so able to really work each and every effect. With so many performances and time behind me, I am able to now chose what I want to release and when I want to release something. A classic example of how much time I put in to a product prior to its release, is my latest DVD, Romhany On Stage. I look at this DVD as being twenty years in the making, because that's how many years I have been working and performing many of the routines in there. So you see, my approach to my own magical products are different than the latest trend. My effects have been audience tested in the real world in front of situations most of us work, such as parties, cabaret and corporate markets - not going out on the street and filming with some friends reacting. I watch some of these and can see how people buy in to the hype. There are so many magic DVDs on the market now, it's hard to know what to get. I review many of them for Hocus-Pocus which you can find on my weekly BLOG at http://romhanyreport.blogspot.com/ By releasing magic that is tested in live shows over time, I know that my products, books and DVDs will be around a long time. Simply because the are effects that work. I like to think of my products, not as one night wonders, but effects and products that will last for many years and that magicians who aren't even in to magic right now, will be looking up and using in the future. I have made my career from performing and continue to do so - the effects I release are effects that continue to make me a good living - and I know others will perform in their own shows. Until next week, Happy Magic Paul Romhany www.paulromhany.com -------------------------------------------- 8. Las Vegas Magic - August, 2009 -------------------------------------------- Compiled by David Neubauer - www.dnmagic.com Magic Production Shows: Amazed Mike Rayburn, Tim Gabrielson, Buzz Sutherland 2:30 pm - V Theatre - Planet Hollywood. Amazing Johnathan 9 pm (Dark Sun. & Mon.), Harmon Theater, Krave - Planet Hollywood. Criss Angel - Believe 7 & 10:00 pm (Dark Sun. - Mon.) - Luxor. www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel David Copperfield Aug. 20 - Sept. 23 7:30 & 10 pm (and 4:30 Sat.) MGM Grand. www.mgm.admission.com/cgi/guide.cgi?l=EN Dixie Dooley - Master Mystifier 7:00 pm (Dark Sun. - Tue.), Royal Resort. www.houdiniexperience.com 2 for 1 Tickets: www.vegas4locals.com/coupon_dixie_dooley.html Gerry McCambridge - The Mentalist 7:30 pm (Dark Wed.), V Theatre - Planet Hollywood. www.mentalist.com Comp. Tickets: www.mentalist.com/_images/Ticket.pdf Ignite Antonio Restivo. 11:00 pm (Dark Mon.), Greek Isles. www.ignite13.com Special Discount: $10 off www.ignite13.com/flyer.pdf Lance Burton, Master Magician 7 pm Tues - Sat & 10 pm Tues. & Sat. Monte Carlo. www.montecarlo.com/entertainment/lance.aspx Special Discount: Mention you want "The Special" at the box office to receive a 25% Discount. Mac King Comedy Magic Show 1 & 3 pm, (Dark Sun. & Mon.) - The Showroom, Harrah's. www.mackingshow.com Free tickets (buy 1 drink) are usually available at the concierge desk or handed out occasionally by showgirls. Magic's a Drag Steve Weston (aka Cashetta) 1 & 3 pm, (Dark Sun.) - Planet Hollywood. www.magicsadrag.com Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show 4 pm - Main Showroom - Flamingo. www.nathanburton.com Special: Buy Flamingo Buffet from Box Office for $19.95, get free ticket to show. www.vegas4locals.com/couponnathanburtoncomedymagic.html Penn & Teller 9 pm, (Dark Thurs. - Fri.), Rio. www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/rlv/entertainment/entertainment_detail_00.html Rick Thomas 7 pm. 4 pm. & 7 pm. Sat. & Sun. (Dark Mon.) - Sahara. Scarlett and the Seductive Ladies of Magic 10 pm. (Dark Fri.) - Riviera. Superstars of Magic 7:30 & 9:30 (Dark Tues.) Steven Best and Cassandra, Vegas Club. www.vegasclubcasino.net/entertainment/superstars_of_magic.php 2 for 1 Tickets: www.vegas4locals.com/couponsuperstarsofmagic.html Steve Wyrick 9 pm. (Dark Fri.) & 7 pm. Sun. & Mon. Steve Wyrick Theater - Miracle Mile, Planet Hollywood. www.stevewyricktheatre.com The Dymonds - The Las Vegas Magic Revue 7 pm. (Dark Wed. - Sat.) - Royal Resort. Guest Stars: Jul. 19-21: Adam London, Jul. 26-28: Mike Douglas, Aug. 2-4: Michael Aslan, Aug. 9-11: Brian Arkell, Aug. 16-17: Jethro, Aug. 18: Chuck Crespo, Aug. 20-22: The Great Antoine (Antonio Hoyos), Aug. 23-25: Rick Star, Aug. 26-27: TBA, Aug. 28-29: Big Daddy Cool, Aug. 30-Sept 1: Jean Pierre. www.dymondsmagicrevue.com The Super Duper Kids Show Bill Robinson and B-Rad. 4 pm. (Dark Mon. - Wed.) - Royal Resort. www.superdupershowlv.com Xtreme Magic Starring Dirk Arthur Tiffany Theatre, Tropicana. 4:10 & 7 pm (Dark Tues.) (7 pm is an expanded show). www.tropicanalv.com/ent_dirkarthur.asp Magic In Production Shows: Crazy Girls Tony Douglas - 9:30 pm (Dark Tues.), Riviera. www.rivierahotel.com/entertainment_crazygirls.asp 2 for 1 Tickets: www.vegas4locals.com/couponcrazygirls.html Haunted Vegas Show and Tour Jac Hayden, Robert Allen 9:30 pm, picks up at the Royal Resort. www.hauntedvegastours.com $10 off Tickets: www.vegas4locals.com/couponhauntedvegas.html The Las Vegas Seance Robert Allen, Jac Hayden, Arian Black, Samina, Victora Wayne 10:00 pm, picks up at the Royal Resort www.LasVegasSeance.com V, The Ultimate Variety Show Jason Byrne (most Tues. - Sat.) & various others. 7 & 8:30, Planet Hollywood - www.vtheshow.com Other Vegas Magic: Craig Keith performs bar magic at various times - Dick's Last Resort, Excalibur. Jamie Porter's Radio Side Show Sat @ 5 am, KLAV FM 1230. Las Vegas Magic Organizations Fantasma I.B.M. Ring #257, 7 pm 1st Monday each month. www.ibm257.com Boomers, 3200 Sirius Ave. Darwin's Magic Club, meets 10 pm Wednesdays. Boomers, 3200 Sirius Ave. KIDabra Las Vegas, 7 pm every 3rd Monday. Amazing Clowns, 3525 E. Flamingo. www.kidabralasvegas.com News: August, 2009 July 24 - August 6: Nick Lewin - Special engagement subbing for Mac King. 1 & 3 pm, (Dark Sun. & Mon.) - The Showroom, Harrah's. August 12-13: Magic & Mystery School -Focus on Quick Change Costumes. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith with Lee Alex. www.magicalwisdom.com/school August 14-15: LVMI Close-Up Convention - The 9th gathering dedicated to the art of sleight of hand. Featuring Paul Green, Andrew Goldenhersh, Paul Vigil and many more top stars. - Palace Station. www.lvmi.net August 16-19: MAGIC Live! - South Point Casino. www.magicmagazine.com/live/ August 19-25: Magic & Mystery School - Extended Master Class. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school September, 2009 September 7-8: Magic & Mystery School - Sisters of Mystery, a Magical Conference for Women. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school September 22-24: Magic & Mystery School - Magic and Martial Arts. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school September 14-20: Nick Lewin 8:30 & 10:30 pm - Riviera Comedy Club. October, 2009 October 9-11: Magic & Mystery School - Focus on Street Magic. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school October 21-24: The Magic and Meaning Conference - A distinctive, annual small-group conference that focuses on creating meaningful magic routines, effective scripts, and new venues for performance. Featuring keynote addresses by Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Robert E. Neale, Lawrence Hass, George Parker, David Goodsell, and a number of short talks by experts on subjects relating to the themes of the conference. www.magicalwisdom.com/school November, 2009 November 6-8: Magic & Mystery School - Magic and Medicine. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school November 8-10: MINDvention - Mentalism Convention - Palace Station. www.mindvention.net November 11-13: Magic & Mystery School - Master Class for Mentalists. Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Tobias Beckwith. www.magicalwisdom.com/school Please email any Las Vegas magic updates/news to David through his website: www.dnmagic.com -------------------------------------------- 9. The Debut Of Charlotte Pendragon -------------------------------------------- Message by Irv Cook (US) Florida State Magic Convention Magic News. We are proud to announce the debut of Charlotte Pendragon as a solo act at this year's Daytona Festival of Magic, which is the official Florida State Magic Convention. If you have been following the Magic News, the Pendragons are no longer working as an act together. Charlotte promises us that her act will be very exciting. Let's show her our support in her time of need by welcoming her to our convention. To register for the convention go to: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DaytonaMagicInc./b0f9219b2f/92cfbf80ba/01a960345e -------------------------------------------- 10. Daytona Magic On The Road -------------------------------------------- Message by Irv Cook (US) For those of you who would like to come and see us in person, but can't make it to Daytona anytime soon, (We hope you'll be here in November!) you can see my partner Harry when he comes to visit you in your town. Here is his convention schedule for the year: August 13 - 16 Kidabra, Pigeon Forge, TN. August 16 - 20 Magic Live, Las Vegas, NV. September 2 - 8 TAOM Convention, Houston, TX. September 8 - 12 SECA, Orlando, FL October 2 - 3 New Orleans, LA. November 6 - 8 Florida State Magic Convention -------------------------------------------- 11. KIDabra Conference August 12-15 -------------------------------------------- Message by Mark Daniel All Systems Are Go For KIDabra Conference August 12-15 In the Resort town of Pigeon Forge, TN An unprecedented offering of live shows and events unfold to create The Year of The Performer! Starting with 6 Live KIDshows with kid audiences. First time ever at any convention: Magic Al treats a special birthday child to an unforgettable Magical Birthday Party Show! Then Al shares his philosophies, tips, tricks and stories. First time ever at any convention: Mark Wade and his 5 Keys to Character School Show followed by a lecture about the show from one of the top KIDshow Vents in the world. Duane and Mary Laflin have invited the local community to join us for a Family Night Magic Show. Then Duane presents his 17th annual all new lecture at KIDabra Conference. First time ever at any Convention: Tim Sonefelt presents his Summer Reading Library Show: "Creation Station" and then a lecture on developing and routines for your own program First time ever at any convention: Barry Mitchell performs his Summer Vacation Bible School Show and gives attendees a glimpse inside this never before revealed market. First time at any convention: Tom McDonell opens the creaky door to The Monster Magic Preschool Show. Afterwards he offers up tremendous show theming ideas for young audiences. First Time US Convention Appearance: From the UK, the award winning Kimmo lectures and performs. And Featuring the Emmy Award winning Magician/Actor Max Howard Max presents and lectures on his signature piece "How Checkers were Invented" Plus, The First Ever KIDabra International Family Performer of the Year Pro/AM Invitational Competition, The KIDshow Auction, the Optional KIDshow Business Builders Seminars, more lectures and surprises! See tons of youtube promo videos at kidabra.org Just added 3 videos starring Max Howard (produced by David Allen of MacGyver magic fame.) Plus a video from Texan, Todd McKInney, and still more to come! Please do come join us at KIDabra Conference 2009 for what Ken Scott calls "The Hidden Jewel of Magic!" Full info at kidabra.org -------------------------------------------- 12. British Ring Convention -------------------------------------------- Message by Bob Hayden PRO to the British Ring In the Late Night Magic Shows of the past two Conventions there was an abundance of fine and entertaining magic performed but the atmosphere that had been generated by the Fringe shows in past years was clearly lacking. The Fringe for many of the Conventioneers was the highlight of their Convention. Here's some great news. It is now confirmed that this year the Fringe is returning. The Fringe is completely independent of the British Ring and is essentially a series of additional free shows organised and has been to date financed by Fay Presto. This year Fay has received some commercial sponsorship from the dealers 'Magic Cave', so it's a big thank you to them for their support for without the Magic Cave it would not have happened. Fay takes a lot of trouble to create a good environment for her performers. The audience do not sit in rows of seats theatre style but around tables as for watching a cabaret and enjoying a drink. The audience is not entirely made up of magicians. 'Normal people' are invited to the venue to give the performers a real audience. Another feature that Fay arranges is the Fringe Banquet as an alternative to the formal Convention Banquet.  For this you order your choice of takeaway food to be delivered to the venue, eat it, and then sit back and enjoy the cabaret. The Fringe will be taking place in the Southport Arts Centre in Lord Street. There will be no advance announcements of those who will be performing at these shows but those with stamina and for whom sleep is of little importance they will be guaranteed an exceptional and memorable magical experience. Fingers crossed and 'Bon Voyage'! Here's a profile on Ed Ellis who joins Hayashi, Henry Mayol, Tyler Wilson, Thom Peterson and John van der Put in the international Close-Up Show.  Ed is a professional magician residing in Canton, Ohio and one who travels the world performing magic.  For over 25 years Ed has been performing close-up magic, sleight of hand illusions and full time table magic for Hollywood and television stars as well as famous sports figures.  He has performed at Las Vegas's Caesar's Palace, lectured and performed at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and was the star of the Ed Ellis television show in 2005. He won first place for close-up at the International Battle of Magicians in 2006.  His style of card and rubber band and ring magic is visually stunning with minimal amount of process. You are particularly advised to watch out for his effect Ringature. It has been described as a close-up workers dream effect.  Ed can blow your mind with a deck of cards in his hands.  He is a master at card manipulation and brings a real sense of the impossible to his moves. Ed will also be lecturing.  He has marketed several DVDs. His volume two DVD 'You Blue It' was reviewed by the Magic Café as the best single trick DVD they had seen while his volume five 'The Castle Routine' was reviewed by On Line Visions as being packed with striking visuals that will have advanced card workers anxious to learn.  His volume seven 'Totally Blue It' has been described by the Magic Café as the best colour changing deck routine they had seen.  If you are a card manipulator Ed Ellis's lecture is a must for you. The Brits who attended the recent IBM Convention in Nashville and saw Ed Ellis working speak highly of his work and are sure he will be greatly admired and respected at Southport. Since announcing that the Micro Magic Marathon was continuing to be an event in the Convention programme there have been enquiries from those who are either new members or were not at Eastbourne last year about its purpose and how it operates. At the Committee meeting in January 2008 Ali Bongo expressed his concern that magicians whether they be professionals, semi professionals, amateurs or just hobbyists were forgetting what Conventions were for. The dictionary definition of convention is 'a coming together'. For magicians it is a gathering of like minded individuals who perform, watch, buy, sell, discuss and love magic; an assembly of enthusiasts who want to meet friends they may not have seen for a year, to chat, to reminisce, swap ideas, to grumble about the way things are in the world - in other words socialise. It should be more than just watching, listening and learning. A Micro Magic Marathon (M.M.M.) would be such an event that would facilitate the chance to socialise. He went on to explain how it would operate. Each contestant would be given a number and he/she, in the hour allocated would have to perform to as many tables and groups as possible. The Conventioneers would have cards to register their thoughts and at the end of the session would record on the card just the number of their favourite performer. After the cards had been collected the performer with his or her number on most of the cards would be declared the winner. There would be no official prize so as not to compete with the official close-up competition but some token presentation would be made together with the glory and satisfaction of being the 'Peoples Choice'. Of course how the performers would approach the challenge would be up to the individual. The choice of material would be important. Originality, diversity, brevity, stamina, charm and charisma would be paramount. Ali's advice would be to perform a short sharp show avoiding standard items that were likely to be used by others. The M.M.M. was included in the programme and the two desirable objectives of the event were fulfilled - under the nose magic and socialising. Everyone became a participant instead of being purely a spectator. So come on all you table hoppers prepare a snappy and entertaining routine and inform this year's event organiser Viv Davies your intention to participate. His telephone number is 029 2079 2789 or E-mail him at Mysteeny@btinteret.com   Last year the M.M.M. produced some serious close quarter magic and heaps of hilarity for both audience and performers. It will do so again this year. These are more good reasons why you should make arrangements to attend this year's British Ring Convention in Southport, September 23rd to 27th. You can register immediately using this website. At £125 per person (£100 for British Ring Members and their Partners) it is real value for money. -------------------------------------------- 13. Broken Wand - Wm. "Gene" Keeney -------------------------------------------- Message by Carol Harold I don't believe anyone has sent you this information. Here is the obit from the Indianapolis Newspaper Wm. "Gene" Keeney 93, Indianapolis, passed away on Sunday, July 12, 2009. He was born on Aug. 6, 1915 in Whitestown, IN to the late William Roscoe and Viola (Berkley) Keeney. He was a U.S. Army-Air Corp veteran of WWII. Known as Gene Keeney The Keen Genii he worked for Kahn's Meat Company for 25 years, retiring in 1987. He traveled the United States doing magic shows, theatre and was known nationwide as "Kahn's Magic Man.'' He was a longtime member and past president of the Indiana Brotherhood of Magician's Gene Keeney Ring No. 10. During his WWII service he entertained his fellow troops with magic shows, and traveled with Bob Hope and the USO Tours. After retirement from Kahn's Gene traveled for Haneford Circus and The Wonderful World of Fantasy as their booking agent. Survivors include his loving wife of 71 years, Ruth E. (Boggs) Keeney; two sons, Robert E. (Judi) Keeney, Jack D. (Pam) Keeney; three grandchildren, Kris (Pam) Keeney, Kelly (Ryan) Blue, Jordan; three great grandchildren, Alex (John) Craig, Paige Keeney, Sophie Blue; one great great granddaughter, Gracie Craig. He was be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. Online condolences may be shared at: www.ghherrmann.com -------------------------------------------- 14. Shawn McMaster's New Publication -The New Mandala -------------------------------------------- Message by Shawn McMaster In the year 2000 a small, underground magic publication was introduced entitled The Mandala. Unlike other magic publications in content and attitude, The Mandala quickly built a following of amateurs and professionals alike. The Mandala pulled no punches and offered basically unedited content from a wide variety of contributors. While magic effects appeared in the pages of this electronic publication, The Mandala offered so much more: frank discussion about the state of the magic industry and its heavy hitters, performers' profiles and interviews, current news, and performers' journals were all part of what gave The Mandala its unique style. The Mandala ceased publication in 2005 when its editor, Shawn McMaster, became an associate editor for MAGIC Magazine. Now, after a four year absence, McMaster has decided to breathe new life into this publication with an even better version than before. The New Mandala will be an E-zine with some of the best qualities of the old publication, but with exciting new content and contributors. Each issue will contain opinions, tricks, news, and insights all written in the style that the original Mandala was known for, but in a much more attractive and easy to read format. The New Mandala will premiere in early 2010. You don't want to miss it. Names are now being taken for charter subscriptions. Sign up now by visiting Shawn's website: www.conjuredupcreations.com to receive information on an upcoming special offer that will be sent out closer to the publication of the first issue. The New Mandala. Magic with an attitude. -------------------------------------------- 15. 33rd Season Of Dale Salwak's International Stars Of Magic -------------------------------------------- Message by Dale Salwak (US) Tickets are now on sale for the opening of the 33rd season of Dale's Salwak's International Stars Of Magic at the Haugh Performing Arts Center in Glendora, California on March 13, 2010 at 8pm. The new season's line-up includes Jorge Blass (Spain), David & Dania (Russia) with their debut of a brand new act, Shimada (Japan), Dale Salwak (U.S.A.), The Gizmo Guys (U.S.A.) and others to be announced. Tickets may be ordered online (Haugh Performing Arts Series) or by telephone (626/963-9411). Advanced purchase is recommended. The series always sells out! -------------------------------------------- 16. 13th Annual Motor City Convention -------------------------------------------- Message by John Luka This year the 13th Annual Motor City Convention will take place the weekend of November 13-15, 2009 at the Ramada Inn located in Taylor, Michigan (Metro Detroit Area). This year's featured performers are: Joshua Jay, David Neighbors, Oscar Munoz, and Helder Guimarães. There will also be some other surprises. As usual, you will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with these performers, ask questions, and share some of your ideas with them. You can find more convention information, including the schedule of events, by going to the convention website. http://www.johnlukamagic.com/ You can also register quickly and easily on line via PayPal. Some of the dealers signed up already include: Hank Moorehouse, Gordon Miller, The Wunderground, and The Wunderground West. There will be more dealers to follow. -------------------------------------------- 17. Steve Cohen-From Variety -------------------------------------------- Message by Tom Ogdon (US) LEGIT Fri., Jul. 17, 2009 Magician's 'Miracles' sells out The last six months don't seem like an ideal time to start charging $250 a ticket for a 75-minute show. But in February -- with global recession worries at fever pitch -- magician Steve Cohen launched "Miracles at Midnight" in a suite at the Waldorf-Astoria's Waldorf Towers. With zero advertising. And so far, it's selling out. Of course, attendance is limited to 20, and at the moment the event is scheduled to play only once a month, in tandem with Cohen's nine-year-old "Chamber Magic," which he performs before larger audiences five times a week in the same suite. (Tickets for that one are $70; $100 for the front row.) The new show includes feats Cohen considers his top-tier illusions: A friendly ghost makes cards levitate; an audience member's wedding ring mysteriously appears tied up in Cohen's shoelace; two packs of shuffled cards alarmingly rearrange themselves while nobody seems to be touching them. A major component of Cohen's overall illusion, of course, is the feel of old-school exclusivity he lends to a small-scale event held at the witching hour in a private suite at a storied Gotham hotel. And that $250 price tag, certainly, contributes to the allure. Cohen's business model is almost entirely dependent on word-on-mouth, particularly among the upper-crust audiences he made the conscious decision to cultivate after a magazine referred to him as "the millionaire's magician." "I thought if I tout myself that way, I'd probably lose some business, but also gain a lot in terms of the audience I wanted to pitch to," he says. So he trumpets his famous fans, who include Woody Allen, Stephen Sondheim, Martha Stewart and Barry Diller, among others. Even in a recession, he adds, there are still wealthy folk for whom a $500 date night won't break the bank. And no matter what your income bracket, don't bother trying to figure out the secrets behind his tricks. "I'm willing to work hours and hours and hours to impress you for 10 seconds," he says. "You really have no chance." -------------------------------------------- 18. 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) -------------------------------------------- 19. 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