629: Escaping Reality with Garry Carson

It seems that illusionists are getting fewer in today’s entertainment world and the best way to see them in while they are in residence at a casino or showroom. Garry and Janine Carson have a show, “Escape Reality” in Branson, Missouri where they take their audience on a 75 minute whirlwind journey of illusion and fun. Their theater is not one of the larger ones in Branson, but they fill out the stage Having put their show in Branson in 2020 seemed to be bad timing, but tourism continued despite the pandemic and they captured the coveted awards of “Best New Show” and “Best Dinner Show” in the 2020 Best of Branson Awards presentation.

Branson, Missouri, hosts a lot of variety shows including magic. One of the many shows in town is “Escape Reality” with Garry & Janine Carson. After I watched his late afternoon dinner show, we retired to his dressing room to talk about his career on cruise ships to Las Vegas to Branson.

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628: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH 2021
9:00AM VENT-O-RAMA at Abbott's Magic with George Schindler
9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM LECTURE at Colon High School - Franz Harary
11:00AM REMEMBERING THE GREATEST TALENT CONTEST at High School - Lance Burton - Mac King - Jeff Hobson - Kevin James
(Artwork auction benefitting the Kentucky Humane Society.)
12:00PM STREET PERFORMER (John Sturk) at Dawn's Cafe (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
1:00PM LANCE BURTON & FRIENDS Q&A at Colon High School
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with TBA; $5 cash at the door)
2:30PM-6PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School
3:00PM DEALER'S SHOW in Dealers' Room
3:00PM STREET PERFORMER (Jon LaChance) at Abbott's Magic (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with Joe Bennett; $5 cash at the door)
5:00PM-7:00PM Chuck Wagon BBQ Dinner at Lutheran Church (484 S Burr Oak Road, Colon; $12 cash dinner fee)
5:30PM STREET PERFORMER (Trino) at Curly's (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - (view seating chart)
Featuring Lance Burton, Fielding West, Keith West, Michael Goudeau
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School
10:30PM ABBOTT'S PERFORMER AWARDS at Colon High School

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8TH 2021 (Post Get Together Events)
12:00PM 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.)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 - Tim “Skilldini” Wright talks about working in the Abbott’s Magic Company factory and gives us a virtual tour from his memory of the workshop

00:17:31 - Bobbie and Fred Becker talk about this Get Together and how Fred once lived and worked in Colon, Michigan

00:29:40 - Richard Cohn is the ultimate expert on magic in Coney Island, New York. This is Richard’s first time and he gives us his perspective of the event

00:39:39 - Derrick Kennedy, owner of Magic, Etc. in Fort Worth talks about traveling by train to this event each year

00:51:48 - Kevin James was another of the attendees who grew up with the Get Together and was one of the lecturers at this year’s event. He also shared his journey from Michigan to California where he joined the Long Beach Mystics.

01:01:43 - Debbie Bordner, wife of Greg Bordner, wraps up the Get Together with her assessment of this year’s event and encourages people to register for next year’s event on August 3-6, 2022. The sooner you register, the better the rate. Click Here to visit the registration site.

627: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Three

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6TH 2021
9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
9:30AM ABBOTT'S STAGE TALENT CONTEST Colon High School
10:00AM-12:45PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School
10:30AM SUPER SHOWROOM SPECIALS in Dealers' Room
12:00PM STREET PERFORMER (Trino) at M&M Grill (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
1:00PM LECTURE David Williamson & Chad Long
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with Phil Mann; $5 cash at the door)
2:30PM ABBOTT'S CLOSEUP SHOW
Featuring Eric Decamps
3:00PM-5:00PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open
4:00PM-6:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School
4:00PM STREET PERFORMER (Gordon Russ) at Colon Historical Museum (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with Joe Bennett; $5 cash at the door)
5:00PM-7:00PM Chicken Parmesan Dinner at Lutheran Church (484 S Burr Oak Road, Colon; $10 cash dinner fee)
5:30PM STREET PERFORMER (Jania Taylor) at Village Market (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - (view seating chart)
Featuring Ice McDonald, Trent Rivas, Doc Swan, Nick Diffatte, David Kaplan, The Holsteins, Mike Miller
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School
10:30PM ABBOTT'S TALENT CONTEST AWARDS at Colon High School