307: 2016 Abbott's Get Together - Day One

Day One - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3rd 2016
9:00AM ABBOTT'S COLON GOLF CLASSIC (more info) with Al the Only
9:00AM ABBOTT'S REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (more info) at Elementary School
10:30AM SUPER SHOWROOM SPECIALS (more info) at Elementary
10:30AM SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR DISCOUNT BOOK SALE (more info) at Elementary
11:00AM LECTURE - Clemens ILgner at the High School
12:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside M&M Grill featuring Joe Bennett
1:00PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM OPEN TILL 4PM (more info)
1:00PM BALLOON SCULPTING WORKSHOP - at Sterlini's Magic Shop (more info)
1:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott Plant with BJ Mallen or Gordon Miller
3:00PM LECTURE - Martin Cox at the High School
3:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott Plant with BJ Mallen or Gordon Miller
3:00PM - 6:00PM FACE PAINTING outside 5 Star Pizza by Carol Hendrix
5:30PM RIVER LAKE INN’S MAGIC SHOW & DINNER with Ron Carnell
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW at the High School (Preshow Live Organ Music)
Featuring Ice McDonald MC, Sir Patrick, Brenda Hahne, Clemens ILgner, Seebach Illusions
(view seating chart)
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Grade School after show

00:00:13 - Mike Conklin, son of "The Amazing Conklins" grew up in Colon and reared by a magical family. He tells what it was like growing up in a small village that blossomed into the Magic Capitol every year.

00:07:19 - Al the Only talks about organizing the "Colon Open Golf Classic" for the past 27 years plus his cemetery tours that he conduct every year and his book

00:16:27 - Antony Gerard is one of the "street dealers" that makes the Get Together unique from other conventions.

00:35:32 - Gave Fajuri talks about the recent Potter & Potter Auction that featured the Norm Neilsen poster collection, part one, plus other upcoming auctions and book projects including John Bannon and Handsome Jack's newest books.

00:44:42 - David Linsell celebrates his 50th attendance at Abbott's Get Together with a coffee table book entitled "The Spirit of Magic" which is a beautiful photo gallery of about 150 images of performance images. This is an absolutely phenomenal book and I hope to offer this in the Magic Store soon or through Amazon.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

Order through Amazon.com by clicking on the image above.

306: On The Road To Colon 2016

On the way to the 79th Abbott's Get Together in Colon, Michigan, we depart Houston, Texas for Chicago, Illinois. Our first stop is at the new headquarters for Magic, Inc. and a visit with the Manager, Pedro Nieves. He gives a delightful tour of their new space plus a couple magic demos for some customers. From there we're off to the Chicago Magic Lounge, the bi-weekly hot spot for Live magic in Chicago. They have stage and close-up shows each Thursday and Saturday evenings. Be sure to check out both Magic, Inc. and the Chicago Magic Lounge when you are in Chi-Town.

Then after a couple days in Chicago with friends, we travel to Michigan and check into the motel but immediately take a drive to an Amish community in northern Indiana where we meet up with other magicians to have dinner and entertain several Amish families. Then later that night, it's on to Colon for a party with David Seebach and many more friends who arrived early for the Get Together. All of this is prior to getting our registration packet for the Get Together.

Pedro Nieves Bosque demonstrates "Klaus the Mouse", one of the best selling tricks at Magic, Inc. in Chicago.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:10 - After a cup of coffee and a couple Dunkin' Donuts, we take off from Houston, Texas for Chicago.

00:05:36 - First stop: Magic, Inc.'s new store in Chicago which opened last April after having over 50 years at their old location on Lincoln Avenue. We chat with Pedro Nieves Bosque about some of the shop's history.

00:19:36 - Later that night we visit the Chicago Magic Lounge and chat with the Creative Director, John Sturk. The Lounge opened about a year and a half ago and we first posted a podcast just a week before opening. So in this interview, John brings us up to date on how they have progressed and expanded. This is a marvelous venue and a "must visit" destination for magicians and public alike.

00:29:53 - Mike Miller talks about the China tour for close-up and stage magicians and how you can get booked to perform on the tour.

00:39:22 - Michael Mode, creator of the Napkin Rose, tells about the genesis of the "night before" party featuring a chicken dinner and performing for the Amish in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Time stamps for product reviews:

00:43:56 - At The Table Experience (June 2016) with Danny Archer features many commercial ideas for the strolling and restaurant performer.

00:48:48 - Oddylisiou5 - five routines and one bonus effect for "Red Hot Mama" or "Chicago Opener"

Support The Magic Word with your online magic supplies purchases.

304: Gay Blackstone, First Lady of Magic

Blackstone. An iconic name that means "magic". Well, okay, it may also mean a winery...but for us, it means "magic".

The name conjures up perhaps the last of the big traveling shows from legitimate theaters to Broadway. And Harry Blackstone, Junior's widow, Gay, continues that tradition by taking "Masters of Illusion" on the road and bringing it to an even wider audience each week on the CW television network. After being the wife and assistant for Harry Blackstone, Jr. for many years, she is now a producer, director, consultant, lecturer and author. She has made a mark of her own not only with the "Masters of Illusion" show, but also with the many awards she has earned including being named one of "2007 Hollywood's Women of Distinction" plus being the President of the Academy of Magic Arts.

Along with Harriet Jacobson and Robbie Willmarth, Gay also owns and operates the magic-themed jewelry company, BJW Magical Jewelers, which is often seen in the dealers' rooms at magic conventions.

Gay Blackstone is more than the widow of Harry Blackstone Jr. She is also a television and stage producer, director, consultant, lecturer and author. She was president of the Academy of Magical Arts and was named one of "2007 Hollywood's Women of Distinction" by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

On July 3, 2016, while attending the 88th I.B.M. conveintion in San Antonio, Texas, Gay Blackstone joined Scott Wells on the microphone to record a podcast for The Magic Word.

In our conversation, I learned that Gay was once one of the "Gold-Diggers" dancers on the Dean Martin Show before she met Harry. She also has some great stories about their summer retreats to Blackstone Island in Colon, Michigan and how important Abbott's Get Togethers are to her. She then talks about "Masters of Illusion" and a little about how the acts are selected. If you are interested in being on the TV or touring show, then first listen to this podcast.

Looking for that special item? Perhaps a customized jewelry item might be in your future. Check out BJW Magical Jewelers.