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Ricky Smith Special Event with Herb's Magic, May 6 AT Cafe Rustico

4/23/2017

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Noted sleight-of-hand artist Ricky Smith is joining with Herb's Magic for a special sale and get-together, Saturday, May 6, at Cafe Rustico, the site of the ongoing Saturday afternoon magic meet-up in midtown Manhattan. Ricky will be selling a line of his magic items, including his unique card-in-envelope device; his hard-to-find lecture notes; exclusive playing cards; utility devices; and more. Herb's Magic will feature its mobile magic shop, offering an extensive selection of out-of-print magic books, collectible and every-day playing cards, tricks, and more. Both Ricky and Herb will be offering their wares at discount prices. The afternoon presents the opportunity to hang out with Ricky and see some of his expertise with cards displayed. Aside from selling his items Ricky will be on hand to schmooze, amaze folks, and provide tips on sleight of hand.

Ricky Smith is a noted sleight of hand practitioner and student. He has worked at H & R Magic Books and The Conjuring Arts Research Center. Currently he performs on Tuesday evenings at As Is (50th Street and 10th Avenue) in Manhattan. He has released some of his ideas on Art of Magic and in lecture notes. You can see some of the items on his work-in-progress website diagonalpalmshift.com. Please feel free to ask him your questions about sleight-of-hand with playing cards, and he will do the best he can to help!

Herb's Magic (the parent site of the Magic in New York blog) has recently added a wide range of hard-to-find out-of-print books to its inventory including many that are in new condition, such as titles featuring magic by Dai Vernon, Nick Trost, Roberto Giobbi, Edward Marlo, Harry Lorayne, Phil Goldstein, Chan Canasta, and many others. The sale will feature special prices on NOC, Tally-Ho, Bee and Bicycle playing cards, as well as a selection of new tricks, apparatus, and supplies.

The event will run from noon to 5 p.m. at Cafe Rustico, 25 West 35th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. 

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An Interview with David Williamson - About Circus 1903, Magic And More

4/5/2017

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PictureDavid Williamson as Ringmaster Willy Whipsnaed in Circus 1903. Photo: Colin Page
David Williamson is not only a remarkably skilled magician, but he is also one of conjuring's best all around performers. His shows are side-splittingly funny, to the point where the magic is the platform on which a larger entertainment experience is built. Yet, he also can be dazzling with his technical skill and he has demonstrated striking creativity in developing tricks and moves, many of which have become part of the firmament of magic.

David is remarkably approachable and generous with his time. He has often been spotted sitting on the floor across from a youngster at a magic convention helping pass along magic skills to the next generation, and, hey - he took the call from
Herb's Magic - agreeing to spend some time talking about his upcoming appearance as Ringmaster Willy Whipsnade in the touring production of Circus 1903: the Golden Age of Circus which is running at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden through April 16. Make sure to click on the "read more" link to read the whole interview.

​Maybe we could start with ‘how did you become the Ringmaster for Circus 1903?’

Good question. Mark Kalin introduced me to Simon Painter, years ago. Simon is the producer of The Illusionists and they were looking for a replacement for Hobson for an Australian tour for six months. This was three years ago. And so I was at Magic Live and did a little performance there and Simon Painter saw me, thanks to Mark Kalin and we had a meeting and he said ‘you’re hired.’ So, I filled in for Hobson, and that went really well, and last year they asked me to be in the the London version that played at the Shaftsbury Theatre over the holidays for a couple months. So I was in The Illusionists there and they got to know me well and what I can do and when the time came to start casting for this circus show he’s been planning for years he thought of me and offered me the job of Ringmaster, and I jumped at it.

Were you the Ringmaster at the beginning of the production.

Yeah, this is basically the beginning of the production. This show started in November. We all flew to Australia, to Melbourne, to build the show, and I’ve been involved with it since before then, in writing and just brainstorming coming up with ideas for the show and I brought Mike Caveney in and he’d done a little writing work for The Illusionists Turn of the Century, that played here at the Palace. So, I’ve been involved with it from the beginning, and we rehearsed the show and built it in Melbourne and then moved it on to Canberra, Sydney, at the Opera House, and then back to Melbourn at the Regent Theatre, there for a couple weeks before we brought it to the States and then we’ve done L. A., Denver, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, and now we’re in New York. [interview continues]


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George Schindler Receives Lifetime Achievement Fellowship at the American Academy of Magical Arts Awards

4/3/2017

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Last night George Schindler received the Lifetime Achievement Fellowship at the American Academy of Magical Arts award ceremony. Schindler is a lifelong New Yorker who has been deeply immersed in the local magic scene for decades and has also had an impact nationally and internationally through his performances, lectures, books and products and through his tenure as Dean of the national Society of American Magicians. Below is the tweet that the AMA sent out last night during the award ceremony as well as a video interview with Schindler which was produced by the S. A. M.

Board of Trustee member, Tom Ogden has presented the Lifetime Achievement Fellowship to George Schindler! #magicawards2017 pic.twitter.com/ZiH5kqjqeG

— The Magic Castle® (@MagicCastle_AMA) April 3, 2017
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​A Cornucopia of Conjuring Fills New York Stages Starting This Month

4/2/2017

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Derren Brown, Derek DelGaudio, David Williamson, Denny Haney, and Scott Alexander and Puck Are Among the Notable Magicians and Acts Performing in Limited Run Engagements

An unusual number of shows featuring high-profile magicians are opening in New York theatres in April, providing a bonanza of opportunity for local magic lovers. Noted conjurors Derek DelGaudio, Derren Brown, and David Williamson are among the performers who are bringing their acts of amazement to theatres Off-Broadway and at Madison Square Garden. DelGaudio launches his lauded show In & of Itself on April 5, the same day that David Williamson begins a run as the Ringmaster in a touring extravaganza called Circus 1903. Britain’s Derren Brown makes his United States stage debut on April 21 as part of the Atlantic Theater Company’s season. Additionally the Salute to Magic, presented by the local chapter of the Society of American Magicians on April 8, will feature a one-night bill of four acts including Denny Haney and Scott Alexander and Puck. These shows are in addition to such ongoing local shows as Steve Cohen’s Chamber Magic, Dan White’s The Magician, Noah Levine’s Magic After Hours, Monday Night Magic, and the close-up magic dinner show A Taste of Magic.

Aside from the sheer number of acts opening within a short time frame, it is notable that the majority of these productions are works that integrate magic into a broader-than-usual theatrical context. DelGaudio, for example, was profiled in a New York Times magazine article as the “magician who wants to break magic” and his show reflects his interest in performance art and conceptual theatre. Williamson appears as the Ringmaster in a production that is a theatrical interpretation of a 1903 circus. Derren Brown’s United States debut is being presented by the Atlantic Theater Company which has built its reputation on Off-Broadway productions of plays by such writers as David Mamet, John Patrick Shanley, and John Guare. Atlantic’s Artistic Director, Neil Pepe, who was responsible for deciding to bring Brown to New York said in an interview, “To me what I find fascinating is the intersection between storytelling and the truth of somebody’s stories and the truth of human psychology, reflecting on what it means to be human and how Derren has merged that with the skill of how he does his shows, how he creates these illusions.”

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    Interviews With Magicans

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