* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #826 Date: Sunday 3rd April 2011 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. The New Book - The Berglas Effects 3. Dallas IBM - June 28 - July 2, 2011 4. April 2011 Issue Of The Linking Ring Magazine 5. David And Dania To Offer A Special Lecture/Workshop 6. Remarkable Magic #30 - Nick Lewin 7. Think Fast - #203 - Kyle Peron 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with Vinny Grosso (Part 6) 9. Best Publicity Photos 10. 4F Convention April 27-30 In Batavia NY 11. Magic In Toronto For Luminato 12. Daytona Festival Of Magic & Florida State Magic Convention 13. Houdini's Assistant 14. The 20th KIDabra International Conference 15. AbraCORNdabra Is Set To "Turn Heads" 16. Thomas Solomon In "American Escape Artist" 17. Daniel Sylvester Apr 6-28 South Melbourne Australia 18. e-zine Archives 19. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- The eagerly awaited book from David Berglas "The Berglas Effects" goes to the printer the first week of April and will be shipped the first week of May. I didn't want to miss out so I have already ordered my copy - David is a magical genius. Refer Item 2 for more details. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. The New Book - The Berglas Effects Book -------------------------------------------- Message by Richard Kaufman (US) Richard Kaufman writes: I'm taking orders for my first book in 13 years, The Berglas Effects. This big hardcover with color dustjacket reveals the innermost secrets of the card miracles performed by the legendary David Berglas for 60 years. It's enormous, almost 400 pages, with 3 DVDs, 3D glasses, two color plates, a fold-out, and has over 75 pages describing "The Berglas Effect" and "Any Card at Any Number." Both David Berglas and I are very proud of it, and we've spent the better part of two and a half years making it a reality. The book includes sections in complete detail on "Think a Card" done from both a fan and a spread; ways to produce a "miracle effect" that spectators will never forget; much advice on personality and presentation; Mind Mapping for Magicians; how to create your own set-up deck and memorize it with ease; The Berglas Effect; David's professional card act which he performed for many decades; various sleights including his famous and invisible Deck Switch; Magician's Choice; with a Foreword by Juan Tamariz. The 3 DVDs include interviews with David, many different videos of him giving full performances of card magic over the years, and of course also featuring him teaching many of his techniques. Even though it is not a limited edition, I don't do the large print runs that I used to, so if you're eager to be among the first to get it, or want to be assured of receiving a first edition, make sure to order today. The book goes to the printer the first week of April and will be shipped the first week of May (or as close to that as we can make it). The book is already laid out, the DVDs are already edited, and we are just tweaking the final product. It's only available directly through me, so you won't see it discounted on the internet. The price is $125 postpaid in the United States; $155 postpaid anywhere else in the world. PayPal orders may be sent to Richard Kaufman at moobooks@verizon.net (please include your mailing address and phone number); orders are taken by phone at the Genii office: 301-652-5800; or by email: genii@geniimagazine.com. You can also order online using your credit card at http://geniimagazine.com/kaufman/store/html/79.html -------------------------------------------- 3. Dallas IBM - June 28 - July 2, 2011 -------------------------------------------- Message by Lance Rich (US) Last Chance To Save!!! by Lance Rich Don't miss this opportunity to save US $50 on your all-inclusive registration! One price gets you ALL the exciting convention activities we're excited to present to you: Tickets for the 4 Evening Stage Shows, Dinner, Lectures, Special Interest Groups, Cabaret shows, Close-up shows, the brand new Dealers Fair, Youth Events, Spouse Events, Parties, and so much more! This gives you a bigger bang for your buck than anything you've experienced before! Don't hesitate! Don't procrastinate! Register today for THE convention of the year! The unprecedented line-up of talent is still growing! Canadian Superstar Alain Choquette will now be joining us onstage and will be presenting his acclaimed lecture. The talented international cast of the YMX: Young Magicians Experience has also been announced. You won't believe these phenomenally talented performers whose age range from 8 to 18. You'll see David Anthony, Great Scott, Stephen Herron, Calin Diamond, Karun Krishna, Josh Farley, and Mario Seki. And it won't stop there... just expect more! Plus, we've restructured the Magic Youth International events at this year's convention to offer all young magicians the most individualized attention to learn and grow. The MYI Activities kick off in grand form on Tuesday, June 28 with a special hands-on workshop with Jeff McBride. Jeff's workshop will be three hours of fun and learning and is solely for MYI participants. Three other sessions and celebrity guests give participants plenty of unique opportunities. Don't forget the ghost of Karl Hoblitzelle . . . For new members and first timers to Order of Merlin, this convention has something for everyone! Do not miss this phenomenal convention at the all-inclusive US $300 rate!!! https://www.magician.org/portal/ibmconvention_signup Keep up to date with all of the latest going-ons with the Dallas 2011 Convention. Follow us at www.twitter.com/ibmconvention. Become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/ibmconvention. And check out the web portal: http://www.magician.org/portal/en/node/6 -------------------------------------------- 4. April 2011 Issue Of The Linking Ring Magazine -------------------------------------------- Message by Paul A. Lelekis (US) April 2011 issue of The Linking Ring magazine, Vol. 91, No. 4 April: Editor: Samuel Patrick Smith Reviewed by Paul A. Lelekis The Linking Ring boasts the world's largest circulation of any printed magic magazine and has now launched a beautiful digital edition. I.B.M. membership is required to receive this monthly magazine. Members can access The Linking Ring at www.magician.org. This site allows one, portal entry into the world of magic! Each month in The Linking Ring, the Ring Events provide readers with the "scoop" on what is happening in different Rings around the world. This month's cover of The Linking Ring features Lizhi Zhao who is President of the Non-Stop Creative Corporation and I.B.M. member. His goal is to raise the awareness of Chinese arts and heritage! This is a great movement in an attempt to create another dimension in our performing art! The I.B.M. Convention in Dallas is proving to be the greatest line-up of talent in the 83 year history of the I.B.M.! Walter "Zaney" Blaney provides readers with a very interesting comparison in the pricing of magic items over the years from close-up to stage! In Search of Eugene Hellman, Part 4, written by Dr. William Spooner, provides even more history and beautiful photographs of America's longest-performing African-American magician on record! These articles by Dr. Spooner are very informative and provide excellent history of Mr. Hellman! A report by Past International President, Jep Hostetler describes the excitement in Columbus for the 80 year history of the Magi-Fest during his last year as the Convention Director! This month's One-Man Parade features, Isaac Louie, a.k.a. Louie Foxx, who is a multi-talented performer combining other performing art forms such as shadow puppetry, juggling and cowboy tricks along with his skills as a magician! Louie gives readers 23 fantastic effects - most of which are NOT card tricks! This Parade is excellent! Below is even more great magic! Cutting Up Jackpots by Bev Bergeron is always very exciting to read! This month the 80 year old team of Ed and Betty Morris shows us how they have toured the world - 5 times! - and get paid for it! Learn about booking cruises from these pros! Classics Revisited by Vanni Pule gives readers a wonderful trick called Balloon Penetration! Remember the old magic catalogs with a balloon in a tube with pencils pushed through it? Mike Power's Card Corner this month, has a very nice effect from Tim Wendt called Jewel Collection, with some great story patter! Tom Craven's Havenly Close-Up gives readers a great trick, The Four Shell Game from the mind of the talented Bill Meisel - writer of Precursor magazine. This one is excellent! Peter Marucci's Showtime finally releases his most requested trick - Anytime Card in Wallet! Storytelling Magic by Ed Solomon gives us a wonderfully colorful story of DeNomolos with Sincere Cyclical Cynicism. The Linking Ring has a team of experts who review many new items of magic so that the magicians of the world may purchase wisely! There are too many articles and too much magic in this issue of The Linking Ring for me to list, but everyone is world class! Advertisers -- your products will enjoy unsurpassed worldwide promotion in The Linking Ring through the beautiful printed magazine, the dazzling digital edition, and links from the I.B.M. Web Portal. For details about advertising in The Linking Ring, contact BJ Hickman at advertising@magician.org. -------------------------------------------- 5. David And Dania To Offer A Special Lecture/Workshop -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) David And Dania to offer a special Lecture/Workshop in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon July 15, 2100 at 1 PM While not part of the regular S.A.M convention events , David and Dania have offered to those interested in learning their unusual Quick Change techniques lecture where they will teach their incredible Styles, Techniques, Construction and Know-How at a rare one time only event. You do not have to be registered at the S.A.M. convention to attend this Workshop" limited to no more than fifty people. This one could sell out FAST! Magicians Only - Fee $ 250.00 - early birds and S.A.M convention registrants will receive $25.00 discount. Apply on or after July 13 at the S.A.M. desk at the Pittsburgh Wyndham Grand, 600 Commonwealth Plaza Pittsburgh, PA 15222. -------------------------------------------- 6. Remarkable Magic #30 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) Farewell to a Gentleman. This current tour I am winding up has caused me to miss a couple of deadlines recently for Magic New Zealand. My apologies to all who missed it, and I will try to get back on track and keep up to date. Truly I am rather running out of things to say that are new or unsaid by me during the last five years. A part of me is definitely wondering what direction to slant my writing in to make it meaningful to our readers. With two other weekly columns in Magic New Zealand There is plenty of good magic reading to be had without my column. The feedback I used to get about columns has dwindled to nearly zero and this makes it tough to judge what I need to do to keep from becoming repetitive and 'wasted space.' Perhaps a weekly contribution is just a little more than needed? I also have to miss a very special event at the Castle this Sunday due to my schedule. The late, great, 'Uncanny Scot' Ron Wilson is the subject of a special tribute to be hosted at the Magic Castle. Ron was very opposed to anything hokey such as a 'broken wand' ceremony and his feelings will be honored along with his life and legacy at the Castle. I have made my feelings known many times on these pages about the high regard I have always held for Ron, both as a magician and as a person. We have lost one of the great ones with Ron and magic is a lesser art with this loss. He was kind, thoughtful and a perfectionist at his craft. Let me use this space to express my sincere feeling of colossal loss I feel with the passing of this unique gentleman. His influence on me as a performer was enormous and the personal aspect of his passing on me is gigantic. I did manage to persuade Ron to let me set up a Facebook account and a YouTube site to feature some of his stories and what little video. I hope some of our readers will take the time to check out these videos from his act and remember what a fun filled performance he gave, while never allowing his standards as a magician to slip one tiny notch. You will be missed my dear friend. Send any email to me at nicklewin1@me.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Think Fast - #203 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com As a magician we specialize in taking the impossible and making it possible. We allow fantasy to become reality. In order to do this we fine tune our skills and practice constantly to develop effects that become routines. Each of us have a defined personality on stage and we take time to develop routines that work for us. Developing a successful routine does not happen overnight. We start with a base idea and through trial and error, we find what plays and what does not. Over time these routines become the bread and butter of our shows. They define us and who we are. But no matter how much we know a routine or have performed a routine, Murphy's Law will and does happen. It is the moment when for whatever reason, something simply does not work or does not go according to plan. Sometimes we may not even realize why it happened, but it just did and at that exact moment is when you really need to learn to "think fast". The first thing we need to cover off on is that even a professional with years of practice knows that things are bound to happen. If it can go wrong, it often will at the worst time. If we know and accept this, we are already ahead of the game. Sometimes we know a routine so well that we simply "blank out" and go on this sort of auto pilot mode. When this happens, we often catch ourselves and that often can throw us off kilter a bit. No matter why problems occur, the essential problem you face is how are YOU going to get out of it. How are you going to think fast and salvage a bad situation? How can you turn the bad into something good or even powerful? The first rule that any magician should ever learn is a simple fact of human nature. 1) no one in the audience has any idea what is supposed to happen but you and, 2) they have no idea a mistake happened unless you tell them it did. In the first example, you are the only one who knows your show. Of course you know how it is supposed to go and how it plays out. However, do not allow yourself to be forced into thinking that it always MUST go that way. Realize and allow yourself to have the ability to improvise when needed. If something goes wrong, realize that you have the opportunity to always head down a different path. If you know the effect well enough, you can always find a way back to the proper ending. It may be a different course you traveled, but the audience is none the wiser. To the second point, the audience has no idea a mistake was ever made unless you tell them there was. This simply means to keep your composure. Do not allow yourself to verbally state a mistake happened or to show it through your body language. Keep your cool and realize it is your show and you are always in control. Some of the best magic is improvised magic that happens when a situation comes up that was not intentional. It is these moments that can actually become very rewarding. As a magician we can always strive to prepare ourselves for situations that come up or problems that can go wrong. Many entertainers call this "creating outs" for your act or routines. It is simply the ability to think through your routines and realize what could potentially go wrong. If you know what can go wrong, you can usually develop an "out" to fix the problem. If we do this enough, these "outs" become part of our subconscious. We simply will go to these outs in times of need and not ever skip a beat. It is also a great way to remain calm under any situation. So if you ever find yourself in a situation where a routine is not going the way it was intended, always remember that the key is in making sure the audience has a great time. How you take them there and what avenue you travel is entirely up to 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. -------------------------------------------- 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with Vinny Grosso (Part 6) -------------------------------------------- Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA TB: I know that you are a great believer in teamwork in both your Magic life and business life. Share with us some of your philosophy on the importance of teamwork, and in particular, how you see that concept being applied during your Presidency. VG: Mike Miller, a recent past president, used teamwork as his theme for the year. We even went out and bought S.A.M. baseball jerseys for the convention to show we were all part of the team. I think it's a wonderful theme because in order for real progress to be made in this organization we have to work together. It can be very easy to get caught up in the whole presidency thing, I mean in July I will be holding the same position Harry Houdini held. To quote past president Andy Dallas, "how cool is that?" but I really like National Secretary, Marlene Clark's favorite line "remember, it's a magic club." With any organization, politics play a role. The S.A.M. has a great bunch of folks who are grounded, committed to working together and will always think of the organization first. By the way, if someone wants a S.A.M. jersey you can still get them from our gifts and insignia store. TB: You tour manage, you Produce shows but you also perform. What kind of magic do you mainly perform? VG: I do mostly parlor and stage magic primarily for corporate audiences. I only work adult audiences but I don't do anything off color, we'll except for a few times in the burlesque show I work, but hey it's a burlesque show. There are a couple resorts I still work near my home over the summers in upstate New York mostly to fine tune material. I have been working on a new show with a very unique approach that fits my persona perfectly. I have been proofing segments of it at the resorts and the response has been great. I'll have it all together soon and will actively market it after my term as president. TB: You have spoken about Magic being an asset in your business career . How have you merged the two? VG: It has been an asset, even in college. My senior design project for my mechanical engineering degree was levitation, disguised as a park bench. After college, working a "regular" job as an engineer and then in marketing as a product manager, I was invited to meetings and conferences that I would not have been if it weren't for magic. I would provide entertainment but at the same time I had an opportunity to be involved in these meetings and demonstrate my business skills. With my own business it is certainly a conversation starter and a distinguishing factor that clients don't easily forget. Send comments & corrections to:- tbrook47@gmail.com -------------------------------------------- 9. Best Publicity Photos -------------------------------------------- Message by Mark Wilson (US) In the latest Mark Wilson Magi Message, we show a number of pictures which are examples illustrating why almost any form of levitation make the best kind of still photo to use for publicity purposes. Of course, that is primarily because levitation is about the only category of magic effect that can be shown in one photo. When you think about it, for a vanish, production, transposition, or most any other magic "effect", you must shoot at least two pictures. As an example, suppose you want to use your Crystal Box for publicity purposes. Since still pictures do not incorporate "elapsed time", if you want to show a girl appearing in the crystal box, here is what you do. In the first picture you could be holding a large cloth, standing behind an empty Crystal Box. The second picture would show you covering the box with the cloth. The third would display you pulling the cloth off the box, with the girl having appeared inside. The fourth would show the girl standing in the open top Crystal Box, as you and she receive well deserved audience applause. (If a newspaper or magazine does run the pictures, let's hope they get them in the right order!) On the other hand, a publicity shot of you performing a levitation of the beautiful girl is considerably more efficient. In the photo, the beautiful young lady could be floating in front of you, beside you, or above you. That one photo displays the "magic" much more effectively than the four needed for the Crystal Box. My current newsletter displays several levitation photos that achieved terrific publicity for us in many countries throughout the world. Of even more importance, they explain the reasoning behind us receiving that exposure. Check it out and you'll see why. You can receive our current newsletter by sending your e-mail address to... mark@markwilsonmagic.com Happy Magic! Mark Wilson -------------------------------------------- 10. 4F Convention April 27-30 In Batavia NY -------------------------------------------- Message by Obie 4F Stats for the 2011 4F Convention April 27-30 in Batavia NY. Guest of Honor for 2011 is Steve Beam. Total Attendance about 230 Close-up Magicians. People from 25 USA States and 5 Continents will attend. PLUS 13 FISM Winners, 6, 1st place winners and 2 Grand Prix winners. 25 Contest winners from big magic conventions like IBM, SAM, BLACKPOOL, MacMillans, CAM, British IBM Convention, French Convention, Japan Convention, Flasoma & The Magic Circle close up winners. Countries represented: 13 From England, 13 From France, 3 Argentina, 2 Sweden, 4 Japan, 4 Spain, 2 Italy, 24 Canada, 2 Germany, 1 Australia, 1 Taiwan, 1 Holland, 1 Hungary, 1 China, 1 Scotland, 1 Switzerland, 16 Total Countries. 10 IBM P.P. Jack Browne, Mike Gorman, Joan Caesar, Jerry Schnepp, OBIE O'Brien, Mike Stratman, Bill Wells, Don Wiberg, Fred Casto, Phil Willmarth and the now President, Rolando Santos. Plus 6 other IBM people, Tom Craven, Tony Dunn, Mike Powers, Shawn Farquhar, Joe Turner and Scott Wells. 9 SAM P.P. Craig Dickson, Hank Moorehouse, George Schindler, Mike Miller, Dan Garrett, Gary Hughes, Harry Monti, Brad Jacobs, Bruce Kalver, and the now president, Mark Weidhaas. Plus 3 other SAM people, Paul Critelli, Marc Desouza and Ice McDonald. The 41st 4F convention will be humming the last week in April with 5 Lecturers, 1 Workshop, 6 Close up shows, a Teach-A-Trick and about 65 Magicians doing their close up acts. -------------------------------------------- 11. Magic In Toronto For Luminato -------------------------------------------- Message by Julie Eng (Canada) If you love magic, come to Toronto this June! In partnership with Luminato, Festival of the Arts and Creativity, Magicana is proud to once again present the Masters of Magic Series from June 10 to 18th in Toronto. Magicana has three distinct programs for this year's Festival: Natural Magick, Vodavil and Eric Mead: Toast of the Town. Magicana will also be presenting its community outreach program, My Magic Hands, at Holland-Bloorview Kid's Rehabilitation Hospital, and at Queen Victoria Public School. Masters Of Magic Series: Natural Magick (www.magicana.com/magick) June 10 ? 16 Performed by: David Ben Inspired by the notion that the roots of projected imagery and cinema were initially part of the magician's stock in trade and that the performance of magic may be seen as a modern-day equivalent of one of legendary storyteller Shahrazad's most fantastical tales, magician and author David Ben-one of the world's foremost sleight-of-hand artists-has collaborated with writer and Canadian broadcasting icon Patrick Watson to create a unique exploration of magic as a theatrical art. In his seminal 1945 book A Grammar of Motives, literary theorist Kenneth Burke suggested that "the scene contains the act" - that the setting of a play inevitably implies the action that is to unfold. With this idea also in mind, Ben and Watson take us on a fascinating journey, choreographing principles of deception dating from John Baptista Porta's 1558 scientific treatise Natural Magick, with more modern notions of naturalism espoused by 20th century master magician Dai Vernon. Ben recreates magic from the repertoire of the world's master magicians, revisiting feats of wonder in the context of "scenes" realized through the prism of projected imagery and John Lang's playful score. Vodavil (www.magicana.com/vodavil) June 17, 18 Performed by: Mike Caveney, Tina Lenert, Ardan James, John & Pam Thompson and Gaëtan Bloom "Vodavil" was an informal term many vaudeville performers used in their correspondence to describe their profession: that distinctive and highly polished brand of popular entertainment that flourished in specialty theatres across North America from the 1890s until the 1930s. The Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto was one of those theatres. (Designed by Thomas W. Lamb in 1913 as the centerpiece of impresario Marcus Loew's chain, the Winter Garden is now the last surviving Edwardian stacked theatre in the world.) In vaudeville, each show consisted of a variety of acts - performers who specialized in a particular branch of popular entertainment: singing, dancing, pantomime, juggling, comedy and, of course, magic. The performers worked a circuit, coming together to present their 'turn' on a show in a host city for a few days before parting their separate ways to repeat the process with other performers in a different town or city. By and large, the acts had to be easy to stage and transport. Success was defined by the personalities of the performers and their ability to entertain. Vodavil brings together artists, who, in an earlier era, would have proudly borne the name of "vaudevillians" for an evening of all-out family entertainment, in a grand theatre of that same era. Eric Mead: Toast Of The Town (www.magicana.com/barmagic) June 10-12 Performed by: Eric Mead The concept of the 'bar magician' developed in Chicago in the 1920s, popularized by Matt Schulien. It soon became its own sub-genre of the magical arts, a performer-centric, highly participatory, improvisational and intimate style of magic. Despite his youth, Eric Mead is considered by his peers as one of the premier performers of this genre. Having honed his craft as the resident performer at the famous Tower Bar in Aspen, Eric now performs at the Hotel Jerome in that resort-city. -------------------------------------------- 12. Daytona Festival Of Magic & Florida State Magic Convention -------------------------------------------- Message by Harry Allen (US) An update on this year's Daytona Festival Of Magic combined Florida State Magic Convention- Just added: Eric Buss Johnny Ace Sylvester The Jester Jack Kodell They Will Be There Along With: Arthur Trace Banachek Geoff Williams John Ekin Scott Wells Scott Humston Harry Allen This is a fantastic convention right on the ocean in beautiful Daytona Beach, Florida. If you have not attended in the past you will want to start. -------------------------------------------- 13. Houdini's Assistant -------------------------------------------- Article forwarded by David Hartnell Obituary Seabrook Resident Dorothy Young Dies at 103, Was Houdini's Assistant Dorothy Young, Houdini's last on-stage assistant, with the magician in 1926 as the "Radio Girl of 1950." (Dorothy Young's family) The long-time Monmouth County (New Jersey) resident was one of the last people to have worked onstage with the escape artist Harry Houdini. By Amy Byrne Eatontown-Tinton Falls Patch March 25, 2011 She performed onstage with the legendary Harry Houdini, traveled the world ballroom dancing and appeared on a Barbara Walters' special, but until her death on Monday, Dorothy Young had spent the last three years living quietly in Tinton Falls' Seabrook Village. Young, 103, who died March 20, is thought to have been the last surviving person to share a stage with the renowned escape artist Houdini. She joined his troupe as an assistant in 1925 when she was 17-years-old and quickly became known as the "Radio Girl of 1950," emerging during the act from a large radio and performing a dance routine. "Houdini told me that he chose me from the more the 1,000 girls who showed up that day because, unlike all of them-I was a quiet, little girl sitting all the way in the back-and because I was shorter that he was," Young told a gathering of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2008, according to a release from Seabrook. Young, the daughter of a Methodist minister, toured for a year with Houdini and left just two months before his death in October 1926. She married Robert Perkins and had a child shortly after, and Perkins died 13 years later. According to her son, Robert Perkins, Jr., who is 83, Young befriended the matinee idol and silent film star Richard Bennett-who is also Perkins' godfather-and made her way into some Broadway and film roles, including the Fred Astaire film Flying Down to Rio. Young formed a dance act with Gilbert Kiamie, a New York businessman and the son of a wealthy silk lingerie magnate, according to a report by the Associated Press, and they gained international prominence for a Latin dance they created known as the rumbalero. They later married and remained together until Kiamie died in 1992. Young moved to Allenhurst and later, Little Silver, according to Perkins, who attended Markham Place School in Little Silver and graduated from Red Bank High School in 1944. Both Perkins and Kiamie entered the military during the Second World War and Young volunteered with the Standards Agency at Fort Monmouth, according to the Seabrook release. Young moved to Ocean Grove where she lived for many years working on the oil painting that became her creative outlet of choice for the rest of her life. She also wrote two novels based on her professional experiences. Perkins said his mother had many creative talents-dancing, acting, painting-but "couldn't carry a tune." Young became a benefactor of the Jersey Shore Medical Center where she established a chapel in honor of her parents. She also became a donor of Drew University in Madison and helped create the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at the university. Her donations also made possible the rebuilding of Youth Temple in Ocean Grove in 1977, according to the Seabrook release. Young attended many performances at Drew and one her last was a commemoration of Houdini's death in October 2008 that featured an inner circle of the magician's enthusiasts and historians. In 2005, Young appeared in the documentary Houdini: Unlocking the Mystery and was featured on a Barbara Walters special on television about centegenarians in 2008. Perkins said he moved up from Naples, FL to live with his mother in Seabrook three years ago when it became evident she could no longer live on her own. He said his mother's early exposure to travel with Houdini's show gave her a taste of a world very different from her beginnings as the daughter of a Methodist minister. "She liked that sort of life," he said. Aside from Perkins, Young is survived by four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held for Young on April 16 at 4 p.m. at St. Paul's Methodist Church in Ocean Grove, according to Perkins. -------------------------------------------- 14. The 20th KIDabra International Conference -------------------------------------------- Message by Mark Daniel In the Resort Town of Pigeon Forge, TN August 8 - 12, 2011 The Year of Celebration! And celebrate we shall, with the performers, the artists, and the independent spirit that makes the group of KIDshow and Family Performers called KIDabra so special! We celebrate by exploring greatness and revel in the inspiration of entertaining young audiences. Whether your goal is laughter, an educational message, being the best you can be and the busiest you can be, please join us for the 20th Annual KIDabra International Conference as we Celebrate all things KIDabra! Here's a sampling of some of the amazing things happening this year: For the First Time at KIDabra - Meet KIDshow Superstar Edd Patterson hosted by Phil Willmarth Edd is a School Show Legend attending for the first time at the youthful age of 90. A guy who performed in schools for nearly 50 years for over 8 million children at 18,000 shows and wrote, marketed and designed his shows annually on an educational theme. Often he invented the tricks or built the props for his programs, did his own artwork and layout for his promotional pieces and annually mailed out over 5000 pieces of mail. We do stand on the shoulders of giants. Come find out where we came from. Before there was a Ken Scott, a Doug Scheer, a Steve Taylor, even a David Ginn, Edd Patterson was blazing trails in schools. Seldom attending conventions, he managed to raise a family buy a house and a condo and put 2 daughters through college doing school shows. You'll meet Edd as Past International IBM President and Editor Emeritus of The Linking Ring Magazine Phil Willmarth sits and interviews one of our industries most amazing success stories, a guy you may never have heard of, but will love meeting and knowing. KI member and former Blackstone Sr. assistant Adele Friel Rhindress finds Edd charming, very funny and a wonderful person and we believe you will love him too! Come meet Edd for the first time at KIDabra and have him sign a copy of his book for you: Edd Paterson: A Lifetime of Magic and Art written by William Rauscher. Info about Edd's book at www.eddpattersonmagic.com A KIDabra Highlight Event! Keith Fields - Whenever a Wiz There Was! The Buzz precedes him and we've got him, the Human Xylophone guy! Clever, creative and great fellow, from Michigan by way of the UK: Keith Fields. Keith was Dave Andrews neighbor in England, now he's Doug Scheer's in Michigan. (Wow, he's good at picking neighbors) Keith is making his first KIDabra appearance! Join Keith as he teaches routines from his new book of magic, shtick and bits of fun. Get fantastic ideas for family and KIDshows from a top pro! Plus Keith goes in depth on the Human Xylophone during the Breakout workshops and appears on the Friday Night Gala. Sleeper alert!!! Come meet the chap everyone is raving about! A KIDabra Don't Miss!!! Ken Scott's Birthday Party Show Live Ken Scott for the first time at KIDabra presents his Birthday Party Show live before a group of kids and then the world premier lecture: Making the Birthday Party Dough 2. A KIDabra Highlight Event!! Barry Mitchell The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Show Workshop R U ready to laugh? R U ready to see magic? R U ready to reduce, reuse, and recycle? Get "Red-E" because Barry is bringing his RRR show to KIDabra 2011. Your shows or any special event can go greener and fun-er as you learn a variety of ways to reduce the amount of garbage we create, reuse many of the items we usually throw away, and recycle our trash into new treasures. You will walk out of the workshop with ideas you can use immediately! Many of the affects you can make yourself. Plus, the routines will also work great in any show, so even if you don't do green shows you'll find material for your birthday party, church, and library shows. This is an Exclusive KIDabra Event and Barry says it's one of the best shows he has ever written with some incredible educational content and magic. Join Duane Laflin Wednesday Night for his Record Breaking 19th all new lecture at KIDabra! - Tribute, Inspiration, and Magical Legacy Past and present heroes in magic have had huge influence on the KIDshow magic that happens today. In this special First Time presentation for the KIDabra 20th Anniversary, Duane shares tricks and presentation concepts learned from his personal experiences with friends and luminaries such as Karrell Fox, Jay Marshall, Billy McComb, Ali Bongo, Marvyn Roy, Warren Stephens, and others. Learn terrific routines with Duane's valuable insight and tips added in. This is a Don't Miss KIDabra Feature Event! Thursday Late Nite at KIDabra: Mark Wade's KIDshow Vent Event Mark Wade's "Kidshow Vent Event" has a special focus this year. It's on writing comedy material for Kidshows - a very important topic no matter what kind of a performer you might be. Mark will take you step by step through the process of using your imagination, thinking like a kid, comedy mapping, joke construction, complete routines, audience interaction using comedy, and much more. He will get you started on the path of putting new material together for you shows. Material that springs from YOU! If adding more comedy or better comedy to your act is your aim, this is the session for you! Don't miss this very popular 3rd annual Late Night KIDabra Event! All these events and much more are happening at KIDabra Conference in August! You're invited to join us as we explore performing like nowhere else! For full info, to register and/or join KIDabra International go to kidabra.org -------------------------------------------- 15. AbraCORNdabra Is Set To "Turn Heads" -------------------------------------------- Message by Steve "Tiny" Daly Have You Heard?????? Iowa!?! A major magic convention being held in... IOWA? YEP! www.AbraCORNdabra.com AbraCORNdabra is set to "turn heads" on May 20 - 22, 2011. This first annual convention is getting started with a BANG! NINE Acts, featuring: * Jade * Losander * Chris Capehart * Tom Burgoon * Oscar Munoz * Kyle Jarrard * Patrick K from Thailand * Ben & Margaret Ulin * Christian & Katalina AbraCORNdabra also has: * 13 Lectures * Huge, 2,000 square foot "Field of Deals" Dealers Room (Each dealer hand selected to have unique items!) * Free Food & Snacks * Free Gifts * Close-up show * Gala Show * Flea Market * Live & Silent Auctions * Raffles * and Contests! We are featuring TWO Contests.... * The $1,000 CA$H Young Magician's Stage Contest - For Magicians aged 13 to 21. One winner will walk away with $1,000 CA$H! This contest is getting known as "The Toughest Magic Contest In America!" (See the Website under Contest Rules to see why!) * The Magimasters ~ 2011 Seniors Magic Tournament. This is the First Ever Magic Contest designed for Magicians aged 60 and older! Winner gets the coveted Magimasters Jacket, Hat, and Trophy. (All contestants receive a trophy for entering the Magic Tournament) * Admission into a 180-acre Amusement Park where our "Encore Sunday" will take place including our final lecture - a lecture on Amusement Park Magic presented In An Amusement Park! Ben & Margaret Ulin have performed 6 shows a day - 7 days a week for 6 month seasons the last 25 years! * And Lots More Surprises! You won't want to miss this convention! It will have the look of the larger "Mega Las Vegas Conventions", but with the "home town feels" of a smaller Abbotts or M.A.E.S. convention, where everybody knows your name. With limited registrations, you won't feel like a "number" - rather more like a party where everyone is your friend! The room will hold 300 - we are limiting registrations to 175 to allow everyone easy movement around the place and a chance to really get to meet and know these magical stars! Register before March 31st and receive a SPECIAL GIFT (see website under registrations) If you register after March 31 - JUST FOR ALAN WATSON'S READERS ONLY! I will extend a surprise special offer - Simply write "ALAN WATSON'S MAGIC NEW ZEALAND" on the top of your registration form and when you arrive - you will get a very special gift in your welcoming packet! Check out the website at: www.AbraCORNdabra.com Registration is limited seating - and we are filling up! Hurry And Register Today~! -------------------------------------------- 16. Thomas Solomon In "American Escape Artist" -------------------------------------------- Message by Eric Decamps (US) The Parent Assembly #1 is proud to present Thomas Solomon in "American Escape Artist." Don't let the title fool you - this is a full-evening show of both Magic and Escape Artistry. In addition to his world-famous death-defying escapes, Thomas Solomon will present dazzling classic magic with a contemporary twist, as well as never-before-seen magic effects. Backed by a supporting cast as well as spectacular sets, costumes and lighting by top professional designers, this show will be a feast for the eyes and a not-to-be missed magical thrill ride. Thomas Solomon has won awards as both an escape artist and a magician. He was named "World's Greatest Escape Artist" at the 2000 World Magic Awards. In 1980 he won the national S.A.M. close-up competition. His many TV appearances include starring in two specials - "Thomas Solomon - The Escape Artist," for CH4 in Great Britain, and "No Jail Can Hold Me," for The History Channel. He starred in two Off-Broadway shows in New York,"Ellusions," and "Theatre of the Macabre," which ran for 1500 performances. As a magician he's performed for many Fortune 500 clients. His accomplishments as an escape artist are mind-boggling. Thomas Solomon has escaped from over 5000 pairs of handcuffs of all different types from all times in history. He has performed for two presidents at the White House, both times escaping from the handcuffs of the Uniformed Secret Service. Solomon has escaped two locked safes in his career, one of them underwater for his British television special. Solomon has escaped 19 jails throughout his career in New York City, London, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Trenton and others. Most notable were his escapes from the maximum security prison Pentonville in the UK (that houses IRA prisoners) and from Al Capone's personal cell at Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia. Solomon is the only person to have escaped the leather and canvas money bag previously used by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in New York City. He has accomplished hundreds of straitjacket releases, most notably an escape from the all-leather straitjacket specifically created to thwart him by Menkes Leather Works. He escaped a tightly bound straitjacket in the pouring rain hanging upside down from a tower crane 150 feet above the street in Portland, Oregon in December 2006. The Society of American Magicians, Parent Assembly #1 presents: The 102nd Salute to Magic - Thomas Solomon in "American Escape Artist" Date: Saturday May 14, 2011 - 8:00pm Location: El Teatro, El Museo del Barrio 1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street) New York, NY One performance only. Seating is limited. Don't miss out - buy your tickets today before they sell out! Order tickets online at www.sampa1.com or click here: 2011 Salute to Magic -------------------------------------------- 17. Daniel Sylvester Apr 6-28 South Melbourne, Australia -------------------------------------------- Message by Daniel Sylvester I'm in France right now but will be heading out the land down-under in April so I wanted to let my magic friends know the dates as we a planning some lectures as well. I'll be at the below place, and may also stop off in Sydney to play with some of those cute funnel web spiders. Apr 6-28 South Melbourne, Australia www.wonderlandfunpark.com.au/ Daniel Sylvester -------------------------------------------- 18. e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order 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) -------------------------------------------- 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.magicnewzealand.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 2011 Alan Watson