* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #894 Date: Sunday 29th January 2012 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi [first name] here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Convention Update - The Society of American Magicians 3. Review Of The Illusionists At The Sydney Opera House 4. Shawn Farquhar Named "Dean" 5. Remarkable Magic. #17 - Nick Lewin 6. It's Not Fair - #241 - Kyle Peron 7. Tony Brook in Conversation with Ray Parker #4 8. February Issue Of Genii 9. Genii's 75th Anniversary Birthday Bash 10. Las Vegas Magic - February, 2012 11. Korean Champion Magicians Coming To Melbourne 12. Comedy And Cleverness At Blackpool 13. M1M Festival - The Countdown Is On! 14. Mystery School Monday Celebrates First Anniversary Online 15. Alan Sands February Lecture Tour 16. IBM British Ring Convention News 17. Magic - Become A Magician - For Children 18. The Hunt For The Next Celebrity Magician Is On! 19. Magicana Magazine February/March 2012 20. 31st New Zealand International Magicians Convention 2012 21. e-zine Archives 22. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTICE I was inundated with messages last week from subscribes saying that they had not received last week's issue of Magic New Zealand. Upon investigation I found out that my ISP had made major changes to their mail server and their mail list policy. Problem being is they did not notify their customers of the changes! Because the majority of the subscribers didn't receive last week's issue of Magic New Zealand I decided to republish messages from Nick Lewin, Tony Brook, and a number of the other items I thought would still be of interest. Back to normal next week - fingers crossed. Remember [first name] if you have any magic news drop me a line: Editor@MagicNewZealand.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Convention Update - The Society of American Magicians --------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Convention Update - The Society of American Magicians Registration fees for the Las Vegas Convention (July 23-26) will go up February 1st. Now is the time to reserve and save money. Remember you get tickets for the David Copperfield and Mac King shows as part of the package. See www.magicsam.com for details and the complete line up of stars. Contest information is on line. Each year, winners and runners up get bookings from venues around the world. Many of today's great stars have appeared at our conventions first. http://www.magicsam.com/SAM2012/index.asp for details. The Society of Young Magicians "Stars of Tomorrow" show is now looking for young stage performers plus "Walk-Around" close-up performers. (Ages 7-17 years) Details at http://www.magicsym.com/sot.asp . This has to be the "event" of the year at the Golden Nugget whose unbelievable low rates will allow you to save some bucks for the dealers. (Magic of course) -------------------------------------------- 3. Review Of The Illusionists At The Sydney Opera House --------------------------------------------- Message by Kevin James (US) The Telegraph Relish the art of deception with The Illusionists. Unsurprisingly, there are many magic moments in The Illusionists. It is, after all, an ensemble show featuring five magicians, one mentalist and one escapologist. But the most magic moment of all lay in one gorgeous illusion involving an audience volunteer in the form of a young girl, who found she was able to levitate a paper rose. For the full article go to: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/specials/sydney-festival/relish-the-art-of-deception-with-the-illusionists/story-fn7fmlou-1226246732298 ------------------------------------------- 4. Shawn Farquhar Named "Dean" -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Vancouver, Canada - January 13, 2012-- At the Annual Society of American Magicians , Assembly #95 Awards Banquet held in Vancouver, Canada, Shawn Farquhar, Assembly Founder , first Assembly president and former RVP in Canada, was inducted by Assembly President Lon Mandrake as the very first Dean of The Carl Hemeon Assembly. #95 Farquhar proudly accepted a beautiful plaque from President Mandrake on behalf of the Assembly to mark this auspicious occasion in front of 200 guests. As part of this historic event, Rod Chow, Regional Vice-President of Canada, on behalf of Most Illustrious S.A.M. National President, Vinny Grosso, had the privilege of presenting an esteemed S.A.M. National Presidential Citation to New Assembly #95 Dean Shawn Farquhar: "For his contributions to the Society of American Magicians on a National level and locally with the Carl Hemeon Assembly #95 in Vancouver, Canada. For his election by his compeers as the first Dean of Assembly #95, the highest honor an assembly can bestow. He is a great source of pride to all who know him as he epitomizes our motto Magic Unity Might." New Dean Farquhar was sincerely surprised, appreciative and humbled to accept the honor of Dean, and to receive a citation signed by Vinny Grosso, National President of The Society of American Magicians. Farquhar becomes the first magician to have ever been presented a National Presidential Citation in Canada. -------------------------------------------- 5. Remarkable Magic. #17 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) Manners make the magician. This is a column that shouldn't need to be written so obviously I am going to do it anyhow! I am often amazed at how little class magicians show the audience members who assist them during their show. While this isn't a gigantic epidemic, it is really ugly when it arises. Every now and then you see a magician treat an audience member in a dismissive manner that really borders on insulting. Let's put this in perspective, I consider giving them insufficient instructions about what they are supposed to be doing onstage is definitely high on this list. It ain't right. When someone is removed from their seat in the cozy dark of the audience and thrust into the brightly lit stage environment they need to be paid attention to. You don't need to handle them with kid gloves but you should certainly have the courtesy to look at them and talk to them and not use them as unpaid props. The confusion that can result from dropping the assistant unexpectedly in the middle of things and allowing very natural tentativeness and their lack of awareness of what's going to happen and what their role is supposed to be, should not be used to garner a single solitary laugh. Act classy and the crowd will assume (even if totally mistakenly) that you are classy---- it's money in the bank to a smart performer actually. You shouldn't bully an assistant by repeatedly harassing them about whether the ball is under the cup or in your pocket. The damn thing is a Chop Cup and the ball is where ever you want it to be! Are they there as a genuine representative of the audience or as a butt for laughter from the rest of the audience---who are just delighted it isn't them up there! If ever there was a moment to clear out any hack lines from your presentation it is when they are directed at an audience volunteer. You may not believe this but as recently as this month I heard someone deliver the old, "Give me your hand, no the clean one! Oh that was the clean one!" I will add, "Give me your left hand, no, your other left hand," to this outdated and 'can't discard fast enough' list. Let your assistant get a laugh or two of their own, with a little bit of thought you can create a moment or two where this is likely to happen. Often your assistant will genuinely say something that is funny----and which you can quietly make funnier with your take on the line. When this happens, make a point of selling it to the audience. Take the time to at least pretend to crack up (no-matter how many times you may have heard the response before) and say jokingly say something like, "I love it when the audience is funnier than I am!" Having said all the above, I must be honest and admit that watching Amazing Johnathan ignore/decimate/ridicule/deride and generally bully his onstage dollar bill donor is one of my primal joys in comedy magic! However, AJ is a force of nature and has the ability to re-write any laws of good taste that apply to other performers. He is also one of the most genuinely likeable comedian magicians working today. That is why it works. If you want laughs in your act then do something funny or write a good joke, don't pick on somebody who is unprepared for what is going to happen; while you have the situation pre-planned and pre-set jokes galore. Look at the big picture and be funny and classy-think about the way Michael Finney involves (a very carefully chosen word there-involves) his onstage assistant during his classic rope routine. While mentioning Michael, I want to congratulate him on the 6-month contract he just signed to appear in the new show 'Avant Garde' at the newly re-gentrified Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas. His run begins in February and if you have the chance to catch him then DO SO. You can forget everything I've written here and just go watch someone who has done it right for so long that it is second nature! Email me at nicklewin1@mac.com -------------------------------------------- 6. It's Not Fair - #241 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com "It's not fair", 3 words shouted by any child when they don't get their way. it's a cry out for attention and a feeling of anger and frustration. To the adult, it is simply a means of protecting the child. It's a way in which to ensure the best for the child even if they may not know it at the time. Well today I am going to be both the child and the parent by shouting out a big, "it's not fair"! I'm going to stand on my soap box and scream it to the ends of the world....it's not fair! What am I so annoyed about? What gets me acting this way? It's the state the magical arts are in these days. What a joke. It's embarrassing at times to be a magician simply because no layperson ever takes what we do seriously. Magic has become a joke at best. And why is this? Because WE as magicians let it become that way. We are to blame. It's not fair that I decide to treat my magic as an art form and you do not. It's not fair that I actually practice my magic every day to better myself and my art and you choose not to. It's not fair that you charge folks money for a show you don't even have and never rehearsed. It's not fair that you buy a trick one day and place it in your show the next without any rehearsal or thinking at all. It's not fair that we as peers in magic spend more time bitching at each other than offering to help someone grow. It's not fair that you choose to steal from others simply because you are lazy and have no respect for those who decide to work hard at something. It's not fair that when I state I'm a magician, lay people ask me what my REAL job is. It's not fair that you decide not to give 100% effort every single show you do just because you're tired or don't feel like it. It's not fair that I work so darn hard at developing magic that entertains while you jam magic in people's faces with little or no respect just to prove you're better than them......well you're not. It's not fair that I have to defend you when a client tells me the magician they had last time sucked, showed little manners and was unprofessional. It's not fair that I should have to fight an uphill battle to prove myself to an audience simply because you choose to treat magic as a joke and nothing more. It's not fair that you decide to stay stale and dormant doing magic that does nothing more than to embarrass others while inflating your own ego. So why am I so angry? Because I do care. Like a parent, I am watching out for this child known as "magic". I want to protect it and ensure its growth. I want the world to be proud of my child because I am. So the next time you treat magic anything less than a fine art form you are hurting my child. That I cannot tolerate....why....because you represent every single magician that came before or after you. You represent ME every time you perform. If you choose to make me look bad.....well that is just not fair. 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. -------------------------------------------- 7. 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 & toddler ... share some other childhood memories please. RP: I'd be happy too 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 -------------------------------------------- 8. February Issue Of Genii -------------------------------------------- Message by Richard Kaufman (Editor Genii Magazine) The February issue of Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine, is now in the mail and online for your reading and viewing pleasure. There are audio and video supplements in our free-to-subscribers digital edition, so make sure to register your email address with us if you're a subscriber so you can take advantage of all we offer every month. What can you say about René Lavand that has not already been said . or written? Plenty, as it turns out, and David Britland has done a remarkable job with our cover story this month in capturing much about René's life and remarkably calculated manner of performance. I'm embarrassed to admit that my book on René, Mysteries of My Life (1998) would have benefitted from some of David's incisive analysis. Perhaps on the next one! In the meantime, your appetite will be amply whetted in advance of the Essential Magic Collection's release of a multi-DVD set devoted to René that captures all of his famous routines. The digital edition of this month's issue also has three short videos for you to see, so look for the "watch" buttons in the article, "René Lavand: Maestro." Essential Magic Collection also brings you a free DVD inside this issue, with more magic from Dani DaOrtiz and Lennart Green, along with trailers from their other projects. This is the second DVD in Genii from Luis de Matos and Murphy's Magic and we hope you enjoy it. There will be several more free DVDs in Genii during its 75th Anniversary Year from the Essential Magic Collection. Every week is like a magic convention at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles, but every once in a while they have some truly different events. One of those occurred recently when Jim Steinmeyer and Alex Ramon shared a show in The Palace. Steinmeyer performed several historical pieces, still amazing almost a century later, and Ramon performed new illusions (most created by Steinmeyer). Dustin Stinett was there and felt it was not-to-be-missed moment, with photos by Najee Williams of Hocus Pocus Focus. Sid Radner died at age 91 last year and I missed having a timely obituary in Genii.. This month he receives his well-deserved memorial from his friend Ken Silverman, author of the authoritative biography of Houdini. A very lucky editor am I with such an august group of columnists. Deep powers of persuasion (combined with ordinary begging) have convinced Tom Stone to return for another year of columns in Genii. His "Lodestones" is never less than fascinating, and often much more. No matter what the subject of the column, whether it's essays or tricks, Tom spends an enormous amount of time working on it and we are lucky indeed to have him appearing regularly in Genii with his provocative ideas and wonderful magic. This month he digs into his notebooks and explains three unusual effects. Max Maven reaches into the past and retrieves a practical cinema-related piece of mentalism in "Lost Horizons" that many of you could add to your repertoires using current films. Aaron Fisher continues his series teaching the subtle points of basic card handling, with Part II of his essay on establishing and holding breaks. Well performed mathematical card tricks always fool me. That's because, if they are well done, there's no hint that math is involved. And so it is with Jim Steinmeyer's "'One Fortune' Think-of-a-Card" in this month's installment of "Conjuring." And more tricks! In "Magicana" David Acer describes three effects and routines, all good. David Britland reviews books, Danny Orleans reviews tricks, and Joe M. Turner reviews videos, while Jon Racherbaumer so easily writes about subjects far and near in "Slant," I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we're in our 14th year of publishing Genii! And, yes, that was both my non-sequitur and run-on sentence for the month. Hope you enjoy all of it and would like to hear when you receive your paper issue by snail mail, or when you have viewed the digital issue online or on your iPad or iPhone. About the Audio and Video Supplements in Genii's digital edition: Thousands of people have downloaded Genii's free iPad and iPhone apps, and the issues on the iPad and iPhone are free to all subscribers as well. We're not greedy at Genii: I feel that when you subscribe to the paper magazine, you should get the digital version free. One of the things I enjoy about our iGenii digital edition of the magazine is the opportunity to include audio and video supplements. As I meet Genii readers at magic conventions, I ask if they've looked at the digital edition and they sometimes say, "I'm a paper guy." Well, even if you prefer to read the paper edition of Genii, the digital iGenii edition offers at least an hour of video in every issue. We give you more than any other independent magazine in magic for your money. And you don't need an iPad or iPhone--you can view the digital edition on any computer--desktop or laptop. Subscriber to Genii for only $56 for one year and you receive: * 12 paper issues delivered to your home. * The current issue online, free to all subscribers, with audio and video extras. (Subscribers can read these issues weeks before the paper issue arrives.) * Access to every single back issue Genii has published from 1936 through December 2008. That's almost 1000 issues! Tens of thousands of columns, tricks, illusions, and articles. And it's all absolutely free to every Genii subscriber. Of course you will have to be on the internet for access, which will be through the Conjuring Arts Research Center. The issues are simple pdf documents which can be read on most electronic devices including newer Kindles, Sony eReaders, Nook, iPhone, iPad and of course any desktop or laptop computer. (So far, unfortunately, tablets running Android cannot read pdf files embedded in a website--we're hoping a patch will be created soon.) Every subscriber will have access to an electronic version of every issue for the duration of his or her subscription. Digital-only subscriptions are available for $56 to residents outside the United States: http://geniistore.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=57 If you are a subscriber and haven't sent us your e-mail address yet, please do so to: genii@geniimagazine.com). If you want to access to all of this astounding material and you are not a subscriber, please join us as we make available to you untold magical riches at www.geniimagazine.com. All digital content is free when you subscribe to Genii. And we've got a great offer for anyone who wants to subscribe or renew: the three-DVD set "Houdini The Movie Star" from Kino is now available from us for a limited time for 50% off the retail price of $40. YOU pay only $20, postpaid anywhere in the US. (Add $11 postage anywhere else in the world.) This 3 DVD set includes most of the surviving films and footage of Houdini. We don't sell it separately: subscribe today or renew your existing subscription for one year and you can receive this extraordinary value. If you subscribe to Genii for 3 years, or renew your existing subscription and bring it up to a total of 3 years, you can purchase our brand new book, Talisman, for only $15 (or you can select either The Vernon Touch or The Lost Notebooks of John Northern Hilliard). Details here: http://geniistore.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=59 Remember that the price of Genii drops from the $6 cover price to only $4.50 per issue when you subscribe for one year AND new subscribers get a free copy of the Harry Anderson/Jon Racherbaumer 32-page Jinx). Please visit the Genii website and subscribe today at www.geniimagazine.com. Visit The Genii Forum, the "smart" online discussion group: www.geniimagazine.com/forum Visit MagicPedia, the most complete online encyclopedia of magical information with almost 5,000 entries. It's a living encyclopedia to which you are welcome to contribute! www.magicpedia.net -------------------------------------------- 10. Las Vegas Magic - February, 2012 -------------------------------------------- Message by David Neubauer - www.dnmagic.com Amazing Johnathan 9 pm (Dark Sun. & Mon.) - Planet Hollywood. Dark Jan. 26-28, Feb. 9-11 harmon-web.vegas.com/harmon/AmazingJonathan.htm Opening February 14: Avant Garde 7:00 pm (Dark Fri.) Starring Juliana Chen, Kevin James, Jerome Murat, Ed Alonzo, Michael Finney - Plaza. Criss Angel - Believe 7 (except Wed. & Thurs.) & 9:30 pm (Dark Sun. - Mon.) - Luxor. www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel David Copperfield - An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion 7 & 9:30 pm & also 4 pm Sat. - MGM Grand. www.mgmgrand.com/entertainment/hollywood-theater.aspx Dirk Arthur - Wild Magic 7:00 pm (Dark Sun.) - O'Sheas. www.caesars.com/osheas/dirkarthur.html Fitz of Laughter - Kevin Burke 9:13 pm - Fitzgeralds. tickets.fitzgeraldslasvegas.com Two for One: www.vegas4locals.com/couponfitzoflaughterlasvegas.html Dinner & Tix: www.vegas4locals.com/couponfeastoflaughterlasvegas.html Gerry McCambridge - The Mentalist 7:30 pm (Dark Wed.) - Planet Hollywood. Comp Tickets and info: www.mentalist.com Re-Opening March 1: Illusions - Jan Rouven 7 pm (Dark Wed.) - Riviera. www.illusionsvegas.com Jeff McBride's Wonderground 3rd Thurs. each month 7:30 to midnight - The Olive (3850 E Sunset Dr.) Non-stop Magic & Variety Performance Art. A whole new show each month. Free with 2 drink minimum. www.vegaswonderground.com watch live: www.streetofcards.tv Mac King Comedy Magic Show 1 & 3 pm, (Dark Sun. & Mon.) - Harrah's. www.harrahslasvegas.com/casinos/harrahs-las-vegas/casino-entertainment/mac-king-detail.html Free tickets (buy 1 drink) usually available at the concierge desk or handed out by showgirls. Opening January 25: Magic, Comedy & Burlesque Seth Grabel 6 pm, (Dark Sun. - Tues.) - Royal House Resort Two for one: www.vegas4locals.com/couponsethgrabel.html Magical Mix Christopher Karpiak 7-10 pm (Dark Tues. - Wed.) - Mix Lounge, Mandalay Bay. www.mandalaybay.com/dining/mixlounge.aspx Free to locals until 10 pm. Mike Hammer Comedy Magic Show 7 pm (Dark Sun. & Mon.) - Four Queens. tickets.fourqueens.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=35 $14.95 discounted tix + free drink: www.vegas4locals.com/couponmikehammercomedymagic.html Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show 4 pm, (Dark Mon.) - Flamingo. www.harrahs.com/EventsDetail.do?locationCode=FLV&detailName=nathan-burton-detail&eventTitle=Nathan Burton FREE Balcony Tickets: www.vegas4locals.com/couponnathanburtoncomedymagic.html Paul Vigil - Mentalist Extraordinaire 7 pm (Wed.) - King Ink, Mirage. www.kinginklasvegas.com/events.html Penn & Teller 9 pm, (Dark Thurs. - Fri.) - Rio. www.riolasvegas.com/casinos/rio/casino-entertainment/penn--teller-detail.html Vegas Magic TheatreÔ Cabaret Show: Thurs., Fri., Sun. 7:00 pm, Sat. 5:00 & 7:30 pm (Dark Mon. - Wed.) Close-up and Bar Magic pre-show an hour before. Performers change each week. - Gold Coast. www.goldcoastcasino.com/whats-new/events/vegas-magic-theatre Magic In Production Shows Bram Charles 2 sets between 10 pm - 2 am (Dark Mon. - Thurs.) The Can Can Room on Industrial. Crazy Girls Tony Douglas - 9:30 pm (Dark Tues.) - Riviera. www.rivierahotel.com/entertainment/entertainment.asp Haunted Vegas Show and Tour Jac Hayden, Robert Allen. 9:30 pm, picks up at the Royal Resort. www.hauntedvegastours.com V The Ultimate Variety Show Featuring Melinda - First Lady of Magic 7 & 8:30, V Theater, Planet Hollywood www.vtheshow.com Vegas! The Show Joseph Gabriel 7 & 9 (Dark Thur.) - Planet Hollywood. www.vegastheshow.com/index.html Other Vegas Magic Shimshi - Resident Magician - Wynn/Encore. Seth Grabel - Fri. & Sat. 9-11 pm - Foundation Room, Mandalay Bay. Ben Seidman - Resident Magician - Mandalay Bay. Cameron Shadow - Resident Magician - Pure Nightclub, Caesars Palace. Craig Keith performs bar magic, various times - Dick's Last Resort, Excalibur. Chris Randall - Tues. to Sun. 6-9 pm - Carluccios Italian Gardens. Smoothini - Wed. to Sun. 8 pm-10:30 at Hard Rock Café (2nd Floor Bar); 11 pm to 2 am at Zingers, 3743 Las Vegas Blvd. and after 2 am at New York New York's Pour 24. Jamie Porter's Radio Side Show Sat @ 5 am, KLAV FM 1230. Las Vegas Magic Organizations Fantasma I.B.M. Ring 257, 7 pm - 8:45, 1st Monday each month at Denny & Lee's Magic Shop, 5115 Dean Martin Dr. Free Children's Classes at 5:45. No meeting if the 1st Monday is a major Holiday. www.ibm257.com Darwin's Magic Club, meets 10 pm Wednesdays. Boomers, 3200 Sirius Ave. KIDabra Las Vegas, 7 pm every 3rd Monday. Amazing Clowns, 3525 E. Flamingo. www.kidabralasvegas.com News: The "Vegas Magic LoungeÔ" offers Pre-Show Close-up Magic and Bar Magic. Magicians or Variety performers due to work the Magic Castle or with plans to be in Las Vegas in the next 6 months and who would like to be considered to appear at Vegas Magic Theatre should contact producer@vegasmagictheatre.com. Upcoming Special Events January, 2012 Jan. 25: Grand Opening: Magic, Comedy & Burlesque starring Seth Grabel 6 pm, (Dark Sun. - Tues.) - Royal House Resort Buy 1, get 1 free: www.vegas4locals.com/couponsethgrabel.html Jan. 27-29: Magic & Mystery School - Master Class - Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger. www.magicalwisdom.com Jan. 30: Fantasma I.B.M. Ring 257 presents: A lecture by Chris Randall - Denny and Lee Magic Shop, 5115 Dean Martin Dr #102 at 7 PM. Ring 257 members whose dues are paid up can attend free, all others, $20 at the door. February, 2012 Feb. 24: Grand Opening: Avant Garde - Starring Juliana Chen, Kevin James, Jerome Murat, Ed Alonzo, Michael Finney - 7:00 pm (Dark Fri.) - Plaza. March, 2012 Mar. 11-17: Magic & Mystery School - Extended Master Class - Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger. www.magicalwisdom.com Mar. 19-23: Paul Stone presents The 3rd Ultimate Performers Workshop - Johnny Thompson, Jeff Hobson, Seth Kramer, Shep Hyken, Richard Faverty, Gail Davies and Bob Kohler. Limited to 20 attendees. For details or to register email Paul at: qualityevents@aol.com July, 2012 July 16-22: Magic & Mystery School - Extended Master Class - Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Lawrence Hass, Bryce Kuhlman & Tobias Beckwith. July 23-26: Society of American Magicians National Convention - Joseph Gabriel & Katalin, Dan Sperry, Tomsoni & Company, Roy Shank, Losander, Kim Hyunjoon, Jason Baney, Mathieu Bich, Boris Wild, Ali Shelly, David Stone, Sarlot & Eyed, Christian & Katalina, John Cassidy, Funtasio. The Mac King Show and the David Copperfield Show will be part of the convention. Honored Guest: David Copperfield - Golden Nugget. www.magicSAM.com or email samregistrar@yahoo.com August, 2012 August 13-19: Magic & Mystery School - Extended Master Class - Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Lawrence Hass, Bryce Kuhlman & Tobias Beck. September, 2012 Sept. 17-25: Magic & Mystery School - Career Enhancement Seminar - Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger, Richard Faverty, Lawrence Hass, Bryce Kuhlman & Tobias Beckwith. Sept. 30-Oct. 3: Innovention 2012 - Gold Coast. Special discount registration offer of $295 until the end of January (regular registration is $345). For details and register, contact info@innovention2012.com ------------------------------------------- 11. Korean Champion Magicians Coming To Melbourne -------------------------------------------- Message by Tim Ellis (Australia) Coming to Melbourne only on March 10 for two shows (2pm & 8pm) are two of Korea's most exciting award-winning magicians: Yoo Hyun Min (Grand Prix Close Up Champion of Asia) and Park Eun Kyoung (Runner Up Stage Magic Champion of Asia) They will be joined in a 2 hour show by two time FISM World Championship award winner Tim Ellis at Arrows on Swanston, Melbourne Tickets are selling fast at www.TryBooking.com/BCDD and you can see a preview of the show here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r9rvsGwcN4 Also, Yoo Hyun Min will be presenting his lecture '!DEA' at 5pm in the same venue, so come for the show and enjoy the lecture too! Here's a clip of Yoo Hyun Min in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6FHe1nRZxE&feature=related For those travelling from interstate, Arrows on Swanston in centrally located and has inexpensive accommodation above the conference centre where the shows and lecture will be presented. Join us on March 10 for a sensational day of world class magic! -------------------------------------------- 12. Comedy And Cleverness At Blackpool -------------------------------------------- Message by Peter Eldin (UK) Matthew Wright will be offering some of his superb effects and vast experience when he lectures at the HQ of Blackpool Magicians' Club on Thursday, 26th January. As an award winning performer, renowned for his quirky comedic style and stunning visual magic, Matthew will be explaining some of the material he has honed over thousands of live performances throughout Europe. He has been awarded The Magic Circle Close-Up Magician of the Year, the International Close-Up Magician of the Year and he was placed second in Parlour Magic at FISM Europe last year so he knows his business. This evening is a must for those who want to enjoy fantastic magic and to gain an insight into what works in the modern world of entertainment. Certainly one not to be missed. Doors open at 7pm and the lecture starts at 8pm. As usual, entry is free to all members and associates of the Blackpool Magicians' Club so if you are not a member or an associate you should consider joining. Details of membership and associate membership (which is only £25 a year) can be obtained from the club website Blackpooolmagic.com. ------------------------------------------- 13. M1M Festival - The Countdown Is On! -------------------------------------------- Message by Jay Scott Berry The Countdown is on for The Magical 1 Malaysia Festival! On March 23rd -25th, over a dozen of the world's finest magicians will descend on Kuala Lumpur for what promises to be the largest magic event ever held in SE Asia. Produced by Jay Scott Berry and Mahdi Moudini, the M1M Festival will take place in the very heart of one of the world's great cities, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Featuring an all-star cast that reads like a who's who of magic, Berry has gathered masters and grandmaster magicians from around the globe for this premiere event. Starring Michael Ammar, Tom Noddy, Rafael Benatar, Richard Forget, Christopher Hart, Dirk Losander, Ernesto Planas, Paul Dabek, Albert Tam, Moudini, Kramus Nexifius, Colombine and, of course, Jay Scott Berry. This will mark the very first time that many of these acts will perform in Malaysia! There will be two full gala shows each day: the All-Star Magical Matinee and the Concert of Illusions. Both shows, as well as the 4 International Lectures, will be held in the Plenary Hall, a state-of-the-art theatre. Joining the event will also be a host of magical dignitaries from around the world. These include Irene Larsen, one of the founding members of Hollywood's famed Magic Castle; Domenico Dante, President of the Club Magico Italiano and Vice President of FISM; plus Derek Lever, the producer of the world renowned Blackpool Convention and the upcoming FISM Congress 2102. Official Guest of Honour for the Festival will be Grandmaster Magician, Johnny Thompson, direct from Las Vegas. And, if that's not enough, also scheduled is the world premiere of the Grandmaster Merlin Awards, presented by Tony Hassini, President of the International Magician's Society. He will be personally presenting 3 of these coveted awards, live on stage, each night. In addition to the events inside the hall, the surrounding area will be transformed into the Carnival of Wonders, which will be open to the public. This will include the Carnival Stage with non-stop shows throughout the day. There will also be magic dealers and other displays sure to enchant young and old alike. The M1M stars will be available for photos and autographs at designated spots throughout the Carnival. Don't miss what is sure to be one of the world's great gatherings of magic! Tickets are now on sale at the official M1M website: www.Magical1Malaysia.com Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/M1MFestival ------------------------------------------- 14. Mystery School Monday Celebrates First Anniversary Online -------------------------------------------- Message by Tobias Beckwith (US) Jeff Mcbride's "Mystery School Monday" Celebrates First Anniversary Online January 23, 2012, Las Vegas - One year ago, Jeff McBride and his Magic & Mystery School faculty and staff launched the first worldwide one-hour weekly streaming show on the subject of magic and magicians -- as an experiment. Now, 52 episodes in, Mystery School Monday is thriving. The show is hosted each week by world-renown magician Jeff McBride, and includes a variety of different segments each week. Magic and Mystery School faculty, including Dr. Lawrence Hass (Cutting Through the Noise), George Parker (Big Idea, Little Idea), Bryce Kuhlman (Kick Ass Reviews) and Tobias Beckwith (The Wizard's Corner) are regular contributors. Other reporters include Mystery School alumni Jordan Wright offering a weekly segment on "Cinemagic," Mario Morris presenting "Busker Tales," and George Robert's "Hollywood Report," which is usually recorded at The Magic Castle in Hollywood. The Dean of the Magic and Mystery School, Eugene Burger, appears once each month, as do many special celebrity magician guests. Highlights from the first year have included McBride broadcasting live from Japan, Sweden, Denmark, France, Hungary and Russia, as well as live coverage from several magic conventions. One thing the show has stayed away from is any revelation of the workings of tricks or magic products. The show has successfully avoided being a part of the unfortunate phenomenon of exposure that has become too much a part of the viral video phenomenon. Mystery School Monday is freely available to anyone who wants to tune in at www.mcbridemagic.tv, either during the live broadcast or anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to watch past episodes on demand. Early sponsors who have made the show possible include Murphy's Magic, Wizard Headquarters, and Fantasma Magic. In its first year, Mystery School Monday has logged over 1.2 million viewer hours, with more than 20,000 unique viewers. A live audience shows up each week to participate in the ongoing classroom chat during the show and more than 2,000 people log in to view the show in its immediately archived format most weeks. Audience members come mostly from the US, but also come from as far away as India, Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka and several European countries. "We see Mystery School Monday as an extension of our core mission at the McBride Magic & Mystery School," says founder Jeff McBride. "We promote ways for serious magicians to take their art to a higher level, one step at a time. We realize not everyone who is serious about their magic has the means to make it to one of our Master Classes in Las Vegas - but through this free offering, we have a chance to connect with them right in their own homes." Future plans? You bet! As this goes out, plans are underway to begin offering online "Locked Room" classes with the Magic & Mystery School faculty on a regular basis. Various faculty members will begin offering small classes on particular tricks and techniques, business development for magicians, story building and more. The locked room sessions will vary in price and format, but are designed to form a bridge between the always-free live broadcast of the "Mystery School Monday" show and the classes offered in Las Vegas. They will take place in an interactive video conference setting so all members can participate and get feedback on their work. To learn more about the McBride Magic & Mystery School, Mystery School Monday and McBridemagic.tv, visit www.magicalwisdom.com. ------------------------------------------- 15. Alan Sands February Lecture Tour -------------------------------------------- Message by Alan Sands (US) Scott Wells has arranged an amazing, tight Lecture Tour for me next month across the southern USA. I am still available after February 16th If your club is interested, let me know. At this time I leave CA Feb. 2nd... Sat. 02/04 - Ames, IA, Tue. 02/07 - St. Louis, MO, Wed. 02/08 - Kansas City, MO, Sat. 02/11 - New Orleans, LA, Sun. 02/12 - Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX, Mon. 02/13 - Lake Charles, LA (PENDING - not confirmed), Tue. 02/14 - Houston, TX, Wed. 02/15 - Austin, TX, Thu. 02/16 - San Antonio, TX I then drive from TX to SF, CA - Looking for NM, AZ, CA, NV dates. Also, if you need more time - My national travels will take me to: AR - 03/30-31 IA - 04/21-22 & 04/28-29 IL - 05/06 Panama City, FL - 05/12 Jackson MS - 05/18 MT - 05/21 SF, CA - 05/25 thru 06/09 Spokane, WA - 06/10 MT - 07/13 thru 08/05 WA - 08/29 thru 09/03 Lumberton, NC - 10/01 thru 10/06 If you think you can exploit me - please talk to any of the following three people Me, Alan Sands @ (800) 892-2287 / alansands@gmail.com Eddy Lester @ 239-774-0106 / elester@comcast.net / cell-239-989-2181 Scott Wells Southern Lecture Tour Coordinator E-Mail: Lectures@ScottWells.com Phone: 713-524-0147 Mobile: 281-772-6014 ------------------------------------------- 16. IBM British Ring Convention News -------------------------------------------- Message by Geoffrey Newton (UK) Approximately 200 delegates have taken advantage of the early bird and registered for the 2012 British Ring Convention to be held in Great Yarmouth from 26th - 30th September. YOU can still save money as if you register before 1st April the members' convention fee is £105. After that date it goes up to £115. Don't miss this opportunity! It would be greatly appreciated if you will book your accommodation directly through Greater Yarmouth Tourism on 01493 846485 as this way it helps the size of the grant we receive from the Authority. This year the convention will very much be an all British event and artistes confirmed so far include: Nicholas Einhorn, Mandy Myden, Roy Davenport, Steve Hewlett, Chris Woodward, Rajan, John Styles, Richard Cadell and Sooty, Jason Steele and Joanne, Richard Griffin, Andy Greaves, Matthew Garret, Young and Strange and Mel Harvey. Dealers confirmed include: JB Magic, Davenports, Practical Magic, Zane's Magic Shop, George Kovari, Barrie's Magic, Adrian Sullivan and Aquarius Magic. For latest information go to www.magicconvention.co.uk ------------------------------------------- 17. Magic - Become A Magician - For Children -------------------------------------------- Message by Keith Garrett (New Zealand) Put a show together to impress family and friends! Suitable for children aged 10 and above. http://www.selwyncomed.school.nz/courses/600-magic-become-a-magician-for-children http://www.selwyncomed.school.nz/courses/599-magic-become-a-magician -------------------------------------------- 18. The Hunt For The Next Celebrity Magician Is On! --------------------------------------------- Message by Barry Khoo http://backstagebusiness.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/the-hunt-for-the-next-celebrity-magician-is-on/ By J C Sum Posted on January 14, 2012 I highlighted that a close-up magic competition was in the works over the last few weeks. The event has been finalized! Ning & I along with Fly Entertainment and Sinema TV are looking for South East Asia's next celebrity magician! Aptly named "Celebrity Magician", the live competition will take place on 11 Mar 2012, Sun, 4pm - 6pm after a shortlisting of 8 finalists via video submissions. On the day of the competition, the 8 finalists will present their acts to a live audience and a panel of four judges that will be seeing their acts for the first time. To make the event interesting and informative for the audience, I (as the host) as well as the judges will offer comments and feedback immediately after each act. After all the finalists have presented their acts, the judges will determine the winners of the competition. The actual competition on 11 Mar 2012 will be streamed live over the Internet. Prizes for "Celebrity Magician": 1st Place - SG$1000 + Trophy, "Celebrity" Media Coverage, Professional Photo Shoot, Web TV Show 2nd Place - SG$400 + Trophy 3rd Place - SG$100 + Trophy "Celebrity Magician" is open to all magicians of any age from South East Asia. All Finalists will receive a Certificate of Participation and have free entry to the rest of the "Magic with the Stars" event. Entrance & Participation Details The competition is open to citizens or permanent residents in countries from South East Asia, of any age. All competitors must submit the following by 15 Feb 2012, 3pm, Singapore time. .? S$52 Registration Fee (Non refundable) - Make Payment at: http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/2579/chk/64e8 .? Performance Video of the Competition Act* * The video must be unedited with no postproduction or audio elements added. * The act presented in the video must be within the 5min - 8min specified competition act duration. Download the competition criteria and specifications, go to: http://www.jcsum.com/stars/celebritymagician.pdf -------------------------------------------- 19. Magicana Magazine February/March 2012 --------------------------------------------- Message by Michael Woolf (NZ) Magicana Editor Michael Woolf continues his recovery. With the generous help of Paul Romhany, Bernard Reid and others, the latest issue will be sent to subscribers next week. Magicana for February/March 2012 features The Grapevine, the continuation of Bernard Reid's History of NZ Magic, 'The Mind Heist, Champions of Magic, The Dynamic Duo," five original effects, Nick Lewin on the cover and inside, the Editor's interview with Mandy Davis, David Ginn, Ken Ring and an update on next year's New Zealand Convention. 36 big pages in full colour Subscription details from Michael Woolf, mail@michaelw.co.nz -------------------------------------------- 20. 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 and Ken Scott. 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/7515/competitions%20.pdf For full information go to: http://www.ibmring160.com/media/7626/christchurch%20nz%20labour%20weekend.pdf -------------------------------------------- 21. 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) --------------------------------------------- 22. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at: www.magicnewzealand.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions and statements expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions or statements contained therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles 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 2012 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