* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #640 Date: Sunday 15th February 2009 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. A Wonderful Exhibition in Linz, Austria 3. Roger Miller, International President - Invisible Lodge 4. The Order of The Magi Centenary 5. Remarkable Magic #82 - Nick Lewin 6. The Show Must Go On! #106 - Kyle Peron 7. Cruising With Paul Romhany #56 8. The Australian Institute of Magic Bushfire Appeal Show 9. Magic Cruise 2009 - Special Pricing Ends This Week! 10. Marc DeSouza's "The Chain Gang" 11. Use Coupon Code: FANVIP09 12. Solyl Kundu at The Magic Castle 13. Fantasma Ring 257 Auction/Flea Market 14. Camirand Magic 15. TV Show "Lost" 16. Stan Kramien's Magic Jamboree 17. PJ Campagna Getting Married 18. e-zine Archives 19. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Latest Update on Ali Bongo in Hospital in London In speaking to Rob and Mandy Davis today Ali Bongo was airlifted to a prominent London hospital, visiting is limited, but Mandy (who is off to the Blackpool convention very soon) has emphasized that he really looks forward to receiving mail which his neighbor Stewart brings to him at the hospital and reads to him daily.  At this stage his condition seems to have stabilised after having the stroke. Mandy has asked that you send mail to him at: Ali Bongo - 6 Poynders Court, Poynders Road, London SW4 8NL, England. Ali has wonderful friends all over the world and this is the time you can all give back by sending him mail to help uplift his spirits. We look forward to receiving further updates on Ali's progress. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. A Wonderful Exhibition in Linz, Austria -------------------------------------------- Message by Magic Christian (Austria) Here is the links to a wonderful exhibition in Linz, the capital of upper Austria. This city is the cultural capital of Europe for one year. There is also a very nice thick book on Magic and other Arts; the book is very beautiful and well done by the curator of the exhibition Brigitte Felderer. For several years she has been setting up Magic Exhibitions in which she has an interest in after getting involved with me with the preparation for the 200th birthday festival for Hofzinser in 2006. If you are in Europe, don't miss this spectacle. The show was supported by many collectors and magicians like Volker Huber, Ruediger Deutsch, etc., many museums and public and private collections from all over the world, even Hawaii! Look at these links. You might see me and other magicians from Linz doing some tricks. I had a very bad cold and flu that evening, but I made it with success. http://www.planetlinz.tv http://www.planetlinz.tv/s110,2,1303,Zauberhaftes_Museum.html http://onlineclippings.observer.at/mailforms/viewurl.aspx?uid=74dee7a9-b61a-4e7d-89d9-95b9986e0406 http://www.nordico.at/zauberkuenste.html -------------------------------------------- 3. Roger Miller, International President - Invisible Lodge -------------------------------------------- Message by Roger Miller, International President Greetings from the new International President of the Invisible Lodge, the organization of Masonic magicians. In an attempt to locate and contact members of the Invisible Lodge worldwide I would like all members to please contact me via email and give me their email addresses. I plan to establish communication via the internet more in the future. The Invisible Lodge has a great many members worldwide that have been lost over the years. Perhaps this will help find them. I now have all the IL records at my house and can research them if a member is uncertain of his or her status. Hoping to hear from a great many members! Fraternally and Magically, Roger Miller, International President Invisible Lodge rogerrx@magician.org " -------------------------------------------- 4. The Order Of The Magi Centenary -------------------------------------------- Message by Geoffrey Newton (UK) President The Order of The Magi (Manchester England) celebrates their Centenary on 11th March 2009 and various activities are planned for that month. Certain details are on www.orderofthemagi.org.uk but we have just published a 28 page full colour brochure. If you can give me a postal address I will gladly airmail you one. Best Magical Wishes, Geoffrey Newton MIMC President -------------------------------------------- 5. Remarkable Magic #82 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin Linking Finger Rings (part two) By the time I had finished my theatre/nightclub training, I was faced with a bit of a brick wall staring me in the face. England was a very small country with a dwindling supply of gigs for an ambitious young comedy magician. Worse still, there was a great supply of excellent performers with a great track record ready to fill what vacancies there were. To anyone older than twenty it might have been daunting; I wasn't smart enough to be daunted. In 1970 I took a 6-month contract on a cruise ship, where I had the chance to really develop and polish my act. This was the start of a performing venue that can pay my bills to this very day. Work on a routine during the day and perform it that night; what an incredible learning curve this was and I loved every minute of it. When I began working cruise ships they were a very different story from the ships that are gliding around the world today. Mind you, we didn't have pirates also roaming the globe back then! I took the job because it was one of the only jobs available. The real pros back home in England were too busy working the gigs that I couldn't book there. Nowadays the cruise market is a totally different business. These ships are the nightclubs of our current generation and excellently equipped venues. I alternate bookings between the tiny 6 star ships and the megaships with their 2000 seat theatres, which rival the average Performing Arts Center. The main thing I learned during my early cruise ship days was how correct Ken Brooke was in his insistence on keeping the show moving at a good speed, with non-stop entertainment to hold the audience's attention. To quote the late spiritual entertainer, Alan Watts; "It's not the destination but the journey that matter." How true. In those days I learned key words and phrases from my act in several different languages. This was fairly easily done and made my show much more interesting to my international audience. A few years ago I had the opportunity to attend a milestone birthday party for legendary magician Johnny Aladdin. Johnny's made a fabulous living performing his version of the Dr Q hypnosis show with more notches on his performing belt than most magicians would believe possible. I asked Johnny what was the secret to his huge success in various overseas markets. He looked me in the eyes, smiled, and said; "I learned the patter for my act in many different languages." Notice I say learned the patter in different languages. Johnny said that at first you just learn phonetically word for word what you are going to say. It was a simple statement that I really appreciated him sharing. I immediately thought of (usually the smartest guy in the room) Max Maven and his ability to speak Japanese fluently while reading minds. The other thing that I quickly discovered while performing on those creaky old boats in my early years was how big the world really was. I discovered how exciting and extremely habitable the rest of the world was to a young Londoner. Now if I had met and married a nice English girl I would probably have forgotten these 'Glimpse of the Real World.' However this was not the way it was destined to be. In 1972 I met my wife Susan in London and after spending six months on the freshly launched Royal Viking Sky (thank you Brian Beaton) we decided to marry. We decided to move back to Susan's home state California: Los Angeles to be precise; which leads me to an overview of what I learned at the Magic Castle during the next ten years. However as they like to say in the 'bon ton' literature of esteemed authors, that is another story and it continues in next week's column. Check out the new stuff on my website http://www.nicklewin.com If you like my writing become my friend on Face book, use my email address to find me nicklewin1@me.com there is also a teaser for my new magic DVD '20-2-10s' which is the first release in my 'Perfect for the Pro' routines. -------------------------------------------- 6. The Show Must Go On! #106 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com I apologize in advance if this week's article is a bit brief. However, just as the title states that the show must go on, so do I feel that my weekly column must also. So allow me to tread forward and explain. As the winter months hit my part of the world, there are several things I am sure will happen. I will receive many holiday event gigs. I will complain about the cold, the snow and how slow people drive when it is flurrying outside. I also know that without a doubt at some point during that winter, I will get sick. Well like the groundhog predicted, we will have 6 more weeks of winter and yours truly did indeed get sick. But not just any illness. NO, that would be much too bland for Mother Nature to throw my way. I had to not just get flu, but the mother of all flues. The kind of flu that makes you roll in bed, curse and wonder how in the world, with 236 channels, there is NOTHING on daytime TV. As I sat in bed from Friday evening until Tuesday morning, I had way too much time to think. Well between the coughing, hacking, blowing my nose and feeling like I was going to die. To make matters worse, I had 2 gigs that I had booked. Now if you are like me, you take pride in your shows and your professionalism. To me, my client is everything as is the perception that they have of me and how I handle things. Now suffering in bed with a 102 degree fever certainly is a logical and good reason to cancel an engagement. However, most clients do not care and nor should they. The bottom line is in their mind you bailed on them leaving them without a solution. As I lay in bed trying to get myself well, I knew that canceling a show was simply not an option for me. Now it also does not mean I am going out performing with a 102 degree fever and feeling like the walking dead. I may be nuts but I am not crazy. So what I did was to fall back on my reliable Magicians Referral Network. Simply stated it means I have a network of magicians and entertainers whom I can rely on and contact to cover for me in the event I cannot do a show. This group is a select group because I must always realize that they are representing me when they cover for me. They must have the same level of quality and professionalism that I have. They also must be able to perform the types of shows or venues I perform. Not everyone makes the network because of this. However, those who are in, I can trust and count on to do a great job without worries. So as I lay in bed wondering how in the world I could watch Cartoon Network for 13 hours straight, I was glad and content that I found someone to cover my shows for me. The show must go on and it did, even if I was not at the helm. 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. - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 7. Cruising With Paul Romhany #56 -------------------------------------------- Message by Paul Romhany I am currently enroute back to Canada, just sitting here for eleven hours in Argentina then have a flight tonight to NY at 11.25pm then up to Canada with a few more flights. I always say we don't get paid for the show, but for the travel. Ricki Dunn once told me that business is all about waiting - you wait for the pay cheque, you wait to go on stage, you wait for the plane etc. etc. This is so true!! It was a very interesting week and I met some wonderful passengers. This particular cruise line I work for is the most expensive and highest end cruise line out there. The passengers are all fantastic and I enjoyed dinner with a few of them. You just never know who you are going to meet. I had a very interesting discussion with one of the guys who set up PAYPAL - what an amazing story that is. We talked for hours about the internet and where it will head in the future. He even told me some of the projects he is currently working on and it's going to revolutionise the internet. They haven't even touched the surface with the internet yet. A really fascinating man and great to talk to - I learned so much about the internet and where it will probably be heading. For somebody to actually sit down and talk to this chap you'd have to pay big bucks - I was fortunate he and his lovely wife were on the cruise. Very inspiring indeed. I look at what magicians are doing on the net and can see where the future will probably head towards - I also see that there is a long way to go. We are only limited by our imaginations. As he told me, you've got to have 'i-balls'. The shows went well; the stage manager was great and really did a fantastic job with my show. It makes such a difference when you have somebody who knows exactly what they are doing and goes that little bit extra to make your show stand out. I always tell them that it's a piece of theater and treat it like that - not just like they would any other magic show. I have a lot of video cues and he really nailed it. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting with Bazar de Magia - what a wonderful time I had and what friendly people. They showed me around the shop and we went through some of their amazing products. I was very impressed with the quality of their magic and I ended up purchasing Fitopit (the Fito Pavese´s Topit). I have to tell you, I've seen a lot of Toppits and even have one myself, but this one has some unique touches and it brilliant!! If you have thought about using a Toppit then you will definitely want to get this. What I liked about this version is that you can just attach it to any jacket, no sewing required, and in particular NO MORE having to lean forward to open your jacket. If you already own a Toppit or are looking to add one to your jacket, get this!! It's the best I've seen in a long time. This version is based on the original by Pat Page but has some really great improvements. I was also fortunate to be shown (and purchased as soon as I saw it) a wonderful rose production and color change. This is a really novel idea and will be on the international market very soon. It was great to be able to see this and be one of the first to purchase it. I am sure that Hocus-Pocus will be carrying these items very soon, if they don't already. Just visit www.hocus-pocus.com or email sales@hocus-pocus.com to ask about either of the items above. No photos this week and I am keeping the BLOG short as I'm traveling. One of the joys of working on ships!! I will be traveling for two days before getting home. Finally, my heart goes out to everybody in Australia - I've been watching the horror unfold on Television while in South America and feel for everybody. I will be on tour around Australia in April so if you are an Ozzy and reading this email me and I can let you know where I'll be. I might even try and hook up a lecture while I'm there. Until next week -------------------------------------------- 8. The Australian Institute of Magic Bushfire Appeal Show -------------------------------------------- Message by Peter Prevos (Aust) The Australian Institute of Magic Bushfire Appeal Show Two Performances - 7pm & 9pm Saturday March 14 Join some of Australia's top magicians as they donate their time and talents to show their support for the victims of the Victorian Bushfires in their time of desperate need. All of these magicians have been touched directly and indirectly by the tragedy, and Ricki Ozimo is still defending his home at St Andrews. For more information go to www.AustralianInstituteOfMagic.org All tickets $25 - 100% of proceeds go directly to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal to purchase tickets please go here http://www.northcotetownhall.com.au/page/page.asp?page_Id=204 On the bill (so far) are: Nicholas Johnson (MC) Leaves for the UK the next day Tom Stevens Tim Ellis Sue-Anne Webster Lee Cohen Anthony DeMasi Les Cohen Rex Reeve Michael Sullivan Brendan Croft Enzo Ficco Ashley Barnett Jason Varga Cosentino David Jones If these two shows sell out, we'll be adding more shows as we hope to raise at least $5000 -------------------------------------------- 9. Magic Cruise 2009 - Special Pricing Ends This Week! -------------------------------------------- Message by David Sandy, President David Sandy Productions, Inc. Hello Fellow Magic Lovers! Many magicians and magic fans are already "on board" for MAGIC CRUISE 2009! We have only a few cabins left... however, the bad news is this... the deadline to join us at our current package rates is this Friday (February 13). What this means is this... our package prices as listed on the website ( www.davidsandyproductions.com/magiccruise.htm) are based on group rates we are guaranteed from Carnival. After this Friday, our cruise rates from Carnival are no longer guaranteed for our group and could possibly change. This could impact the total package price for the entire event. The longer you wait, the more expensive it could be. So, if you're thinking about joining us for this incredible event, you really should reserve your cabin with Joanne Weeks (joannew@cruiseholidayskc.com or 816-741-7417) before this Friday, February 13. This will insure that you get the best total package price. Keep in mind that the Magic Cruise 2009 package price includes more than just the Carnival Cruise itself... it also includes ALL of the magic-themed programming produced exclusively for Magic Cruise 2009 participants. This includes receptions, workshops/seminars, special interest groups, stage shows, comedy shows, cabaret shows, close-up shows, games, open sessions, etc. Plus, you also get the night-before Pre-Cruise party on Saturday, May 2 at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel in Miami. Any magic-enthusiasts on-board the ship, but not registered with the Magic Cruise 2009 group, will not be permitted to join us for the magic fun, activities and fellowship. The Magic Cruise 2009 events will be open ONLY to persons who are officially registered with our group. Let me encourage you to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime magical trip. You'll join more than a hundred magicians and magic-lovers for some of the best magical fun you've ever had... I guarantee it! Those who know me personally know that I work very, very hard to make sure everyone has an amazing experience... and this event is no exception. This 7-day Caribbean Cruise departs from Miami and includes beautiful ports of call in the Cayman Island, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Cozumel. In addition to Jeff McBride, Mike Caveney, John Carney, Kerry Pollock, John Shryock & MariLynn, Dave Kaplan, Tina Lenert, Jon Armstrong, Les Arnold & Dazzle, and myself... you'll see magic and rub elbows with some great surprise guests! Sooo... with all of that said, if you'd like to combine an incredible vacation with a truly out-of-the-ordinary magical experience, don't put it off any longer! Contact Joanne Weeks at (816) 741-7417 or (800) 869-6806 or via email at joannew@cruiseholidayskc.com before this Friday. IMPORTANT: If you just can't make a final decision before Friday... don't despair... we can more than likely still get you into the group... it just could be at an increased price as we no longer will have the guaranteed package group rates from Carnival. Thanks so much for reading this lengthy posting... I hope to see you on Magic Cruise 2009!!! -------------------------------------------- 10. Marc DeSouza's "The Chain Gang" -------------------------------------------- Message by Gary Michaels (US) A few weeks ago I bought Marc DeSouza's "The Chain Gang" - Marc's highly-entertaining and extremely detailed version of the "Fast and Loose" or "Endless Chain" gambling/swindle effect (with lengthy source credits). Marc released this in 2000 through the esteemed Camirand Academy of Magic, and is still available from them (many other reputable dealers carry it as well - do a Google search if interested). But that's not why I'm writing. In the extensive 45-minute video, Marc uses six $500 casino chips, which are not included. "No problem," I thought. "Surely cancelled casino chips are widely available, with the number of casinos closing to make room for even larger ones." An eBay search on "$500 casino chip" returned lots of chips - at unbelievable prices! I mean $20 - $1,000 (USD)! I asked several of the eBay sellers who I should go to for six identical, decent condition chips, as I'd only paid $25 or so for the effect. One of them referred me to a fellow named Jim Shaffer. Jim owns a company called "The Chip Room," which sells all sorts of casino chips at ridiculously low prices. Because gambling-themed effects are very popular right now, especially those using casino chips (just ask Joe Porper), and as a lot of your readers are also inventors, manufacturers and otherwise creative folks I thought I'd pass this along to you. The chips I really liked were the very colorful ones which are commemorative Dunes Hotel and Casino chips. The Dunes was imploded in 1993-94 to make room for The Bellagio. Here's what Jim's site says: "Dunes Hotel and Casino: One of the most infamous Casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. The Chip Room has an exclusive Licensing Agreement to produce commemorative chips from the historic Las Vegas landmark. The Dunes Commemorative Chips feature the same house mold, color combinations and inlay artwork used on the actual casino chips. These chips are the most exacting casino replicas in the market today! Not only do these chips look like the originals, but they feel and sound like them too. The Dunes Commemorative Chips are made using a 100% clay composite material. The chip size and weight is the same 9.5g weight and 39mm used at most casinos today. All chips also feature a casino favorite tri-color edge spot." The amazing thing is that he sells these chips for 32 CENTS (USD)! They're available in denominations of 25˘, 50˘, $1, $5, $25, $100, $500, $1000, $5000 and $25000! I'm not involved with Jim in any way but if you mention my name I'd appreciate it, because I told him I'd be passing his name along to several thousand magicians - and due to my cancer he gave me an even better deal :) Jim's site is http://www.thechiproom.com/ Again, he also sells chips from some other casinos, including the Desert Palms. You can reach him at: ameralivonia@mich.com (his personal email) jim@thechiproom.com (work) Thanks as always for all that you do! ~Gary Michaels gary@gary-michaels.com http://gary-michaels.com/collection.html http://gary-michaels.com/kirk.html -------------------------------------------- 11. Use Coupon Code: FANVIP09 -------------------------------------------- Message by Jim Fantasma Magic 421 7th Avenue - 2nd Floor New York, NY 10001 212 244-3633 Please visit our website to see the latest magic items. www.Fantasmamagic.com Check out our Fantasma Digital Downloads (FDD's) See the very best in magic perform the very best! Use Coupon Code: FANVIP09 and get $2.99 off any and all downloads if purchased separately! -------------------------------------------- 12. Solyl Kundu at The Magic Castle -------------------------------------------- Message by Solyl Kundu (India) Solyl Kundu, The Magical Entertainer of Kolkata, India, will appear in the Palace of Mystery of the Magic Castle from July 13 through July 19, 2009. Also, he will lecture and partake in his magic on the afternoon of Sunday, July 19. Please stop in and visit Solyl Kundu if you are in the Hollywood area during that time. -------------------------------------------- 13. Fantasma Ring 257 Auction/Flea Market -------------------------------------------- Message by John McClenahan Attention All Magicians Fantasma Ring 257 will hold its annual auction/flea market on March 4, 2009, at The Orleans Hotel/Casino starting at 7:00 PM. Viewing of items will begin at 6 PM. This is a great opportunity to get rid of some of those magic tricks, books, DVD's, CD's, posters, and magazines taking up space in your house, provide you with a bit of extra money or to pick up something at a great price. Everyone is welcome to sell or purchase items. No charge for admittance. Complete procedures for the auction can be found on our web page, IBM 257.com or contacting John McClenahan, at doctormagiclv@embarqmail.com or 702-395-3856. -------------------------------------------- 14. Camirand Magic -------------------------------------------- Message by Guy D. Camirand Camirand Académie de Magie, Inc. Over the year we have produce many books, educational videos and magic tricks. We recently produce a DVD with French Magician DURATY on the subject of linking and unlinking cords, the interest in this type of magic is that this can be presented close-up and stage when using the UV luminescent Cord supplied with the DVD. Here is a link to view a video Demo of the DVD. http://www.camirandmagic.com/video/rt_040_video/rt_040_movie.html We encourage your reader if interested to buy this item from a magic Dealer in their country, Camirand Academy products are available from many dealers throughout the world. -- Guy D. Camirand Camirand Académie de Magie, inc. Camirand Academy of Magic inc. C.P. 269, Succ "A". Longueuil, QC, J4H 3X6 Canada Phone: 450-670-6026 Fax: 450-670-6131 Web URL http://www.camirandmagic.com -------------------------------------------- 15. TV Show "Lost" -------------------------------------------- Message by Glen Bailey Just a note to say ABC released the announcement for the TV Show "Lost" to be shown in the United States on Wednesday Feb 18, 2009. I will be playing the part of a Magician in the series that night. Shot it last November. That is all I can say for now. If you Google Magician Glen Bailey you will see a few of the magic blogs have picked up on it. Enjoy the show. -------------------------------------------- 16. Stan Kramien's Magic Jamboree -------------------------------------------- Message by Stan Kramien's (US) It's time again for our annual Magic Jamboree,, our 22nd. We have been referred to as the Magic Woodstock where you mingle with the stars. Please go to our all new webpage: www.magicjamboree.com you will love all the pictures and perhaps you will sign up to come to this FUN event. Stan Kramien Newberg Oregon is just a few miles from Portland Oregon PDX. -------------------------------------------- 17. PJ Campagna Getting Married -------------------------------------------- Message by Robert Clackson Many of you know PJ Campagna (Ed and Teri's Daughter) from the SAM and TAOM Conventions. I received an announcement in today's mail P.J. is getting married to Shon Corrier April 4th. Cards should be sent to Campagna & Courrier 16211 Shady Elms Dr Houston 77059. -------------------------------------------- 18. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.Alan-Watson.com Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 19. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.Alan-Watson.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2009 Alan Watson