* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #883 Date: Sunday 04th December 2011 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Inferno At The Magic Castle 3. TV Show About Harry Houdini And Arthur Conan-Doyle 4. Remarkable Magic. #12 - Nick Lewin 5. When Does The Show Start? - #236 - Kyle Peron 6. Tony Brook In Conversation With Ray Parker #4 7. Magic Show Scam Follow-Up 8. Punch And Judy - The Battling Hand Puppets 9. Magicians On Screen At Museum 10. The Vegas Magic Theatre 11. Magic In The Rockies Annual EBay Sale 12. 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention 2012 13. e-zine Archives 14. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Someone has hacked into Kyle & Kelly Peron's mail address list and sent out a scam message asking for money saying they were mugged at the park of the hotel where they were staying in Manila, Philippines. This is a SCAM and please don't sent any money just delete the message. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: Editor@MagicNewZealand.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Inferno At The Magic Castle --------------------------------------------- Published with the permission of Milt Larsen (US) Hot News From Milt Larsen The evening of October 31, 2011 was supposed to be the finale of our week long celebration of that wacky magical time of the year called "Halloween." The stage was set and the revelers enjoyed the idea of "going to hell" in Dante's Inferno. It was a tribute to the events staff and the designs of the Late Joe Hoffman. Everything went exactly as planned EXCEPT - that afternoon a smoldering fire erupted into a blaze within the walls of a third floor office and quickly spread to the attic. Thanks to the quick action of our staff the 911 call was made and the building was evacuated. No one was injured. An army of firefighters appeared on the scene within minutes and the fire sprinklers helped suppress the blaze. It was a tragic turn of events but we rejoice in the fact that it could have been much worse. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Hollywood Los Angeles firefighters damage to the priceless art and artifacts was limited. Instead of enjoying a Halloween party West McDonough, representing the property owners; V.P. Erika Larsen, representing the AMA; and Dale Hindman, representing MCI took charge along with immediate volunteers, longtime manager/security expert Jim Bentley, Michael Gutenplan and Tiffany Hindman. They all worked into the wee hours trying to dry off and save our collection of glass lanternslides that formed the top of the Irma Bar. The next day a half hundred specialists appeared to start the gargantuan task of drying out our 100-year-old historic monument mansion. Fire restoration is their job and we applaud their speedy and professional efforts. "Drying out" is not a simple matter. In certain cases walls and ceiling had to be demolished. For example, the Dante Room located on the floor beneath the office where the fire originated is now sans plaster walls and ceiling. Without going into further detail I can only say that the restoration process is a long and complicated one. All aspects of the fire and water damage must be approved by the various city and county agencies. The miles of "knob and tube" wiring that was legal in 1910 must be replaced meeting today's electrical wiring codes etc The AMA Board has appointed Jim Bentley as Restoration Project Manager and he has been doing an incredible job dealing with the daily problems that arise in a project of this magnitude. Others will be writing about the progress and thanking the hundreds of people that are working toward the goals of getting our Magic Castle back in full operation. That will not happen until the City gives us a final notice of occupancy. From a personal standpoint, it was a strange and eerie feeling walking into the main lounge of the Castle after the drying out process reached an end. It was just 50 years ago that I walked into the grand hall of the Lane Mansion to view a bare room with salt and pepper Zolotone walls that would be my do-ityourself challenge for the next half century. Walking through the now empty rooms of the Castle brought back memories of the dozens of artists and craftsmen that have contributed their talents over the years creating the physical showcase for magicians to display their art. Although it is sad to see the damage caused by the fire and water it is exciting to think of the opportunity the tragic event has provided to open the door for a more beautiful and more effective club for the future. Bringing the Castle "up to code" will be time consuming and certainly inconvenient to our members and their guests. But the next weeks of restoration will be another exciting challenge for everyone involved. We have about 4,000 active members who are willing to roll up their sleeves physically and financially to propel us into our second half century. Personally I feel like the kid I was 50 years ago. It is an exciting time in the history of our club. Thanks for your understanding and support. ------------------------------------------- 3. TV Show About Harry Houdini And Arthur Conan-Doyle -------------------------------------------- Message by Steve Valentine (US) Hey thought you might like to know that I've been developing a scripted TV show with the SyFy network about the relationship between Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan-Doyle. Kind of an X files of the 1920's. The show was dropped a month ago by syfy and in an unheard of trajectory it has been picked up for development by NBC. And be in contention for pilots in January. Should be an amazing project. It is being written by myself and Paul Chart (Children of Men) and is based on a graphic novel we created with artist Daniel Frey. Fingers crossed! -------------------------------------------- 4. Remarkable Magic. #12 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) Texture and dynamics. I have been having fun for the last couple of weeks talking about some magical disasters. I have had some great emails with stories that will be appearing in future issues. Thank you all for your input, I've had a bunch of laughs and many of them really hit close to home! This week I want to discuss something a little more abstract and seldom discussed in magical literature, 'Texture and dynamics.' They are to my mind two of the most powerful (and underused) tools at an entertainer's disposal. They are the subtle and hardest to describe way to improve any magic act. While they can't make a bad act, these two elements can definitely make a good act better and a great act brilliant. You can't buy them in a magic shop and you can only add them to your performance with careful thought and visualization. Let's look at the definitions from the dictionary in my trusty MacBook Pro. Texture The feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance: skin texture and tone | the cheese is firm in texture | the different colors and textures of bark. . the character or appearance of a textile fabric as determined by the arrangement and thickness of its threads: a dark shirt of rough texture. . Art - the tactile quality of the surface of a work of art. . the quality created by the combination of the different elements in a work of music or literature: a closely knit symphonic texture. Dynamics 1 the forces or properties that stimulate growth, development, or change within a system or process: the dynamics of changing social relations. 2 Music, the varying levels of volume of sound in different parts of a musical performance. These are very 'dictionary' definitions but they deserve to be studied rather carefully and then re-applied to the field of effectively presenting magic. If you wanted to define them in the contemporary vernacular you might be tempted to redefine it as 'Mix it up a bit!' Sometimes I watch a magic act and I am deeply impressed by the seamless way that it blends into one unit. This is particularly the case with an 8-minute manipulative act, with 8 minutes the need for unity and consistence of tone can create a very strong effect. When a show gets longer or involves definitely separate tricks linked together then it becomes more problematic. It is necessary to change the pacing, approach and nature of the sequence of tricks you are presenting, i.e. texture and dynamics. This is how you hold and build the attention of your audience. Here are some key points to think about as you mentally dissect your show, Have I varied the length of the tricks in my show? Do they all run about the same length of time or have I mixed shorter tricks and longer tricks together in order to maximize the focal point of my audience's attention? Have I interspersed enough humor (even in a serious show) to maintain the interest of observers who might be a little less sold on the "I am the Great Thoughtini, and I can read your mind!' approach than you are. Have I allowed the structure of my show to move from concentrated attention on something small to something big, in order to allow the element of focus and size affect an influence on the interest of my audience. I could add greatly to this list if I had more space, however, I suspect that it will do more good to think about these gentle hints and apply them in an existential manner to your specific show. If it all sounds a little (to use that glorious Aussie/Kiwi term) 'Artsy Fartsy", then just go back to my secondary definition and theory - 'Mix it Up!' I still have about a third of my limited edition Linking Finger Ring book/packages available, for pre-purchase information email me at nicklewin1@mac.com -------------------------------------------- 5. Take Nothing For Granted - #236 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com As many of you know I started losing my hearing at the age of 8 or 9. It got progressively worse as the years went on. I can't tell you how often I was picked on as a child, tormented or made fun of simply because I was "different." The countless hours by myself and the fear of being in the spotlight just to be made fun of again. Magic was my escape from it all. When I performed I was suddenly just a kid again. I was not a kid with a handicap. In many ways magic was my "magic." Magic made me feel good about myself instead of feeling sorry for myself. Magic was my escape into a world which I had control over. Just recently I received my first ever digital hearing aids. I cannot begin to tell you how this has changed my life. How "magical" the entire experience has become. It is the simple sounds we take for granted that I enjoy the most. I actually stood outside a few weeks ago listening to rain. RAIN. lol I mean it's only rain but to me it was not only a sound I never heard, but was a symphony. I stood on the deck and just got lost in time. What a magical experience. I felt like a kid at Christmas. Just standing there with a tear down my cheek. Imagine never having heard rain. Never knowing it even made noise before? Pretty amazing world we live in. NEVER take things for granted. We are all given so many gifts. This past weekend, I saw a movie for the very first time with digital hearing aids. I never realized just how amazing sound can have on the impact and feeling of a movie. Sure I had heard the movies before, but never really understood a lot of it, missed parts of it and relied on lip reading for a great deal of it. What surprised me the most was just the sounds around me. A kid whispered into his father's ear, "I love the Muppets. Thanks Daddy!". The sound of a hand going into a popcorn bag was majestic. Then the surround sound I finally could pick up for the first time. How startled I was when I heard noises behind my head and I understood them. I mean a movies visual appeal always intrigued me. But the emotional connection to the sound that goes with it....that was magical. Really magical. I never ever knew that my own footsteps made noise. I heard a cricket for the very first time in 42 years of my life and I was held speechless. I sat on a bench the other day just listening to a leaf blowing across the concrete path and it was so magical to me. It is as if someone pushed a button and suddenly the word has opened up to me to enjoy. I am experiencing sounds I have never heard in my life before. Every day has been an adventure of discovery and I am so eternally grateful. As entertainers, we too often take so much for granted. We tend to forget that what we have is a gift. It is a gift that can make others smile, laugh and forget about their problems for a while. We have the power to make a difference in the life of another. Too often we get hung up on feeling tired, worried about finances, frustrated with traffic etc. etc. So much of the time we spend not giving 100% effort to every show we do and 100% customer service to every client we perform for. Being a magician is an honor and a privilege. Maybe my hearing has made me more tuned into being grateful for what I now have. All I know is every time that I go out there and perform, I smile knowing I am damn lucky to be doing what I do. I will never, ever take that for granted. 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. - "Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to Working The Scout Market!" is now available as a soft cover printed book as well as an ebook download. http://kpmagicproducts.com/Blue_and_Gold.html - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://kpmagicproducts.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://kpmagicproducts.com/Chairs.html -------------------------------------------- 6. Tony Brook In Conversation With Ray Parker #4 -------------------------------------------- Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA ADB: The Mad Hatter has drawn some compliments from Royalty .. RP: Yes indeed Tony. I am very proud of that. It was in that year I began to work Fairs and Exhibitions and for many years summer and fall I toured Canada. When working the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in 1991, I was standing in a reception line for Sarah, Duchess of York (Fergie) and as she reached me she pointed and said "Nice Hat" a comment I often hear but not one I expected from a duchess. ADB: Speaking of Royalty .you have performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. RP: Yes Tony. I am also very proud of that. Honestly who wouldn't be? That was as my Town Crier character. ADB: Another of your characters that I love .. RP: Thank you Tony. I have appeared as Town Crier at numerous events, including greeting Queen Elizabeth the Second on her Jubilee Year visit to Victoria. I am proud to say I am an Official Town Crier and member of the Pacific Northwest Company of Town Criers. ADB: That character is also in great demand . RP: Yes Tony, I am glad to say that it is in great demand, and I have competed in world championships, appeared in TV programs, and the character is rated as one of the top town criers around the world. In my second year as a member of Victoria Magic Circle, the then President Tony Eng, appointed me the official Town crier of Victoria Magic Circle and I have made declarations of magic events since then in The USA, Australia, The UK and Canada. In October 2011, I performed this duty in Anacortes, Washington announcing the tri-city magic convention. ADB: Let me take you back briefly to the early years. You told us a bit about your beginnings as an infant and toddler ... share some other childhood memories please. RP: I'd be happy to Tony. When I was eleven I moved to Church of England Senior Mixed School and was soon invited to join the choir. The following December I was asked by my teacher Miss Jessie Simmonds to participate in a Christmas concert and volunteered to put on a Punch and Judy puppet show. I created the puppets, built the Punch and Judy booth and wrote the script. At rehearsals for the show I showed the latest puppet creations and demonstrated the voices I would use. Often offering advice to other performers on ways to improve their performances, using knowledge I had gained from my attendances at variety shows. Miss Simmonds finally asked me where I had got all these ideas from and I explained about the theater and movies. The show was such a success she recruited me to help put on a monthly series of shows at the local Institute to raise funds for the Armed Forces Comfort Fund, which provided parcels for the troops fighting in World War 2. I wrote scripts, decided to perform on the shows as a comedian, persuading my pal Lew Worrall to become my partner. Copying a number of acts I had watched professional comedians perform, I wrote scripts based on a comedy interruption theme, where Lew would begin to perform a serious poem and I would stop him to ask funny questions. After the punch-line, he would always angrily remark, "I don't wish to know that." End of Part 4 -------------------------------------------- 7. Magic Show Scam Follow-Up -------------------------------------------- Message by Ben Robinson (US) In response to my article about the attempt to scam me by sending me a big check in a Fed X envelope, I received word from the following magicians I'd like to thank: Jack Poulter Danny Orleans Paul Daniels John Chappell James Croop All informed me that the next step was that after the "client" sent me a check for nearly three times my fee, that they would realize their "mistake" and ask that I refund the difference, in this case, about $1800. My check would have been good, theirs bad, and I would have been out the money I'd sent them, plus fees for depositing a bad check, not to mention, in the most extreme case, travel to a place I'd purchased airline tickets to do a magic show for underprivileged kids. Given that most people do not keep a running check book balance and given that out of state checks take 3-5 days to clear, by the time the thieves had my good check, they would have had their check returned to me (in a matter of 2 weeks sometimes) and only then would I have realized theirs was not good, and this would have been AFTER I had purchased airplane tickets to Binghamton, New York to entertain children supposedly afflicted with polio. I spent about 3 hours checking on flights with my travel (agent wasting his time), and then calling my management to reschedule a rehearsal for a TV show I am doing, and a club show I am doing the very next day. Luckily, my travel agent has worked with me for nearly 20 years, has seen me appear at a variety of venues and knows my life on the run, read my books; so he just concluded this was another "good story." I am not as sympathetic. While I did extend my "in city" rate to a doctor who lied to me that he was in Kabul, Afghanistan fighting the disease, and that he was doing his best to help these children further by bringing in a world-class magician to entertain these children at Christmastime. I don't have more time to spend on this, but I do want to alert others that if someone contacts you with a sad story, ALWAYS make sure that the check is good before you process it, as there are high fees to pay for taking up the bank's time! In my case, this entire scam could have cost me nearly $2,000! As the climate of difficulty enters the world economy, it seems that there are ruthless types out there that think nothing of inconveniencing an artist who was willing to extend his time, talent and life to actually help others. My reward would have been exhaustion, frustration, anxiety and potentially traveling to an airport waiting to be picked up by a party that was laughing at me somewhere in Romania, having taken me for 2 grand < horrible. -------------------------------------------- 8. Punch And Judy - The Battling Hand Puppets -------------------------------------------- Message by David Hira Dallas, Texas - U.S.A. Punch and Judy, the beloved play that has been performed every day somewhere in the world since the 1600s has rich traditions for the puppeteer. For instance: Punch is the only puppet that may be on the right hand, all others are performed with the left hand. Punch & Judy must travel/be stored in their own case. All other puppets must travel in another. Before one opens the case with Punch & Judy one must first "knock" out of respect for the puppets. How wonderful! My personal set has been on display in my home for the past 12 years. See it here: http://youtu.be/iterZM7p4PQ You can own this very set as I have put it up for sale on and EBay auction. Lots of goodies are included with the set. Read more about here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200681627788&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1156 Thanks for taking a look! ------------------------------------------- 9. Magicians On Screen At Museum -------------------------------------------- Message by Ben Robinson (US) Magicians On Screen At Museum Of The Moving Image Astoria, New York (New York City) Opens December 10 Runs Through January 1, 2012 I am delighted to report that a formal proposal I made to the Museum of the moving image in the 1980's was green-lighted for execution in November of 2010. On December 10th my show opens the gala exhibition of 112 years of magicians on film TV, on screen, behind the camera and as creator of special f/x for the movies. December 10th, Matthew Solomon gives a lecture on Georges Melies and other pioneers who helped create the cinema's first special effects. At 4:30pm my new show will commence including levitation, animation and an automaton not seen since the days of Melies. (BTW, this entire exhibit is supporting the sensational new film HUGO by Martin Scorsese from the Brian Selznick illustrated 540-page novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret.) Following my show, at 5:30pm, Houdini takes to the screen in Haldane of the Secret Service. (Yes, I am honored to be Houdini's opening act.) December 17th, I will present 40 years of research in a very visual lecture/performance titled MAGIC & THE SILENT CLOWNS. My new book by the same name will also be offered for sale at that time. Very rare films provided by the family of the Marx Brothers and others connected with Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd will be presented. December 18th I will introduce The Festival of Magic hosted by Ernie Kovacs. Broadcast live to over 33 million people in 1957, and created by Milbourne Christopher (my teacher), the show features Robert Harbin, June Merlin, Rene Septembre, Sorcar, Milbourne Christopher doing a bullet catch, and the immortal Cardini in his only TV appearance doing his full act. The copy we present was prepared especially by the George Eastman House. I own the stage plots and actual script of the broadcast and will present heretofore unknown details of this production in my short introduction. The Museum booklet of October 1, 2011 - January 2, 2012 is a very nice chronicle of the exhibition and sure to be a collector's item in the future concerning this show. I have been working all year on this exhibition which includes 20 films and TV shows that include, among many others, Orson Welles, Mark Wilson and family, Laurel and Hardy, Mickey Mouse, The Wizard of Gore and The Prestige. The entire exhibit was created by Guest Curator JoAnn Hanley (whom I worked closely with all year) and Chief Curator David Schwartz. For a full schedule, please go to: http://www.movingimage.us. Or call: 718-777-6888 for show times. Subway directions are very easy in New York City: Take the "R" train to Steinway Street in Queens and then walk a mere 5 blocks. The admission is $12 for adults and all showings are free with admission to the museum. For more information go to: http://www.movingimage.us/files/pages/about/Magicians_on_screen_2011-11-22.pdf -------------------------------------------- 10. The Vegas Magic Theatre -------------------------------------------- Message by Paul Stone (US) The Vegas Magic Theatre opened its doors on 3rd November at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, located conveniently next door to the RIO and just off the Las Vegas Strip. The shows are on Thursday - Sunday at 7pm with two shows on Saturday at 5pm & 7.30pm. Vegas Magic Theatre is different from any other magic show in Las Vegas. The Showroom is an intimate 250 seater Cabaret style room with a good sized stage and excellent sound & lighting. It is perfect for Illusions, Parlour Magic and Stand up performers. The comfortable Magic Lounge, complete with Bar, sofas and cocktail tables offers pre-show entertainment including Close-up Magic, Tarot Card Readers and other surprises, and is open an hour before ShowTime. The Vegas Magic Theatre presents a brand new show every week and stars the best Magicians and 'Spec' Acts from across USA and around the world. Performers already featured are Fielding West, Mike Douglas, Dimmare, Andrew Goldenhersh and Jon Armstrong, and the line-up of talent appearing in the next few months include Christopher Hart, Scott Alexander, Murray, Keith Fields, Graham P. Jolley, Jay Alexander, Farrell Dillon, Michael Goudeau and Jeff Hobson. The Show is hosted by Ben Stone, who is increasingly making a name for himself with his superb singing voice and commercial magic. At just $14.95 which includes both the pre-show entertainment and the Vegas Magic Theatre Show, it is undoubtedly one of the best value Magic Shows in Las Vegas! Also taking place at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino is Innovention 2012 from 30th September - October 3rd. Once again limited to just 275 people, this unique high quality and intimate Convention is unlike ANY other Magic Convention, and the line-up will be outstanding. Many of those who attended the first Innovention in 2010 have already registered including several from UK. Don't take our word for it, ask anyone who was at the first Innovention Convention. Spaces are filling up fast, and the special $50 discount offer is only available until 31st December. For full details and to register, contact info@innovention2012 ------------------------------------------- 11. Magic In The Rockies Annual Ebay Sale -------------------------------------------- Message by Lloyd Worley Colorado Deputy SAM Great magic at great prices! Magic in the Rockies is holding its annual fundraiser on eBay. Just go to eBay and enter: MITR2011 All items being offered will appear! 100% of funds go to Magic in the Rockies for next year's convention. Just take a look at the great magic being offered! -------------------------------------------- 12. 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention 2012 -------------------------------------------- Labour Weekend 2012 (19 October to 22 October 2012) in Christchurch, New Zealand We have four headliners confirmed Nick Lewin, Mark Mason, Ken Scott and the Gillam family. Convention registration is now open and you can download it from http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7578/registration%20form.pdf Competition forms can be downloaded from http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7848/competitions1.pdf For full information go to: http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7626/christchurch%20nz%20labour%20weekend.pdf -------------------------------------------- 13. 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) -------------------------------------------- 14. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at: www.magicnewzealand.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2011 Alan Watson www.magicnewzealand.com www.facebook.com/magicnewzealandnewsflash http://twitter.com/#!/magicnewzealand www.watson.co.nz www.corporatemagic.co.nz www.magician.co.nz www.magicianz.com www.balloon-twister.co.nz