982: Scott Tokar - Keeping His Head Well Above Water

For many years, Scott Tokar has been helping clients at industrial shows across the country and indeed, across the globe. He structures trade show programs to engage, educate and entertain and sending the corporate message to everyone who passes by his booth. He co-authored Special F-X with Harrison Carroll that teaches magicians how to engage with hospitalized patients using magic. He also dabbles in photography and enjoys taking stills of friends. Scott also owns a booking agency for trade show magicians.

This is a link to Amazon where you can see what equipment that Scott Tokar uses for his trade show work.

This week Scott gives us some tips and advice on booking trade shows and on the importance of networking. If you are a hobbyist photographer, he also give us some tips on the kind of camera he uses. During our discussion, Scott mentioned the compact sound equipment he carries. Here is a link to seeing what he uses: https://tinyurl.com/Trade-Show-Sound-Equipment

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981: Tobias Beckwith - Managing Expectations

Tobias Beckwith used to manage Jeff McBride and Marco Tempest, just to name a couple “names” in our magic community. He has worked on Broadway with some of the most iconic plays such as “Oh, Calcutta” and “The Fantastiks” among others. He was one of the early staff teachers at the McBride Mystery School as it was formed and of course, was close friends with Eugene Burger, among others. Tobias has authored several books on production and direction and are well worth you inspection.

This week, Tobias shares some stories about the formation of the Mystery School, plus working behind the scenes of many of the great magic shows over the past few decades. He discusses the differences between being an agent and a manager, and why magicians should consider getting one.

980: Alan Bursky - Pulling No Punches

In 1973 Alan Bursky burst on the comedy scene in a big was when he was just 17 and being the youngest comedian to ever perform on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. He was also involved in booking entertainment in the early days of the Magic Island. But long before that when he was growing up in New York, he developed a friendship with David Kotke aka David Copperfield. Later while on the comedy circuit, he befriended Freddie Prinze who starred in “Chico and the Man” television series. He was a roommate with Freddie for a while. He also booked Steve Martin and Rodney Dangerfield, among many other notable comedians. Now he is preparing for going back out to sea doing comedy on cruise ships.

This week, Alan and Scott Wells chat in a room at the Magic Hotel in Hollywood, next to the Magic Castle. Throughout our chat, Alan kept looking/scrolling through his phone as he looked for old photos to back up many of the stories he shares in this episode (which are posted here on the website.) Among the stories, he tells us about attending Hugh Hefner’s parties in the Playboy mansion, he also shares some inside stories from the Magic Castle and gives us a personal glimpse of David Copperfield’s personal life.

982: Scott Tokar - Keeping His Head Well Above Water

981: Tobias Beckwith - Managing Expectations

980: Alan Bursky - Pulling No Punches

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