Dramatic Digital Deception

seen
Has to be
to be believed
CONTENTS // AUGUST 2023
Charlie Frye & Co
An exclusive interview with Charlie and Sherry
Frye about their career and their new book.
08-25

Magic Tricks
Charlie shares four magic
tricks you can perform.

26-27

InMind System
A NEW effect where you are able to know any
three - four letter word a person is thinking.
30-31

Authentic Fabrications

THIS MONTH
Franklin Williams starts
a new series about
performing & connecting
with your audience.
A FEW WORDS FROM THE CHIEF EDITOR
32-34
What a thrill to have Charlie and Sherry Frye on
the cover. They are launching their new book,
Sleightly Absurd at Magic Live and I am certain it Magic Business
will be a sell-out. If you aren't at Magic Live then Daniel Chan shares two important tips on
you can order a copy from their website. See the
marketing for magicians.
advert in this issue to get your copy before they
all sell out. 40-41

After all these years I will finally be attending this year’s Magic Live in Las See Magic In Others
Vegas. I will be there with another contributor, and we will be hosting
interviews, a lot of social media posts and working on a special Vanish Jordana Borensztajn shares her journey and
story. If you see us please come up and say hello and bring your favour- discovery of magic in this series or essays.
ite magic trick - we'd love to share it on Social Media.
42-44
The Magic Castle is featured in this issue with a celebration of 60 years
since the Castle opened and a look at the recent Celebration of Life for
Milt Larsen held this week. Thank you to Ben Robinson and Nick Lewin Are Magic Clubs dying? Part V
for writing these pieces and sharing their experiences with us all.
Ryan Joyce answers this question by finding out
This is another jam-packed issue of VANISH with amazing essays, tricks, how some clubs are surviving.
and in-depth articles. Hal Meyers continues his series on magic routines 58-50
he has created from his working repertoire. His Knife Through Coat is
one of my favourite versions of this classic and well worth your consider-
ation. Reach out to Hal for more specific details if you need them. 4 Critical Pages must have
SEO expert Cris Johnson looks at the importance
I hope to see many of you at Magic Live - do come up and say hello.
of a strong web presence.
52-55
Paul Romhany
 PUBLISHER
Paul Romhany & Joomag
FEATURED ARTICLES // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & DESIGN LAYOUT
Paul Romhany

COVER DESIGN
Paul Romhany

BACK COVER PHOTO

Michelle Rhodes

THANK YOU TO
// Celebrating 60 years - 72 // Milt Larsen celebreation of life - 54 Chipper Lowell

SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ADVISER

Nick Lewin

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Hal Meyers, Ben Robinson

CONTRIBUTORS
Paul Romhany, Jordana Borensztajn Dan
// Jordana Borensztajn 42 // Young wand carver - 58 Stapleton, Louie Fox, Nick Lewin, Connie
Boyd, Dave Attwood, Hal Meyers, Ryan
Joyce, Daniel Chan, Charlie Frye, Franklin
Williams
Magic Wands Aloha Milt Larsen
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
An amazing boy who makes Nick Lewin reports on the
Jennifer Holden
incredible magic wands. celebration of life for Milt Larsen.
58-59 80-83
CREATIVE DESIGNER & LAYOUT
Paul Romhany
Roller Coaster Knife Through Coat
VANISH CONVENTION DIRECTOR
Dan Stapleton shares his Hal Meyer's shares his unique take
Steve Hocevar
experiences on AGT. on this classic trick.
60-63 84-87 CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION
Joomag
Vineo Presage RACAAN PRODUCT REVIEWS:
Mike Maione & Brett Barry's latest Dave Attwood shares his ACAAN PLEASE NOTE:
trick is reviews in this product number routine. New address so email prior to posting
highlight. any product reviews to VANISH.
94-95
64-65
[email protected]
Giant Metalmorphis
Louie Foxx has a variation on the Magic Reviews
GIANT Linking Pins routine. The latest magic tricks, books, and
downloads
68
98-99
Magic Castle turns 60
Ben Robinson helps celebrate
the Magic Castle turning 60 with
readers of VANISH.
72-77
AUGUST | 2023 7
 CHARLIE FRYE
&CO.
SLEIGHTLY
ABSURD
Connie Boyd gets an
exclusive interview with
Charlie & Sherry Frye
about their new book
"Sleightly Absurd."

Charlie Frye and Company are amongst

the most respected entertainers in the
world. Charlie and Sherry have toured
internationally and have received well-
deserved accolades from audiences and
critics alike. Their performances are a
guaranteed success everywhere they are
engaged.

PHOTO: Middle - Nikki Prokup.

8 AUGUST | 2023
 PHOTO: Richard Faverty

SLEIGHTLY
ABSURD
This month, at Magic LIVE! they are releasing
their long-awaited book, “Sleightly Absurd” to
the magic community

AUGUST | 2023 9
 The
Book
10
PAGE

would include, Charlie began writing and Sherry began

It all started with many, many people asking scrutinizing. Not an easy task, but with the discipline,
Charlie repeatedly "When are you going to write diligence and patience of a trained juggling expert and
a book?" It turns out writing a book is not for a ballerina, they efficiently completed that phase of the
the faint of heart. Charlie shared, “Put it this process.
way: I won't be writing another.”
Next Charlie made an extensive shot list for the photos
Both Charlie and Sherry have been to visually complement and support the text.
concentrating on the book for the better part of
a year. We all know “a picture is worth a thousand words” and
the importance of quality, concise photos to accurately
Charlie quips, “It took around six months and reflect the written instructions. In this case, the words
forty years. I'm happy that Artificial Intelligence required a thousand pictures.
played no role in it. Neither did actual
intelligence. Another good thing: It is printed They contacted their good friend, professional
on two-ply in case there's another pandemic”. photographer Richard Faverty in Las Vegas and
scheduled intensive photo shoot sessions.
I do adore his sense of humor.
Richard is very experienced with magic photography
In truth, it was a challenging process and there and his expertise and experience were key to the
were some learning curves along the way. They success of the magic documentation. It also helped that
had to make brutal decisions about which they were efficiently organized and Charlie had a clear
magic material and subject matter to keep and vision of what he wanted each photo to demonstrate.
which to eliminate. Charlie elaborated, “At one
point I had eight “Coins to Glass” routines. This Together they photographed thousands of detailed
eventually got narrowed down to three.” pictures to enhance and visually demonstrate the magic
moves and techniques.
Once they determined the content the book
They are and have always been inspired and stimulated
by art and artists. Their home is filled with wonderful
10 AUGUST | 2023
 PAGE
11

AUGUST | 2023 11
 artwork which reflects their style and tastes. They both
admired Thomas Sciacca’s wondrous work and they
reached out to him to create a meaningful cover. He
agreed and as Charlie states, “This is one instance where I
hope people do judge a book by its cover.”

Both Charlie and Sherry are thrilled with Thomas’s artwork.

He perfectly captured the classic, vaudeville feel they were
hoping to achieve. Just like a vintage magic poster, the
original cover artwork gives you a good indication of what's
inside.

Next it all fell onto Stina Henslee's plate, to meet the

12

immense challenge of graphic design. Charlie was

adamant that the entire book had a fun and theatrical vibe.

Not a day went by that there weren’t rewrites, corrections

and rewrites of the last rewrites. Both Sherry and Charlie
gave up trying to remember how many times they reread,
changed, adjusted and fine-tuned the text.

Like every good artist poised on the precipice of a

monumental accomplishment Charlie is experiencing
butterflies and “second guessing” himself. He is concerned
that he may have been “a little too frank in the essays, and
too revealing and honest in the memoir chapter.”

He is concerned that he probably shouldn't have tipped

his work on ACAAN (any card at any number), and several
other tricks. He asks, “Is there such a thing as writer's
regret?”

“Sleightly Absurd” is available for $75.00 at Magic LIVE! You

can order your own copy directly from Squash Publishing
(https://www.squashpublishing.com ) which has been
producing books keenly focused on magic and the variety
arts since 2003.

12 AUGUST | 2023
 ROOTS
Frye
Charlie
“Charlie Frye is a clown” and for Charlie
that statement has more significance

13
PAGE
than most. He is a third-generation
clown; funny bones run in the family
and he enthusiastically followed in
the comedic shoes of his father and
grandfather.

Charlie explained, “The family side hustle In school he was the sports team’s mascot.
was a comedy car act with a driverless “We were ‘The Cougars’ so I dressed up like a
Model T. We mostly did parades, where 50 year-old woman.”
the car followed my grandpa like a puppy
dog while he carried its steering wheel In the beginning he was mostly self-taught
in one hand and a road map in the other. as a juggler and magician. Don’t forget, he
Dad was like a Keystone Cop that kept was already riding a unicycle. The game
him moving along, and I was a little cop changer was attending the Ringling Brothers
trying to keep up on a rickety unicycle. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in Venice,
Early on, I knew I had big shoes to fill . . . Florida.
literally.”
About his Clown College experience Charlie
Charlie grew up developing his comedic shared, “It’s where I moved from being self-
muscles, reacting in real time, with skilled taught to becoming friend-taught. That's
delivery and timing. He is quick witted where you share, you learn, you teach, you
and seems to effortlessly find comedy grow . . . then rinse and repeat -- for the rest
and humorous moments in conversations of your life.”
and in everyday life. One can only
imagine the side-splitting laughter that a He is a huge advocate of live performance and
dinner at the Frye’s delivers. is convinced that true, real-world performance
learning takes place in front of an audience.
When I asked him about his magic He says that when it comes right down to it,
start, he told me that at age seven he there's no substitute for the experience you
clearly recalls his Grandpa teaching get from being in the trenches and working
him cigarette tricks. He joked, “That live. As Fanny Brice once said: "There is no
was perfectly acceptable in North director who can direct you like an audience."
Carolina at the time. Back then, I used to
secondhand smoke a pack a day.” Furthermore, Charlie believes that the best

AUGUST | 2023 13
 A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better
than a master of one." (Everyone is familiar with the first
part of this phrase, but seldom the rest.)
14

14 AUGUST | 2023
evolution, creative growth, and development process takes
place during a performance. He sums it up: “Every show is a
rehearsal for the next.”

15
PAGE
Charlie has two distinctive professional skill sets. He excels in
both. I was curious how he juggled and magically manipulated
each, and if they benefited one another in any way.

He explained that juggling teaches you discipline and

the importance of practice. He shared that most people
would never believe how many endless hours of dedicated
commitment and rehearsal go into becoming a professional
juggler. The only genre of magic that he feels comes close to
juggling, that requires such focused practice and diligence, is
sleight of hand mastery.

Another difference: “Performing a technically difficult juggling

act is much more stressful than magic. For me, it's like
handling high explosives for fifteen minutes.”
w w w. c h a r l i e f r y e . c o m

Anyone who has befriended or has worked closely with a

juggler, knows it’s an unpredictable, fickle and nerve-wracking
artform. Even the great juggler Lottie Brunn and her brother
Francis Brunn, both of whom are iconic juggling legends,
readily admitted juggling is tough on the nerves.

About magic, Charlie explains: “Magic teaches you a lot about

a lot. Social skills, communication skills, analytical thinking,
psychology. Even history, art, and math skills contribute
significantly. The study of human nature is especially
important.”

The old adage "It's not what you do, it's how you do it",
applies to every performing art. Charlie is convinced that it’s
especially relevant to magic, because from a technical point,
most people can do most tricks. It’s the entertainer’s personal

AUGUST | 2023 15
 flair, style, story and technique
that will make his or her magic
memorable and “sing”.

Charlie feels that magic is a

wonderfully creative pursuit, “And
it's fun! You meet lots of amusing
and fascinating people. You get
introduced to many interesting
things. It also makes one more
socially versatile and interesting to
others – which is no small matter.
Even Leonardo da Vinci liked
magic.”

His thoughts continued, “The

biggest difference between magic
and juggling, is that magic has to
be shared. Juggling is something
you can do on your own as a
hobby or sport. If you choose, you
can use it to show off occasionally.
You don't have to develop your
juggling tricks into an act.

Magic, on the other hand . . . it

has to be performed. It's 100%
performance art. Every trick
is a performance piece, with a
beginning, middle, and end. If no
one's watching, it's not magic, it's
practice.”

Charlie shared that his good

friend, George Carl, was
instrumental to his visual comedy
performance growth. For those
of you who aren’t familiar with
George Carl, he was a brilliant,
internationally renowned,
vaudevillian style, eccentric
performer.

It is logical that Charlie has always

been inspired by British variety
and American Vaudeville. He
adores great clowns and talented
variety artists.

He explained that most of the

people who have influenced and
inspired him are also his close
friends. He gravitated naturally to
clowns like Lou Jacobs and many
of his friends from “back in the
day” at Ringling Brothers Circus.

He has always been influenced

by the silent comedic antics of
early cinema stars. Amongst his
favorites are Max Linder, Charlie
Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Fatty

16 AUGUST | 2023
Arbuckle, Laurel & Hardy, W.C. of a talking act. He elaborated
Fields and The Marx Bros. that with a speaking act it’s much
easier to fill more time, and can
Magic friends like the debonair, allow you to stay busier contract-
bar-tending close-up magician wise closer to home. There's also
Daniel Cros and performer, a world of stock material that
Johnny Thompson &
director, producer, writer, John stand-ups can draw from if they’re Charlie
Moehring helped guide Charlie so inclined.
to improve and become a better
magician. He states, “I've always A magician with a solid stand-up
been blessed with close friends comedy approach can entertain
who are the best at what they do.” with one trick for eight to ten
Friends like Juan Tamariz, Lennart minutes. A silent, skill-oriented
Green, Peter Reveen, Mr. Rao (for visual act, may burn up ten years
hand shadows), Tom Mullica, of practice in a minute.
Johnny Thompson, Steve Forte,
John Carney, Bill Malone . . . and About visual variety acts Charlie
the list goes on. said, “it's a different intensity. It
also requires more prop weight to
He asked, “How can one watch travel with. Our silent act means
people like Cardini and Fred Kaps, traveling with 200 pounds of
and not be inspired? That's the equipment. My Parlor Show fits
kind of stuff I try to fill my head into a suitcase. Nowadays, we
with. I purposely avoid all the enjoy performing shows where we Sam Smith & Charlie
“anti-inspiration” that's floating get to intersperse both our visual
around out there.” and talking acts together.”

Charlie shared that his “not-so- There are pros and cons for each.
secret weapon” is his better half He feels that in America, the most
– his partner and wife Sherry. practical approach is the talking
Together they have dazzled option. However, in Europe a good
audiences in 40 countries for 40 variety act can span a career with
years, many of which they resided only special event gala dates and
in for long-term contracts. They such.
are a terrific team who genuinely
enjoy each other’s company. In the States it’s rarer for top-
flight variety acts to be booked
Amongst their favorite countries for a gala. It's much simpler
is New Zealand. Charlie revealed, and practical to just book an
“If I was them, I'd keep that place entertainer who can step up to
a secret.” a microphone and knock out a Liza Minnelli, Sherry
decent 45-minute set.
& Charlie
They lived in the South of
France for a year and loved that The options are slimmer for a
experience. performer who has a show that is
He explained, “One of the benefits more theatrical and that requires
to doing a silent act is that you can a full rehearsal with sound and
work internationally.” lights, and a wing.

Everywhere they’ve entertained Charlie is drawn to manipulation

they’ve made friends and have and sleight of hand. He explained,
always found “likeminded people” “I even like mathematical magic,
with whom they could relate and when the principle is so baffling
laugh. As you may have guessed, that I can't wrap my head around
laughter is essential to their it. Anything novel, different, and
mental health and well-being. original; that’s the kind of thing
About the experience of touring that blows my skirt up.”
internationally Charlie quoted Charlie & Sherry with
Mark Twain, “Travel is fatal to Show business can be tough, and Tropicana dancers
prejudice, bigotry, and narrow- longevity is rare – yet Charlie Frye
mindedness.” and Company remain as proven,
guaranteed, stellar entertainment.
Although he’s an advocate of They have the distinction of always
visual acts and international travel, being consummate professionals.
he also understands the benefit

AUGUST | 2023 17
 Charlie quips about the key to their
success being: “Having a good,
universal act, a decent reputation . . .
and nothing to fall back on. All that,
and saving our money. One of the
things that the old-timers always drilled
into us was save your money.”

“Show business is the original gig

economy, and in the words of Mary
Kodell, "It's chicken one day, and
feathers the next." I guess that’s why
Sherry and I are vegetarians!”

If you have decided that an

entertainer’s life is for you, Charlie
suggests, “Practice, study, and once
you're ready, perform as much as
Sherry on the aerial web possible.
Note I say, once you're ready.”

He expanded, “The problem with magic

is that it's easy to do poorly.
Not a lot of performing arts have such
a cheap entrance fee. If you want to be
good -- really good -- well, that's a life-
long pursuit. Especially if you want to
become a true artist.” He also suggests
keeping a journal to document all your
thoughts and ideas.
16
PAGE

If you are a raw beginner, it's not a

bad idea to read Lance Burton's little
Advice booklet. Lance has always
been actively involved with young
magicians, and he is a good role model.

Charlie despises magicians who are

“bastardizing the art”. Magic has
always been vulnerable to exposure
Sherry in the circus
and thievery -- now more than ever.

What's shocking to him is how many

magicians are selling out the art they
used to love, for money and social
media fame.

He believes that “a common tendency

in magic is for people to concentrate
more on fooling people than
entertaining them. It's like magic is
reduced to a game where I win if I fool
you, and you win if you figure it out.”

Charlie likes to think that “everybody

wins if the goal of entertainment is
Charlie & Sherry circus days achieved. Fooling people is the means
to an end . . . not the end itself.”

18 AUGUST | 2023
AUGUST | 2023 19
 The greater the artist, the greater the doubt.
Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented
as a consolation prize."
Misdirecting Magic Beautifully - Robert Hughes (Australian art critic.)
20
PAGE

20 AUGUST | 2023
Sherry
Frye

Sherry Frye is the better half of Charlie Frye and

Company. Together, she and Charlie have honed

19
PAGE
their individual characters and acts to superb works
of performance art. They have excellent comedic
timing and in Sherry’s case she has crafted the act of
boredom into a fine art.

Her entertainment start begins with her DNA; her

Mother was a musical theatre director. Sherry began
training as a classical ballet dancer at age seven. She
was very talented and at fourteen years old she was
accepted to the prestigious North Carolina School of
the Arts. That led to her moving to New York City at
the age of seventeen to work in a ballet company.

Sherry later joined 600 other hopefuls at a massive

Ringling Bros. audition at Madison Square Garden,
where she was one of the two hired on the spot.
(The other dancer didn’t last a month.) She then
sent a telegram to her parents that simply said: “I’ve
run away and joined the circus.”

In addition to being cast as a dancer, Sherry

also trained as an aerialist. Thanks to her body
awareness, natural aesthetic lines, grace, and highly
arched pointed feet, she was stunning on the
Spanish Web.

Charlie was a clown and they soon became good

friends. There was a natural comradery and
chemistry between them when they chatted.
Can you visualize their conversations, Sherry the
beautiful showgirl and Charlie in full clown make-
up? In fact, Sherry shared, “We became friends

AUGUST | 2023 21
 18
PAGE

22 AUGUST | 2023
before I knew what he looked like. I didn't
even recognize him out of make-up.” Sherry is so skilled and such a clever artist,
you are unaware of how good she truly is
Both Charlie and Sherry have been exposed with misdirection, enabling the magic or
to show business their entire lives. Therefore, driving the continuity of the show.
neither suffers fools easily. One of their
biggest challenges has been dealing with She revealed that the secret to their
performers or management who “don’t have longevity and success is: “We enjoy each
a clue”. Sherry shared, “It’s very hard for either other's company, on stage and off. We
of us to tolerate those with the confidence of respect each other, and both of us always
ignorance.” strive to be better and improve at what we
do. That makes us a good team. Either that,
Sherry has a wonderful, sarcastic sense of or we are completely codependent.”
humor. When I asked her what her biggest
achievements were, she said: “Staying married About Charlie, she explained, “I respect
in this crazy business. And playing The Palace Charlie's work ethic and creativity.
on Broadway in the Illusionists.” Therefore, I'm very protective of his work
and I hate seeing people steal from him.”
About their partnership and marriage, they
both agree it helps that they like each other, CHARLIE FRYE - ABOUT SHERRY
laugh a lot – especially at each other.
Sherry ticks all the boxes for me. Smart,
One of Sherry’s career highlights occurred caring, cute, funny, and talented. She also
when they opened for the actress, singer, and has great taste and unwavering integrity.
movie star, Liza Minnelli. About Liza and the Plus, she's kind and empathetic. (I'm just
other great entertainers that they have worked pathetic.)
with Sherry said, “They are true artists. They
are committed to their art and it’s an integral She's quietly helped out a lot of people over
part of who they are. They've never stopped the years. And, she's wickedly sarcastic.
trying to improve, and improvement in most
performance arts doesn't come easily.” Johnny Thompson once said: "She's the
funniest woman I know." And Johnny sure
Sherry has the unique distinction of being knew a thing or two about funny women!
the first woman to work in Monte Carlo at the
renowned “Crazy Horse Saloon” show with her A New York theatre critic once called her “a
clothes on! “The Crazy Horse” is famous for natural stage star”. Let's just say, “There's
their stage shows performed by nude female been no living with her ever since.”
dancers and for the diverse range of male
specialty acts. Sherry broke that mold. Fortunately, she's also ridiculously
responsible. She organizes our life; I
Both Charlie and Sherry are very disciplined. organize decks of cards. And she's a great
The regiment and training Sherry learned cook! One thing I've learned by watching
to become a professional classical dancer is her in the kitchen: Southern girls don't
engrained in her work ethic. measure.

She shared, “The people I went to school with So far as working together goes, that's not
were and are hugely talented. Many have much of a challenge, really. We're on the
achieved great successes and stellar careers. same team, so even though we sometimes
They worked hard, they developed their talent feel like it's us against the world, it's never
and they deserve their successes. They were us against each other. We look out for each
never arrogant and they still aren’t. They other.
know they’re good; they have the confidence
and self-belief to excel. But they don’t have We're basically cut from the same cloth as
annoying egos.” Cardini and Swan, Marvyn and Carol, and
Johnny and Pam. The last time we saw
One of her frustrations with magic and Carol Roy, Sherry and her both ended up
magicians is that they are often geared more with tears in their eyes. Carol said we were
towards outward success than developing the last ones doing what they did - traveling
their inward talent. Coming from a ballet the world with a husband and wife act.
background, Sherry would like to see
magicians take performance more seriously; to Johnny always said we were dinosaurs; the
do their homework and practice. last of a genre. Which kind of rings true
at times . . . but at least people still like
“When I come across those with more ego dinosaurs.
than talent, who have more drive to be famous
than desire to excel at their craft, I just cannot
relate.”

AUGUST | 2023 23
24 AUGUST | 2023
It all started during the lockdown, when Just like on stage, working silent meant
Sherry uploaded a quirky video of Charlie he was burning through material at a They thought that once “things returned
practicing in his robe. The next day they shot dizzying rate. Charlie revealed, “I must to normal”, they would stop, but “normal”
another video of Charlie in his robe as a lark. have run out of ideas dozens of times. took a lot longer than anyone expected.
Immediately people began commenting, and Then I'd go to the closet, consult my So they kept going. They adjusted to a
saying, "I can't wait 'til tomorrow." journals, and see what else I could come “once-a-week deadline” instead of “once-
up with.” a-day”.
Charlie and Sherry looked at each other and
said, "Tomorrow?!?" That's when things truly Some of the bits he'd been working on That led to another 75 videos or so, but
got out of hand. At first, they thought, "Yeah for years; decades, even. A lot was new. for those clips Charlie was allowed to wear
sure; we can do a few more." He would jot something down, sleep on pants.
it, and then “keep fleshing it out” until
Time flew; week after week went by with daily something clicked. Charlie explained, Charlie believes those video clips served
uploads, while the world at large remained “We all have our gifts. Mine is a gag gift.” as a catalyst for the book being published
sequestered. now. People were engaged, they
Sometimes Sherry would watch Charlie commented and had questions. They
Charlie set a personal goal to see if he could at night, puzzling over a clip over and would often pinpoint something in a
squeeze out enough material for a month over. It would go like this: routine and sometimes Charlie would do a
of daily uploads. He also set a goal to do so Sherry: “Do you want to re-shoot it?" Zoom session with them.
without touching any of their stage material. Charlie: “Yes! What a great idea. Do you
As the first month approached, he thought, “I mind?" That caring, sharing and giving back is
wonder if I could make it to 50, then it was 52 Sherry: "Let's get it over with. I'm union, another reason Frye and Company are
(one for every card in the deck). And then it you know." loved and respected by so many.
was two months!”
It made them very happy to know
Throughout the whole project they decided that their short magic video clips were
to keep everything short, funny, visual, and making others happy. People would
silent. The exercise was to have no language comment saying that they were watching
barrier. Charlie set another rule for himself them with their kids, and that the clips
and decided he would not purchase anything were lifting their spirits. They found this
new for the project. He had to work with what very gratifying, as that was their goal all
he had on hand at home. along.

SECRETS REVEALED • We once spent the night in our dressing Dream Encounter - Charlie
room at The Sydney Opera House, but Probably Steve Martin. I'd love to session with
• I've never performed the bra trick. (And if don't tell anyone. him over a warm drink and a cold deck.
I did, I'd use a guy with man boobs.) • We're vegetarian because we love animals .
• I once cleaned Liza Minnelli's ear with a . . just not on our plates.
Q-tip, and to ring in the new millennium • I sleep with a close-up mat under the bed,
we did a kick line with her while singing so I can practice while watching TV.
New York, New York on stage.

AUGUST | 2023 25
 A straw is withdrawn from a cup, vanishes in a wink, and reap-
pears in the cup. Simple, direct, visual. What more could you
want in a pick-up trick?

This delightful little quickie comes to you all all the way from
Ottawa, Canada, courtesy of Eric Leclerc (rhymes with eclair).
He states that the only requirements are two straws, and a plas-
tic cup like the kind fine establishments serve their hooch in.
The cup needs to be opaque, by the way. (DUH)

To prepare, bend one of the straws 90 degrees and pin it inside

the cup by squeezing slightly. By releasing pressure, it will snap
back into view. Thicker straws pop up well; thinner ones may
need a slight oral readjustment to make them perfectly straight
again. Drop another matching straw in your cup and you're
ready to go --- and so is the straw.

To perform, withdraw the straw and 'flipstick' it away. You can

use the side of the cup or your thumb as counter pressure, if
you want. As soon as the straw vanishes, relax your grip so that
the duplicate immediately reappears.

Houdini meets Dunninger.

Real handcuff keys are made of steel;

normal keys aren't. Therefore, a tiny
PK magnet in a thumbtip will quickly
allow you to discern the whereabouts
of your one and only key, which was
previously put in an envelope and lost
amongst a sea of duplicates.

AUGUST | 2023 26
 Want to freak out the gang at the local 7-11? Just pick up a
coin from their little, communal penny tray and perform a
little trick I call "Take a Penny, Bend a Penny."

Of course, the pre­bent penny is already hidden at your

fingertips, hardly qualifying as a palm. Just reach into the
penny cup and come out with your bent penny squeezed
between you thumb and forefinger so that only the edge
shows. By imperceptibly pushing it forward with your thumb,
like the way a bill emerges from a money maker's roller, the
coin seems to melt.

Besides performing this as good old psychoki­nesis, there are

other ways to sell your metal bending skills. A display of super
human strength, for example.

One minute you're combing your hair; the next your comb has
apparently vanished.

Simply leave it stuck in the hair on the back of your head and continue
to pantomime as if it's still in your hand. A magical gesture and the
comb has vanished.

AUGUST | 2023 27
 FOR PERFORMERS. BUILDERS & COLLECTORS

AVAILABLE

FALL
2023
Only 100 initial copies
available

Theatrical illusion designs

& stage effects for todays'
magicians

WWW.ILLUSIONPLANS.CA
 INMIND SYSTEM
BYINMIND PRODUCTIONS

AVAILABLE: https://inmind.productions the professional props is an extremely powerful combination. You, with
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Download PLUS props
HOW IT WORKS:
Audience thinks of any 3 or 4 letter word in the English language & a
Impress anyone with this easy to do mind reading miracle. single playing card or symbol.
In a very short space of time you will be reading minds like a real pro. Nothing is forced upon the spectator and they keep all their choices in
The InMind system does 99% of the work for you, if you can talk & use their mind.
a phone then you can do this. Leave a lasting impression wherever you At no point do the spectators write anything down.
choose to perform this. No wifi or phone signal is required.
Spectators are never aware your phone is part of the secret method to
The InMind system uses professional produced cypher wheel props unlock their thoughts.
that are mailed out directly to you, these prop hold no secrets, they Very easy to do, leaving you to concentrate on being a mind reader.
just look really great. The secret sauce is an amazing yet covert phone
app that does all of the hard work for you. The app is a real marvel that The minute you start performing with this and realize how much
incorporates very intelligent functions. Combining this secret app with reaction this gets will be when your realize it is one of the best
purchases you've made in a long time!!
30 AUGUST | 2023
 https://youtu.be/1ncqMSfCZuE

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This gets my highest recommendation for The App comes with a tutorial and it is easy I really LOVE this trick. It's mind-reading at
any style of performer. If you are looking for to learn. All you need to do is follow along its best with simple props that can be fully
something that will get a reaction, laughs and with the props in hand and it will all become examined and there is NO WAY the spectator
fool people at the same time - THIS IS IT! self evident how it works. It really is super can know how this works.
simple to use.
MY THOUGHTS: This is something you will definitely have fun
STOP what you are doing!! This has to be Honestly, I have no idea how this works!! The performing and amazing people with.
one of the BEST magic Apps I've ever used. computing behind it must be incredible.
I've been having SO much fun with this and I have yet to come up with a word in the
blowing people's minds. The fact that they English language it doesn't know.
can just THINK of any three or four letter word
and you are able to tell them WITHOUT any WHO and WHERE: This can be done
questions is as close to real mind reading as anywhere and anytime, as long as you have
you can get. the wheel and the App. You don't need
Internet access for this either so if you are
Once you purchase the App you will be sent a working a cruise ship or somewhere is no
special and well produced cardboard wheel. Wifii you can still use it. I wish more Apps did
This, along the App does all the work for you. this :)
What amazes me is that at no time do you
ask the spectator any questions. You set this If your spectator can follow instructions then
up once and it will work every time. They it's super easy to do. They just need to think
merely THINK of any three or four letter word of a word and move it around the wheel
and follow your instructions with the wheel. provided.
While this is happening the APP is doing it's
work and you will know what word they are
thinking of, plus the playing card they chose
or the graphic design.

Let's look at the prop itself. It is extremely well

designed and made from durable cardboard.
It has a really nice finish to it. It actually looks
like something that Indiana Jones might find
and use to solve a mystery. The outer wheel
has two sides and you can choose which one
you want to use. One side will tell you what
playing card they have chosen, and the other
will tell you what image. In the final reveal
you will not only get the word they are merely
thinking of, but also the card or image.

The APP - this is used out of sight and it's easy

to hide. I asked the developers if this would
come out for a watch and they said it is in the
works. I use this by having the phone hidden
in a note-pad, because I end up writing down
the word and card they are thinking of on the
pad. Hiding the phone is never an issue these
days. Sometimes you can use it in plain sight
and there is a way to do this too.
 Authentic Fabrications
with Franklin Williams
M
agic is a performance art that
happens not only in effect
or techniques but also in the

Creating an Authentic profound emotional connection you

forge with your audience. As a performer,
you have the extraordinary ability to

Emotional Connection with touch hearts, evoke laughter, and even

bring tears to the eyes of those who
witness your art. In this article, I invite

Your Performance Pieces

you to explore the power of emotion and
discover practical techniques that will
help you create a deep and authentic
emotional connection with your audience.
From understanding emotional resonance
to embracing vulnerability, storytelling,
empathy, and creating moments of
transcendence, let's dive into the secrets
of elevating your performance pieces to
new heights of emotional impact.
32 AUGUST | 2023
Understanding Emotional Resonance Empathy and Connection
Picture yourself on stage, ready to share your As performers, we have the incredible
art with the world. Take a moment to consider opportunity to create a space where
the emotions you want to evoke in your empathy thrives. Take a moment to truly
audience. Do you strive to bring joy, inspiration, understand your audience. Observe their
or perhaps a sense of wonder? Understanding reactions, listen attentively, and respond
the emotional landscape you wish to create is with sensitivity and care. Connect with
the first step towards crafting a performance their emotions, and let them know
that truly resonates with your spectators. By that their feelings are acknowledged
identifying the emotions you want to elicit, you and valued. By empathizing with
can infuse your pieces with the right tone and your spectators, you can adapt your
energy, ensuring an emotional connection that performance to meet their needs and
lingers long after the curtains close. intensify the emotional connection. Foster
a sense of connection by engaging in
The Art of Storytelling meaningful interactions, both on and off
Every performance has a story to tell. Stories the stage. Show genuine interest in your
have the power to transport audiences, to make audience's experiences and emotions, and
them laugh, cry, and feel a sense of shared create a safe and inclusive space where
experience. As a performer, you have the they can connect not only with your
privilege of weaving narratives that captivate performance but also with one another.
and deeply connect with your audience. Think
about the stories that speak to you, the ones that Creating Moments of
have left a lasting impact on your own emotions.
Incorporate storytelling techniques into your Transcendence
performance pieces, allowing your audience Close your eyes and envision a moment
to become fully immersed in the characters, during your performance when time
conflicts, and resolutions you portray. By aligning seems to stand still, and the air is filled
the emotional beats of your story with the with a palpable sense of emotion. These
moments of revelation and intensity in your are the moments of transcendence,
performance, you create a powerful emotional where you transport your audience
journey that resonates with your spectators. to a heightened state of emotion and

Authenticity and
Vulnerability
When you step onto that
stage, remember to bring
your authentic self. Share
your true emotions, your
vulnerabilities, and your
unique perspective with
your audience. It is through
your genuine expression
that you invite others to
connect with your art on
a deeper level. Embrace
vulnerability, for it is not a
weakness but a strength
that allows you to touch
the hearts of those who
witness your performance.
Share personal anecdotes,
moments of reflection,
and experiences that have
shaped you as an artist. Let
your audience see the raw
and authentic you, as it is
in that vulnerability that
connections are formed,
trust is built, and emotions
are shared.

AUGUST | 2023 33
 You have the
extraordinary ability
to touch hearts,
evoke emotions, and
create transformative
experiences."

or subtlety, and let your energy radiate

from every movement, every word, and
every silence. By cultivating a captivating
atmosphere and authentic energy, you
set the stage for a deep and resonant
connection with your audience.

Remember
Remember as a performer, you have the
extraordinary ability to touch hearts,
evoke emotions, and create transformative
experiences. By understanding emotional
resonance, embracing authenticity and
vulnerability, incorporating storytelling,
fostering empathy, creating moments of
transcendence, and cultivating atmosphere
and energy, you can forge a genuine and
lasting emotional connection with your
audience. It is in the depths of emotion that
true artistry flourishes. So, step onto that
stage with courage, open your heart, and let
your performance pieces become a conduit
for authentic and powerful connections.

This month's challenge:

Take one piece of magic you already do and
look at it from each of these lenses, see what
you come up with.

create lasting memories. Experiment Cultivating Atmosphere and

with powerful imagery, evocative
movements, or moments of stillness Energy
that resonate with the core of your The atmosphere you create and the energy
piece. Explore the use of lighting, music, you bring to the stage are instrumental in
or props to enhance the emotional establishing an emotional connection with
impact and create a multi-dimensional your audience. Consider the environment in
experience. By crafting these moments, which you perform, whether it's an intimate
you give your audience the gift of an setting or a grand stage. Tailor the ambiance
unforgettable journey that touches their to support the emotional journey you want
souls. to take your spectators on. Infuse your
performance with your passion, enthusiasm,
34 AUGUST | 2023
AUGUST | 2023 35
 Liberty Swindle aka
Penny Whimsey
A beautiful close-up
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Zombie Ball-Viking Mfg.

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36 AUGUST | 2023
 A WORLD OF MAGIC
IN TEXAS
HOUSTON • TAOM 2023
WITH GUEST OF HONOR BILL PALMER

SEPT. 1-4, 2023

PERFORMANCES BY: STEVE VALENTINE • MARIO THE MAKER
& KATIE • CHAD LONG • BRENT BRAUN • DAVE & JAKE RANGEL
• CHRISTOPHER CARTER • MAGICAL KATRINA • DOUG CONN
• MICHAEL FINNEY • HARRY MAURER • ERIK TAIT • CHIP
ROMERO • ROB LAKE • PLUS SCOTT WELLS WITH THE MAGIC
WORD PODCAST!

AUGUST | 2023 37
38 AUGUST | 2023
VANISH Magazine

LinkedIn has become an important platform for

connecting with reporters and pitching stories. With
over 740 million users, including many journalists and
reporters, LinkedIn provides a unique opportunity
to reach out to the media and generate coverage for
your business or organization. Here are some tips
on how to pitch reporters on LinkedIn, including
how to use Sales Navigator to find and connect with
journalists.

Optimize Your Profile: Before you start pitching

reporters, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-
date and professional. Your profile should highlight
your expertise and experience in your industry, and

I
include a professional headshot and a compelling
summary.

MAGIC Identify Relevant Journalists: Use LinkedIn's search

function or Sales Navigator to find journalists who
cover your industry or topic. Look for journalists who

BUSINESS
have recently written articles on similar topics or who
work for publications that cover your industry.

Connect with Journalists: Once you have identified

relevant journalists, send them a connection request
with a personalized message. Introduce yourself and
DANIEL CHAN explain why you want to connect with them. Avoid
sending generic connection requests, as they are less
likely to be accepted.

Dan Chan bills himself as “The Engage with Journalists: Before pitching a story,
Millionaires’ Mentalist.” Business engage with journalists by commenting on their
posts, sharing their articles, or liking their content.
Insider called him the magician to This will help you build a relationship with them and
demonstrate your interest in their work.
billionaires’. He’s been featured in
Pitch Your Story: When pitching a story, send a
the Hustle, BuzzFeed, The Wall Street personalized message to the journalist explaining
why your story is relevant and newsworthy. Highlight
Journal, CNBC x2, and Business the most interesting aspects of your story and
explain how it will benefit their readers or viewers.
Insider x5.
40 AUGUST | 2023
Provide Supporting Details: In addition to the main industry, location, job title, and other criteria, making it easier to find the right
points of your story, provide supporting details such as people to pitch your story to.
statistics, quotes, and anecdotes. This will help the journalist
understand the context of your story and give them more
In conclusion, LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for pitching reporters and
information to work with.
generating media coverage. By optimizing your profile, identifying relevant
journalists, engaging with them, and using Sales Navigator to find and connect
Be Available: If a journalist is interested in your story, they with journalists, you can increase your chances of getting your story covered in
may want to follow up with you for more information or an the media. Remember to keep your pitches personalized, provide supporting
interview. Make sure you are available and responsive, and details, and be available for follow-up. With the right approach, LinkedIn can be
provide multiple ways for them to contact you. a powerful tool for building relationships with journalists and getting your story
out there.
(Sidebox “Hint: While Logged into LinkedIn, you can view
the entire profile of your 1st Level & 2nd Level LinkedIn Feel free to connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Connections. danchanmagic/

What is 1st, 2nd or 3rd Level connections on LinkedIn:

1st Level - one of you sent the other an invite to connect and
it was accepted. You are directly connected on LinkedIn.
2nd Level - you are not directly connected on LinkedIn, but
you do share at least one mutual 1st Level connection.
3rd Level - this generally refers to everyone else on LinkedIn
who you are not directly connected to or share a mutual
connection with.)

What is Sales Navigator?

Sales Navigator is a premium LinkedIn tool that allows users
to search for and connect with potential customers or clients.
It also includes advanced search filters that can help you
find and connect with journalists who cover your industry or
topic. Sales Navigator allows you to search for journalists by

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 RD A N A
JO Z TA J N
OR E N S
P
B
H OTO S BY N
I C O L E CLEA
RY

42 AUGUST | 2023
 taught
us to suppress and bury: our
sense of play, connecting with our joy, and truly being
BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC IN OTHERS present.

Almost everyone has had an experience of magic at some I know that no matter how broken we are, what
point in their life. And they hold judgements. Firm judge- challenges we have faced, or how much our ego
ments about whether they’re open to magic, or dismiss it rules our lives, we are all eternally connected
entirely. to our spirit – and nothing can take away our
essence and capacity to play.
As a somewhat fresh magician, but seasoned entertainer
with 12 years of stand-up comedy under my belt, I have We never lose the capacity to play
learned and observed – that magic, unlike many other
art forms, is extremely divisive. People either love it or As a magician I take pride in the
they don’t. There is no grey zone. opportunity and the role we have to
fill other people’s hearts with joy;
WHEN MAGIC IS UNEXPECTED… IN A DIFFERENT to awaken a sense of wonder and
WAY imagination in them that they
might not otherwise activate,
When you are a full-time magician, your audience is or even use, in their daily
ready for magic. lives.

If you’re a keynote speaker and MC, like me, who Even if a person has
performs magic inside presentations and at corporate completely shut
events, magic can often be… unexpected for audienc- themselves off to
es. magic due to the
heaviness of
While I love the joy of the unexpected in life, not life, work and
everyone does. It’s abrupt. It challenges our ego and it responsibil-
demands so many aspects of ourselves that society has ities – and
 I believe in much
more than what
we simply see and
hear in front of us. I
believe in the spirit in
others.

they’ve forgotten how to play – I haven’t forgotten that they can.

BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC IN OTHERS DESPITE APPEARANCES

I recently had a ‘very serious’ briefing call for an upcoming event. It

was all business and not my vibe at all. If I were to judge by external
appearances, I had every reason to believe the three people joining
me on this Zoom meeting would not be open and playful. Nothing
screamed ‘magic’ about their tone, voice, body language or energy.

But I believe in much more than what we simply see and hear in front
of us. I believe in the spirit in others. Plus I really wanted them to feel
joy! So as the official meeting wrapped up and we were saying good-
bye, I slipped in the question: “Do you like magic?”
“Yeah?” one of them replied, hesitantly and with uncertainty.
So I performed an effect which left all three of them speechless. With
their mouths wide open and a light now visible in their eyes, they
couldn’t find any words other than … “How?”
24 hours later I got the memo they were still trying to decode and
decipher the impossible moment.

THE MAGIC OF INVITING PEOPLE TO BECOME FULLY PRESENT

What we do as magicians every day – hundreds of times over – can USING LAUGHTER AND WONDER AS INTENTIONAL TOOLS
become a single standout moment in someone else’s life. This is
something I am always conscious of, and wildly grateful for. I love the challenge of creating magical moments in the most unlikely
circumstances. I use laughter to break down walls and wonder to fill
As my favourite teacher Sonia Choquette puts it, “to enjoy” means their hearts. I love creating such a playful, irresistible and high-vibe
to be “in joy”. I believe that a large part of what makes a magic effect experience that others’ inner children have no choice but to burst out
outstanding and completely unforgettable is making people feel safe and participate, regardless of their ego.
to become truly present and enjoy the moment. More than the effect,
it’s the invitation and experience of becoming completely immersed I know, that no matter the event, the audience, or the industry for
in the moment, no matter how much their left brain wants to run the which I perform, I will always find the joy, uncover the sparkle and cre-
show. ate an atmosphere where my audiences feel safe to laugh, and open
to new experiences because I trust the creative, intuitive, imaginative,
44 AUGUST | 2023
 and larger-than-life part of me to do
so; I trust my spirit. And I trust the
spirit in others.

True magic is not about technique,

mechanics, deception, tricks or ma-
nipulation; yet that is all you’ll find
in a traditional magic book. To be a
true magician we must transcend
our ego and connect spirit to spirit.
And we must believe in the magic
in others and what lies beneath the
surface, no matter what external
appearances look like, or what mask
they might be wearing.

To be a true magician
we must transcend our
ego and connect spirit
to spirit.

AUGUST | 2023 45
Personal Magic
The Secret Books Of Eric Lewis
Volume 1, 2. 3 & 4

8-1/2 x 11 Hardbound, 360 - 420 pages,

hundreds of illustrations, hundreds of
stunning effects.

FOR MORE
INFORMATION VISIT

magikraft.com
 Martin Lewis
MAKING MAGIC
50 YEARS IN THE
MAKING

Making Magic is a book about

my Magic.

In it I have gathered 60 of my favorites

routines.

These are not pipe dreams but practical

solutions to strong effects.

Ma that has rewarded me with repeat

Magic
bookings time and time again.

While the majority of the book is on Parlor

and Stage, there are still plenty of stunning
close up effects described. including the details
of my Close-Up Cardiographic and other effects
I currently market.

Making Magic
Ma comes
with a CD containing
dozens of helpful
8-1/2
files. x 11 Hardbound, 340
pages, 269 illustrations, 60
stunning effects.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

magikraft.com AUGUST | 2023 47
ARE
MAGIC
CLUBS
DYING?
PART V
By Ryan D. Joyce

Discovering the Capabilities of Online

Platforms to Expand Membership.
From Your Magic Clubs Website, Virtual
Meetings to Effective Social Media Tactics.
The traditional model of magic clubs — local gatherings in back rooms
of pubs or community halls — has faced challenges recently. There will
always be a place for in-person meetings and events, but embracing
digital platforms is the next chapter.

In this final entry of our series, let’s look to the future and discover how
magic clubs can use digital platforms to build membership.
 regular updates about club events, workshops, and other
Looking to the Future for relevant news. A ‘Subscribe’ option should be prominently
featured on your website to allow interested visitors to
Local Magic Clubs join the mailing list quickly and easily. What can you give
them as an incentive to join your list?

Embracing Digital Platforms • What are the Benefits for Magicians: Highlight the
benefits that magicians can gain from joining your club.
Digital platforms offer various tools for communication, These include learning opportunities, performance
collaboration, and community building. platforms, connections with like-minded individuals, or
access to exclusive resources.
Selecting an online platform should depend on the needs and
technical abilities of the club members. Platforms like Zoom • Reasons to Join: Make a compelling case for why
and Google Meet facilitate real-time video communication, someone should join your club. Beyond listing the
while others, such as Discord or Slack, allow for constant benefits, share success stories of members who’ve
interaction through text, voice, and video chats. significantly improved their magic skills or built lasting
connections through the club.
How do potential members find out about your magic club?
What is your digital “front door?” Where do people go to find • Members’ Section: A members-only area of the website
you? can host exclusive content, such as instructional videos,
resources, meeting recordings, or a member directory.
The answer is likely they will search for you on Google. This adds value to the membership and can be a
compelling reason for visitors to join.
Is your magic club’s website impressive, or does it appear
outdated and confusing? The saying “Don’t judge a book • Tools for Efficiency: To maintain an up-to-date, dynamic
by its cover” no longer holds in the age of 15-second video website, use Notion or AirTable for efficient content and
impressions. It’s essential to make an excellent first impression membership management. These digital resources help
with your website. organize and store content and can serve as an intuitive
database for tracking member information and status.
Let’s cover the essentials for your magic club’s website.
A well-structured, engaging, and informative website can
The Magic Club Website: Your Online significantly contribute to the growth and sustainability of a
magic club. You must also use Search Engine Optimization
Focal Point (SEO) to ensure your club’s website comes up when people
search for local magic clubs.
As magic clubs extend into the digital space, their website
becomes one of the most vital tools. Embracing digital platforms is not merely about shifting
physical meetings online. It involves creating an expansive
This online hub serves multiple purposes: as a first point of
digital ecosystem where current and potential members can
contact for prospective members, a resource repository for
engage with the club and each other, furthering their magical
current members, and a platform to communicate the club’s
journey.
values, events, and benefits.

Your magic club’s website is the first impression you make on Host Effective Online Meetings and
your community. If your magic club is hosting an event and
you’re reaching out to local media and organizations, would you
Events
feel proud to share your website? Will it positively or negatively As we envision the future of magic clubs, a hybrid model
affect your image? that combines online and in-person events emerges. This
approach combines both worlds, creating a rich and dynamic
I’ve seen enough local magic club websites to know how bad
environment for magic enthusiasts.
they can look.
The mechanics of holding an online event mirror in-person
Here are the essential elements of an effective magic club
gatherings, which I detailed in the second installment of this
website:
series: you need an agenda, a facilitator, and engaging activities
• Homepage: Your homepage serves as your digital front to keep participants invested.
door. It should instantly engage visitors and give them
Virtual events offer unique opportunities for members.
a clear sense of the club’s character and offerings. A
great home page is simple and clean with a balance One of the significant benefits of virtual meetings is the
of appealing visuals, links to engaging content, and elimination of geographic boundaries. Club members can
straightforward navigation. Keep it simple. be in different cities to engage in club activities. This creates
an opportunity for a more diverse member base and varied
• Landing Page: Create a page dedicated specifically to
perspectives, enriching the club experience.
potential members with the sole focus of getting them
to join. List all the benefits and advantages for becoming Additionally, virtual meetings save transit time and costs.
a member and include a clear and direct call to action
inviting them to join now. Members can log in from the comfort of their homes, making it
easier for them to attend. The savings in time and money could
• Growing Your Mailing List: A mailing list lets you send

AUGUST | 2023 49
increase member participation. can cater to guest workshops from international magicians,
sharing of resources, and maintaining a constant connection
Consider hosting several virtual events throughout the year, among members.
such as guest lectures, workshops, and online competitions
or contests. These activities can help keep members engaged Embracing digital platforms is not a sign of surrender but a step
and excited about the club, even when they can’t be physically toward evolution. As magic clubs navigate the complexities of
present. the modern age, leveraging online platforms can bring about a
renaissance.
Board meetings can also effectively be conducted online.
The digital world opens up a new realm of possibilities, from
Platforms like Zoom and Google Meet offer features such as increased accessibility to the fusion of technology and magic.
screen sharing and breakout rooms, making it easier to discuss
agenda items and make decisions collaboratively. The future of magic clubs shouldn’t be a tale of dwindling
numbers and fading interest but rather a story of adaptation,
Virtual meetings and events are not just an alternative to in- innovation, and the enduring appeal of the art of magic.
person gatherings; they are valuable tools every club must
embrace. They can enhance the club experience, increase In today’s era of digital transformation, magic clubs have access
accessibility, and help magic clubs evolve in the digital age. to more tools than ever before to ensure a vibrant and exciting
future.
Digital Marketing Strategies
Conclusion
To attract new members, magic clubs must be visible where
potential members will likely spend time — online. Throughout this series, we have delved deep into the intricacies
of running successful magic clubs in an increasingly digital
Having a well-designed website is a start, but clubs should also world. As we culminate this journey, I wanted to highlight some
consider a strong presence on social media platforms. key takeaways that magic clubs can implement to ensure a
thriving future.
Utilize Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to highlight the activities
and achievements of the club, showcasing the value of being The first article emphasizes creating an engaging and
part of the community. welcoming environment for magic club meetings. A well-
structured meeting should include a mix of learning,
Build the content process into your regular meetings. performing, and socializing. It also highlights the need for
clubs to cater to various skill levels and interests, ensuring all
At every meeting, record 6-12 pieces of content with members
members feel valued and engaged.
during the meeting that can be shared throughout the month.
The second article discusses the importance of leadership in
Here are some simple content ideas:
magic clubs. Effective leaders should be passionate, organized,
• Tricks and magic visuals and committed to the club’s success. They should also be able
to delegate tasks, handle conflicts, and foster a positive and
• Member events and shows inclusive environment.

• Member spotlights The third article focuses on the role of education in magic
clubs. Clubs should offer various learning opportunities,
• Magic News including workshops, lectures, and mentorship programs. It
also highlights the importance of promoting ethical behavior in
• Book & Magic Tricks Reviews magic, such as respecting intellectual property and maintaining
the secrecy of magic tricks.
Download 12 Social Media Strategies The fourth article delves into the importance of rules,
for Magic Clubs engagement, and dealing with difficult members in magic
clubs. It emphasizes a clear code of conduct and member rules
Developing a social media strategy for your magic club doesn’t to ensure a smooth functioning club, maintain a positive and
need to be as overwhelming as it sounds. respectful environment, and align generational indifferences. It
also provides guidance on how to deal with difficult members.
I’ve compiled a bulleted list of 12 Social Media Strategies for
Magic Clubs you can download here. In this, our fifth and final article, we explored the potential of
digital platforms for magic clubs. It suggests clubs leverage
The Future of Magic Clubs: A Balance these platforms for meetings, workshops, performances, and
marketing. It also highlights the importance of having a well-
of Online and Offline designed website and a solid social media presence.
The rise of digital platforms doesn’t mean the end of physical In conclusion, successfully running a magic club requires
gatherings. Instead, it creates an opportunity for a blended effective leadership, engaging meetings, educational
model where online and offline activities complement each opportunities, clear rules and guidelines, and the strategic
other. use of digital platforms. By implementing these strategies,
magic clubs can create a vibrant and inclusive community
For instance, physical gatherings could focus on hands-on
that fosters a love for magic and promotes continuous
learning, networking, and performances, and online meetings
learning and improvement.

50 AUGUST | 2023
 NEW MINDREADING PRODUCT
VANISH MAGAZINE LAUNCH

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IN YOUR MIND NOW CHOOSE ONE OF EITHER

26 SYMBOLS OR PLAYING CARDS…TELL ME NOTHING

IMAGINE THE PERFORMER CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE
THINKING
……..IN A MATTER OF SECONDS

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Based on an ingenious
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‘THE INMIND SYSTEM’

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WWW.INMIND.PRODUCTIONS
*English language only AUGUST | 2023 51
 Does your website make it easy for don’t think twice when we go to a brand-
your prospects and clients? new website. But when we go to a site
we’ve never visited before, we all have the
That may sound odd, but I’ll explain. First, same experience.
understand that your website is a sales
brochure in digital form. While you can We’re lost.
do a lot more with your site (videos, more
content, etc.), first and foremost your site Yup, when you go to a new site for the first
is there to pique viewers’ interest and time, you gotta find your way. And because
hopefully sell your services. most of us have been visiting websites for
so long now, we usually don’t think about
A good website needs to follow a few this immediate disorientation very much…
simple rules. And one of the primary rules unless we can’t find what we want.
is to include information your prospect Another mindset thing to consider? We’re
expects to see. It has to do with user impatient. Many digital marketing experts
experience and expectations. Most of us estimate the average website viewer only
52 AUGUST | 2023
4 CRITICAL PAGES
YOUR MAGIC
WEBSITE MUST
HAVE

CRIS JOHNSON
waits three seconds before deciding whether From pet grooming to childcare services to into effective copywriting tactics but think of
to stick around or hit that dreaded back restaurants, most reputable businesses have your headline as an introduction.
button. (For the record, I don’t know if I fully these four pages. Remember, your viewers are disoriented.
buy into that statistic, but that’s what they say.) To be fair, most businesses have much more Yes, it’s only a little, and for many people, it’s
So to recap, when someone visits your website than just these four. But without those core buried in their subconscious. So your headline
for the first time, they’re disoriented and pages, you’re doing your viewers a disservice. should immediately let viewers know what it
they’re impatient. Not a great combo to start a And you might just cause them to bail on your is you do and why they should stick around.
relationship. With that in mind, it’s best to give site. I’ll cover elements each page should have Your Home page should also include clearly
viewers what they expect to see right away. in more detail. labeled links to your other pages. Most menus
Your viewers expect to see the following are across the top of the page. We consider
four pages on nearly every website they Home Page “Must Haves” this “above the fold.” You’ll want to include
visit: Home, About, Services, and Contact. Your Home page is your visitors’ first your site’s most valuable information near the
The reason they expect to see these pages? impression of you. Your Home page should top[ of your site without requiring viewers to
Simple. Most business websites include these have a large, easy-to-read headline that scroll.
four pages. And this commonality crosses over proudly announces what you do. Space in this
from every kind of business you can think of. article prohibits me from delving too deep Include your contact information, including
AUGUST | 2023 53
 phone number and email address. Position
this information near the top of every page.
Make it easy to reach out to you.

While you’re at it, include a Contact Form.

Don’t require any more information than
you absolutely need to start a conversation
with a prospect. Asking for too much
information looks like homework to your
viewers. They’ll feel overwhelmed, and
before you know it, they’ve left your site.
Your website also needs a few other items:
Demo video, pictures, and testimonials/
reviews from past clients. All of these
items help build your case for someone
reaching out to get more information. Done
correctly, these items provide crucial ‘social
proof’ that you can deliver the experience
your prospect wants for their event.

Services Page “Must Haves”

This page is where you’ll dive deeper into
what you do. If the Home page tells the
visitor a little about who you are and what
you do, the Services page goes into detail. First, remember viewer for interactive engagement. And this
Important note: you don’t have to call it expectations. Most additional page prevents you from
“Services.” I only refer to it as that because viewers expect to see a forcing your prospects to scroll down
I assume not everyone reading this offers Services page of some forever. Generally, the more they have
only shows. kind simply because it’s to scroll, the less likely they are to reach
what they encounter on the bottom of the page.
Many entertainers offer Face Painting, other sites.
Balloon Sculpting, and a host of other Remember, people are impatient. Don’t
fun things. But these other services are, Having specific pages for make them work any harder than you
well, services. Since they are not shows, each of your shows also have to.
I’d recommend using “Services.” But if you provides a marvelous
only offer shows, feel free to label this page opportunity for search
“Shows.” engine optimization.
Separate pages allow you
Depending on how many shows you to give specific details on
offer, you may want to make this a drop- each show. Your viewers
down menu. With a drop-down menu, will appreciate the
your client would click on “Services” and additional information.
a submenu listing would appear. You may It will help them make a
have separate pages for different shows you more informed choice
perform, like Birthdays, Childcare Centers, about reaching out.
and Schools. Or your drop-down menu Also, by including a
might list theme shows you offer, such as separate page of services,
Anti-Bullying, Harry Potter, or Princess Party you’re giving viewers
Shows. more opportunities to
click and explore your
A point of clarification: While you could site. Google likes sites
technically put all of your show information with more opportunities About Page “Must Haves”
on your Home page, I don’t recommend it. In most magician sites, this is the page that
most often never gets added. Or it’s the
one that has the least amount of thought

54 AUGUST | 2023
 ON YOUR SITE, YOU WANT TO BE THE ATTRAC-
TION. YOU’RE THE STAR, EVEN IF IT’S ONLY IN
YOUR LITTLE CORNER OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

put into it. Or it includes information Copperfield personally. He arranged for THE SPRING
that may diminish the performer. me to meet Copperfield backstage after
one of his shows. Copperfield posed for Be honest…did you see one ‘the’
Believe it or not, the About page is a quick picture with me and that was or two? Most people skim over
often the second-most visited page that. I was thankful but would never the second ‘the.’
on a company’s website! When you have added it to my site.
think about it, this makes sense. In Having a separate Contact page
many ways, the Internet is still the Why? with your email and phone
Wild West. People and companies can On your site, you want to be the number (don’t forget the Contact
pretty much say whatever they want. attraction. You’re the star, even if Form) reduces viewer friction and
As long as they follow the rules for it’s only in your little corner of your increases the likelihood they will
specific claims, earnings, or collection community. I’m not saying you should reach out to you if they like what
of private information, they can post claim you are ‘the most in-demand you have to say.
anything within reason. magician in your country’ or anything
like that. Too many magicians try to
So viewers check out the About paint themselves as a bigger celebrity What About Your
pages to learn more about who than they are. So promote yourself
they’re considering doing business within the realm of believability. Website?
with. With entertainers, this is a great Does your site include these four
opportunity to present yourself as essential pages? If not, consider
a real person. You can connect with Contact Page “Must Haves” adding them. You’ll be giving
your prospects in a meaningful way. On the surface, this might seem like an your viewers a better experience,
The About page is where you list unneeded page. After all, you’ve got one more in line with their
personal details, like your performing your Contact Form on your Home page. expectations.
philosophy. If you focus on laughter, And you’ve got your phone number and ------------------------------------------
include a paragraph on your goals email on every page. Why do you need ---------------------
here. If you want to mesmerize your a separate Contact page? About the Author: Cris Johnson
audiences with award-winning sleight is a professional magician
of hand, put it here. Once again, viewer expectations. with over 20 years of full-time
Because people expect to see a Contact experience. His website, www.
While it’s a great place to get page on most sites, you run the risk of TheProfessionalMagicianClubPro.
personal, don’t get too personal. This frustrating viewers if you don’t include com, includes articles, podcasts,
is not the place to post that picture one. products, and services to help
of you drunk at that college fraternity magicians book more shows at
bonfire. I’d also advise against posting And even though your contact higher fees.
a picture of you posing with another information might be on every page,
more famous entertainer. people may not see it, simply because
they’re looking for something else. Read
Years ago, I met a gentleman at the sentence below very quickly:
one of my shows who knew David
PARIS IN THE

AUGUST | 2023 55
 I N T E R N AT I O N A L M A G I C S Y M P O S I U M

WE WANT YOU!
Do you have an effect
you want to launch?
Release it with Class!

Please contact our Product

Development Ambassador:
[email protected]

56 AUGUST | 2023
 We carry
We carry the
the newest
newest magic
magic releases
releases andand are
are known
known for
for
having one
having one of
of the
the largest
largest retail
retail inventories
inventories worldwide
worldwide with
with
many classic
many classic and
and hard
hard to to find
find treasures.
treasures.
Die Cabinet US $159.00

A classic in stage magic, but not often seen. A large die is dropped into an
upright cabinet with four open doors. The die can be clearly seen both
going in through the top and sliding down to the bottom. The windows
are closed, and a lid is placed on top. The magician snaps his fingers, and
then opens all four doors: the die disappears, and in its place are several
silks!

Provide your own silks or production materials. No mirrors!

Billet Bowl (aka Changing Urn) US $ 69.99

A beautiful wooden vase that will allow you to switch one set of billets for
another. In performance several spectators write a piece of information (a name, a
location, an object, etc.) on a paper and fold it. They then drop the paper into the
vase through a slot in the top. Later, the lid is removed, and a spectator takes out
one of the folded papers; the information written down matches your prediction.

Very well made, this item does all the work for you.

High gloss reddish finish. Approx. 7″ tall and diameter is approx. 4.5″ at the widest
point. Brief instructions included.

Wolfgang’s Library Prediction US $ 99.95

This is an old classic, updated with a fun presentation.

A small box is introduced that is fashioned to look like a miniature library. When it is
opened six books can be seen. They are removed and the audience can see that they each
are different colors and cover a specific subject. A spectator chooses their two favorite
subjects, and all the books are returned to the library, secured in place with a bookmark.
After a magic gesture, a magic word, etc., the magician opens the box: two books fall out,
and they match the subjects the spectator chose! All the other books are still locked in
place with the bookmark.

The Library Prediction is a well-made, colorful prop with plenty of room for the performer
to add their own presentational spin. It is a perfect addition to any magician's collection.

Visit us
Visit us in
in person
person Tuesday-Saturday
Tuesday-Saturday 11am
11am to
to 5pm
5pm
2510 East
2510 East Sunset
Sunset RdRd ## 5,
5, Las
Las Vegas,
Vegas, NV
NV 89120,
89120, USA
USA (inside
(inside MailZone)
MailZone)
Or support
Or support us
us by
by shopping
shopping online
online at
at

www.Tricksupply.com
www.Tricksupply.com
AUGUST | 2023 57
Call 702-430-1625 or
Call 702-430-1625 or email [email protected]
email [email protected]
58 AUGUST | 2023
 RockLin
BY SEAMUS MJOLLNIR

& his
I
was chatting with friend the starter on by himself
of mine Ryan Lackey a and has plans to restore the
few weeks ago. I learn truck in coming years with

Magic
so much from our magic his father.
jams. On our last zoom he
mentioned to me one of his It was great to see the
new magic students named passion in a new, young
Rocklin, from Lake Country, magician and it reminded
BC. Rocklin has recently me of the many magicians
gained popularity for his that showed me new things
unique hobby of making along the way and how

Wands
Harry Potter-style magic lucky I’ve been gathering
wands from branches that friendships along the way.
he finds and then carves. Rocklin told me about his
Rocklin is a bright and siblings and showing magic
talented young boy who has to his friends. The freedom
a new passion for the art of of homeschooling has
magic and has even started blessed him with the time to
learning sleight of hand search out his real passions
from master magician, Ryan and hobbies and he has al-
Lackey in Kelowna. What ready performed main stage
really made me take note opening for his current
was that this 12 year old, magic mentor Ryan Lackey
homeschooled magician in in Kelowna at his magic
training makes the nicest residency which is literally a
hand carved wands and sells cool freaking castle!
them on his website.
Rocklin's talent and cre-
I got to chat with Rocklin ativity in wand making is
and his mother who shared truly remarkable. He has
some fascinating insights turned his hobby into a
into the world of Rocklin's successful business, and his
wand making. He has an in- unique wands have gained
credible farm in Tappen, BC a following across Canada
that supplies him all of his and beyond. I really enjoyed
wood. He carves and sands stumbling across this cool
each wand by hand, and is little man and would love it
particularly fond of using if you check out his site. We
birch, , and Poplar. Each must take care of the young-
wand is unique and one-of- lings. This is the Way.
a-kind, just like the wands
that choose the wizard in https://www.rockwands.ca
the world of Harry Potter.

They told me all about

his where his wands can
be purchased and how at
his young age, Rocklin has
already used his earnings to
buy himself a 1953 Mercury
pickup truck, which he fixed
AUGUST | 2023 59
 Roller Coaster
AGT EXPERIENCE PART 1
This is an ongoing series by Dan stapleton that will reflect back on his amazing
career and offer insights in to the life of a professional magician.

DAN STAPLETON
T
he house phone rings, which I never assistant, and videographer. I brought ball of fire...it only lasts a few seconds."
answer. Faryln walks down the steps three different costumes/jackets for them "I'm sorry Mr. Stapleton, but absolutely no
from our bedroom, covering the to choose: a casual "normal guy" jacket, fire is allowed. Can you produce cards or
phone with her hand, and in a loud whis- a retro 1950's navy blue "tails" coat and something?", he asks.
per says..."It's for you! It's America's Got my powder blue "bling" jacket. "That light
Talent!" Perplexed and suspicious I answer. blue jacket ("bling") will look awesome Now, some readers may not believe me,
"Hello Mr. Stapleton", the voice says, "I'm under the lights and on camera.", the but I really wasn't that interested in being
one of the staff at America's Got Talent. producer insisted, and so it was (and I on the show. It didn't matter to me one
We are going to be in Orlando soon to au- must admit, for television it sure did look way or the other. So, I say, "Look, you
dition and on this year’s show, we want to dazzling). liked what I did in Orlando and you want
highlight magicians. Doing research, your me to change the routine. I'll pass...but I
name came up and we want to tape your (Skipping a bit ahead here...) And it must really appreciate the opportunity." And I
act when we get there. You won't have to have (done the trick) since they used a meant it. The voice on the other end of
stand in line with hundreds of others who quick clip of me tossing out a ball of fire the phone said, "So you'd rather not get
will be auditioning. We will have a pass as television promo in advertising the up- a chance on being on the world biggest
with your name on it and you can come coming season. During the SAM/IBM com- stage (metamorphically speaking) than
right in, we'll tape your 90 second routine, bined convention that year in Louisville, I changing a few seconds of your routine?"
and you can leave. Is this something you was staying with my sister and bro-in-law "That's right", I said. "No hard feelings
might be interested in doing Mr. Staple- who live in Louisville. One night we were really...it's ok, but thanks anyway." A friend
ton?" And I reply, "Who is this really?!?!" watching television when suddenly one of mine I told this to said, "You're an idiot!"
of the commercials for the upcoming AGT
Not long after, I did just as they said and came on...and there I was. My brother- A month later the phone rings again. As it
on my way to my "normal" job (recreation in-law, Bob, sees it, leaps forward in his turned out, they were going to be taping
director at an area resort hotel) that chair, and says..."Hey! That was... you!" I the next segment in Los Angeles and this
day, props, wardrobe and birds in tow I couldn't have planned the timing of that time, the caller said, I can use as much fire
stopped off at the AGT hotel in present- had I tried. as I want. "When does this take place?",
ing my minute-and-a-half bird routine. I asked. And he replies ..."In three days."
Sure enough, there was a "mile-long" A few months earlier, back at home, the Yikes!!!
line of contestants... everything from a phone rings again. "Mr. Stapleton, we like
two-headed Elvis-child to every act rein- what you did in Orlando, and we want to Some of the acts, like me, were not
carnate from vaudeville. fly you to Dallas to tape the actual show. allowed to use the music best suited for
We want you to do the same act...but what they are used to. My music belonged
there is a small problem. Since the theatre as a theme song used for another popular
Daughter, Amber, assisted me that day we will be using is a government owned network show, so they asked me to do
and in the taping room, (one of the hotels building, they don't permit any fire in the a couple of additional tricks (within my
conference center break-out rooms) were act." So, I say, "Well, the only fire I do in the allotted 90 seconds) to fit (their) music,
only three production crew, a producer, act is lighting a candle and tossing out a which was given to me two days before

60 AUGUST | 2023
PHOTO B
Y CRAIG
FENNESS
Y

AUGUST | 2023 61
 but it couldn't be located. A few min-
utes later, a man next to me was having
difficulty reading the printed program
so I said, "Would you like my "readers?"
as I reached in my coat pocket removing
them and handing them to the fellow.
I turned back to resume my interest in
watching the Close-Up show when the
fellow taps me on the shoulder and
HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/WDMA24VFLMA asks...."Is this what you were looking
for?" Stuck right-dab in the middle of
one of the lenses of my glasses was the
missing gum. The guy asked me this,
pointing to the wad, with my glasses
still on his face. How humiliating! I pick
the wad off the glass and pop it back
into my mouth as the guy removes my
glasses, folds them, and hands them
back to me. I place them back in my
pocket with an embarrassing smile that
didn't fool him and just said, "Thank
you.", like something Jerry Lewis would
have done. He asked me, "Are you a
magician?" And I just said, "Nope."
the show. This is not unusual. The same thing picked them up and delivered them to his
happened when I appeared last year on the lecture location. No charge! Karma! Arriving at the beautiful Orpheum The-
television show, The Mike Huckabee Show, in ater...site of AGT taping - The Orpheum
Nashville. Luckily, their music fit my theme of A driver awaits me at the Los Angeles Theatre on Broadway in downtown Los
what I presented as you can see on YouTube. airport (LAX) en route to my hotel, the Angeles, California, opened on February
Hollywood Best Western just down the 15, 1926, as the fourth and final Los An-
Three days until appearing on America's Got street from the Magic Castle. This retro geles venue for the Orpheum vaudeville
Talent and I remember that I don't have a hotel was filled with photographs and circuit. After a $3 million renovation,
permit to fly with my birds. (Do I need one?) posters of all the Hollywood greats. started in 1989, it is the most restored of
After all, all those years flying in and out of 8x10's and posters lined the halls, lobby, the historical movie palaces in the city.
countries boarding and disembarking cruise and staterooms, many of whom stayed at The Orpheum has a Beaux Arts facade
ships with my birds became a big problem the hotel themselves in years...decades designed by movie theater architect
ever since they had an outbreak of pigeon flu past. If these walls could talk. In fact, they G. Albert Lansburgh and has a Mighty
near the end of my cruise ship career. did, since it was an amorous couple in the Wurlitzer organ, installed in 1928, that is
room behind my bed wall who kept me one of three pipe organs remaining in
I was told that a particular "dove worker", who awake until 3am. I didn't know if I should Southern California venues. Soon after
had one of the best dove acts around, was be angry or jealous! it was opened, it was a popular venue
the "go-to" guy when acts, needing birds, for burlesque queen Sally Rand, the
arrived in Southern California to perform That night I went to the Magic Castle Marx Brothers, Will Rogers, Judy Gar-
during a visit to "Southern Cal". where I had not visited since maybe, land (singing with her family as Frances
1983. I lectured at the Castle in 1978 and "Baby" Gumm) and comedian Jack Ben-
"Dan", he explains, "I have to charge you X for it had changed much from what I remem- ny, as well as jazz greats Lena Horne, Ella
the two birds, X for bird food, X for the bird bered. But one of the most embarrassing Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. Vaude-
cage rental, X for me to deliver them to you moments occurred this night as I stood ville acts were still playing the Orpheum
and X to drive over to get them back." I fully watching the Close-Up show, and it had as late as 1950. In the 1960's the theatre
understand this as a business transaction, but nothing to do with magic. It was standing held rock and roll concerts featuring
the total amount would have been a second room only and I, along with a few others, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin and Little
mortgage on my house. And then he added, stood in the back when suddenly I had to Stevie Wonder.
"Oh yes...and you are not allowed to trim the sneeze. For those who know me, I always
feathers." Well, that was that. I called my old sneeze into my shirt or jacket so as not Meeting with the AGT staff that day
friend, Tony Clark, and without hesitating to spread any germs. This night I had in explaining what would occur the
Tony says, "Sure, no problem...and since I dinner at the Castle and afterwards I was following day for the actual competi-
live pretty close to where you are staying, I'll chewing a piece of gum in cleaning my tion was a joy, all friendly and accom-
bring them over to you." No charge! And then teeth. When I sneezed (during that Close- modating. And then they gave me a
he added, "And feel free to trim the feathers, Up show), the gum flew out of my mouth, copy of my music, another "clip" of an
within reason, if you need to." What a guy. but I could not figure out where the edited-rearrangement of what I sent to
(I'll jump ahead here...) Later that year or projectile had landed. And looking like them that they could not use because of
perhaps the next, Tony was touring with his Mr. Bean, I'm looking around everywhere copy-write. Horror ensued. It sounded
Slydini lecture and Orlando was one of his as inconspicuously as possible for that like a church organ with little of the
stops. I called him and offered to acquire a wad of gum...in my coat, on my sleeve, fanfare and brass that is in my version.
car rental (a friend of mine owns the agency) And worse...it was lengthened by fif-
and he can ship his items to Orlando where I teen seconds...an eternity! Keeping the

62 AUGUST | 2023
act pretty much as is, I had to lengthen the
routine and possibly miss my music "marks" a
bit at the same time slowing down the pace
to hit the crescendo at its finale. Ugh! And
that music is all I could think about during the
next 24 hours! (Well, that and...who was that
amorous couple in the hotel room next to me
last night?)

The hundred, or so, acts all sat waiting their

turn in a large "waiting room" beneath the
stage and leading up to the stage auditorium
all one could hear was the excruciatingly loud
"BUZZ" when an act was "X'd". Nothing else
could be heard. It was like the sound of the
guillotine falling and everyone anticipated the
too-often "BUZZ!" Some acts came off stage
crying and some threatened retaliation: "If
those bastards think they can get away with
this...they don't know their ass from a hole in
the ground!", etc. Boy...talk about taking it per-
sonal. One by one each act was led up to the
backstage area and the day was wearing long.
I spotted no other magician(s) in this group
of many, but some walked by complimenting
my "bling" jacket. While we were all waiting
our turn some of the acts were interviewed,
including myself.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT ISSUE OF VANISH.

AUGUST | 2023 63
 VINO PRESAGE
BY MIKE MAIONE AND BRETT BARRY
VINO PRESAGE IS A TOUR DE FORCE BOOK TEST. Wine meets mind VINO PRESAGE flows with over 60 expertly-crafted Rorschach "wine
in this FULL-COLOR book test like no other! What could be a more stains" that will spark your spectator's imagination. Every abstract wine
engaging crowd-pleaser than a playfully readable wine guide penned page reflects a palette of mind-reading possibilities.
by a distinguished psychiatrist & sommelier?
Our powerful new psychological revelation features are guaranteed
VINO PRESAGE is a masterful pairing to get into your audience's to take your performances to delicious new destinations! The WINE
heads. Our boldest blend is the world's first wine themed book test. IN MIND book itself is filled with abstract images which everyone will
VINO PRESAGE is like no book test you've ever seen, with a delightful interpret uniquely. The fun part is friends and couples might view the
structure and backstory: an esteemed Doctor's guide to his favorite same wine stain in different ways-- one might spot a butterfly's wings,
vineyards - incorporating some "free association" psychological games somebody else a dog's nose or ears, and yet another might see a heart
to encourage food for thoughts. or alien. What we each see is in the eye of the beholder and projected
onto the page. It's about perspective.
Reveal a well-known bottle & vintage of a wine the spectator is thinking
of. Know a free-form image they created in their mind. Reveal a word Yet the performer WILL always know all. She will seemingly SEE
they freely chose. Know the winemaker and the name of their best through her helper's eyes into the unconscious - revealing imagery
friend. Reveal "word associations" that two people are merely thinking and thoughts known only to the participant. Finally, performers have
of. Know the tasting notes and characteristics of their chosen vino + a knockout new vintage to swirl and slay audiences - with a subject
even more! (wine) that nearly all adult audiences enjoy.
64 AUGUST | 2023
 vintage year, and taste/flavors thing you can force is the picture of a 'chicken'
VINO PRESAGE IS A PREMIUM TOOL We • Forced wine is YELLOW TAIL MERLOT and what you do with this is up to you.
refused to settle (like many do nowadays) • Reveal a freely chosen wine stain for a
with a carbon copy rehash of typical book test revelation or drawing duplication
features. We didn't want to do a far less costly • Know the name of a chosen The fact this looks like a high-end book you
black & white book (which wouldn't look WINEMAKER, the setting, and even the would buy in the shops means this could really
realistic for a wine guide), or cut back on the name of his best friend be a book. There is SO much you can do with
number of glossy pages to save money. The • Reveal a freely chosen word (WikiTest it, from predictions, drawing duplications plus
goal was to create something innovative for Words) much much more. You really are limited by
the mind and the eye, and we felt that shaving • Both the force pages AND non-force your own imagination.
costs compromised our vision for an exquisite pages allow revelations
book test like no other. So we made a 5 year • Reveal TWO random thoughts Mike and Brett have thought of EVERYTHING
effort to do this wine book the classy way- and concurrently (from two helpers) using including sending some of the force Wine
when you hold this baby and flip through the our new "free association" WORD PLAY labels. You could easily combine any bottle
pages, you will notice the quality instantly. game production with this book test by having your
• Reveal a challenging word from the spectator choose a page and remember the
Discover 200+ supple pages (cut wine review photo captions wine on that page. You blow up a balloon and
imperceptibly long & short) with countless • Force a page at will using our famous hey presto - you produce the exact bottle they
photos. We hired a skilled watercolorist to PPNS chose. This is just the top of my head but the
compose over 60 imaginative & gorgeous • Force a page using our highest possibilities are truly endless.
Rorschach wine stain illustrations. We precision Svengali 27-page PDF with
then wrote every single wine review from detailed explanations and MANY Another nice feature about these type of book
beginning to end - all accurate. Next, we routine ideas! tests that have been made popular by Mike
asked our longtime manufacturer to use is that you can hand the book to a spectator
the best high gloss paper, intense inks, and Extra subliminal downloads, Digital Force and they won't suspect anything. Even with
gorgeous UV ink book covers. The outcome? Bag text, and artwork for revelations the Svengali principle they have designed it
Breathtaking and opulent to behold! VINO WikiTest words crib sticker included Built-in in such a way that if somebody were to look
PRESAGE was crafted with the same "made in secret cribs within the book itself Snugly fits at each page it doesn't appear to be the same
the USA" meticulousness and originality that in a back or jacket pocket (8 x 5.5") throughout. This is a huge advancement in
made our SvenPads® world-renowned. Over 200 pages this type of book test.

VINO PRESAGE isn't just for wine lovers - it's The binding of the book has been made super
perfect for any mystery performer. Vino VINO PRESAGE is a richly structured book durable with a process the printer developed
Presage is a book test that will generate test with "legs" (the wine kind) that will to make sure that under heavy use pages will
conversations before the effect even starts, stand up to the closest scrutiny. not loosen and the spine will survive long
with layered direct methods for mind-reading term. This means it will last a long time.
miracles or a magical revelation. If you're already familiar with our famous
Celebrity Presage books, you know some of You can do this in any parlor or stage show
Audiences will be awestruck by what's cloaked the techniques--but we guarantee there's and perform the reveal anyway you want. You
behind this innocent "wine guide" that has a even more in store. could even do more than one reveal having
mix of both popular and high-end wines from somebody choose a wine, another choose an
around the world. But wine is only part of the MY THOUGHTS: image, etc.
story. So pour your audience a big glass of This is one of the most gorgeous and
mystery and get ready to explore many cool innovate book tests I've ever seen - and I've This is definitely one of my all time favorite
new routines, imagery, reviews - and perhaps seen A LOT! The first thing you'll notice is the book tests and I've had so much fun
even flex your wine knowledge. topic. A book by a psychologist who is also a performing it.
wine expert and analyses wine stains. i am
WE DIDN'T FORGET THE #1 GOAL: CREATING sure you are aware the book works on the
EXTRAORDINARY MENTALISM WITH AN Svengali principle making it the easiest way
INNOCENT AND EASY-TO-USE TOOL! to force certain things on a page. The one

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Vanish Advertisment Half Page Advertisment Second Sight.indd 1 17/11/2022 5:56:57 PM

 LOUIE FOXX
GIANT METALMORPHOSIS
VIDEO WALK THROUGHS for Louie's Magic can be watched on Vanish
Magazine Bonus section of his blog at:
www.MagicShow.tips and use the password: vanmag

blue, so that it’s straight. You will also need to

cut off the point of the pin.
Then bend the pin so that it naturally wants
to rest on the outside of the head of the giant
safely pin.

You can see a gimmicked pin and regular in the

picture.
Last month’s trick was Metalmorphosis Close Up
which is the close up version of this trick. The
To start the trick, you have both pins closed and
“giant” version will play close up or even in a
the ring sitting on the table.
cabaret setting! This version of the trick eliminates
the need of a Jerry Andrus style key pin. This
Working: Show the two safety pins and link
version uses giant safety pins, however it also
them together by opening the ungimmicked
works with smaller pins.
one and putting it through the other pin. Close
The bonus for me is that this trick combines my
the ungimmicked pin and hold the soft pin in
love of the linking pins and oddities!
your left hand, then transfer them to your right
hand. As you do this, your left ring finger pops
Effect: A giant safety pin is attached to second
the soft pin into the open position. You and now
giant safety pin and a finger ring from a circus
gripping the open soft pin in your right hand by
giant is set on top of that pin. Magically the
the coil end.
first pin and the finger ring switch places on the
second safety pin!
Your left hand picks up the finger ring and sets it
over the pin your left hand is holding. Remove
the ring to demonstrate that the ring is over the
pin, and not actually linked to it. When you put
the ring over the pin your left hand is holding, it
https://youtube.com/shorts/
slips it between the needle and head of the soft
mAmFddxewzs?feature=share
pin, secretly linking it to the pin. From the front
it will look like it’s simply been set over the pin.

Your right hand grabs the ungimmicked pin and

slides it forward and through the ring. Once it’s
through the ring, it then passes to the back of
the soft pin and through the gap. This unlinks
Needed: You will need two giant 5 inch safety
the ungimmicked pin from the ring. Once the
pins and a finger ring from a circus giant! The
pin has unlinked, your left thumb closes the soft
circus giant’s ring that I use was supposedly
pin. Continue sliding the ungimmicked pin to
from Jack Earle, however according to sideshow
the left through the ring.
historian James Taylor, it’s probably a napkin
ring that was sold by Jack. You can find metal
You can now show that the ring is on the safety
napkin rings on Amazon.
pin and the second pin is free!
Set Up: You will need to convert the
Notes: I figured out how to gimmick giant
ungimmicked pin into a soft pin. A soft pin is a
safety pins on my own about 6 or 7 years ago.
safety pin that’s been bent so that the needle
Then about a month ago I stumbled upon the
naturally sits on the outside of the pin’s head.
book Magic With Giant Safety Pins by Jose De
This clever invention of Han Van Senus allows
La Torre which was published in 1994. In that
you to secretly open and close the soft pin with
book Jose had come to a very similar way of
your fingers.
gimmicking giant pins!
To gimmick one of the pins as a soft pin, you
will need to cut off the little flap that’s circled in
Force a card with no deck switch, no pinky break, no double lifts, no controlling the
cards. Force the right card every time! Do this with a totally examinable gimmick
that is easy to use and 100% reliable. 5 routines plus a bonus idea included.
Available in Red or Blue.

Available at your favorite Murphy’s Magic Dealer.

 One of THE most recognizable magic props of all time just LEVELED UP
for the 21st century... introducing ProCaps by Lloyd Barnes.

ProCaps
L L OY D BA R N E S
ProCaps was designed to replicate everyday bottle caps; this stealth-like set allows you to VANISH, TRANS-
FORM, APPEAR and TELEPORT stacks of coins with total ease, right under the spectator's noses.
If the ProCaps set alone wasn't enough; we've brought in Craig Petty to teach you 11 brand new, NEVER
BEFORE PUBLISHED routines in an over 2 hours long in-depth, intricate explanation video.

With tricks designed for beginners as well as challenging professional level routines,
ProCaps has something for everyone.

Available at your favorite Murphy’s Magic Dealer.

 MAGIC CASTLE
TURNS 60 BEN ROBINSON

In 2023 the Magic

Castle in Hollywood,
CA achieved the world
record for the longest,
continuous magic
theater. Previously the
record had been held
in London, England
(1873—1933) by The
Egyptian Hall founded
by the Maskelyne family.
At the famed hall where
Alexander Herrmann
(1844—1896) played his
famous thousand nights,
a man was first levitated
ter
Trot
in an act called “Trapped o by
An
Phot
By Magic”.

W
hen magic went indoors, it As Earth crawls out of the pandemic,
became astonishing theater. The Magic Castle stands as a beacon of
In less than two weeks since inspiration on many levels. From 2020
this publication, this writer shared the to 2022 the Castle held outdoor shows
unique experience of doing 21 shows in a tent in the parking lot, and the
in 7 days in The Magic Castle’s jewel box tradition continued. With my booking
58-seat theatre known as The Parlour of set since February, I sought to find out
Prestidigitation. I did shows at 7:15, 8:15 who, what, where and in some cases,
and 9:15. World champion magician, why the magic continues.
Grand Prix winner Johnny Ace Palmer
followed at 9:15, 10:15 and 12:30am.
72 AUGUST | 2023
I received a phone call shortly
after the last living founder of the
Castle, Milt Larsen, passed at age
92 in his sleep. “This place is like
the Academy awards 24/7” my
caller said, and hung up. If setting
a world record isn’t difficult
enough, now Entertainment
Tonight and CBS News offered
sobriquets to: the Larsen family,
the enduring magic and iconic
status of the institution run as
a private club, with at least five
bars (that I counted) inside.

I spoke with executives,

management, staff and talent.
LA offered an opinion too. The
new Academy Museum, Canter’s
famous Deli, the Hotel Roosevelt
(down the street from the Castle)
Mel’s Diner (a famous tourist
site) and conversations with Jim
Steinmeyer, Johnny Ace Palmer,
David Kaye (“Silly Billy”), Tiffany
and Boris Wild, Greg Wilson,
Jeff Parmer, Maurice Newman
and hosts: Michele Murtaugh,
Chris, Aaron, Jordan and Ben O,
rounded out the sheer awe I saw
in one person’s face just prior to
flying West.

I’d been seriously “gearing up”

for these precision performances
contracted to not be less than
fifteen minutes; no longer than
twenty. Yet, the Winds of Helena
struck; finding myself visiting the
hand doctor before I left, insuring
operational security. “So, you
back to work?” asked my hand
therapist. When I told him about
the coming shows doing one half
the bill with a world champion,
this therapist who’d seen me
Photos courtesy of Taylor Wong, The Magic Castle, copyright 2023. Used by permission.

perform on several occasions asked, “Is this reverence in 2023 as everyone seeks returning
your first time there?” When he learned I was to “normal.”
selected for my fifth appearance representing
what Entertainment Director Jack Goldfinger The Magic Castle is an impressive place; and
called “the best of the best” concerning all difficult to explain to others because they have
performers there (especially this year). no other reference. That is logical. I have known
of magic venues in New York City, Houston,
My therapist told me of watching a Hulu TX, Chicago, IL, Las Vegas, NV, Paris, France and
documentary on the Magic Castle, and he had London, England. None has lasted anywhere
new respect for me. The exclusivity seemed to near The Castle’s accomplishment. There are
intrigue him. “Just not anyone can go in there!” literally thousands of articles and years of the
he exclaimed. Was this awe because he was Larsen family-founded magazine that report
3000 miles away? Or, did the LA locals have all the names of the magicians who graced The

AUGUST | 2023 73
FOUNDERS DAY - Photos courtesy of Taylor Wong, The
Magic Castle, copyright 2023. Used by permission.
 Castle. Inside, you’ll see props, paintings, their magically-unexpected invitation to
posters, photographs and proclamations all the world famous Magic Castle. I think
celebrating this effulgent spirit of mystery, that is the job.
wonder and genuine skill.
On the other side of the magic universe I
I met people who proudly told me they had met a fellow who told me he’d worked to
been members of The Castle for 28-years, help the Wilson family (Master magician/
not booked formally, but walking up to Board member Mark, wife Nani and son
anyone who would watch with a deck of Greg) for many years, but he did not
cards and some elegant moves. “El Ropo” see any of my 21 shows. As a working
held court in the Palace bar always eliciting performer, you spend a good part of
guffaws and smiles. The dining room was the day preparing for what will happen
filled every night; guests of mine unable that night. Once done; I did not have a
to get a last-minute booking. (Savvy they, lot of energy left over to do much more
“any cancelations?” shot from the hip by the than eat a quiet dinner with my wife
entrepreneurial founder of the Beer Hunter (contracted to run my sound, lights
chain was rewarded by a night of last- and curtain), and then help Johnny
minute fine dining.) pack out around 1:30am. Eight hours
earlier I arrived via the artist’s entrance,
Constant was skill; politeness; attention passed some kitchen staff grabbing a
to detail. This was the attitude by those break before preparing and helping
that work at The Castle, and other service serve a few hundred gourmet meals. If
industry workers. Even the more than something was broken; it was fixed. When
million-strong Los Angeles becomes a something went askew; the wagons were
small town when servers at well-known immediately circled and the problem
eateries clasp their hands, light crosses neutralized, resolved, examined; business
their faces, and say, “I love the Magic Castle, continued unabated. I heard the word
though (long pause) I’ve never been there.” “perfect” repeatedly. Everyone works
A mixture of twinkling eyes, a certain for it. The “go sign” I received 3x nightly
innocence and being at the right place at before my entrance was the beginning of
the right time one afternoon by the hostess a ritual that involved reflections both with
at LA’s famous Canter’s Deli, wrought the dulled lumens, and my beginnings.
Golden Ticket of an invitation to attend my
Sunday night 8:15pm show. My reward was It’s hard to fathom world fame in a largely
learning both young ladies from Louisville, controlled, cyber-mirrored social media
KY had never before seen a magician live. world. Absolutely no photography or
I am sure neither of them will ever forget videography is allowed inside The Castle.
76 AUGUST | 2023
Violaters vanished. Every host that engagement. His week was a
introduced my show made that point. little lighter than mine for show
One writer letting me know his writing number, but no less taxing when
wasn’t thievery, but general report he gave eight children’s shows
notes. Boots-on-ground proved that back-to-back in two days. He
world fame. I met patrons and guests asked how many shows I did in
from: NY, CA, IL, KY, FL, Washington The Parlour. A knowledgeable
DC, AZ, NV and Belgium, France, smile crossed his face. Then
England, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, he looked down and said with
Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. One solemnity, “I have a new respect
week; my point? “World fame” in the for people who do this job.” ___________________
case of The Magic Castle is 100% real, Ben Robinson has appeared professionally since
alive and, frankly, thriving. Magic is a fragile art in a world 1974. Since his autobiography and film The Outlaw
that esteems “hits” (quantity) and Hero (2020), his writing has appeared daily in The
Magic has always succeeded in “friends” (people you’ve never New York Times.
depressed times; visual fantasy met in person becoming your
provides escapist entertainment. A “bestie”) as currency to interact.
bridge to a world where instantaneous The magician’s art requires none
transformations and rapid fire of this. Whether the shaman
productions make audiences grasp stood in the center of the circle,
their cheeks with their hands, as their or I stand within feet of
jaw slowly moved toward the floor. One my audience telling a
film producer leapt up from his seat tale about a one-handed
when Johnny Ace Palmer made live magician, the message of
baby chicks appear. He emphatically magic is something the
pointed his finger to the stage gleefully Magic Castle excels at.
chirping, “No! No! You cannot do that!”
He fell back in his seat; his ambrosia At sixty glorious wonder-
laughter contagious. filled years we experience
the ancient art displayed
David Kaye performs famously in with pride, precision, true
New York City as “Silly Billy.” He’s been honor and love.
profiled by TV news; and true celebrity
in The New Yorker. We’d met. Post- Viva! The Magic Castle.
pandemic, we found ourselves both
employed for this special Summer

AUGUST | 2023 77
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BY NICK LEWIN
O
n the 24th of July, a grand gathering of but also his other creations such as the Mayfair duction by our host/MC for the evening David
magicians congregated in the Wilshire Music Hall, Variety Arts Center, Caesars Magical Kovac. David did a superb job of keeping
Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles for the Milt Empire, The Magic Cabaret, and the trailblazing the show together in a witty and charming
Larsen Celebration of Life. It was a beautiful- It’s Magic! show. manner. David then introduced Larsen's niece
ly planned and executed tribute to the last Jessica Hopkins who read a statement from
remaining founder of the world-famous Magic It was especially appropriate that this event Milt's wife Arlene. Sadly, health issues made
Castle. Larsen passed away on May 28th, 2023, was held at the beautiful Wilshire Ebell Theatre it impossible for Arlene to travel down from
at the age of 92 and the magic world lost one because it was here in 1956, that Larsen Montecito to Los Angeles for the event.
of its most iconic renaissance figures. launched his first annual It's Magic! show. The
shows are still taking place every year making The program continued with a performance
Milt was a dear friend for over 49 years, and I this the world's longest-running magical show. by the talented Jody Baran and his wife
flew from Austin, Texas to pay my respect to Sitting in the auditorium I reflected on the Kathleen. The couple performed manipulation
this extraordinary and visionary magical leg- many outstanding versions of the show I had magic with cards and doves and closed on
end. Like so many others present that night, seen there in the past. a wonderful classic levitation. The audience
my life had been greatly affected by Milt’s was highly appreciative of their sophisticated
remarkable life work. Not just the Magic Castle, The event started at 6:00 PM with an intro- and classy performance. Next, Lance Burton
AUGUST | 2023 81
walked onstage to the podium and he shared some stories about it. More im-
explained his personal debt and grati- portantly, Terry confirmed he will continue
tude for Milt's guidance and assistance the yearly productions of the show. A magi-
when he first launched his career. cal highlight followed when Les Arnold and
Lance was followed by Chuck Martinez Dazzle performed a selection from their rep-
who addressed the capacity crowd. ertoire. They were superb featuring strong
Chuck was the President of the Magic magic with equally strong comedy. Geese
Castle before becoming the AMA Exec- disappeared and reappeared, Dazzle's head
utive Director and he added his sincere was twisted until her body wound up into a
tribute to Larsen. knot, and finally, a transposition which had
a surprise ending that brought the house
Erika Larsen, Jessica Hopkins, and Lib- down.
erty Larsen next took over the podium
and shared great stories about the fam- The penultimate speaker was Dale Hind-
ily fun and surprises that result from man, one of Milt’s dearest friends and
having Milt as a “Unkie.” A brief video colleagues. Dale also deserves kudos for his
message from David Copperfield in Las excellent job directing the show; the entire
Vegas followed and David shared his show ran smoothly and effectively. To close
warm regards for Larsen. Other speak- out the show Randy Pitchford discussed his
ers included Sara Ballantine and Gay commitment to keep the Castle on track
Blackstone who gave their perspectives and heading where Milt would have wanted
on their friend Milton. it to go. After Randy left the stage, an excel-
lent short video was played that covered
A delightful musical interlude followed many of Milt’s achievements.
introduced by Milt’s lifelong friend
Richard M. Sherman and his son Greg.
Larsen and Sherman were writing
partners and we were treated to a brief
medley of songs from their musical
production Pazzazz! plus a song or two
from their Smash Flops album. Musical
director Richard Allen accompanied
the extremely talented singers Carly
Bracco, Joey D’Auria, Joshua Finkel, and
the Castle’s own Bonnie Gordon.

Brit trickster Mark Haslam gave an

elegant nod of the head to Sher-
lock Holmes as he performed a truly
astounding card in cigarette routine.
The next performer was juggler
extraordinaire Michael Goudeau, who
entertained in his normal manic style
and had the crowd in stitches. What
followed was, for me, the most moving
speech of the evening when Johnny
Cannizzaro hit the podium. Johnny was
Milt's long-term intern/assistant/care-
giver who shared some heartfelt and
poignant stories about his old friend.

The curtain was raised to reveal posters

from some of the It’s Magic! show and
Terry Hill walked to the podium. Terry
was Milt’s co-producer of It’s Magic! and

LIBERTY & ERIKA LARSEN & JESSICA HOPKINS

Following the Celebration of Life celebra-
tion there was a reception in the theater’s
roof garden. Wine, beer, and small bites
flowed freely as the guests enjoyed the
opportunity to catch up with old friends.
It was a wonderful evening that allowed
everyone to wish a fond Aloha to Milton
Page Larsen. He was a force of nature
whose creativity and vision are unlikely to
ever be matched in the magic world.

GAY BLACKSTONE

RICHARD SHERMAN

LES ARNOLD & DAZZLE

RANDY PITCHFORD
Creativity Series

DAMEON’S
"KNIFE
THROUGH
COAT"

Dameon (aka Hal Meyers)

 NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
Creativity Series

… and alterations, variations, props, holders, ideas, practical applications, routines

DAMEON (AKA HAL MEYERS)

And So It Begins - ships:

Shortly after working in a revue at the St.
Regis Hotel in NYC I found myself on cruise
ships (1984 I believe), courtesy of Dick Brooks,
Dorothy Dietrich and Jackie Bright, (father of
Kevin Bright, co-creator of Friends). My first
cruise was out of NYC on the Oceanic and the
second on the Cunard Princess - Vancouver to
Alaska.

Definitely freaked me out being on ships, a

totally foreign environment from revue shows,
however, they appeared to like me and upon
returning home I received a call from Jackie
saying he booked fifty weeks on various
cruises. I was horrified to say the least. (A
discussion for another segment).

In the mid 1980’s the ships they were happy

to have short acts. My first routine ran 11-12
minutes and my second act a little under 15. I
became the go to opener for the established
cruise entertainers and most of the “headliners”
who frequented the ships. I was an effective
opener because I was purely visual, performing
to music, I did not speak on stage and
always got the audience ready for the next
entertainer. My set-up was fast and I left a
clean stage.

I had lots of downtime and searched for new

material to present. I was intrigued by the knife
through coat, loved the concept, however,
each routine I’d witnessed used one or two
spectators with witty banter.

Not my style.

Ted Collins - my go to:

Before I left to join my next ship I went to
Mecca Magic, owned by Ted and Bea Collins
(Ted is in Volume 2 of Tarbell - the Panama Rope
Mystery). Ted always had wonderful ideas and
thoughts on my routines which I embraced. " It was definitely an interesting method and
I told him I’d thought about doing the knife
through coat. We discussed it and then he we figured out how to work it fitting my style."
pulled out Berland’s KTC. It was definitely an
interesting method and we figured out how to
work it fitting my style.

AUGUST | 2023 85
 Please note: I am not going to reveal the secret. If you are interested, they would stand. Without missing a beat I began to remove their coat.
do some research. I am merely going to point out my variation and/ Once off I gestured for them to sit.
or improvement on the effects presentation.
Their coat was handled with care and displayed for all to see. In the
Working out the Knife Through Coat logistics: original routine it was placed on a hanger, hung on the stand, the knife
1) I needed a stand to visually present the routine allowing introduced, and target put in place. Then came the fun …
my mobility. I purchased a heavy duty collapsable microphone
stand. While performing the routine on the Countess I was very lucky to be
2) You were supplied with a long black drape. The drape working with Peter Gordeno, a well known entertainer from the UK
would not stay in place on the stand, it kept sliding off therefore who made several suggestions which greatly improved the routine.
velcro was the solution, sewn to the drape and adhered to the top The main one was the slicing of the newspaper as I walked towards
of the mic stand the spectator who’s coat I borrowed, this not only demonstrated the
3) Where to keep the knife for easy access - I added velcro sharpness of the knife but created an atmosphere of tension which
on the back panel of my vest and sewed it to the knife sheath. The always got a laugh from the audience. The shredded paper was tossed
knife hung upside down. to the coats owner with a smirk, which also got a laugh. By this time
4) Where to keep the target, and make it visually effective. the audience knew what was going to happen. Peter also suggested
Originally Berland had a bullseye printed on target sheets, I I thrust the knife at a slant so the blade picked up the light as it
changed it to a red Heart and hung it on the stand. penetrated the jacket.
5) Plus I needed a good solid wooden hanger.
At the end, the coat is revealed to be unharmed, I return it to the
Once the physical logistics were figured out music had to be owner, helped them put it on and gesture for the audience to offer the
selected. The ships music director after watching the routine in spectator some applause, then I shook their hand.
rehearsal, suggested I use Peter Gunn which he wrote out as a 7
piece chart. The Upper Torso Variation:
After performing the routine with the - disjointed elements - I came up
Please note: on the OLD Version video with the Berlin setup live with the idea based on my mannequin act. I realized the best way to
music is being played. On the NEW version taped at Magic Island display a coat would be on a mannequin - but I only needed an upper
in Houston the music - from my charts - had been recorded for me torso.
- listen to the musical difference in the presentations. Live music is I went to David Mendoza and we discussed the routine. Davids eye for
incredible. design is incredible and he took my thoughts putting together exactly
what was needed.
Next I had to figure out how to get a spectator to stand, remove his
jacket and have him sit down. Finding a spectator wearing a coat The upper torso on a stand held the jacket perfectly and eliminated
was no problem, passengers - then - always dressed up at night. As the tripod. There was no longer a need for the drape nor the hanger. I
I walked toward the crowd I would extend my hand to a person as used the same target idea because, it worked perfectly. The target now
they reached out to shake it I clasped then raised their hand and hung on a small wire at the bottom of the torso and was covered with

86 AUGUST | 2023
 for the effect. Of course I did’t know that it
was illegal to carry a blade over X inches long.
Luckily I didn’t take it out to show anyone.

FIRST VERSION VIDEO

https://youtu.be/F512_RHjtfc

SECOND VERSION VIDEO

https://youtu.be/x3TQ5nFe25E

the newspaper held in place by a clip attached A Few Side Notes:

to the stand. Everything was supported on a The only time I ever screwed up this effect
stand at the exact height needed. A neck scarf - after hundreds of performances - was at
had a wire which held the target in the perfect Tannens Jubilee. To this day I have no idea
position against the back of the jacket. After how, but I stabbed my thumb with the knife as
working the routine a few times I needed to I plunged it through the target. The knife was
alter the stand for more security on a rocking really sharp and pointy - I immediately began
vessel. I was back on the east coast and had bleeding all over the stage - luckily nothing
Billy Schmeelk from Wellington Enterprises went on the persons jacket I borrowed. I had
create a much heavier stand on a rolling base. to keep constant pressure on my thumb for
the remainder of my act with my index and
By this time the routine definitely fit my middle fingers. Paul Daniels was the MC and
character - Dameon - flowed beautifully, it was kind enough to mention the blood I’d left
choreographed without any wasted moves, everywhere on the stage. Yes, I bled for my art.
was very magical, required no one else on
stage and always got a strong reaction. Probably one of the scariest things I did was to
buy the knife I currently use in Singapore. I saw
this gorgeous knife that was the perfect look

AUGUST | 2023 87
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DAVE
ATTWOOD
RACAAN

Last year, I finally had some time to myself to

start chipping away at my life’s “To Do” list.
One of the things that I had promised myself
I would do was head over to Europe. The
impetus of my journey was to visit Munich
and attend the world famous Bavarian festival,
Oktoberfest. As I started planning out my trip,
I reached out to fellow magicians that I had
the chance to connect with over my magic
life and made plans to meet up with a few of
them. Through my European adventures, I had
the opportunity to head over into Switzerland
and have dinner with Roberto Giobbi. I had
sipped, more than Roberto, delicious sherries. of card magic that I have devoted study for.
connected with Roberto through emails and
We talked about everything other than magic. Again, with his sage wisdom, Roberto quickly
over the phone, but I was excited to be able to
sit down and break bread with the man. gave me another version to be able to use.
We walked down the roads of the village to the
delightful restaurant. The chef that owned the When I arrived back home, while going
Roberto’s incredible volume of work had
restaurant was famous for serving the game through Roberto Giobbi’s Secret Agenda,
allowed my magic to grow very quickly. His
that he hunted. We ate venison and Roberto I came upon another unique technique
works were easily digestible and included in
educated me on the spaetzle the staff kept that I would be able to combine with the
depth technical descriptions and the detailed
spooning onto my plate. technique that he told me about while I was
artwork from his wife Barbara. His work also
dove deep into the theoretical aspects of in Switzerland. When I put the two techniques
magic, which was of particular interest to me. After dinner, as we walked back to Roberto’s together, I discovered upon a routine that has
I have always been fascinated as to the why home our conversation turned to our beloved had the most powerful impact on an audience
magic affects people that way it does and what craft. I explained to him a problem I was that I have ever experienced with previous
we can do as magicians to create the most working on for the past two years and with versions of ACAAN
powerful magical moment for our audience. the span of half a block, he explained a simple
solution. When we arrived back at Roberto's Start with the shuffled deck ribbon spread
home we poured ourselves some more whisky across the table in front of the spectator.
When I arrived in his village, Roberto and
and retired to the living room. We spoke, in
I started our visit with some coffee, which
depth about the table faro, the double lift and
then led to some seasoned ham, truffles and Explain that the deck of cards as we know
delicately talked about some of the politics of
cookies. Then he broke out the sherries as an it today is based on the Gregorian calendar.
magic.
apéritif. Roberto brought out a different bottle Black represents night and red represents day;
to pair with each plate of delicious snacks. 4 suits represent the 4 seasons; 13 weeks in
We talked about watches and about the local Eventually we broached the subject of Any Card each season, 13 cards in each suit. 52 cards in
history and architecture of the village as we At Any Number (ACAAN), a particular branch a complete deck and 52 weeks in a year. At this

94 AUGUST | 2023
point, ask the spectator to think of any card At this point, it's important to break state,
that calls to them. you have to break the rhythm of the
conversation in order to ensure that the
Once I am finished with my story, I gather up spectators all break eye contact with the
the cards face up in my hands, prepared to deck in the left hand. This technique is
quickly go through the deck. broken down in greater detail on January
23rd, Actus Interruptus, The Secret Agenda.
This is where I change the tone of my voice
Then ask them to call out the card that they slightly and say, "Remember, you could
would like in the deck. For this example let's have chosen any number and I even gave
say they have chosen the five of hearts. you the opportunity to change your mind."

Once the card is called out, I spread through Acting as if you have made a minor mistake
the deck quickly until you spot the five of in the presentation, state that the cards
hearts and move to two cards past it on its you were dealing off of the deck should
left side. This move is from The Secret Agenda have been face up.
January 15th.

At the same time as you say, "should have

I am going to make the five of hearts invisible been face up", complete the half rotation of
and hand it to you to hold on to for just a the deck and place the deck onto the table
minute. so that the block of ten(ish) cards that were
face up at the bottom of the deck are now
Mime pulling a card out of the deck and hand it face up, with the chosen card third from
to the spectator. the top. Quickly reach over to the dealt off
cards and turn them face up on the table.

I then casually cut the spread and put the five

of hearts three down from the top of the deck. Leaving the deck on the table, cleanly
continue your count. "Thirteen, fourteen..."
I turn the deck face down in my left hand.
Just before you call out the number fifteen,
while holding the card face down over the
"Could you please, now that you are holding discarded cards, ask the spectator once
on to your invisible card, think of a number again what their card was. When they say,
between 1 and 52" "Five of hearts," drop the card so it flips face
up on the table.
As they are considering the number, I casually
get a break under about ten or so cards and
perform a rolling half pass. The block of ten
cards is moved, under the cover of the right
hand, face up onto the bottom of the deck.

Once they have confirmed that they have a

number in mind, take back the invisible card
and “place” back into the deck. Once that is
done, ask them to call out the number that
they were thinking of. Ask them if they would
like the opportunity to change their mind.
Whatever number they decide on, start dealing
the cards down to that number. Flip the cards
face up until you are three away from the
number. For example, if they were to call out
the number 15, deal the cards facedown on
the table until you get to the number 12. Then,
“accidentally” drop the twelfth card face down.

When you stop here, casually rotate the left

hand ALMOST perpendicular to the table.
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It's an extremely visual effect and I've had so much fun doing this on
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98 AUGUST | 2023
 that is shown on there.

02 They really have done an amazing job with

this and even supplied a wooden stand to use
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What I like about this, over some of the other

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Everybody knows that things work in threes,
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If you are looking for a great routine to add

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many performance tips. more will be available.

The effect is simple, the magician shows Ace, It is based on a Harry Anderson idea and made
King and Queen. This is followed by a clas- with the most beautiful cards I've seen. They
sic game with spectators, where they have are large and able to be seen from a stage. This
to watch the movement of individual cards version has a twist where the three cards all
(monte). At the end, the magician turns all the become the same card (Queen) at the end of
cards into queens of hearts. the routine proving a nice little kicker.

This version brings about many advantages: It can be done to music or patter, whatever
suits your style. The on-line tutorial is extreme-
• New size, usable for various types of ly well done and I love the routine with music
 After the lecture, I purchased Nathan’s Penguin Live Lecture download,

03 and Nathan’s own “The Living Room Sessions” Video Lecture Notes (for
full details and to purchase visit https://nathancoemarsh.com/about-
the-living-room-sessions/ ). Both items retail for $40, but the two for-
mats have some distinct differences. I thought it would be interesting to
compare the formats of these two releases which largely duplicate each
other in terms of the magic taught. I grew up in an era when magic was
mostly learned from books, but I am not unaware that video is now
often the desired form of study.

The day after the lecture I downloaded both sets of digital lecture notes
and somewhat to my surprise, I fell in love with the easy and direct
format that Nathan’s digital lecture notes offer. You receive a written
text with many interspersed videos. All the video links are viewable
online and are also fully downloadable. This is a fluid and dynamic
format that allows updates, new footage, and ideas to be added to “The
Nathan Coe Marsh and “The Living Room Sessions” Living Room Sessions” on an ongoing basis. This is a huge advantage
By to a static download, and I love this entire premise. The instant access
Nick Lewin to the specific videos is great and eliminates a lot of the irritating fast
forwarding and rewinding usually required with a standard download.
Nathan Coe Marsh is one of the top comedy magicians in the magic I believe this process will eventually become the gold standard in
world. He works the best gigs and works enough of them to leave this downloads, lecture notes etc. Everything is explained and taught clearly
old Road Warrior’s head spinning. The reason for Nathan’s success is and thoroughly; you will soon be performing these routines quickly and
easy to decode; he has a great personality, is funny, and performs strong correctly.
magic meticulously well. He is going places, so catch his act if you can, I
am sure you will enjoy him. Nathan performs at many different venues
and corporate gigs all around the world. He is a well-rounded and
seasoned pro whose career I have been following with interest for some With a wry sense of self-deprecating humor, Nathan’s Living Room
time. Last week I got to meet him for the first time. Sessions has the subtitle “Awful Production Value. Killer Material.” He is
certainly right about the killer material. However, I had no problems
with the production values on the sessions. What magician wants “Aw-
ful Magic and Killer Production Value? I, for one, am supremely bored
with magic videos that open with dramatically lit magicians walking in
slow motion down back alleys and dark, candle-lit rooms. It just makes
me realize how many magicians really want to be movie directors but
are stuck in a magician’s body. I judge a magic tutorial by its content
and not its outer form. If I want cinematic thrills, I will watch a Martin
Scorsese movie!

Of course, a magic lecture largely stands and falls on the routines it

teaches, and “The Living Room Sessions” chooses to focus on four spe-
cific routines and the various techniques and alternative handling that
arise from them.

1 A Spirited Opening. This is a fast, double-barreled, and very vi-

sual, opening routine, with two distinct effects tied together into a neat
package. This is an excellent opening effect that packs a lot of magic
into its 90-second running time. An audience’s opinion of a performer is
formulated in the first few minutes of his show so start things right.
Nathan was giving a lecture here in Austin after performing at Scott
Pepper’s “The Magicians Agency Theatre” in San Antonio. Susan and I
were able to attend, and I was extremely impressed by everything I saw
and heard in the lecture. Each of the effects he teaches was carefully 2 Barehanded. This is the kind of routine that shows card magic
thought out and polished, both onstage and off. As a long-term “Pack can play to a large audience extremely effectively. Any card mentally,
Small Play Big” comedy magician, let me tell you that this was all A1 and freely, chosen by spectators is caught in mid-air when a deck is
worker’s material. That night we learned some great tricks and excellent scattered above and around the performer. This is not just a stage effect
magic tips as NCM taught the nuances and fine details of his various though and it can be performed perfectly in a parlor setting. If you are
routines. Everything Nathan does in his lecture is real world perfor- stuck without props or need to add extra time to your show it is an
mance stuff. If you are looking for some outstanding new comedy awesome ace to have up your sleeve.
magic and comedy mentalism routines the material in this lecture is
going to keep you busy for a long while.
3 Balloons. This is a comedy mentalism effect that also plays BIG
with a minimum of props required. Like all the other routines in the lec-
ture it can be presented alone onstage without the need of an audience
member leaving his seat or coming onstage to assist the action.

4 The Chop Cup. The Chop Cup is rightly considered a classic

effect in the magic world, and Paul Daniels proved how effective the
Chop Cup can be featured in a stage effect. The focal point of the action
here is on the one cup sitting on a small table and with the correct
lighting it is a killer trick for stand-up performers. What Nathan has
added is a great ending that adds several layers of magic to the finale.

Scattered throughout the lecture are first-rate insights, interesting

variations, tips, and clever handling. I particularly enjoyed Nathan’s
excursions into topics such as correctly handling a stacked deck, con-
cealing bad angles, maximizing applause, and other topics. I especially
appreciated Nathan’s insight on Equivoque, and I learned some new
and invaluable information about this powerful and often abused
technique. I’m not going to do that old, “This one piece is worth the price
of the download…” mostly because any working pro will probably think
all these routines fit those criteria. If I sound like I am a fan it is because
I am.

There is excellent performance footage of all the routines in addition

to the explanations. There is also a video of Nathan performing these
routines as a full Magic Castle show which shows the way he has turned
these effects into a powerful and cohesive act. I highly recommend this
lecture and the routines it encompasses. For 40 bucks it is a bargain.
Here’s the page with info for customers: https://nathancoemarsh.com/
about-the-living-room-sessions/
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 Jim Steinmeyer is considered one of the most creative thinkers in magic,
and Knot Unexpected shows why this is.

Jim created one of the most practical and deceiving versions of the cut and restored rope.
Vortex Magic has spent over two years designing and having prototypes made to get the perfect
knife for this illusion. You can now perform the moving knot and cut and restored rope with confi-
dence and ease using any piece of rope.

Available at your favorite Murphy’s Magic Dealer.