More Magic on TV including Neil Patrick Harris!

Ye olde 2015 is showing signs of being an amazing year for magic on television. Here are some a few items airing the first week, with more to come next week and throughout the month. Thanks for subscribing... Stan

Today Thursday, January 1st, 7 a.m., NBC In a pre-taped segment for the Today show, Joshua Jay makes his third appearance on the program, this time promoting his new book, Big Magic for Little Hands. The Carbonaro Effect Thursday, January 1st, 10 p.m. E/P, truTV Michael Carbonaro’s hidden-camera magic show that fools onlookers without making them feel they’re watching a magician continues. This week’s episode, titled “Ignasaurus,” offers Michael a chance for a little quick-change work with a T-shirt. Watch a trailer for this episode. Worst Cooks in America Season Premiere, Sunday, January 4th, 9 p.m. E/P, Food Network NYC magician Michael “Six” Muldoon will be one of the “kitchen-challenged” recruits competing for a $25,000 grand prize for the contestant who makes the biggest “culinary transformation.” Michael will attempt to cook food that fits his magicial personality, such as making a cake from spaghetti and meatballs. The show, in its sixth season, runs for seven episodes. Of course, no one is talking as to how many of those episodes Michael will appear on.

American Horror Story: Freak Show Wednesday, January 7th, 10 p.m. E/P, FX Neil Patrick Harris makes his appearance in the 11th episode of this, the show’s fourth season. He plays Chester, the new owner of the freak show. The trailer reveals Harris charming conjoined twins, as well as sawing someone in half. The season wraps up the following week. Watch a trailer for this episode.

Magic on TV Next Week

Magic is appearing all week starting Monday

Houdini Monday/Tuesday, September 1-2, 9 p.m. E/P, History The four-hour miniseries, starring Adrien Brody in the title role, premieres this coming Mondayand Tuesday. Brody, a former student at Tannen’s Magic Camp, is joined by Kristen Connolly as Bess Houdini, and Evan Jones playing Harry’s chief assistant, Jim Collins. Houdini is directed by Uli Edel, with a script by Nicholas Meyer, whose father, Bernard C. Meyer, authored the 1976 biography Houdini: A Mind in Chains. PHOTO: Colin Hutton / History Ongoing Series On Tuesday nights, there’s also Wizard Wars at 10 p.m. E/P on SyFy. The CW continues offering two nights of magic each week with Penn & Teller: Fool Us on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.E/P, and Masters of Illusion on Fridays at 8 p.m. E/P. Meanwhile, Thursdays falls to TruTV with its ongoing magic series, The Carbonaro Effect.

Magic on TV

Here’s a new magic show on Syfy, joining the two series currently airing on CW.

Wizard Wars Tuesdays (premiering August 19), 10 p.m. E/P, Syfy Penn & Teller headline this series that pits teams of magicians against each other, the winner facing the “home team” made up of Gregory Wilson, Shimshi, Justin Flom, and Angela Funovitz (see “Update” August 2014). Photo: Eric Buss, Mattias Ramos Penn & Teller: Fool Us Wednesdays, 8 p.m. E/P, CW Masters of Illusion Fridays, 8 p.m. E/P, CW

Magic Magazine Preview September 2014

From The Editor September 2014 The September 2014 issue ofMAGIC Magazine drops into the mail on Monday, August 18th. The digital edition, however, is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. This month, I’m again excited to be featuring stories about magicians you might not be familiar with: Blake Vogt, Mel Mellers, and H.P. Lovecraft. Their journeys are both diverse and fascinating. We’re also covering Houdini, the new miniseries starring Adrien Brody, and Jason Latimer’s new show,Perception: See Beyond the Illusion. If you feel like celebrating, we’ve got stories on Magic Inc’s fifty years in one location, the fortieth Tannen’s Magic Camp, and a new card-throwing record set by a Lithuanian magician. And if you’re looking to learn a new trick or two, you’re in luck. Blake Vogt, Steve Reynolds, Ian Rowland, and Mike Bent are on board this month. It’s all in the September issue — and a lot more! Thanks for choosing MAGIC as your magazine… Stan P.S. Scroll down for a list of some of the bonus material available to subscribers at M360. Now Playing on… The MAGIC Digital Network Powerful Medicine: Simply Magic Kevin Spencer’s short documentary on his Healing of Magic program is our special screening for the month of August. It’s 26 minutes that just might change your life. In One: Blake Vogt Our cover subject this month has created effects for nearly all of the big names in magic. And he has brought something to “share with the entire class.” Watch Blake’s performance videos of both Dream Card to Wallet and T-$hirt, then turn to “In One” for the complete tutorial. At The Table We’re featuring two new excerpts from Murphy’s At The Table Lecture Series. Patrick Kun demonstrates and teaches his DIY (Do It Yourself) Aces, a straightforward and easy-to-do version of the Spectator Cuts the Aces plot. John Guastaferro takes a break from the playing cards and teaches a Zen-like bending straw effect. Mr. Electric Unplugged Marvyn Roy’s autobiography [Mike Caveney’s Magic Words, 2005] is now an audio book read by the author, and we have an exclusive ten-minute excerpt at M360. Listen as Marvyn tells how he and his best friend, Alan Wakeling, began creating the world-famous light bulb act in 1949. Turn It Around From 2000 to 2008, David Kaye wrote over 100 “Turn It Around” columns for MAGIC Magazine. As a countdown to his upcoming book by the same name, David is revisiting six monthly columns, augmenting them with video. First up, “It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey.” Marketplace Get an advance look at what reviews are coming up in print, as well as search reviews that have already run. They're all available in a reader-friendly format.

I will miss you Joanie

Joanie was a very beautiful person and such a great mind in magical direction. It is sad she has passed I will miss her.

Joanie Spina August 4, 1953 - August 17, 2014

Magic Magazine for September 2014

From The Editor September 2014 The September 2014 issue ofMAGIC Magazine drops into the mail on Monday, August 18th. The digital edition, however, is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. This month, I’m again excited to be featuring stories about magicians you might not be familiar with: Blake Vogt, Mel Mellers, and H.P. Lovecraft. Their journeys are both diverse and fascinating. We’re also covering Houdini, the new miniseries starring Adrien Brody, and Jason Latimer’s new show,Perception: See Beyond the Illusion. If you feel like celebrating, we’ve got stories on Magic Inc’s fifty years in one location, the fortieth Tannen’s Magic Camp, and a new card-throwing record set by a Lithuanian magician. And if you’re looking to learn a new trick or two, you’re in luck. Blake Vogt, Steve Reynolds, Ian Rowland, and Mike Bent are on board this month. It’s all in the September issue — and a lot more! Thanks for choosing MAGIC as your magazine… Stan P.S. Scroll down for a list of some of the bonus material available to subscribers at M360. Now Playing on… The MAGIC Digital Network Powerful Medicine: Simply Magic Kevin Spencer’s short documentary on his Healing of Magic program is our special screening for the month of August. It’s 26 minutes that just might change your life. In One: Blake Vogt Our cover subject this month has created effects for nearly all of the big names in magic. And he has brought something to “share with the entire class.” Watch Blake’s performance videos of both Dream Card to Wallet and T-$hirt, then turn to “In One” for the complete tutorial. At The Table We’re featuring two new excerpts from Murphy’s At The Table Lecture Series. Patrick Kun demonstrates and teaches his DIY (Do It Yourself) Aces, a straightforward and easy-to-do version of the Spectator Cuts the Aces plot. John Guastaferro takes a break from the playing cards and teaches a Zen-like bending straw effect. Mr. Electric Unplugged Marvyn Roy’s autobiography [Mike Caveney’s Magic Words, 2005] is now an audio book read by the author, and we have an exclusive ten-minute excerpt at M360. Listen as Marvyn tells how he and his best friend, Alan Wakeling, began creating the world-famous light bulb act in 1949. Turn It Around From 2000 to 2008, David Kaye wrote over 100 “Turn It Around” columns for MAGIC Magazine. As a countdown to his upcoming book by the same name, David is revisiting six monthly columns, augmenting them with video. First up, “It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey.” Marketplace Get an advance look at what reviews are coming up in print, as well as search reviews that have already run. They're all available in a reader-friendly format. …Love tommEE pickles If you would prefer to no longer receive the monthly MAGIC Preview, please send an email to preview@magicmagazine.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Magic on TV this week

Here’s a few things to look for this coming week: 

Penn & Teller: Fool Us
Wednesday, July 30, 8 p.m. E/P, CW
The popular British television series premieres its summer run in the US. [Photo of Penn & Teller with Daniel Madison: September Films & 1/17 Productions, all rights reserved.] 

Home & Family
Thursday, July 31, 10 a.m. E/P, Hallmark
Paul Draper performs mentalism with hosts Mark Steines and Cristina Ferrare. 

Masters of Illusion
Friday, August 1, 8 p.m. E/P, CW
The half-hour weekly series premieres with Jan Rouven, Jarrett & Raja, Michael Finney, Nathon Burton, Michael Grandinetti, Jonathan Pendragon, Rob Lake, and Spencer Horsman, hosted by Dean Cain. [Photo of Michael Grandinetti: Kari Hendler, Associated Television International] 

The Carbonaro Effect
Thursdays, 10 p.m., TruTV
Michael Carbonaro continues performing magical effects on unsuspecting people in everyday situations. 

Magic in the Moonlight
Sony Pictures Classics
Woody Allen’s latest movie is set in the 1920s on the French Riviera, and tells the story of a skeptical magician (Colin Firth) who falls head over heals for a young clairvoyant (Emma Stone). It opened to limited release on July 25th. 

Magic Magazine Arrived yesterday!

With Xavier Mortimer on the cover, I am happy. If you are a subscriber and didn't get your issue yet, check out http://www.magicmagazine.com/x/magazine/view/2014/august

Reel Magic Issue 39 Arriving soon

Magic Magazine Preview August 2014

From The Editor

August 2014

The August 2014 issue ofMAGIC Magazine dropped into the mail on Thursday, August 17, 2014. The digital issue, however, is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. This month, I'm excited about profiling two amazing magicians you might not be aware of: Xavier Mortimer and Drummond Money-Coutts. They each approach this art with a fresh set of eyes, and that's a very good thing. We also have coverage of the IBM/SAM Combined Convention, and two new television series: Masters of Illusion and Wizard Wars. Finally, if you're unaware of the boom in custom decks of cards — well, let's just say you need to get out more! Designer decks bring a fresh look to the genre, and Chris Chelko takes us behind the scenes of this pasteboard phenomenon that's showing no signs of slowing down. It's all in the August issue — and a lot more! Thanks for subscribing… Stan P.S. Scroll down to check out all the bonus material on M360.

Now Playing on…

The MAGIC Digital Network

	Xavier Mortimer  This exciting French artist performed three short pieces at the 2013 MAGIC Live! We've assembled all three videos, along with a demonstration of his Tape to Tie trick taught on page 38
	DMC  Over the last year or so, Drummond Money-Coutts (also known as simply DMC) has burst on the scene. Three of his most popular Internet videos are available in one easy-to-click place.
	Jon Armstrong In the latest excerpt from Murphy's At The Table Lecture Series, Jon Armstrong teaches a sandwich routine.
	Gene Anderson The master of all things newsprint presented "An Abbreviated History of the Torn & Restored Newspaper" at the 2013MAGIC Live! Here's his performance and his talk, as well as a guest appearance by Jack Goldfinger.
	Things to Think About Stan Allen's series of talks created for EMC in Portugal is serialized here, with one "thing" posted each week.
	Marketplace Get an advance look at what reviews are coming up in print, as well as search reviews that have already run. They're all available in a reader-friendly format.

My friends David and Leeman are on AGT again

David and Leeman on AGT! - 7/22 Tune in Tuesday, July 22nd, to see our very own magician members David and Leeman perform for AGTs cameras! 8:00/7:00pm Central on NBC. Check your local listings or the AGT website by clicking the link below.

Magic Magazine Preview July 2014

From The Editor July 2014 The July 2014 issue ofMAGIC Magazine drops into the mail on Tuesday, June 17, 2014. The digital issue, however, is already waiting for you on MyBookshelf. Click here to log in and start reading. General Registration for the next MAGIC Live is now open. The dates are August 9–12, 2015, here in Las Vegas. We've managed to keep registration at the same price as last time — $385. If early numbers are any indication, it looks like "everybody's gonna be here!" And the MAGIC Live team is already coming up with some great surprises. An $85 deposit guarantees you the best seating priority available. Visit the MAGIC Live webpage and join the party! Thanks for subscribing… Stan P.S. Scroll down to check out all the bonus material on M360. Now Playing on… The MAGIC Digital Network Finn Jon He's worked Europe's top nightclubs and television shows. We've assembled a montage of performances, as well as clips from his lectures. Greg Wilson See a trailer for The Golden Age of Magic, now playing at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Magic Camp In 2008, a documentary was shot at Tannen's Magic Camp. Here is the five-minute opening of that film. Alex Pandrea Alex brings something special to everything he teaches, including the Mystery Card, excerpted here from his recent At The Table Lecture from Murphy's Magic. Joanie & Sir Pat-trick At MAGIC Live 2013, Joanie Spina explained the process, Patrick Thernes demonstrated the results, and the audience leapt to their feet. The Hall of Magic Fifty years ago, General Cigar sponsored Mark Wilson's Hall of Magic at the New York World's Fair. For the month of July, we're offering a video of the entire show -- all 13 minutes and 16 seconds of it. Things to Think About Stan Allen's series of talks created for EMC in Portugal is serialized here, with one "thing" posted each week. Marketplace Get an advance look at what reviews are coming up in print, as well as search reviews that have already run. They're all available in a reader-friendly format. …and a lot more. Login now!

Magic Magazine April 2014 Preview

From The Editor On February 6, Bill Smith and I flew to Miami to spend a couple of days on board the brand new Norwegian Getaway. He was there to tweak a few of the three or four dozen special effects he's built into theIllusionarium showroom. I was there to interview the creators of the show and take it all in. I saw two performances of The Illusionarium, and I have to say I was impressed. From the minute you step up to the entrance, then walk down the hallway and enter the showroom, you are completely immersed in the experience. The design, the décor, even the wardrobe — all beautifully executed. Then a fine dinner and five world-class magicians whose performances are woven into just enough of a storyline. Read all about it in the March 2014 issue of MAGIC Magazine, which is now out. If you haven't already received your copy, here's a look at what's coming your way. Thanks for your continuing support… Stan Allen  Stories in MAGIC this month: The Illusionarium By Rory Johnston & Stan Allen Norwegian Cruise Lines' newest ship, the Getaway, features magic's newest showplace: The Illusionarium. Working with Jeff Hobson, NCL created an otherworldly multimillion-dollar venue where "the world's greatest magicians" do battle twice nightly. Wittus Witt: It's All About the Art By Marcus Zink Magician, collector, historian, author, publisher, photographer, and opinionated artist — Wittus Witt holds a unique place in the world of magic, not only in his native Germany, but around the world. A Conversation on Character, Part I The Magic Castle recently hosted a panel discussion on various aspects of creating and performing magic in character. Rob Zabrecky moderated the evening, interviewing Ed Alonzo, Tina Lenert, John Lovick, and Woody Pittman — all of whom did not necessarily have similar opinions on the subjects. Healing Medicine Through Magic By Rory Johnston & Lawrence Hass At Northwestern University in Chicago, Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz teaches medical students to be better doctors — by teaching them magic. His popular Magic & Medicine classes open students' eyes to the importance of relating to their patients as magicians do to their audiences. Plus Updates on… Nothing on Earth, the new play about Houdini, Conan Doyle, and Margery Auctioning off the history of the Le Grand David show The 2014 convention of the Blackpool Magicians' Club Remembrances of Aldo Colombini, David M. Baldwin, and Jeff Busby Bonus Content for the April Issue… Wittus Witt Thumb Tie video Comedy magic act of Wittus Witt and Roy Gardner Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, Magic & Meaning, 2013 Terrence Choy at Magic Chicago Jason England explaining some of the finer points from The Heinous Collection Convention Podcasts: Magic-Con and Florida State Magic Convention Products reviewed this month: Nineteen products are reviewed this month by Peter Duffie, Gabe Fajuri, Jared Brandon Kopf, Francis Menotti, Arthur Trace: Amazing JoeJoe's Web Spinner       and DVD by Amazing JoeJoe The Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy, Volume 2:      Fundamentals by Bob Cassidy The Core by Pit Hartling Decoy by Eoin O'Hare Demon Wonder Box Gift of the Magi by David Acer & Marchand De Trucs  Her Majesty's Spell by Dani DaOrtiz Incredideck by Bob Solari Innercircle by Yigal Mesika Mental Deceptions, Vols. 1 & 2 by Rick Maue OCD Deck by SansMinds Once Upon a Time by Wayne Dobson Pit Boss Junior by Alan Wong Porthole by Darryl Vanamburg SansMinds Sharpie by SansMinds The Silencer by Jeff Prace Six 2.0 by Mickael Chatelain Unwritten by Lyndon Jugalbot The Wowlett by RSVP Magic Tricks and advice this month: First Look: The Heinous Collection Karl Hein Karl Hein is well known for his amazing card handling abilities and his naturally disarming performance style. At 36, he has made his living for the past fifteen years performing close-up magic and stand-up shows for private and corporate events. In the magic world, he has presented over 100 lectures in 15 countries and released a number of tutorial DVDs; The Heinous Collection is his latest DVD set.MAGIC Magazine readers can take a "First Look" at Collecting Camaro — a Triumph routine that packs a really big punch — and learn Karl's famous yet practical Heinous Shuffle, as well as some of Karl's thoughts on choosing the right shuffle for the right situation. Loving Mentalism: Three Prizes Ian Rowland A simple close-up item you can perform at the drop of a hat is this month's "Loving Mentalism" offering. It's a good one to know if you're feeling lazy, since it's entirely "hands off all the way. You don't do anything, touch anything, or decide anything. It's all about a little game in which your spectator friend can win a thousand dollars. The spectator does all the work, makes all the decisions, and is in control from start to finish, yet somehow fails to win your money. It's simple, but there are a few little subtleties you might like. Bent on Deception: The Glass is Half Empty Mike Bent Which came first, the gimmick or the trick? I always feel a little guilty when a prop inspires a trick or a joke. My gut tells me it's always better the other way around: you think of an idea and then find or build the prop to make that idea a reality. But sometimes you just find or think of something so unusual that you end up with a great prop in search of a great routine. And that's exactly what I'm offering this month — a utility prop that must have a million uses. I have some ideas on what they might be, but I'm going to leave the rest up to you. Classic Correspondence: Stuart Cramer to John McKinven Mike Caveney Late one night, George Kirkendall scared the daylights out of some wide-eyed magicians with his masterful performance of Karl Germain's Spirit Lock. The tale was told of the magician Faust who had been imprisoned in a dungeon "by this very lock," and the sudden opening of the lock was startling. Charles Bertram had this lock made in England during the 1890s. During the next century, ownership of the lock passed from Bertram, to Edward Maro, to Karl Germain, to Stuart Cramer, to George Kirkendall, and finally to Tim Moore. The author of this letter was the fourth owner, Stuart Cramer. As luck would have it, Stuart grew up in Cleveland and became lifelong friends with that city's most famous magician, Karl Germain. During the decades of their friendship, Stuart acquired a great deal of Germain's magic and ephemera. For What It's Worth: Star Track, The New Frontier: Interstitial Space Mark Kornhauser Big is the next big thing. Big magic and variety shows are touring the world just like the good old days — whenever that was. This is the year of the Big Multi-Act Magic Show. These shows have been performed for hundreds of thousands of people and collectively employ more than 35 top-tier magicians. That's enough to positively impact the fragile balance of supply and demand in our magic micro-economy. Stringing magic acts together can be an effective presentation. But it is not long before the temptation to "add" comes into play. The question is: is the whole greater than the sum of the parts? Walkabout Soup: Projecting Professionalism Simon Coronel Close-up magic projected onto big screens is becoming more and more common. We're seeing it everywhere, from magic conventions and competitions, to charity galas, solo shows, and everything in between. When done effectively, using a camera and projector to magnify a small trick for a big audience can be incredibly powerful. However, when used badly, it can really mess up a show. Over the past several years, I've had a huge amount of time performing projector-magnified tricks for large audiences, and I've noticed that there are a few simple things that can make all the difference between brilliant and terrible projector work. Viewpoint: Why Don't Magic Get No Respect? Max Howard & Diane Bray The question before us, ladies and gentlemen, is this: "Why don't magic get no respect?" Or more literately stated, "Why isn't magic respected as an equal among the theater arts?" We understand that there are many answers to this question but we offer only two, a Long one and a Short one. You'll get both. Further, we assume that you agree with our proposition that, among the theater arts, magic does not receive the respect that it deserves and that it would be useful to know why. So we begin with this quote from Sir Winston Churchill who said, "All generalizations aren't worth a damn — including this one." You have been warned. Real-World Methods: A New School Show Paradigm Mike Straka The world of school shows is very different from the simple times of our youth. This past month, while performing at an elementary school, an announcement over the public address system stated that the school was going into a lockdown status. We were told to lock the classroom door and lower a screen to cover the glass window in the door. In addition, the blinds were lowered and the lights of the classroom were turned off. We were told to find cover away from the windows and door. The foremost thought in my mind was, "Thank God this is just a drill." In addition, I realized that the whole issue of security in elementary schools had changed dramatically. As a school show presenter, I needed to re-examine the subject.