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299: Day One - 2016 I.B.M. Convention

San Antonio, the Alamo City, is the host for this year's 88th annual I.B.M. convention. The weather is perfect, the talent is outstanding, the fellowship is fun, the magic is awesome, and the dealers have all the latest, greatest stuff. If you cannot be here in person, then these daily podcasts will be the next best thing.

And thanks to a new feature on Facebook, we can enlarge the experience by going "Live" with our chats where you can ask questions in "real time" via Facebook as I am chatting/recording my conversation. Be sure to "Like" our page at http://facebook.com/themagicwordpodcast to participate in these impromptu, off-the-cuff chats that will happen. They can happen at any time so be vigilant if you want to participate.

First day activities.kicked off with the stage contest. This year there will be two scheduled days to hold all of the contestants, and it looks like there may be a Gold Medal or perhaps a Gold Cup awarded this year. Stiff competition.

The afternoon featured our first lecture with a full house for Joshua Jay. The evening started with an autograph session and each registrant received a free commemorative poster to have signed by the performers. The evening featured the Guests of Honor, The Great Tomsoni & Co. in a one-on-one chat with Paul Vigil as host. Afterwards followed the "Penn & Teller Fool Us" panel discussion featuring some of those who have been on the TV show and this was hosted by Shawn Farquhar that concluded the day's activities.

On July 2, 2016, while attending the 88th I.B.M. conveintion in San Antonio, Texas, Joe M. Turner, the current and outgoing International President of the I.B.M., joined Scott Wells on the microphone to record a podcast for The Magic Word. This was the first time we used Facebook's Live Streaming function.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:14 - Scott gets ready to depart for San Antonio

00:02:28 - Incoming International President, Oscar Munoz, talks about his goals and direction for the coming year as the new head of the organization,

00:11:35 - Joe Tuner talks LIVE on Facebook with Scott about his travels and work this past year as the International President.

00:22:44 - Andi Gladwin talks LIVE on Facebook with Scott about the Session convention in England, his partnership with Joshua Jay, and the MagiFest that he and Josh put together each year.

00:37:34 - Paul Vigil hosts a chat on stage with Johnny Thompson and Pam. This was recorded in the banquet room but pretty good acoustics.

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Today begins the first of our daily reports from San Antonio. If you plan to attend (or even if you would like to keep up with what's happening each day), then download this FREE Guidebook app now to keep everything in the palm of your hand: schedule, maps, performers, dealers and more. Plus you can create your own personalized schedule so you never miss anything you want to be sure to see!

224: My Week at the Magic Castle 2015 - Part Five

This one is a doozie. Lots of interesting people, diverse backgrounds, and wonderful stories. From one extreme to another. We talk with one of the servers who works at the Magic Castle, then one of the long time performers, then a couple Television personalities, comedians and authors. If you don't learn something from one, then you will from another. There is definitely something for everyone in this one.

Here are the timestamps for this podcast:

00:03:13 - Patrick Benneyworth is an actor who moonlights as a server at the Magic Castle...or is it the other way around? He talks about how he came to work at the Castle plus how he balances his acting career. I think his is an oft-heard story around Hollywood from aspiring actors.

00:09:46 - Rob Zabrecky talks about his work and his wife who he gives credit for as being the inspiration and creator of many of his ideas.

00:25:20 - Andrew Mayne is more than a magician. Here he talks about his upcoming mystery novel, "Name of the Devil", that will be released in July.

00:29:52 - Steve Valentine, Chris Philpott, Paul Vigil, and Alan Bursky are at the "Cary Grant" table during the Friday "Members' Lunch" as I sit in with my microphone and capture "lightening in a bottle". I'm glad I was in the right place at the right time. This short conversation is hilarious.

00:46:58 - Michael Perovich, author of "The Vernon Companion" talks about his time with Dai Vernon and the book that came as an outgrowth of spending a lot of time with "the Professor".

click on the image above to see more information about Andrew Mayne's newest product, the "Trigger clip"

Even impossible dreams begin with a single step. Follow the journey below for exclusive content from The Walk Movie and Sony Pictures. www.facebook.com/TheWalkMovie www.thewalkmovie.com/ Synopsis: The Walk is the true story of a young dreamer, Philippe Petit, and a band of unlikely recruits who together achieve the impossible: an illegal wire walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.

Our special online documentary series on Naked Stages' ongoing production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night". Featuring Patrick Benneyworth Videography and Post-Production by Lauren Street

223: My Week at the Magic Castle 2015 - Part Four

This week we again enter the Magic Castle and whisper "Open Sesame" into the ear of the owl on the bookcase, the sliding panel opens to where we greet and we talk with friends both old and new.

This week we sit down at the bar with one of the Magic Word listeners (and a "Friend of The Magic Word) and his wife to talk about magic in his life; a quick chat with Chris Philpott (creator of "The 100th Monkey"; a few reminisces with Milt Larsen, widely known as the "builder" of The Magic Castle; a stroll to breakfast with Paul Vigil; then another magician/mentalist named Paul from Salt Lake City, Paul Draper, talks about mentalism and showmanship; and, Christian Cagigal talks about his one man show and a new film project that is getting some traction around the U.S. You can view a "teaser trailer" of the film below.

NOW AND AT THE HOUR (Teaser Trailer) from Ersatz Film on Vimeo.

00:02:28 - Daniel WIll and his wife, Judy, are my first guests as we join them in the main bar, with "Irma the Invisible Piano Player" is playing in the background. He talks about his involvement in magic with the Boy Scouts organization.

00:07:09 - Chris Philpott, creator of the 100th Monkey effect, happened to walk by just as I completed my chat with Daniel and Judy Will. We talked about his product and its popularity. I was able to catch him with Steve Valentine for a quick "elevator conversation" before they had to rush to be seated for the show in the Palace.

00:09:04 - Milt Larsen talks about his radio broadcast on CRN "Hear Them Again" plus the building of the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts plus the recent changes in the name and usage of "The Magic Castle"

00:30:29 - Paul Vigil, talks about his most recent effect he is working on for his show, the "Q&A Act" and his thoughts on disclaimers.

00:39:38 - Paul Draper, talks about how to practice new routines and break them into your act.

01:04:30 - Christian Cagigal talks about his new documentary entitled "Now And At The Hour" chronicling his one-man magic show and how it was developed based on his life with his father who was a Viet Nam veteran with PTSD.

Click on the picture above to visit the Penguin Magic website for more information on this fantastic trick.

Steve Spill's new book was launched at The Academy of Magical Arts on May 12, 2015. Order your copy from Amazon (and support The Magic Word) by clicking on this graphic.