561: Chris Pilsworth - A Canadian Conjurer with a Cactus

Chris Pilsworth is not a name that is on the tip of the tongue for most magicians. He quietly performs professionally for corporations across Canada with the occasional outdoor busking, too. But he is noted for his creative ideas and consulting with magicians from Las Vegas to London and even for television in China. His approach to magic is passion and commitment with new ideas popping up all the time. If you don’t already know Chris, then you will make a new friend after hearing this week’s episode.

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 or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

419: 2018 Obie's F.F.F.F. Day Two

Thursday, April 26
10:00-5:00 Registration open (closed during lectures and shows)
10:00 Dealers’ Room opens (closed during lectures and shows)
10:00-11:00 4F Shop open
11:00 Edouard Boulanger Lecture
12:30 Lunch: on your own
1:30 2nd Show: Friends Old & New (MC: Gary Morton)
3:30 3rd Show: Magical Moments (MC: Joe M. Turner)
5:30 Supper: on your own
7:00-7:45 4F Shop is open
8:00 Pit Hartling Lecture
10:30 Hospitality Suite (Crystal Room) opens -- Free Donuts, Coffee, Soda
12:00 Dealers’ Room closes

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:17 - Friend of The Magic Word, Terry Greenwood, talks about this convention and we review yesterday's gala.

00:04:39 -Rick Wilcox and Erick Olson chat about their respective magic theaters, plus their different perspectives of this convention...this is Erick's first time here and Rick has been here 17 times.

00:13:11 - Denis Behr, from Munich Germany, talks about his recent award from the Academy of Magical Arts

00:19:20 - Glenn Brown is on the Board of Directors of Obie's 4F convention and he puts together the PDF eBook (electronic program) and acts as a registration person.

00:26:30 - Past National President of the S.A.M., Brad Jacobs, tells us about upcoming S.A>M. conventions and why he attends this one, too.

00:30:57 - Obie O'Brien, the "Head Forker", talks about some of the history of this convention.

00:49:53 - Rocco Silano, last year's Guest of Honor. talks about what makes this convention so special to him. And next year's Guest of Honor, Mike Powers, stops by for a brief chat, too.

01:00:11 - Bob Little talks about being the Guest of Honor for the recent S.A.M> Parent Assembly "Salute to Magic"

01:07:06 - Ricky Smith and Steve Himmel are a couple of the "young Turks" who talk about this convention plus Ricky talks about working with Bill Kalush.

372: Rick Wilcox - At Home In His Own Theater

Rick Wilcox has been a long-time friend and one whom I have been wanting to feature on this podcast for some time. I have known Rick for many years as a fellow "Four F'r" (from Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic annual close-up convention) who helps Jimmy C with the A/V for the close-up shows. We have talked about being an illusionist versus a close-up guy, but Rick does both. I knew he and his wife, Susan, had a long-running illusion show playing in their own 500 seat theater in Wisconsin.

The Rick Wilcox Magic Show is now into its 19th season at the Wisconsin Dells and plays to packed houses throughout the tourist season running from Memorial Day through Labor Day but also playing during Spring Break and seasonal holidays. They compete with indoor/outdoor water parks, duck rides, zip-lining, go-carting, candy shops and other family attractions similar to Branson, Missouri but much smaller with fewer show options but with more family oriented rather than those Branson attractions that are geared towards the senior set. With all of the competition for the tourist dollar in a popular family destination, it is great to know that they recently won an award for "The Best Family Travel Destination for the State of Wisconsin".

Rick Wilcox Magic Theater, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Sneak peek 90 Minutes of pure Magic, Illusion and comedy. TripAdvisors #1 attraction Things to do Wisconsin Dells

Rick and Susan Wilcox talk about the daily chores of an illusionist who prepares each day for and evening show in their own theater, plus the problems with traveling with big illusions when on the road. They also talk about routining and scripting a stage show and how each illusion fits into the overall show as they constantly change the show each year and throughout the year. They discuss some of the challenges of finding, remodeling and maintaining a theater and marketing their show, some "horror stories" when things went wrong, and more.

Click on the graphic above for show information.