The Illusionists is back for its fourth turn on Broadway with this year's show heralded as The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays. Click play below to see our video featuring conversations with each of the magicians in the show.

The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays features a wide variety of styles of magic and each of the five conjurors in the company is given a descriptive nickname that hints of the type of illusion they perform, so Adam Trent is "The Futurist," "Darcy Oak," is positioned as the Grand Illusionist," Colin Cloud is "The Deductionist," Chloé Crawford is "The Sorceress," and Shin Lim, winner of this year's America's Got Talent competition is "The Manipulator." The production also features the dance company Light Balance which brings its own illusionistic concepts to the stage. The Illusionists is at the Marquis Theater through December 30.

Special thanks to Harrison Kramer for videography and production assistance.

by Herb Scher

As most readers here will already have learned, Ricky Jay passed away this past Saturday, the 24th. Jay was one of the most influential and highly regarded figures in magic for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was his skill with sleight of hand. However the impression he made had a lot to do with a wholly original approach to his magic and to the other passions he pursued. There was nothing stereotypical in his archly anachronistic style of performance, in the subject matter and tone of the publications he wrote or in his passion for antiquarian books, and his fascination with con artists and charlatans.

Jay's roots were here in New York where as a youngster (then known as Ricky Potash) he began performing in the shows of IBM Ring 26 and the S. A. M.'s Parent Assembly, the magic groups with which his grandfather, Max Katz, was involved. "I remember Ricky performing for the Parent Assembly when he was about six years old, said Warren Kaps, one of the longest-standing members of the Assembly.  He was dressed in tails and did the floating cane. . . .For a six-year-old he performed extremely well, which was to the credit of his grandfather who made him practice, practice, practice, and it showed." Jay's grandfather was a successful accountant who also had a passion for magic as well as a number of other diverse interests. Katz was very active in the New York magic scene and was president of the Parent Assembly in the 1948-49 year. Jay recalled in an interview that his grandfather encouraged all his grandchildren in the performance of magic and some of them stuck with it for a year or two, but it was only in Jay that it became a lifelong pursuit. Jay's decision to make magic his full-time profession apparently was a major point of contention with his parents. "His parents were deeply opposed to it," said Kaps, "and he basically ran away from home. . . .It was a real tragedy. By that time I think Max had passed away. If Max had still been alive, I think it would have been much different."

In 1994 Jay created a sensation in New York with his show Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants. It was produced by Second Stage in a small theater on the Upper West Side and after the entire initial run sold out getting tickets took determination. In my case that meant waiting in line before the show for any returned seats. I did get to see the production from one of the last rows in the house. My fellow audience members that night included Steve Martin, Woody Allen and his wife Soon Yi, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, and Mike Nichols. Among the notable pieces in the show was an assembly of queens which was performed with an arcane patter. It turns out that much of the verbiage was drawn directly from The Expert at the Card Table, the seminal 1902 work of card magic attributed to S. W. Erdnase. Jay was able to create a work that thrilled contemporary audiences by finding inspiration in and bringing forward the classic underpinning of his craft.

His fascination with the history of magic and performing was also reflected in his remarkable literary output. In particular, books like Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women and Matthias Buchinger: The Greatest German Living, enlightened readers about a range of eccentric performers who Jay discovered and documented through extensive research with antiquarian books and other resources. These publications among many others represent a legacy of information that will be available to inspire future generations. For an interesting conversation in which Jay touches on his literary interests (as well as a wide range of other topics), check out the interview with Paul Holdengraber at The New York Public Library from 2014.

Ricky Jay's life and his influence have been covered extensively in such resources as Mark Singer's extensive 1993 article in The New Yorker and the documentary Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay (which can be viewed through a number of online sources including Kanopy, available for free through many libraries). What these profiles reveal is a fascinating, complicated and strikingly original individual who blazed a unique path of his own devising.

This past Thursday Steve Cohen appeared at Tannen's for a book-signing event that featured a talk and Q and A session as well as a short performance, all in connection with the publication of his graphic novel, The Millionaire's Magician. Despite the snowy weather conditions, a good-sized crowd appeared for the event. After speaking about the development of his comic and answering questions about his career in magic, including the long run of his show Chamber Magic, Cohen performed two tricks - both of which involved the production of hard substances - a brick and a shot glass of whisky. Below are a number of photos from the event. For more about the development of Cohen's graphic novel, see the interview in the previous post here at Magic in New York.

Steve Cohen's Book Signing at Tannen's, November 15, 2018
All photos are ©Herb Scher and may not be used without permission. 

​Magician Steve Cohen, has published The Millionaires' Magician, a graphic novel that reveals a dramatic origin story seemingly drawn from the framework of Cohen's true-to-life experiences. There may be some exaggeration in the scenes of hand-to-hand combat and Cohen's tragic confrontation with an evil businessman, but readers will have to draw their own conclusions about the line between truth and fiction.

If this all seems a bit vague, read on for a more in-depth view of how Cohen came to create and publish his 110 page graphic novel with a red-headed conjuring crusader as its hero. The publication of the book will be celebrated this Thursday, November 15 with a free event at Tannen's from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Cohen will present a special performance at 6 p.m. Tannen's is located at 45 West 34th Street, 6th floor (betwen Fifth and Sixth Avenues). On a regular basis Cohen can be seen in his long-running show Chamber Magic currently presented on Fridays and Saturdays at the Lotte New York Palace hotel.
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Thanks for agreeing to answer some questions about your new graphic novel, Steve. I wonder, if you could comment on how the comic came about and what motivated you to create it?

I was looking for a new challenge! I had already written a book, created a two-hour television special, and performed a solo show on stage at Carnegie Hall. My ongoing show at the Waldorf Astoria was in its fifteenth year at the Waldorf Astoria. Frankly, I needed a new outlet for my creativity.

One day, on my way to meet a friend for lunch, I had a eureka moment and decided my next project on the spot: I was going to create a comic book. It simultaneously felt thrilling and crazy. What was I getting myself into?

How long have you been working on it?

From conception to publication, the entire process took three years. The script took roughly three months to complete, and then the artwork took another eighteen months. Pitching the book to publishers took a lot longer than expected, and at the end of the day I ended up self-publishing. The nice thing about self-publishing is that you have total control over every detail of the project. The final product exceeded my every expectation.

Can you provide some perspective on the process of creating it? For example in developing the story were there multiple iterations? Did you get feedback from one or more people as you were working on it? And how did you work with the writer and artists who helped you realize this? And is there anything else you can say regarding the process that might not be an obvious part of developing something like this?

I never knew that so many people were involved in creating a comic book! As a child I read thousands of comics, and now have a new appreciation for all of the work that goes into a standard 22-page book. (My graphic novel is a 110-page trade paperback.)

The team I assembled included a script-writer, an artist, a colorist, a letterer, a cover artist, and a book designer. Many comic books separate the roles of penciler and inker, but my artist, Peter Krause, took on both responsibilities.

I sent script drafts to my best friend and long-time collaborator Mark Levy who offered suggestions to enhance certain scenes.

Probably the best critics were my two children, Alex and June. I read the script aloud to them as a bedtime story, to see what they responded to and what confused them. Their feedback was invaluable. [Interview continues - Click "Read More" below].

After years of running a listings section within the Magic in New York blog here at Herb's Magic, Magic Guide NYC has been pulled out as a separate web page with its own link to make it more easily accessible to readers looking for information about magic-related activities in the New York City area. Rather than scrolling through other posts to find the listings, that information now will have its own dedicated spot on the site. It can be reached through the header link found at the top of each page at herbsmagic.com. The Magic in New York blog will continue to offer regular news items about magic in the area.

Magic in New York was launched in June of 2014 and the first listings entry was published in August of that year, pulling together information about magic shows in the area. Since then the posts have expanded to include information about lectures, shops, and get-togethers. Magic Guide NYC is the only source that aims to provide a comprehensive view of the magic-related activity in the area. To submit information regarding shows and activities that should be considered for inclusion, go here.

Over the course of more than a century legendary talents of magic have performed in the annual Salute to Magic show presented by the Parent Assembly of the Society of American Magicians. Harry Houdini, Dai Vernon, Joseph Dunninger and Dante are just a few of the acclaimed magicians who have appeared. This year the 110th annual Salute to Magic will be held Saturday, March 30, 2019 in the Abrons Arts Center’s historic Playhouse Theater. The Salute is the longest-running annual magic show anywhere and has been a consistent source of inspiration and entertainment for generations of magic lovers of all ages.

“The historic Playhouse Theater at Abrons Arts Center is an intimate jewel-box of a venue that will provide the perfect showcase for the acts of conjuring and variety art that comprise our show,” said Herb Scher, First Vice President of Parent Assembly, #1 and Producer of this year’s Salute. We look forward to presenting a production that fills this fabulous space with dynamic acts and many surprises.” The theater is located in Manhattan at 466 Grand Street, on the Lower East Side. (Full disclosure: Herb also edits this blog!)

David Kaye, Magician of the Year
For the last 51 years the Salute to Magic has also been the occasion for the Assembly to honor its Magician of the Year, a notable figure in the field of magic or someone who has substantially contributed to the mission of the organization. This year’s honoree is David Kaye, who is both an internationally recognized and highly influential professional magician as well as an active and dedicated member of the Assembly who plays an important role in helping it fulfill its mission to support the art of magic. 

David is widely known in magic as a leader in the field of children’s magic. He performs regularly for children in New York City, appears frequently as a lecturer at magic conferences across the globe, and has published two influential books on children’s magic. He has been profiled in The New Yorker magazine, has himself appeared on numerous magazine covers, and writes a regular column for Genii, the world’s most widely circulated magic magazine. Among his notable performances are appearances at the White House and Lincoln Center. David was previously honored with a Performing Fellowship from the Academy of Magical Arts, in Hollywood which is the highest honor a magician can receive. David currently is the President of the Parent Assembly where he shapes the agenda of the organization, and last year, as its First Vice President, was responsible for producing the 2018 Salute to Magic. 

The Society of American Magicians was founded in 1902 and its Parent Assembly, its first chapter, is the largest and oldest magic club in New York City. The Assembly promotes and elevates the art of magic by presenting shows for the public, holding monthly membership meetings often featuring magic instruction from notable magicians, and performing shows for community organizations at no charge to them. Through its meetings and other activities, the Assembly engenders camaraderie in the magic community leading to collaboration and to a wide variety of official and casual projects.

The Abrons Arts Center’s Playhouse Theater opened in 1915 and has been home to many groundbreaking productions throughout its history. Today it is part of the Henry Street Settlement, which delivers a wide range of social service, arts, and health care programs to more than 50,000 New Yorkers each year. The Parent Assembly’s Salute to Magic will be performed at the Abrons Arts Center as part of the @Abrons program. 

Ticket prices and the bill of performers will be announced at a later date. For the latest information visit magicsampa1.com.

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