MAGIC, The Magazine For Magicians

Chris Kenner morphed from close-up creator to comedy act to Shark handler, running the world's largest touring magic show. The man who manages David Copperfield's organization leads a mysterious life... perhaps more mysterious than you'll believe. Our ten-page cover story spins an intriguing tale of the man behind the man.

By John Lovick

On June 21, Lance Burton presented his ten-year anniversary performance of Lance Burton: Master Magician to great fanfare at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. From the moment guests arrived at the hotel it was clear that a special event was in progress.

By Rory Johnston

There is no excuse for a magician of today to do the magic tricks of yesteryear. With ancient tricks, ancient presentations, and ancient props, magic cannot survive. Everyone has plenty of opportunity to find new ideas that will suit him or her and bring great success. Irrespective of whether you have a brainstorming team or work out your ideas on your own, you'll find the basis of new magic ideas from these four pages.

By Eberhard Riese

We call what we do "magic." We will often use phrases such as "If that was your card, it would be a miracle." Some of us even try to take our performance to the next level, adding stories to our routines in an effort to make them meaningful or even inspirational. But what if this art form allowed an experience of real magic? What if it created an authentic miracle? What if the story went well beyond the ordinary world of illusion and became deeply meaningful and truly inspiring? Allow us to introduce... Chad Juros.

By Rory Johnston

French photographer Zakary Belamy lives in Paris. His photographs of magicians have been the subject of three exhibitions, including one at the French Magic Museum. His first book, Doubles Faces: Portraits De Magiciens, was published in 2004. Selections from his current project — a multi-year, worldwide tour to capture the public and private faces of all manner of noted magicians — will be on display at FISM in Stockholm this month... and on this amazing four-page spread in MAGIC.

By Zakary Belamy

Eighty-eight years ago, Chung Ling Soo died onstage in England. Now, the British theatre has brought him back to life, telling his story in a new opera by musician Raymond Yiu and author Lee Warren.

By David Britland

With the premature passing of Tommy Wonder, we dug this 1999 unpublished interview out of our files, and found it a window on serveral fascinating sides of this complex and brilliant magician. Even though these words are seven years old, they still vibrate with the passion and wisdom of one of our masters.

By Stan Allen

Our expanded six-page "Update" edition is packed with news on Woody Allen's new movie, Scoop, in which he plays a vaudeville magician; Lance Burton's special Hollywood Reporter issue; the Larsen brothers upcoming star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; exactly why Lee Asher is giving away his Asher Twist DVD; the story of the magic and magicians in Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show, as well as a complete touring schedule; "A Moment With... Nicholas Night" as to why he's retiring from magic; the buzz on the IBM Convention in Miami and the World Deaf Magicians Festival in Russia, and a final remembrance of Tommy Wonder.

By Shawn McMaster

Reviewed this month by Gabe Fajuri, Brad Henderson, Peter Duffie, John Lovick, Peter Studebaker: :

· Staked
· Gut Buster
· Puncture
· The Incredible Shrinking Finger
· Juan Hundred Dollar Bill Switch
· Time is Money
· Power Plays High Foltage Magic
· Mark Raffles The Legacy
· Theater Close-up Volumes 1 & 2
· Torn and Restored Tissue

Over the past seven months, Mike has served up mail from Egyptian Hall Museum often from unknowns: Delmas Jenkins, T. Francis Fritz, W.D. LeRoy, Fred Sinclair. This month, however, he's onto two stalwarts of American culture, one famous and the other infamous: Howard Thurston and Al Capone. How do these two connect? It truly is "Classic Correspondence"!

This month, Joshua presents a special Tom Frame issue, complete with four effects, an Expert Talk, and a mini-interview with the man.
· Blind-Sided
· Single Handedly
· Blind Dates
· Kitchen Sync
· Expertalk: Tom Frame on the Misdirection Palm

We hate hearing, "I know that one." The inexperienced children's magician can get quite flustered by this call out. The professional, however, knows that "I know that one" is usually just a statement of recognition and is rarely malicious. Chris Capehart, from Philadelphia, has his a special technique to deal with this situation. He turns a Sponge Ball routine into a challenge where the children think they can win prizes. It is brilliant!

In this first of a six-part series, Tobias Beckwith helps you ask the right questions about your business, questions about meaning, mantra, short- and long-term goals. As Yogi Berra once said, "You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there."

In this his last installment of his six tutorials on mentalism, Andy teaches his version of Al Baker's Out of the Air. While he continues the plot of the original routine brilliantly theatrical, the impression device it uses is no longer available and the spectators didn't get their billets back. He has eradicated both of these problems and added an additional ruse. Still, he explains, "All I am doing here is adapting a brilliant idea to my own needs." And ours!

With the Naked Coin Vanish, Charlie offers the vanish of a half-dollar with no sleeves, pulls, magnets, stooges, camera tricks, loops, painful hooks, difficult palms, troublsome angles, or any devices of any kind. Well, except...

MAGIC, The Magazine For Magicians (ISSN 1062-2845) is published monthly for $52 per year by Stagewrite Publishing, Inc., 6220 Stevenson Way, Las Vegas, NV 89120 USA. Periodical Postage Paid at Las Vegas, NV, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MAGIC - Attn: Circulation Dept., 6220 Stevenson Way, Las Vegas, NV 89120 USA