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.

Preview of Magic Magazine for March 2014

From The Editor The March 2014 issue of MAGIC Magazineis now out. If you haven't already received your copy, here's a look at what's coming your way. MAGIC Magazine is also available for the iPad. The cost is only $3.99 per issue, and it arrives within a few minutes. Best of all, you can enjoy it wherever you want. Thanks for your continuing support… Stan Allen Stories in MAGIC this month:  Solving the Puzzle of Ryan Oakes By Tom Wallace Acclaimed by his peers even as a youngster, Ryan Oakes has forged a successful career in magic, somehow keeping a low profile while being involved in highly visible projects. Corporate shows, a television series, and a magic set branded with his name keep Ryan busy, in New York City — and far beyond. Tempered Glass Phenomena By William E. Spooner Call them Prince Rupert's Drops or the Devil's Tears. No matter the name, the curious properties of tempered glass products have intrigued and entertained scientists and magicians for centuries. Sirens at Sea By Rory Johnston A magic production show starring a female magician is still unusual, especially when the producer is also a woman. But having one woman create and produce three such shows, running concurrently on different cruise ships, and star in one herself is truly unique. Yet that is what Connie Boyd has achieved. The Rameses Royal Centenary By Chris Woodward March 1914 saw the first Royal Variety Performance for the King and Queen of England at the London Palladium. And it was a magician, Rameses the Necromancer, who was chosen to close the show. Wizard Wars By Alan Howard Pair up four magicians, give them some random items, and see what magic they can create. That's the premise behind Wizard Wars, a pilot for a new television show on Syfy cable network. Correction: As the March issue went to print, the pilot episode ofWizard Wars was scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, March 4. It has since been pulled from that time slot, with no new airdate available. Plus Updates on… The 2014 edition of the Columbus Magi-Fest Extreme Vegas, a hybrid magic/dance/circus production The Winter Festival of Magic in Indianapolis Derek Hughes' Insomnia Remembrances of Scott Lewis, Dave Madden, and Brian McCullagh Bonus Content for the March Issue… The original test competition that led to the pilot episode of Wizard Wars Jason England explaining some of the finer points of tricks from Close Culls Convention Podcast: Florida State Magic Convention Products reviewed this month: Fifteen products are reviewed this month by Peter Duffie, Jason England, Gabe Fajuri, Jared Brandon Kopf, Francis Menotti, Arthur Trace: Hungry? by Mathieu Bich  Cruise Magic 101 by Nick Lewin Psy-Colony by Gary Brown Click 2 by Valdemar Gestur Twisted Queens by SansMinds Instant Fortune Teller by McTaggart and Hall  Allegro by Miguel Puga EP by Valdemar Gestur SoundzAmazing by MagiGadgets RE by Chris Webb Heinstein's Dream by Karl Hein Built to Last with Doug Conn Showmanship for Magicians by Dariel Fitzkee Alluminati by Chris Oberle MAYHEW: What Women Want by John Lovick And there's even more tricks and advice this month: First Look: Close Culls Harapan Ong Readers of MAGIC Magazine will recognize the name Harapan Ong, as he has previously shared several moves and routines in Joshua Jay's "Talk About Tricks" column. Of his native Singapore, Harapan says, "We don't get much outside influence from other magicians, but I believe this has been a blessing in disguise. It has given me the potential to explore magic without preconceived limits or constraints." Most of Harapan's material deals with the spread cull, a sleight he has dissected and enhanced in several intriguing ways, as you will see in these four effects excerpted from his new booklet, Close Culls. Loving Mentalism: Gorilla Mentalism Ian Rowland This month's "Loving Mentalism" comes with an apology. There are already so many mentalism routines featuring gorillas, and I'm sure readers will be bored by the very idea of trudging through yet another. Alas, in a shameful display of barren creativity, that's exactly what's on offer this month — one more gorilla mentalism routine to add to the pile. What's it about? Well, attention blindness is the theme, and it's about putting a picture of a 300-pound gorilla right in front of people and yet, due to a quirk of the mind, they never even notice it's there. Bent on Deception: Get Smart: Control vs. Chaos Mike Bent A lot of children's entertainers are at the extreme ends of the control vs. chaos seesaw. Some are control freaks who don't allow for any spontaneity and make the kids almost afraid to laugh or respond. Others are the wacky uncle who comes for a visit, gets the kids all hyper and sugared up, and then leaves right before the inevitable meltdown. I've learned that, for me, the answer isn't just a balance between the two, because when you're working with kids, things can easily tip out of balance. The answer is much easier than that and can be broken down into six easy steps. Classic Correspondence from Egyptian Hall Museum: Percy Naldrett to Reg Wishart Mike Caveney Everyone who knew Percy Naldrett said he was a character. By the time of his death in 1973 at age 88, he had become a grand old man of magic, having witnessed so much of what the British magic scene had to offer during the 20th century. Naldrett was an inveterate letter-writer and his missives were filled with news, gossip, advice, and opinions. This letter to a magician named Reginald Wishart described, among other topics, Amac's illusion called Find the Lady. For What It's Worth: Pulitzer Prize for Kornhauser? Mark Kornhauser Although I have always had a preference for the Nobel Peace Prize, who could turn down a Pulitzer? Unfortunately, it costs fifty dollars just to submit an application to the nominating committee. And who knows, I might not even qualify. But simply having the name "Kornhauser" and "Pulitzer" in the title makes it more likely that there will be some status benefit for me. It's just the way Google and humans work. I'm simply applying the widely accepted self-aggrandizing ethos of the day. I have broken no laws and I manage to draw attention to myself. Thanks for listening. Like me on Facebook. Walkabout Soup: Expensive Illumination Simon Coronel There was this card sandwich routine that I used to do, one of those "Jacks-as-detectives trap the chosen card between them" type of effects. I'd given it a deliberately melodramatic presentation. Part of the script went: "This is going to be a film noir piece. Imagine that we're doing this in a dark room with an overhead spotlight and a Henry Mancini track playing. We didn't have the production budget to do it for real, so use your imagination." Given that I usually performed the routine in restaurants, this was obviously a joke. But then I thought, What about actually doing it? Actually getting an overhead spotlight, killing the lights, and doing the trick to dramatic music. Particularly in the Magic Castle's Close-up Gallery, that would look awesome… Real-World Methods: One Thing Scott Tokar Cocky. That is what the famous Dutch magician Peter Pit used to call me. Back when I was a Junior at the Magic Castle, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old, I didn't get along so well with Peter, maybe because he often called me "cocky" or maybe because I was just too self-assertive. But even though we didn't form a close bond of friendship — or even a mutual respect, for that matter — Peter Pit gave me, as a young man, the most important advice I have ever received: "In order to become a real success in magic, you should focus on one thing and master it. Take that one thing and make it yours."

I got this from facebook and 11 minutes later I checked for my sticker. They are tricking me. Screw you facebook!

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Magic Magazine Preview February 2014

I sent this out later than I wanted to. 

From The Editor If you have not tried out our MAGIC Plus, this is a great month to do so. There's a tutorial video of V.I.P. Card Through Handkerchief from Steve Valentine, as well as a clip of Dick Turpin — one of Steve's mentors — performing Cards to Pocket. And for even more Mr. Valentine (in February, no less), we have posted his December 2007 interview from this magazine. There's also a video sampler of BeBop Bamboozled, the Super Bowl XXIII Halftime Show featuring magic in 3-D, and the entire first episode of a new Irish magic series. And of course, Jason England walks you through the latest card tutorial. It's all available on the MAGIC Plus page atwww.MAGICmagazine.com. Your copy of the February issue is your key. Enjoy! Thanks for your continuing support… Stan Allen P.S. MAGIC Magazine is also available for the iPad. The cost is only $3.99 per issue, and it arrives within a few minutes. Best of all, you only buy it once, then you own it forever and can enjoy it wherever you want. More stories in MAGIC this month: Steve Valentine: His Magic, His Mentors, and His Rediscovery of the Real Secrets of Magic By Chris Philpott Steve Valentine once described himself as "an actor and a magician, playing the part of a magician as an actor, playing a magician as an actor acting as a magician." Lay audiences know him for his many television roles, while magicians know him as a close-up performer who studies and honors the masters and mysteries of the past. V.I.P. Card Through Handkerchief By Steve Valentine Here are two impromptu variations of a classic effect, adapted by Steve Valentine from the work of past masters of magic Paul Rosini and Edward Victor. The Most Watched Magic Event in History By Rory Johnston Twenty-five years ago, Dan Witkowski presented a halftime show that may have changed the way such Super Bowl events have been done ever since. He did it with innovation, nerve, and magic. Paul Gleeson, Behind the Scenes By Jamie D. Grant Paul Gleeson, known onstage as Rua, is one of the latest magicians to have his own television series — and he is the first and only magician to do so in Ireland, presented entirely in the Irish language. The Remarkable Johnny Eck By Mark Walker He was one of the most unusual secrets in magic, the truly baffling star of an illusion that is still whispered about today. Sideshow performer Johnny Eck was also a magician in his own right, a painter, and so much more -- while being so much less. Plus Updates on… Voronin's show, The Count's Ball, plays Berlin Wayne Alan revives an old theater in Virginia Danny & Stacey Cole produce magic in Albuquerque Donations roll in for the Brookledge Follies Remembrances of Karl Norman and Rod "The Hop" Dee Bonus Content in MAGIC Plus… Steve Valentine teaching the V.I.P. trick Vintage footage of Dick Turpin performing Cards to Pocket An excerpt from Rua's magic series on Irish television Highlights of the 1989 Super Bowl halftime show Jason England explaining some of the finer points of tricks fromMayhew PDF of "In His Words: Steve Valentine" from December 2007 Convention Podcast: Abbott's Close-up Convention More products reviewed this month: Sixteen products are reviewed this month by Peter Duffie, Jason England, Greg Gleason, Jared Brandon Kopf, Francis Menotti, Arthur Trace: Too Hot for the Devil by Matt Field and Tom Gagnon  Undiluted Hocus-Pocus by Martin Gardner Numbers, Cards, and Time! By Carlos Vinuesa The Messado Rings by Joshua Messado Techno Pop by Jack Carpenter Illusion Paradigm by Paul Osborne & Friends Fractalicious with John Bannon and Liam Montier Reflex by Patrick Kun Secrets of My Magic by David Devant  The Secrets of Packet Tricks, Vols. 1-3 by L&L Publishing Tips on Comedy for Magicians: Vol. 1 with Robert Baxt The Red Envelope with David Sousa Do Not Disturb! by Thomas Heine and Rainer Mees Alien Concepts, Vols. 1 & 2 by Anthony Asimov Snow Blind and Color Blast Cards by Bob Solari And there's even more tricks and advice this month: First Look: Mayhew John Lovick Stephen Minch writes: "If you live in the Tacoma-Seattle area of Washington, or if you keep your fingers pressed firmly to the pulse of card magic barely overground, you know who Steve Mayhew is, and you will be excited to learn that, after more than ten years of intense and unceasing labor, a slender volume of nearly all his magic is being released. Steve Mayhew is, without question, the greatest exponent and innovator of card magic to have lived since J.N. Hofzinser. Now, I'm delighted to say, thanks to the long labors of John Lovick, we submit the following [three effects] in evidence." Loving Mentalism: The Purple Cow Ian Rowland A grand illusion is on offer this month in "Loving Mentalism." It's an illusion in which a cow transforms into a horse right before a spectator's eyes! Well, maybe "grand illusion" is taking things a little too far. It's all done with a simple card containing a few questions, and the illusion only takes place in the spectator's mind rather than on a Las Vegas stage. Nonetheless, it's a simple and deceptive little mystery that shows you're a master of persuasion and mind manipulation. Bent on Deception: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Matching Mitten Mike Bent This routine uses two ideas from Billy McComb. You invite a helper onstage, then show five different cards, each printed with a different-colored mitten. After you place the five cards aside, you ask your helper to turn around. Then you show the audience an envelope with a window cut out. The envelope contains a single card. You explain to the audience that the card is your prediction, and show a picture of a red mitten that your helper needs to match. Next, you take the prediction card out of the envelope and place it aside, face down. You spread the stack of face-down cards in front of your helper and ask her to choose a card that she thinks will match the prediction you showed earlier. She turns over her card to show a yellow mitten! You act disappointed. You say "Sorry, it's not a match" as you turn over the prediction card to reveal — a yellow mitten! Your helper did get it right! But what happened to the red mitten? As you turn around to look for it, a cutout of a red mitten is stuck on your backside! Classic Correspondence from Egyptian Hall Museum: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to Stephen Patrick Mike Caveney "It's Fun to be Fooled — It's More Fun to Know." To the magicians it must have felt like a tsunami. One moment everything was fine, and then suddenly you couldn't turn around without having the secret to a magic trick rubbed in your face. Over 1,200 daily newspapers ran black-and-white comics that used magic principles as a way to sell nicotine. On Sundays, the ads got even bigger and appeared in full color. The most popular magazines of the day all carried Camel ads that exposed our precious secrets to the masses. Not surprisingly, the response from the magic world was immediate and decisive. For What It's Worth: My Fake Love Mark Kornhauser A long time ago, Chipper Lowell and I were in a show together in Lake Tahoe and we noticed how audiences always fall for the fake "poignant moment." Entertainers easily recognize this artificial plea for sympathy and roll their eyes at the obvious ruse. Most everyone else, however, gets out the Kleenex. We thought, If it's that easy to create poignancy, then why shouldn't we incorporate it in an equally fake way? As it turned out, blatantly insincere as we were, our "poignant" moments were often taken at face value. Walkabout Soup: Seventeen Chairs and a Fringe Festival Simon Coronel Back in 2004, during my final year at university, I produced a one-man show in the Melbourne Fringe Festival. I had been learning magic for four years at that point and wanted to unleash my brilliance on the world. If you've ever been involved in a Fringe Festival, you will know that they can be harsh mistresses. The efforts involved in producing your own one-hour show are pretty intimidating, particularly for a first-timer.