Quiz Time

What do Orson Welles, Luna Shemada, Houdini and William McKinley have in common? Isn’t that just like one of those quizzes at the back of Magic magazine? I spend hours trying to link the commonalities between the people each month and each month I’m wrong. Remember when they had this list: Thurston, Keller, Pee-Wee Herman and Kim Jong-il, and Marshall Brodien?

I was thinking, “people who used playing cards on television” but then I remembered Kellar and Thurston weren’t on tv.

Then I thought, “people who have performed at the Grand Old Opry theater. But when I re-read my history, I found that Pee-Wee Herman performed at the new Grand Old Opry Theater.

Then the next issue of Magic came and I learned it was, “people who wore bow ties and loved Irish line dancing.”

Who knew?

Well, the answer to our “what do they have in common” question can be found in The Magic News of the Day. Check it out but try to guess first.

…

Quiz Time

I was thinking, “people who used playing cards on television” but then I remembered Kellar and Thurston weren’t on tv.

Then I thought, “people who have performed at the Grand Old Opry theater. But when I re-read my history, I found that Pee-Wee Herman performed at the new Grand Old Opry Theater.

Then the next issue of Magic came and I learned it was, “people who wore bow ties and loved Irish line dancing.”

Who knew?

Well, the answer to our “what do they have in common” question can be found in The Magic News of the Day. Check it out but try to guess first.

Luna Shemada Launches Network for Female Magicians

Luna

There are so many great female magicians in our business that it is a shame they are still treated, on occasion, as either second-class performers (“almost as good as a man”) or performers that don’t understand that their true role is that as a “lovely assistant.” Fortunately, the times they are a-changing.

Luna Shemada has written very instructive and positive articles on the changing role of the female magician and the need to advance the cause within the magical arts. Now she has begun a special effort to network with other female performers to not only encourage but to instruct.

It is a great idea and we wish Ms. Shemada and all those involved the best of luck and much success. Her letter and a letter with additional information follows:

Dear Sisters in Magic,

Please forward this letter to every women in magic you know so that we can get a real movement going here. I think it’s an idea that has seen it’s time.

Now is the time for us to join and support and advance together.

Let us begin our sisterhood now, a sisterhood of strong, motivated, magical women and let us share our gifts with one another instead of competing with each another so that we can make a real difference in this Art Form that we all love so much. We have the chance to learn so much from each other.

Let us start now, lets embrace our true form and release ourselves to the discoveries of our highest feminine potential. I am here for you and I hope you will join me for some real fun and creative play! See you there!

In Magical Mystery,

Luna

Dear friend,
Recently, I was given the opportunity to help in the creation of what I believe is the first interactive site totally dedicated to women in magic I am doing thisin partnership with the Amazing Luna Shemada, who is herself as many of you know, a great supporter of women in magic.

Be sure to check outLuna’s strong feminine magic at http://www.lunamagick.com/ Until the WIMsite is upwe will be holding Women in Magic chats Wed. nights at 9 PM EST atwww.ultimatemagic.comBe sure to check out the WIM forum at Ultimate Magicas well, a great place to ask questions or just share your thoughts as a women in magic. I would love for you to join us in chat, to share experiences, brainstorm, and promote magic as a powerful feminine art.If you would like to catch anexclusivepreview of the home page for the WIM sitecheck out http://www.ilinkz.com/wim/

Looking forward to talking to yousoon.

Magically Yours,

Beth

Orson Wells Featured for Film and Love of Magic

Orson Welles

The New York Press has a wonderful review of Magician and Film Maker Orson Wells entitled, A Giant and His Magic: Orson Welles, All of Him – Orson Welles Retrospective. The retrospective will run from February 20^th through April 15^th at the Film Forum in New York. The article asks if Mr. Welles was lying to his interviewer, journalist-filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich in 1968 when he denied that his life as a magician had any impact at all on his movie making. Mr. Welles did say:

“Magic to me is a very special kind of thing. It?s just what Robert-Houdin, who was the greatest magician of all time, defined a magician as being: ?A great actor playing the part of a magician.? To me, magic begins and ends with the figure of the magician who asks the audience, for a moment, to believe that the lady is floating in the air. In other words, to be eight years old for a minute.”

The author of the review notes that Mr. Welles was seen often on television and stage performing magic and “telling interviewers about the formative influence of illusionism on his life. If you know even a bit about Welles, you may wonder if he was lying to Bogdanovich or simply to himself?or if such a distinction even matters.”

This is an incredibly insightful but brief piece on what promises to be a great retrospective.

Check out the full article in the New York Press here.

See the full schedule at the Film Forum Retrospective here.

There is a short article about the magic Mr. Welles performed on his own show here.

The Image of Houdini is Close to Escape in Art Exhibit

Houdini

The Seattle Weekly’s Arts section has a review of a local artist who combines images, paper cut-outs and other items in paper-backed collages. One of her more recent works is Scrapbook (Arles) where the great escape artist, Houdini, is shown “in a well-known pose, leaning towards the viewer while weighted down with shackles, confined to the canvas. Frustratingly placed within arm’s reach (if only paper Houdini could sprout hinged joints and stretch his enfeebled paper biceps…) is a set of keys.”

The artwork goes more into the angst and frustration of man/woman but Houdini is apparently used as a symbol of either one who could overcome the binds or not-overcome. I’m not sure.

Read the full article here and make your own decision.

Speaking of Houdini . . .

Houdini in Familar Pose

The New York Times reviews an eclectic pub-eatery that features [t]he wanted poster for “the Murderer,” John Wilkes Booth. The tribute to another assassinated president, William McKinley. The handcuffs of Harry Houdini.“ These items of history are amongst dangling wishbones from chickens covered with soot and dust accumulated over the years the pub has been in business. Notes the reviewer, the historic pieces “in such company the wishbones seem insignificant, even grotesque.”

McSorley’s Old Ale House has been in business for 150 years and visited by the human and ghostly personages represented by the items surrounding the drinkers. You get the impression that part of its charm is its disgusting pastiche of the grotesque and the strange along with stiff drink.

Read the full review here.

Andre Kole to Appear and Receives Ringing Endorsement

Andre Kole

The Review Atlas reports that Master Magician Andre Kole will be appearing at the Aledo High School (Monmouth, Illinois) auditorium Monday, March 8 at 7 p.m. The newspaper sets forth two incredible endorsements that most magicians cannot hope to receive (or at least not both):

“‘I not only consider Andre Kole to be one of the greatest illusionists in the world today, but his deep personal faith in God has been a great inspiration to me as well as millions of people throughout the world,’ said David Copperfield, world famous illusionist and entertainer.

‘I heartily endorse the exciting ministry of Andre Kole. He has a unique and effective way of catching one’s attention and communicating the truth he is illustrating,’ said Cliff Barrows, Billy Graham Evangelistic Team.”

Read the very positive story about Mr. Kole here.

Visit Mr. Kole’s very effective website here.

Magician Karlo to Lecture to Sales and Marketing Executive Association of Puerto Rico (SME)

Karlo

Karlo is well-known in the Caribbean and Florida for his innovative and high-energy magic presentations. He will take that energy and his bag-o-tricks to the Puerto Rico Sales and Marketing Executive Association’s meeting on Fish Your Success. Karlo is set to lecture on the first day of the seminar on “strategies for impressing clients and reveal how the power of the mind can help one deal with rejection during the sales process.”

Karlo should be noted not only for his many awards but also for his incredibly bold marketing technique. On his website, he offers “a 100% money back guarantee.” What does that mean? Simply this: “If you don’t receive positive comments from everyone after bringing one of our programs to your group and if you don’t see them laughing and delighted with the presentation?”

I have never seen such a promise but I do know if there is one person that could pull it off, it is Karlo. He ends: “We won’t charge you a dime!”

Good luck in the lecture, Karlo and we hope you’ll make it up to the Michigan area for lectures and shows.

Check out the news release about the seminar here.

Read Karlo’s guarantee for yourself by checking out his website here.