* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment
* www.magicnewzealand.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #994
Date: Sunday 24th February 2013
Editor: Alan Watson
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
================================
Hi here is the latest news
================================
1.
Editor's Message
2. I.B.M. And S.A.M. Early Bird Joint 2014 Convention Rate
Closing Soon
3. Kevin Spencer Making A Difference
4. Houston's Magic Island - A Look Back at a Better Time
5. Vanish Magic Magazine Is Now Available On An E-Reader
6. Introducing The Underground Magic Sessions - First Time
Ever!
7. Milt Larsen's Magical Life
8. Strolling Magic At Scout Shows - #290 - Kyle Peron
9. Magic - Art, Craft Or Neither - Part 5
10. Broken Wand Gary Jackel
11. Magic Behind Bars
12. Pop Haydn Is Coming To Santa Monica!
13. The Secret World Of Charles Dickens
14. The Double Six Theory
15. That's A Wrap!, A Toast! And A Magical Cheer!
16. Magic At The Beach 2013, A Full Review
17. 2013 New Zealand Lectures - Diary Now
18. Magic New Zealand App
19. e-zine Archives
20. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Michele & I are going to be away
out of town at the end of next week so we will not be publishing
an issue of Magic New Zealand next week. The next issue
of Magic New Zealand will be 10th March.
Nick
Lewin just moved back to Las Vegas and I will be beginning
a new series of columns about the most exciting developments
in the Magic City.
----------------------
For those who would like to read Magic New Zealand in a
HTML format go to:
http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2013-Jan-to-Dec-2013/994-Feb24-2013.html
Remember
if you have any magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com
--------------------------------------------
2. I.B.M. And S.A.M. Early Bird 2014 Convention Rate Closing
Soon
---------------------------------------------
Last minute early bird registrations for the I.B.M. and
S.A.M 2014 Combined
Convention are flooding in...If you register NOW it will
be only $295.00 US
For
more information and to register go to: http://ibmsam.com
This
is going to be a SELL OUT event!
At
the end of February, registration will close until July
2013 when the registration price will be $395.
March
1, 2013 through June 30, 2013 - Registration Closed
July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013 - $395
January 1, 2014 through June 15, 2014 - $495
After June 15, 2014 - $595
The
world's two largest magic organizations will hold a combined
convention in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 1-5, 2014. The
convention will draw amateur and professional magic enthusiasts
from every corner of the world and attendance will be limited
to 1400 registrants.
Featured
during the five day event will be the FISM North American
Championships of Magic in close-up and stage with winners
having the opportunity to compete in the FISM 2015 World
Championships of Magic in Rimini, Italy. Competitors will
also be competing in stage and close-up magic for the I.B.M.
Gold Medal and Gold Cups, the S.A.M. Gold and Silver Medals
of Honor, as well as the IBM/SAM Champion of Magic selected
by People's Choice. Cash prizes and performing contracts
for winners could exceed $20,000.
--------------------------------------------
3. Kevin Spencer Making A Difference
--------------------------------------------
Message by Kevin Spencer (US)
The
Spencers are proud to be working on an amazing new documentary
about the
power of simple magic tricks to make a significant change
in the lives of people with disabilities.
I
hope you'll consider supporting the project - even the smallest
donation with make a big difference. And please SHARE this
with your Facebook friends and LIKE our new Facebook page
(BagOfTricksDocumentary) http://igg.me/p/303770/x/2002156
--------------------------------------------
4. Houston's Magic Island - A Look Back at a Better Time
--------------------------------------------
Message by Scott Wells, A.I.M.C. with Silver Star
It
was early in the afternoon on that September day in 2008
when I was contacted by the Magic Island in Houston. They
told me that they would be closed that night due to the
hurricane that was expected to come through. So, we wouldn't
have to come in to perform that night. My wife, Kathy, and
I were the stage performers at that time. They would call
me when they reopened depending upon the severity of the
storm.
They
never called back. The Magic Island has never reopened.
Fortunately,
the previous year I had taken my camera to the Magic Island
to record a "walk through" of all its treasures.
I had arranged for the Entertainment Director, Scott Hollingsworth,
to give me a guided tour. After the tour, we sat in Ramses,
one of the close-up rooms, and chatted about the Island.
I
have uploaded this one hour video plus have a couple other
stories linked through this week's Magic Word. To take a
walk down memory lane, or if you never had a chance to visit
Houston's Magic Island, then I think you will enjoy this
trip. Visit http://TheMagicWordPodcast.com to see the latest
installment. And of course you can always keep up to date
by "Liking" us on
Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/themagicwordpodcast/
--------------------------------------------
5. Vanish Magic Magazine Is Now Available On An E-Reader
---------------------------------------------
Message by Paul Romhany (NZ)
I'm
very pleased to announce that Vanish Magic Magazine can
now be enjoyed
in its full interactive experience at www.revizzit.com -
just download this free e-reader and download the issues
from the revizzit.com site and you will enjoy reading the
magazine even more.
All
the links are interactive - so if you want to view an advert
click on it and the e-reader will open up the page - making
it easy to go back to the page you were reading anytime.
It
doesn't cost anything - it's still free and the experience
is even better. You don't have to be online to read the
magazine - you can read it anywhere and anytime.
IPad
apps etc. The good folks at revizzit are currently working
on releasing the e-reader as an APP - this is a huge step
forward for Vanish Magic Magazine because shortly you can
enjoy it as an APP on your iPad or Android. We will notify
everybody when this becomes available. This means a click
of the button and it's on your iDevice.
For
those who prefer the PDF version you will always be able
to download it
from www.vanishmagazine.com
--------------------------------------------
6. Introducing The Underground Magic Sessions - First Time
Ever!
--------------------------------------------
Message by George Schindler (US)
S.A.M
Convention 2013
The
S.A.M National Convention has announced a NEW idea NOT offered
before at a convention. Included in your registration to
the S.A.M National Convention in Washington, DC (July 3-6)
you will get full access to the Underground Magic Sessions.
What:
Every night when the dealers room closes we will have 6
of the best Underground Magicians work in the lobby doing
sessions on magic.
How:
Each magician will sit at a table and answer questions and
help the registrants with their magic. They will also do
mini lectures each night. One night you could learn from
Dan White the next night from Dan Hauss etc.
Who:
The Underground Magic Session Performers Are:
Eric Jones
Dan Hauss
Dan White
Chris Mayhew
Ben Train
Tony Chang
This
is the first time the S.A.M or any other national convention
has had this type of workshop ever. Come join us and be
a part of the new generation of magic.
To
find out more information about this amazing event, or to
register, please go to: http://magicsam.com/annual-convention/register/
-------------------------------------------
7. Milt Larsen's Magical Life
--------------------------------------------
Article forwarded on by Mel Kientz (US)
Independent
by Matt Kettmann
Milt
Larsen's Magical Life
Founder of The Magic Castle and Santa Barbara Resident Reflects
on His Legacy
Any
evening that requires a coat, tie, and whispering the words
"open sesame" to a golden owl with blinking red
eyes to open a secret passageway through a faux bookcase
and into an ornately decorated Victorian mansion dedicated
to card tricks, elaborate illusions, and improbable escapes
is bound to be memorable. But by the end of my first visit
to The Magic Castle last December, my eyes were opened not
just to the strong state of modern magical arts - I was
in constant awe from both the night's theatrical shows and
intimate poker table sessions (and it wasn't just the many
Manhattans I'd consumed) - but also to the Hollywood landmark's
fascinating history and its vibrant future as a home to
magicians worldwide.
Those
latter insights came from late-night, bourbon-fueled jabbering
with a jovial, chardonnay-swilling man named Milt Larsen,
the Pasadena-born, Hollywood-raised, and Santa Barbara-
residing magic lover who founded the castle in January 1963.
With his father, a criminal attorney- turned- magic magazine
publisher/promoter, and mother, the first woman to ever
do magic on television, Larsen and his older brother, Bill,
grew up as part of a traveling family magic revue in the
1930s. Though the brothers worked in television for a time,
they never stopped living lives of magic, even when their
father suddenly died at age 48 in 1953, a year after founding
the nonprofit magicians organization known as the Academy
of the Magical Arts.
"Every
year of my life, I've been surrounded by magicians,"
Larsen explained to me a couple of weeks later while overlooking
the Santa Barbara Harbor and beyond from the backyard of
his TV hill home. "All of my dad's friends were magicians,
and some of the most famous magicians would come to our
house and mingle."
When
Bill took over the publishing of Genii Magazine and the
handling of the academy following their dad's death, Milt
kept putting on magic shows in Los Angeles and elsewhere
- including the still-running series called It's Magic!,
which hits the Lobero Theatre this Sunday. Still, he dreamed
of a permanent home for the trade. That's when he noticed
the old Victorian, Addams Family- esque mansion on Franklin
Avenue from his upper-floor NBC office nearby and convinced
the owner to lease it to him. That was more than 50 years
ago; today The Magic Castle remains a popular semi-private
hangout, as well as the headquarters for the 5,000 members
of the Academy of Magical Arts.
"We
never had any idea it would be what it is today," said
Larsen, who recently published an autobiography called My
Magical Journey: The First 30,000 Days. He credits the castle's
continued success - including a rebirth from a devastating
daytime fire on Halloween 2011 - with staying focused on
the tricks. "It was all built on the love of magic,"
said Larsen, who said that the membership has maintained
a natural 50-50 split between practicing magicians and magic
fans since it started. "We never went into it as a
profit-making thing."
While
it's technically a private club, those interested in checking
it out can request a short-term membership through the website,
or simply ask around to find a friend who's already a member
and can offer a guest pass. "It's not super exclusive,
but you can't just walk in off the street," said Larsen,
explaining that they've strived to keep membership costs
- less than $1,500 entry fee and about $350 a year - low
rather than charging much more from fewer people, like other
private clubs. "As clubs go, it's pretty reasonable,"
said Larsen, who works at the castle from Monday's dinner
through Friday's lunch and knows many of the club members
by name. "We'd just as soon as have more members and
not gouge them for all that money."
The
experience, which usually starts with a classic midcentury
American dinner, always entails wearing your best duds,
and that substantially elevates the vibe and keeps would-be
unruly folks mostly in check, even though the booze flows
from the multiple bars quite readily. The dress code - which
comes up for a vote by the academy members each year but
proudly persists - was instilled from the beginning, as
the Larsens tried to create the ambiance of an Old World
magic club. "If you were going to a party in a billionaire's
Victorian mansion, they would expect you to wear a white
tie and tails for dinners," said Larsen, who believes
the ladies love the chance to dress up most. "We're
not insisting on that, but you can't come in your tank top
and sweatpants."
Such
rules are ever more important in a dressed-down Hollywood,
where torn jeans and scruffy T-shirts are the norm. But
even famous actors heed the Magic Castle's call when it
comes to clothing, a good thing, since celebrities - from
member Johnny Depp to current academy president Neil Patrick
Harris - remain a steady presence. "Magicians like
actors, and actors seem to like magic," said Larsen.
"That's in part because an actor is in a fantasy world
and magicians are in a fantasy world, so they're all kind
of meeting in Alice in Wonderland's back room."
The
other takeaway from my Magic Castle experience is that,
to my surprise, magicians don't believe in magic. From the
card-table tricksters to onstage performers to Larsen himself,
they unanimously proclaimed that everything is a carefully
planned illusion and that there are no black arts at play.
Indeed, thanks to classes, a library, and a junior club
for aspiring kids at The Magic Castle, it's pretty easy
for anyone to learn. "It's not about everybody hiding,"
said Larsen, who performs occasionally as a comedy-minded
magician whose tricks all fail. "Magicians are very
free with their secrets once they know you're going to be
one of them."
As
for The Magic Castle's secrets, there is a Night at the
Museum- like, family-friendly feature film in the works
by director McG, and there are murmurs of a potential second
location, but Larsen said it would have to be extra special
in somewhere like London, Paris, or Hawai'i to get his okay.
On a personal note, Larsen is happily married to Arlene,
his wife of 22 years, and plans to stay active in the castle
as long as life lets him. "I have no desire whatsoever
to ever retire," said Larsen, with a smile and gleam
in his eye. "I'm only 81 now."
4.1.1
Milt
Larsen's annual It's Magic! revue - with top magicians,
illusionists, comedians, and more - comes to the Lobero
Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) on Sunday, February 17
at 2 and 6:30 p.m. Call (805) 963-0761 or visit lobero.com
for tickets. For information on The Magic Castle and Larsen's
book, visit magiccastle.com.
--------------------------------------------
8. Strolling Magic At Scout Shows - #290 - Kyle Peron
--------------------------------------------
Message by Kyle Peron (US)
magic4u02@aol.com
http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com
http://www.kpmagicproducts.com
https://www.facebook.com/perondesign
You
may be wondering to yourself how you can possibly do strolling
magic for a banquet style event aimed at scouts. Well This
is actually something that is very easy to do and adds a
benefit to the scout pack. Allow me to explain.
There
is always a time at the blue and gold where the tables are
called one at a time to go up and get their food. This usually
happens by calling up each den one at a time. This happens
almost all the time. Now when it does happen, there are
tables just sitting there waiting for their turn. This is
dead time for them. So noticing this happens a lot, I figured
there is a problem that I can try and solve and make a solution
for.
So,
I started to offer to the scout packs strolling table side
magic for the dinner hour. This is where, for an extra amount,
I will help them to keep the tables entertained as they
are waiting to go up and be called. I do some simple strolling
magic that is both themed for scouting and fun for the kids
and adults. It does not take me long to do and certainly
does not add any real problems for me. I can easily bring
my close up case with me and have more than enough to entertain
the tables.
I
have had many cub pack clients love this concept and they
latch on to it. For them, it solves a need or a problem
and they see the fun and value in it. It also gives me the
chance to get to know the audience and find my helpers ahead
of time before the show starts.
If
I see a kid really interacting well but behaving themselves,
they may be aperfect candidate for a certain routine I want
to do in the show later on. Soperforming the strolling magic
is also a great opportunity to really get to scopeout the
audience and find out who might be good as helpers.
Now
this could be booked as just a strolling gig at the event
for those who prefer doing strolling magic over stage shows.
It keeps the scouts involved, occupied and the perceived
value of me increases in the eyes of the scouts and adults.
Do
not be afraid to offer the pack a strolling magic add on
or simply strolling magic by itself. You always have to
remember that you are there to provide solutions for the
pack the best that you can.
You
cannot assume that every pack is organized and under control.
Some are and they run it fantastic and the kids are well
behaved. In some cases, the cub master has no idea what
he or she is doing. This sometimes is just the case as they
try and do the best that they can.
If
this is the case, this is YOUR time to shine and be a solutions
provider to them. Who knows more about running events and
entertainment then you do?
If
you perform a lot, then there is no reason why you cannot
step to the front and help them to give advice and suggestions
to make their event run smooth. If you speak up, they will
listen to you. I often make suggestions to them and they
thank me for it.
As
you can see, this is a fair way of working and it takes
the fear out of working with festivals. The mindset should
be that you are a business working with another business
on a joint venture/agreement. If you understand this approach,
then you can go about working with them so both parties
are satisfied and covered.
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.
Entertainers,
please visit:
http://www.kpmagicproducts.com
--------------------------------------------
9. Magic - Art, Craft Or Neither - Part 5
--------------------------------------------
Message by Anthony Darkstone - USA/Europe
At
the beginning of this series, I mentioned that I would be
including thoughts and musings from various guests who have
kindly shared their perspectives. Last week it was Jason
Andrews and prior to that, Paul Draper. This week I am delighted
to welcome Ivonne Perez Montijo.
For
just over 3 decades, Ivonne has been active in Film &
TV. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has also
written and produced independent short films and theatrical
productions. Her "day job" has been as "Pinky
the Clown", performing magic and entertaining young
children all over Los Angeles. Ivonne has a B.A. in Spanish
Literature with a minor in Theatre & Film from U.C.L.A.
and a M.A. in Religious Studies from C.S.U.L.B.
She
is currently studying music theory, piano, and guitar at
Long Beach City College. Ivonne is first and foremost a
writer and a story teller. She has written numerous poems
over the years and her work can be found on:-www.ivonnemontijo.wordpress.com.
I have not read all her written work but from the writings
that I have perused, it is indeed praiseworthy. Her conceptual
thinking and phraseology are superb. I have publicly stated
that some aspects of her work flow in a similar vein to
Kahlil Gibran. She is also currently developing her thesis,
"Mary Magdalene: Beloved Wife and Disciple of Jesus
of Nazareth" into a book. I am eagerly looking forward
to this as the topic has interested me for some 50 years.
She also has a page dedicated to inspiring thoughts on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ForTheLoveOfYou.April2012
For
reasons that will become apparent as you read the following
words, I am both deeply appreciative and delighted that
she responded to my request to contribute to the topic.
Of necessity, The Editor and I have chosen to publish it
in installments over the next few weeks.
The
Art of Magic - Part 1
By Ivonne Perez Montijo, M.A.
My
induction into the world of magic occurred 30 years ago
via my then boyfriend, Jay Scott Berry, who at the time
was a rising star of the junior members of the Hollywood
Magic Castle. I would see him perform at the Castle and
hang out at Hollywood Magic store with the likes of Max
Maven, Christopher Hart, Lorenzo Clark, George Tovar and
many others that came through the doors of Hollywood Magic.
Jay
would talk a lot about "real magic" and being
a "real wizard". Having come from a Catholic background
I had no idea what Jay was talking about at the time but
he gave me the book, Illusions, by Richard Bach which opened
a portal into another world for me. The relationship didn't
last but my love for magic and performance ensued. I would
eventually create, "Pinky the Clown" performing
magic for little tykes.
The
million dollar question in the world of professional performance
magic appears to be, is magic an art, craft or neither?
There are two components that must be examined independently
of each other in this question. The first component is magic
and the second component is art. In order to be able to
say that magic is art or that magic is not art one needs
to define what is magic and what is art. In this article
I will look at the idea of magic and art in society and
culture and in their inception. And then we can examine
where is the intersection of magic and art if at all. End
of Part 1
-------------------------------------------
10. Broken Wand Gary Jackel
--------------------------------------------
Message by Steve Walker (Australia)
Shock
and Disbelief were the two most often used words when anyone
who knew
him heard of the passing of our friend and fellow Genii
Member, Gary Jackel at the age of 61.
A
specialist in Kids Magic he was known professionally (after
a string of aliases) as "Mr Magic." Clean and
professional were the two words that apply to his act. He
dressed immaculately and his props were colourful and in
as new condition, not a stain or scratch to be seen anywhere.
His
patter was equally clean and wholesome as one would ex¬pect
from a man who was deeply religious. Yet despite what the
minister at his church intimated I never found him to be
a zealot.
The
service at Narwee Baptist Church was full to capacity and
his close friend Colin set the mood with a funny eulogy
covering most of Gary's favourite things his family coming
first.
R.I.P
our not so old mate.
--------------------------------------------
11. Magic Behind Bars
--------------------------------------------
Message by Mandy Davis (UK)
Magic
Behind Bars
A Story: A Day in the Life of a Performing Magician
In
December I went to prison! You didn't expect that as an
opening line, did you?
The
Enquiry
It
was early December when I got a call from an agent, a lovely
lady called Sarah.
'Would
you be prepared to perform inside a prison?' she asked.
The
booking was for close up for the prisoners and their children
in the morning, the staff and their children in the afternoon.
All kinds of thoughts rushed through my head but I heard
myself say 'Yes!' despite several reservations. I voiced
one of them immediately: 'Could I perform Cut and Restored
Rope - with scissors?
The
agent called me back. 'NO scissors, NO rope, NO cards, NO
balloons!' My reply? 'No magician!' Sarah agreed and I gave
her the phone number of a face painter and forgot all about
the call.
Two
weeks before the December date Sarah called back. 'They
will allow you cards and balloons, will you go there?' The
answer was yes. Sarah then said: 'Oh - and take a PA system,
they would like a forty minute children's show too'.
The
Preparation
Now
the fun began. I was emailed several security forms. One
of them had a single line to fill - what equipment would
I be bringing with me - one line? It took an A4 document
to write everything for a show and a close up set plus balloon
modeling. Try and think of what you would need to list for
your performances - and I didn't reveal the secret gadgets
in my list! I also had to send a copy of my passport, thank
goodness I had a scanner!
Two
days before I got a call early in the morning.
'This
is Charlie from the prison'. We have a problem!' What could
be wrong? Had there been a break-out? Changed their minds?
'Your
signature on the form we sent and on your passport don't
match!'
How
could they not match, I queried. I had signed them both
myself and I only know one way to sign my name. Charlie
abruptly said he would call back. I ran to my desk, took
out the form that I'd emailed to him and my passport - and
I couldn't see a single difference in the two. They were
both me with the usual flourish - I couldn't understand
it at all!
Charlie
called me back. 'I'm sorry about before, I was multi-tasking
and it was difficult to....' 'Of course it was, you're not
a woman!' I declared. There was a second's silence and he
replied with a laugh: 'You are right, let's start this again...'
It
turned out that the agent had faxed my passport copy across
to the prison and it had arrived so dark that they couldn't
see my photo, let alone my signature. This was easily remedied
- I just emailed my passport direct whilst we were chatting
and all was fine. It was a worthwhile conversation though
- it turned out that I was not expected to bring my PA system
or perform a show, just close up for the prisoners and children
with balloons for the very young.
The
Day
Early
in the morning I drove to the prison itself, a modern building
out near Heathrow. I went into the Visitors Centre and then
to the prison itself where my passport was taken, my photo
and fingerprints too. In case you wondered, fingerprints
are electronically done nowadays - no inky smudges on a
piece of card. I was given a 'pat down' to make sure I had
nothing illegal. I had already been told to leave my mobile
phone in the boot of the car.
I
was taken through the locked doors and into the building
itself. When I say locked doors - firstly I had to access
turnstiles such as those on the London Underground. Then
each door was a heavy metal sheet that was unlocked with
a key and behind it a door made of thick bars which also
had to be unlocked. I was taken down corridors and across
the exercise yard to the gymnasium where the party was to
be held. This was very modern indeed - a vast arena with
two huge inflatables, one with a tunnel and slide.
There
was a small stage with Santa's throne waiting, a soft and
quiet play area and table tennis set up, all waiting for
the arrival of the children. I was with several officers,
all very friendly, and two or three volunteers - who I believe
were also prisoners brought in to help. Even the toilets
were locked and I had to ask each time I wanted to go in
there!
Eventually
a door on the opposite wall of the gym opened and in came
the women with their families. Everyone was fairly quiet
at first but, as soon as the Bouncy Castles were seen, shoes
were off and most of the children were jumping enthusiastically
and noisily whilst their proud mums watched. The shyer,
younger children clung to mums for a cuddle and chat. I
decided to start with balloons, something that would attract
interest and, sure enough, smiles widened, bodies hurled
themselves across the room and I soon had a never ending
line of waiting people. When it quietened occasionally I
was able to do some card work with the prisoners themselves
and I was greatly appreciated by all.
After
an hour or so Santa made his appearance and it was my job
to call out the names, and hand the gifts to him. A buffet
meal followed, everyone lining up with paper plates to be
filled with chicken nuggets, sausages and curly fries but
once this was over, the gym emptied quickly until the officers
and I were left to chill until the afternoon session.
It
was an interesting break: the prison officers were fascinated
to know how I found the prison, whether it was different
from what I had imagined. I was fascinated to know what
had brought them to that kind of work in the first place.
Contrary
to my imagination were the women themselves. I had expected
them to be in some sort of uniform, faces scrubbed clean
and hair tied back or cropped short. Instead they were all
dressed fashionably in casual clothes of their own, hair
well styled and coloured with immaculate make up. They were
very polite and exceedingly grateful that I was there to
entertain their offspring, very enthusiastic about the magic
I was performing for them as well as the tricks I had with
me just for the tinies.
The
officers were very caring of those in their charge and the
relationship between them all was encouraging. I was startled
to learn that there are many more disabled people in prisons
these days and one of the officers was in charge of wheelchair
and other physically disabled - he estimated 20% had mobility
problems.
I was also told that any one of us could end up in there!
In fact one prisoner had knocked down a cyclist who had
died of his injuries - and she had been given a prison sentence!
That was a worrying thought - one moment of inattention
on the road and.....
The
afternoon party was a repeat of the morning - except that
it was the staff and their children this time. There was
no difference - people are people and children are children
and we all had a great time!
When
I left the prison I was taken back through the locked gates
and doors, across the bleak outdoor exercise space and back
to the entrance. My passport was returned to me and I was
free! I had had an incredible experience, a fun time and
earned some money - what more could one want from any profession?
--------------------------------------------
12. Pop Haydn Is Coming To Santa Monica!
--------------------------------------------
Message by Nancy Magill
March
7th And April 4th!
Pop
Haydn in the 21st Century! A fun-filled evening packed with
music, mirth, magic and the wonders of radio-magnetism.
The
great seer-the Diviner of Destiny answers questions about
the future with the aid of his magnetically-energized crystal
ball.
Our
intrepid electronaut Tesla Girl bends the very force of
gravity itself!
Our
sassy Louisiana Songbird Bonnie Gordon sings and dances,
and our sultry
sorceress Sophie Evans makes fire magic that will astound
you!
Professor
Dave Bourne and the 21st Century Boys play good-time music
that will quicken your pulse and ease your soul.
Pop
Haydn in the 21st Century! Provides great and unique fun.
It is geared toward an adult audience-but is still family-friendly.
Steampunks,
time-travelers, dandies and other 19th century expatriates
are
welcome-no weapons please.
March
7TH and April 4TH at 8 PM!
Magicopolis, 1418 Fourth St, Santa Monica CA 90401
Tickets: $29 on-line, $34 at the door.
To order tickets for the show click here
http://www.pophaydn.com/pop-haydn-in-the-21st-century.html
Or
call 323-344-8793
www.pophaydn.com
--------------------------------------------
13. The Secret World Of Charles Dickens
--------------------------------------------
Message by Ian Keable (UK)
Name
Of Show: The Secret World of Charles Dickens, mirth, marvels
and the
mysterious
Brief
Synopsis: Ian Keable, winner of The Magic Circle Comedy
Award, performs the favourite magic tricks of Charles Dickens
and divulges the spooky practices of Victorian psychics.
Venue:
Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, London N6
5HG
Show
Dates: Tuesday - 26th February, 26th March, 30th April,
28th May, 18th June and 30th July.
Timings:
8 pm. Doors open at 7-30 pm and pre-show refreshments are
available.
Tickets:
£15
Box
Office: www.charlesdickensmysteryshow.co.uk
--------------------------------------------
14. The Double Six Theory
--------------------------------------------
Message by Walter Zaney Blaney (US)
Did
you ever wonder why some audiences are better than others,
even when the
performing conditions are all exactly the same? Some say
there are no bad audiences, just bad acts. After about 4800
performances I believe this conjecture is untrue. Sometimes
there are bad audiences.
Others
have discussed this very subject, acts with far greater
stature than any I ever acquired. I recall Johnny Carson
talking about this very subject with Joey Bishop one night
on the Tonight Show. However they had no answer. have never
heard of a reasonable explanation to this perplexing problem.
I
have my own theory. I call it "The Double Six Theory".
Perhaps you would like to hear it. Go to this link (five
minutes long) and see if you think my theory has merit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0EPEAUo-U
Walter
Zaney Blaney
walter@walterblaney.com
--------------------------------------------
15. That's A Wrap!, A Toast! And A Magical Cheer!
--------------------------------------------
Message by Adam Steinfeld
My
lovely magic babes and I toasting final Magic Live®
show of season, (in Aruba) ... say it ain't so?? After a
successful, three year run, presenting nonstop shows, one
of the most successful permanent magic/illusion shows ever,
and shooting several TV projects as well, at the same time
... it's time to bring it back to USA, to expand our brand,
with larger audiences.
A
big thank you to all the media support, our loyal fans and
tourists, many repeated over and over again.
So
long, farewell, it's been fun, until next time, see ya later,
that's a WRAP!
Adam
Steinfeld
Magic Live!®
www.MagicLive.com
--------------------------------------------
16. Magic At The Beach 2013, A Full Review
--------------------------------------------
Submitted by Mike Heidtman
By
Wayne Capps, Charleston, SC
On
January 17-19, 2013 I attended the Magic at the Beach convention
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This was the fourth annual
convention and the organizers out did themselves putting
this convention together.
I
have attended numerous magic gatherings and conventions
all over the world and I am very happy to say that this
was one of the most well organized conventions that I have
ever attended. For me, it was the attention to the small
details that made this convention a stand out. From the
swag bags to the food and drinks in the Dealer's Room to
the parties, it was truly a fun experience.
First,
the location; the convention was held at Ocean Dunes Resort
& Conference Center in Myrtle Beach. The hotel was a
great place for all the activities. It was large enough
to accommodate everyone and the meeting space worked well.
The rooms were fine and for $59 a night for an ocean front
room, it was hard to beat.
Upon
registration very nice swag bags were given out that included
numerous magic items, a close up pad, full event program
along with tickets to the various events. After registering
we attended the opening night reception, appropriately beach
themed. As I stated earlier, the small details made this
convention. The decorations and food were great and the
entertainment for the night was a one-man show featuring
the magic of Farrell Dillon. I had never seen Farrell perform
but he turned me into a fan. He was hilarious and kept with
crowd in stitches throughout his whole show. After the show
most of the crowd congregated in the Dealer's Room for a
few drinks and fun, which was always nice.
The
first full day kicked off with the youth and adult stage
contests. Those are always enjoyable to watch and I was
happy to see that many of the contestants put a lot of work
into their performances. After the contests the agenda kept
rolling with the All Star Close-Up Show. While there were
some screen and sound technical difficulties at first, the
talent had everyone on the edge of their seats. The highlights
for me were Shin Lim's card routine and I think everyone's
unexpected "wow" moment came when Andrew Goldenhersh
produced a rabbit from his hair!
Later,
the evening concluded with a Cabaret Show from all the stars.
The Cabaret Show was a great event and the unintentional
star of the evening was Andrew Goldenhersh's runaway butterfly
that provided endless laughs while landing on Les Arnold's
chest during his routine. I guess you had to be there but
there was not a dry eye in the crowd as the butterfly went
unnoticed by the performers. Another talked about moment
was when Andrew Goldenhersh produced two live chickens from
his strait jacket . Truly amazing!
During
the event, there were lectures from Juliana Chen, Christopher
Hart, Losander, Jonathan Levit, Daryl, Andrew Goldenhersh
and Shin Lim. For me, Daryl and Juliana Chen had the most
entertaining lectures, both for different reasons. Daryl
provided great technical insight and quite frankly had a
lot of good stuff to show off. Juliana, on the other hand,
kept the audience interested by telling the story about
how she came to be a magician in China and then wowed the
crowd with her manipulation skills. I thought she provided
an entertaining and fascinating insight into magic in another
culture.
My
only negative about the convention would be that I thought
a couple of the lecturers were not as prepared as they could
have been and just wanted to chat about life. I personally
thought if they would have stuck to a traditional magic
lecture and left the "war stories" for the bar
it would have been better received.
The
last day concluded with a fantastic close up contest, more
lectures and the best closing show I have ever seen at a
convention. The evening concluded with the Champions of
Magic Gala Show at Gilmore Auditorium. The venue was top
notch and was a packed house. Each performer brought their
unique brand of entertainment to the stage. Personally,
the highlights of the Champions of Magic Show were Michael
Trixx and his rock and roll style along with Juliana Chen's
FISM act and the unbelievable quick-change act of David
and Dania.
After
the Gala Show we all returned to the Resort for the Farewell
Party. Lots of food and drinks were served and they had
a one-man band playing music for all of us to enjoy. Losander
even took a turn on the microphone as he sang one of his
favorite songs for everyone. All in all, this was one of
the best and most well organized conventions I have ever
attended. The shows were fantastic, the talent was great
and most importantly everyone had fun and enjoyed themselves.
Chairmen
of the event, Roman LePree and David Tanner, along with
their staff, Mike Heidtman, Michelle Householder, Matt McCoy
and Melena LePree out did themselves this year with a great
convention. I already have next year's Magic at the Beach
on my calendar and I look forward to another weekend of
enjoying some great magic with my old friends and many new
friends in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
--------------------------------------------
17. 2013 New Zealand Lectures - Diary Now
--------------------------------------------
Message by Alan Watson (New Zealand)
John
Kaplan (Canada) Lectures
Wellington
Tuesday 12th March 2013 and
Auckland Thursday 14th March
--------------------------------------------
18. Magic New Zealand App
--------------------------------------------
Magic New Zealand now has its very own app that can be launched
on any tablet.
Go
to: www.app.cat/magicnewzealand on your tablet to download
the FREE Magic
New Zealand app.
--------------------------------------------
19. e-zine Archives
--------------------------------------------
Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button center right
"Archives"
When
you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order in
folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt
first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the
date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)
---------------------------------------------
20. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies
or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your
privacy.
You
can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand®
E-zine at:
www.magicnewzealand.com
Magic
New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday.
The
opinions and statements expressed therein are those of the
individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic
New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan
Watson 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 or statements contained therein.
Magic
New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or
disregard any articles submitted.
Readers
are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which
may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles
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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,
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including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.
