599 - Suzanne the Magician- Suz with a "Z"

Winner of the Academy of Magical Arts (the Magic Castle) trophy for “Close-Up Magician of the Year”, Suzanne the Magician joins us this week to talk about her experience of preparing then fooling Penn & Teller on their hit television show and also discuss ideas for performing in restaurants.

As discussed on this podcast episode, never make fun of your volunteer particularly when they become “easy targets.”

This week we learn how Suzanne had to rework and retool her signature “Band Aid” trick "(A Mother’s Love) to make it work for Penn & Teller Fool Us. She also shares stories from her decades of experience of performing magic at high end restaurants plus some advice on trick selections, approaching tables, and more.

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This week’s podcast video on YouTube.

310: 2016 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

DAY FOUR - SATURDAY, AUGUST 6TH 2016
9:00AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
9:00AM MAGIC MINISTERS SESSION (more info) at the Methodist Church
9:00AM COLON ARTS & CRAFT FAIR (more info) until 4:00PM
9:30AM LECTURE - Joaquin Ayala at the High School
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (more info) at Grade School
11:00AM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - at Craft Fair featuring Jania Taylor
11:30AM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott Plant with BJ Mallen or Gordon Miller
12:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside American Legion featuring Jania Taylor
1:00PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM OPEN TILL 4PM (more info)
2:00PM ABBOTT'S BENEFIT MATINEE "THE ABBOTT BOYS" at High School
Featuring Mark Holstein, BJ Mallen, Artie Kidwell, Gordon Miller, Mike Miller, plus the Talent Contest Winning Act!
(view seating chart)
2:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott Plant with BJ Mallen or Gordon Miller
3:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside Colon Historical Museum featuring Adam Arcana
3:00PM - 6:00PM FACE PAINTING outside 5 Star Pizza by Carol Hendrix
4:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside Five Star Pizza featuring Trino
5:00PM MAGIC AND MORE LIVE - Sterlini's Magic Shop (more info)
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 Nick Diffatte MC , Jay Mattioli, Martin Cox, Doc Swan, Tony Chapek, Ayala
(view seating chart)
10:00 PM DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Grade School after show
10:30 PM ABBOTT PERFORMER AWARDS at Grade School after show

Winners of Special Awards:

Jerry Conklin Award (for outstanding service to the Get Together) - Steve Chezaday

Bill Baird/Neil Foster Award (manipulation) - Denny Haney

Senator Crandall Award (comedy): Puck and Scott Alexander

Jack Gwynn Award (presentation) - Jay Mattioli

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:12 - Gene Anderson has finished the book of his lifetime magical achievements and is autographing copies at this convention. Gene tells us some stories from the book and some that are not. He also talks about his association with the late Doug Henning.

00:20:48 - Brenda and Marty Hahne (Dazzling Magic) talk about their experiences in Branson, MO and here at Colon over the past several years. For a thoroughly enlightening podcast with Marty from the archives (March 2014) about his "Rabbit Tales" and the international notoriety he received for his permitting problems, Click Here.

00:29:22 - George Schindler, the Dean of the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) tells us what it's like to be "the Dean" plus many more stories about his travels and many friendships. This could have easily been a whole podcast...and perhaps some day I will record a full podcast with this legendary figure.

00:44:34 - Past President of the S.A.M., Ice McDonald, tells us about his experience here at the Get Together and what he likes best about it. Ice is part of the talent booked this week.

00:48:50 - Unveiling ceremony for renaming of a street in White Pigeon, Michigan to "Hank Moorehouse Avenue"

01:04:34 - Hank's widow, Jackie Moorehouse, talks a bit about her 28 year marriage to Hank.

01:07:10- Jeff Bibik helps me wrap up the convention as we say "so long and farewell" to the 79th annual Get Together.

Click on the banner above for more information on Gene's book.

Brenda and Marty Hahne's online magic shop.

257: Magic Chat at the Chateau du Magique

As an attachment to a recent podcast, I gave a link to my irregular, half hour podcast, "Meals With Magicians" which was recorded at the riverside home of Trixie Bond in the Texas Hill Country. Also sitting outside on the veranda for breakfast and joining the conversation was Jay Scott Berry, Suzanne the Magician, and Don Wiberg.

After the 30 minutes was over, I felt that we were just getting started with an intensely deep and interesting conversation. So, I turned on the microphone and recorded a second half. I know that "Meals With Magicians" is not widely heard but I felt that what we discussed warranted a larger audience. So, I have included that podcast as the first half of this longer one. If you already heard that podcast on Spreaker.com, then you might want to either hear it again to get the context of the latter half of this podcast, or you might wish to skip forward to about the halfway mark to hear the last half hour of our conversation.

Suzanne is the only woman to win the coveted "Close-Up Magician of the Year" award from the Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle). In this 2-DVD set, you will learn Suzanne's valuable secrets on how to properly structure a magical performance to create a standout show, as well as some fabulous magic.

Take a front row seat at Hollywood's famed Magic Castle. Known as "The Carnegie Hall of Magic", its 3 main theatres showcase the world's finest magicians. At 19, I was the youngest magician to ever perform there. Some years later I joined the very few who have presented 1000 shows in these hallowed halls. From The Close-up Gallery to The Palace of Mystery, my favourite room has always been The Parlour of Prestidigitation. With that thought, I invite you back to January 27, 2013...Enjoy.

“Suspicion and wonder cannot exist simultaneously in the mind of the audience.” – Jay Scott Berry

This is just one of the great ideas discussed in this week’s podcast that includes Preparing your lecture, dealing with hecklers on stage or at a restaurant table, the story about a heckler in Shawn Farquhar’s show many years ago who burned down his home, getting the attention of children for your kid’s show, and Suzanne recommends listening to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who looks at those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of "flow." Trixie also talks about how to mentally prepare for performing whether it is before a birthday party or a stage show and the life-changing results it could bring (the power of the experience).

Jay Scott Berry also shares a key element from his lecture – A.C.E. which stands for Attitude, Charisma and Enthusiasm. He goes into detail about each of these areas that will help you with your show, too.

Don Wiberg talks about the importance of knowing how to give a lecture, what is the first thing you should NOT say when you come on stage, and how to structure an interesting opening line. We also talk about bringing the awe and wonder back to our performances.

MagicPad is a versatile, packs flat, plays big effect (performed at the Magic Castle) AND it's a very useful iPad case for daily use!

599 - Suzanne the Magician- Suz with a "Z"

310: 2016 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

257: Magic Chat at the Chateau du Magique

The Magic Word