Action-packed issue! Known only as "the funnies" in the early years, comic strips and comic books have fueled the imagination of children and adults alike for more than a century. The art form transports viewers into new realms, where anything is possible, and fantastic characters abound... much like the art of magic. It was only a matter of time before the two merged.
Some places, like a psych ward attached to a prison, are actually a bit scary and intimidating as a location to do a magic show. If you are squeamish or lacking in sympathy for those less fortunate or different than you, this may not be the right place for you to present your routines. Some of the patients, or "clients," are in these facilities for their own protection. This part of the population can be violent, irrational, or just plain strange. Security can be severe. There's a psych ward lockup in New York City where the visiting performer goes through several checkpoints, where the doors are locked at the front and back of you as you go through. Read about the strange adventure!
When you talk to some of the better-read magicians, almost all of them will say, "Yes, I know about Will Rock." But they really don't, as very little has been written about him, and only about three or four photos have been printed over and over again. Yet this man successfully ran one of America's largest magic shows, with lots of publicity, excellent advertising, many promotional feats, and good financial returns for the theater managers during America's most disastrous financial period. So why don't we know more about him?
This past February, the thirtieth anniversary of the World Magic Seminar, produced by Rich Bloch and Bob Rossi, was held at The Orleans Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. This edition honored Seminar creators Joe and Martha Stevens. Parties, lectures, dealers, and the usual camaraderie and informal swapping of tricks filled the four-day event, much the same as has occurred for the past three decades. Dates for the 31st are April 27-30, 2008.
Marketplace- Reviewed this month:
• The World-Renowned Magic of Paul Potassy DVDs
• If You Only Knew That I Knew That by Al Bach
• The Mag Card DVD
• Laser Anywhere and Manipulation CDs by Adrian Man
• Chaos 2 by Mark Elsdon
• Edge and pSnype DVDs by Kevin Parker
• John Kaplan's Mind Reading Orange
• Hot Knife by Rodger Lovins
• Spike by World Magic Shop
• The Magician's Ltd. Cookbook by Andi Gladwin
Who was the mysterious stranger? His appearance sent a shockwave through the Showroom at The Orleans, this handsome, tousled, T-shirt clad youngster who ran onstage to a burst of music and began using spray paint to make billiard balls appear, change color, and vanish at his whim. A tight eight minutes of superb manipulation followed with balls, playing cards, and sunglasses, all given color, texture, and essence through clouds of spray paint. Finally, accompanied by the piercing shriek of police sirens, the mystical tagger sprayed into existence a full-sized BMX bike and pedaled offstage, making good his escape.
