776: Abbott's 85th Get Together 2023 Convention - Day Two Report

Thursday, August 3rd

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (requires registration)
11:00AM LECTURE - 2ND JAPANESE GROUP LECTURE (requires registration)
12:00PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Gordon Russ at Magic Capital Grill)
1:00PM LECTURE - 2ND SOUTH AMERICAN GROUP LECTURE (requires registration)
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW featuring Jeffrey Alan at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
2:00PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
2:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Trino at Grannys Place)
2:30PM VENT O RAMA (Vent O Rama Webpage) at Abbotts Plant (requires registration)
3:00PM FACE PAINTING till 6PM outside 5 Star Pizza by Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix (Standard Fees)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage)
3:45PM FAMOUS MAGICIANS GRAVEYARD TOUR (Graveyard Tour Webpage) ushered by Al The Only
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW featuring John Gilmore at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
5:00PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
5:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Jania Taylor at Magic Capital Grill)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER (on your own)
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - THE LAS VEGAS MAGIC GALA
Featuring Mike Caveney, Mac King, Guy Hollingworth, Meadow Perry, Pat Hazell
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (requires registration)
10:15PM CURLYS CLOSEUP CONTEST

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 – Terry Evanswood tells us a little more detail about the house tours he puts together for his Magic Mansion in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

00:07:26 – Chairman of the Board of the American Museum of Magic, Jania Taylor, updates us on what’s going on with the museum and why they need our financial contributions.

00:14:12 – Steve Chezaday closed the opening night’s show last night. He is also a long time member of the stage crew at Abbott’s. He and his fiancé, Carol Hendrix, also helped recap the show.

00:23:51 – at the Legion Hall we chat with BJ Mallen who talks about this evening’s show featuring Mick Caveney as emcee, Pat Hazel with comedy, then more comedy by Mac King, and closing with Guy Hollingworth. During the show, Lance Burton and Mac King did a touching bit that is detailed in this chat. But the bulk of this chat is about why this event is important to the magic community.

00:35:09 – Matt Stanley gives us his thoughts about this evening’s show.

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775: Abbott's 85th Get Together 2023 Convention - Day One Report

Tuesday, August 1st

(Pre Get Together Events)
8:00AM THE OPEN COLON "NO FRILLS" GOLF CLASSIC (more info)
(with Al The Only - The cost is $10 plus the cost of golf)

2:00PM MAGICIAN'S TOUR OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF MAGIC (This tour of the museum and archives is geared towards magicians and will include a special selection of artifacts never-before-on-display. $10 per person. Reservations not necessary.)

Wednesday, August 2nd

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (more info) (requires registration)
10:30AM ABBOTT'S SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR BOOK SALE BEGINS (more info) (requires registration)
10:30AM ABBOTT'S SUPER SHOWROOM SPECIALS BEGINS (more info) (requires registration)
11:00AM ABBOTT'S NEW BOOK RELEASE SEANCE HOUDINI 26:26 (more info) (requires registration)
12:00PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Odd Cory & JuJu Sideshow at Curlys)
1:00PM LECTURE - 1ST JAPANESE GROUP LECTURE (requires registration)
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW featuring John Shango at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
2:00PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
2:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Jania Taylor at Grannys Place)
3:00PM LECTURE - 1ST SOUTH AMERICAN LECTURE (requires registration)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage)
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW featuring Joe Bennett at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
5:00PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
5:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Captain Sean at Magic Capital Grill)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - A ROCKING NIGHT OF MAGIC GALA
Featuring BJ Mallen (Welcome to Colon), Jeffery Jene, Steve Chezaday, Michael Trixx, Richard Hughes
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (requires registration)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 – We arrive at the airport in Houston in preparation to take my “magic carpet” on Southwest Airline to Chicago for Abbott’s Get Together.

00:04:30 – Owner of Five Start Pizza in Colon, Carl Thornton, is a major figure in the Colon community and he talks about the city and how it rallies behind Magic Week.

00:11:01 – Al the Only is the coordinator of the annual Open Colon Golf Tournament. This is the 34th annual tourney. He chats a bit about that.

00:18:18 - While at his party in the Grand Magic Theater, David Seebach, tells us about his new location for this annual party.

00:28:19 – Kurt, Carol, John and Precious talk about the Grand Magic Theater and what they have been doing with it since Dwayne and Mary Laflin left this theater.

00:35:55 – Long time Stage Director, Mark Holstein, tells us what he and his team do each year to prepare for each evening’s show.

00:50:32 – Gay Blackstone tells us the story of how Harry Blackstone, Sr. got his stage name.

00:55:20 – Mike Woodward is the official photographer for Abbott’s Get Together and talks about his experience over the years.

774: S.A.M. 2023 Convention in New Orleans - Day Four Report

Wednesday, July 26th

9:00 AM SAM EVENT 6: Basic Training Boot Camp Session “Thurston Lecture Hall”

SYM Youth Academy “William Andrews Classroom”

10:00 AM Registration for 2024 Dallas - Vieux Carre Foyer

10:30 AM Lecture 5: David Charvet: History Comes Alive “Thurston Lecture Hall”

11:00 AM EXHIBITORS Open “Kellar Exhibitor Hall”

12:00 PM Registration for 2024 Dallas Closes Vieux Carre Foyer SYM Youth Academy Ends “William Andrews Classroom”

1:30 PM SAM EVENT 7: King Cake Surprise Bonus event “Thurston Lecture Hall”

3:30 PM Lecture 6: Pro Close-Up 2 with R. Paul Wilson and Friends “Thurston Lecture Hall”

4:00 PM EXHIBITORS Close “Kellar Exhibitor Hall”

7:00 PM Bus pick up at hotel 8:00 PM SHOW 7: GALA SHOW: Tina Lenert & Friends
Featuring Ardan James, Mike Caveney, Jorge Blass Houdini Theater at the Jesuit

9:30 PM Bus pick up at Jesuit 10:30 PM PARTY 4: SAM Finale Party TBD

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 – at Mother’s Café, we chat with Charlie Randall (H&R Magic Books) and Scott recap a little of what went on at the convention yesterday. But Charlie recaps some of the highlights from the previous evening’s show.

00:07:52- Peter Rogers, from Sydney, Australia, talks about why he and a few other mates from “down under” travel from Australia.

00:18:03 – Bill Walsh, another friend from Australia, sits next to Scott on the bus traveling to the evening show. He tells us what he and the rest of the group plan to do between New Orleans and Las Vegas for MAGIC Live!

00:26:23 – Craig Mitchell traveled from South Africa and tells us what and who he likes about this convention.

00:34:50 – Back at the President’s Party, Ian Kendall, from Scotland, talks about his workshop that he presented earlier in the day, plus his views on this convention.

00:44:00 – Michael Dardant resides in New Orleans and was an integral part of planning this convention.