Again, if you’re a non-member like me, you need to contact the Magic Castle early and let them know you ‘d like to attend and that you can prove you are a member of the IBM or SAM. Here’s their website: www.magiccastle.com

As part of the Jeff McBride’s Las Vegas Magic School, Max and Mr. Burger will be instructing the workshop, “Handling Humans: Effective Interaction with Participants for Close-Up and Stage.”

I have not had the privilege of seeing Mr. Burger’s handling of folks from the audience but I have witnessed Max’s approach. In my humble opinion Max is one of the best at this important part of performing.

(Those familiar with the Magic Times and some of the group bulletin boards already know I was recently humbled after my Inside Magic School of Magic failed and is being sued because of that unfortunate duck pan incident. On behalf of the entire Inside Magic School of Magic Staff, I want to thank you for the cards and flowers. They were lovely and really made the stay so much nicer. We are all fine and I am told the animal abuse charges will be pled down to Misdemeanor Assault on a Water Fowl.)

I have it on very good authority that the workshop is about filled to the brim so if you are interested, check in at: www.magicalwisdom.com/calendar.php#062003.

But that’s not all. Not even in the slightest.

Max goes on to the IBM Convention in Kansas City, Missouri July 1-5 and will MC the International Gala Show on the third and lecturing on the fifth. (I used to lecture on or with a fifth but that is entirely different and likely something I should keep to myself until the charges are dropped in the duck incident.)

An Outstanding Read

I’ve given Max the Inside Magic Outstanding Rating (Four out of Four) for his fantastic DVDs and tricks. (By the way, there is a great deal on Redivider, his newest book at Penguin Magic). If there is one convention you should attend and one event at a convention to witness, it seems it would have to be his lecture at the IBM in KC. The IBM page with more info on the great convention can be found at: www.magician.org.

Because he is a glutton for airplane peanuts and flat Diet Coke served by surly people, Max will wing his way to FISM where The Nocturnal Trio will take Den Haag, Holland by storm. I’ve never been to Den Haag but I love their ice cream.

You can check out the FISM site at: www.fism2003.com. Max will not leave Europe immediately. He’ll head off to Sval?v, Sweden, starting on July 28 for a three-day intensive seminar with an optional two-day extension. I know for a fact that space is limited for this once-in-a-lifetime event so if you’re interested drop a line to the folks in the know at peter.rosengren@home.sol.se

Max Maven VideoMind

You can also sort of see Max in the traveling museum exhibit “Magic: The Science of Illusion.” After successful runs in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Fort Worth, St. Paul and Columbus, the exhibit will open in Chicago on April 5 at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Chicago Academy of Sciences). It will run through the end of August. Max was an advisor on this project, in which he is featured in several formats (including a faux-holographic interactive mindreading game). For more information and future scheduling, go to:www.magicexhibit.com.

There is much more to tell you about Max and his schedule. I’ll keep you up-to-date as I learn of new entries in this itinerary of one of the greatest mentalists of our times.

Look for me at the Magic Castle – if I can make it without breaking “probation” (it’s more like being ‘grounded’ but by the police instead of your folks).

I will also be at the IBM this year. I understand I am too late to get a dealer’s booth or table so you’ll have to wait until next year to buy my new invention, “Any Spectator Levitation.”

It is kind of like the David Blaine thing but you make the spectators think they are levitating while you stand on firm ground. For my money – and it is my money thus far – it is much more effective and you don’t have to worry about angles because they audience is in the air. They can’t see what you don’t want them to see.

I have a Pro-Version and a Amateur Version. The Pro-Version comes with the instructions, the ingenious gimmicks, suggested patter and a DVD of me performing this effect for the Detroit Lions at their training camp. The Amateur Version has just the DVD of me performing the effect for a Weight Watchers get-together where I was brought in as a motivational speaker. There are no instructions but you do get a copy of the shop plans to make the gimmicks. So if you’re good with welding aluminum and pneumatics, it’s a steal.