309: 2016 Abbott's Get Together - Day Three

DAY THREE - FRIDAY, AUGUST 5th 2016
9:00AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
9:00AM COLON ARTS & CRAFT FAIR (more info) Until 4:00PM
9:30AM ABBOTT'S STAGE TALENT CONTEST (more info) at the High School
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (more info) at Grade School
11:00AM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside Dawn & Phils featuring John Sturk
12:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside Village Market featuring Jonathon LaChance
1:00PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - at Craft Fair featuring Jania Taylor
1:00PM LECTURE - Lynetta Welch & Bizzaro at the High School
1:00PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM OPEN TILL 4PM (more info)
1:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott Plant with BJ Mallen or Gordon Miller
2:30PM ABBOTT'S CLOSEUP SHOW at the High School
Featuring Ice McDonald MC, Clemens ILgner, Scott Alexander, Martin Cox, Nick Diffatte
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
4:30PM COLON STREET PERFORMERS - outside Five Star Pizza featuring Trino
5:00PM MAGIC AND MORE LIVE - Sterlini's Magic Shop (more info)
5:00PM MAGICIANS DINNER SPECIAL - At Lutheran Church on Burr Oak Road
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 Denny Haney, Magic of Puck, Scott Alexander
(view seating chart)
9:45PM FIREWORK SHOW (more info) outside High School after show
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Grade School after show
10:30PM TALENT CONTEST AWARDS at Grade School after show

Clemens Ilgner performs live at FFFF 2013.This Convention is called the "Original Close-Up Magic Convention" and is the most prestigious gathering of close-up magicians in the world. Paul Gertner assists him in his performance in Batavia, where this famous meeting is held annually.

00:00:13 - Clemens Ilgner from Germany was one of the featured acts on the Wednesday night opening show. He was also the first lecturer of the convention on that day and on Day Three, he was one of the featured performers in the close-up show in the high school gym. He talks today following the publication of a front page photo of his act in the Sturgis Journal newspaper touting the opening night show with "Magic Get-Together Opening Night" article.

00:22:00 - Anthony Stockton was one of the contestants in the stage contest who reminded me of a young Rob Zabrecky in his mannerisms, music and offbeat thinking...though he has never heard of Rob. :) I have a feeling that we will be hearing a lot more from this young man from Joliet, Illinois.

00:28:47 - One of the "Friends of The Magic Word", Steve Chezaday is a long-time member of Abbott's Stage Crew. He talks about some of his memories of shows over the past 20-25 years.

00:43:30 - Dave Cresey, the "King of Coils" tells us about how he got into making mouth coils, hat tears, throw streamers and more. He also talks about his long association with Abbott's Get Togethers; however, now he is retired and riding Harley's with his wife, Roseann.

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Colon, Michigan - The Magic Capital of the World

130: Greg Bordner - Las Vegas Comes to Mayberry

The Andy Griffith Show aired on TV in the 1960's set in the fictional rural town of Mayberry, South Carolina, a friendly, close-knit community that clung to the 1930's...a time gone by. Colon, Michigan is not dissimilar in that it has a rich tradition where many come back to relax and to enjoy a simpler time.

With a population of 1,161 people and one flashing traffic light, Colon nearly doubles in size each year for the annual Get Together as magicians from around the world convene to enjoy each others' company and share magic. It is truly a "Brigadoon" type of event that has the entire community turning out to celebrate the craft of magic then disappears afterwards with no trace that anything ever happened.

Greg Bordner wishes everyone a Happy Holiday from the showroom of Abbott's Magic Company.

Greg Bordner gives an after hours tour of the Abbotts Magic Factory. See where the magic begins before making it to the shelf!

Magic is a big house with many rooms. We have a rich history of magic that is filled with many people contributing to give us the texture that makes up the fabric of our craft. Greg Bordner, proprietor of Abbott's Magic Company, is one of dealers who continues the tradition started 80 years ago in the small village of Colon, Michigan.

Greg Bordner joins me on this podcast to talk about the history of Abbott's Magic Company, the transition of a brick-and-mortar magic shop to a successful online store, popular tricks sold through Abbott's, how Colon, Michigan came into being starting with Harry Blackstone, Sr., the many magicians who have moved to Colon, what there is to do in and around the Get Together (i.e. garage sales, Amish dinners, Curly's close-up contest, American Museum of Magic, Colon Museum) and so much more.

This is an interesting chat with some funny stories along the way about Blackstone, Sr. and others. For more information on Abbott's Magic Company, the annual Get Together or the Close-Up Convention, visit their website at: http://AbbottMagic.com/

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As mentioned in the chat, many magicians are buried in the Colon cemetery. Thanks to Al the Only, here is an alphabetical list of those buried there (as of this writing):

Don Alan, Arthur Glen Babbs "Arturo", Bill Baird, Jack Barrows, Harry Blackstone Jr., Harry Blackstone Sr., John Nicholls Booth, Recil Bordner, Peter Bouton, Jerry Conklin, Shirley Conklin, Ted Coppin "Ted Banks", Della Coppin "Sally Banks", Ricki Dunn, Vince Fabek "Quincy the Clown", Karrell Fox, Anne Gwynne, Jack Gwynne, Kenneth Husted "Roy Huston", "Little Johnny" Jones, Skippy Lamore, Elaine Lund, Robert Lund, Fred R. Merrill, Hank Moorehouse, Jack Rench, Duke Stern, Marx Edward Straw, Jesse Thornton, Donald "Monk" Watson. You can learn more about each of these past magicians and see their grave sites by Clicking Here.

Karrell Fox gives a friendly tribute to his old friend Duke Stern in the Colon Cemetery. Also seen in this 1993 video is Bibik and Al the Only..

Magic & Martinis Thursday

Well, 'tis the season and everyone is working and partying hard. Our tree is appropriately festive with the right mix of...well, Magic & Martinis, what else? Cheers!

109: MAGIC Live! 2013 - Day 4

Every day and every show and nearly every session was great this year with lots of surprises and spectacles. This final day brought more of the same. And the big surprise for the end of the evening was the last performance of The Great Tomsoni and Company. It was as much of a surprise to us as it was for Johnny as he was joined on stage by good friends Lance Burton and Penn & Teller.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:08 - Noel Britten, from Bath, England, talks about the importance of giving back and the rich rewards magicians are given in the form of love when working at charity events and hospitals.

00:18:15 - S.A.M. International President, Dal Sanders, and the First Lady, Sindie Sanders, talk about conventions and the evolution of how the S.A.M. is keeping up with keeping their conventions new.

00:28:56 - Paul Stone talks about his plans for the Innovention convention in 2015 in Liverpool

00:33:12 - Steve Chezaday talks about the recent Abbott's Get Together. Steve was one of the featured performers of this years Get Together.

00:37:02 - Mark Korhouser gives us an update on his "First Trick" video project.

00:40:52 - Doug Anderson, cruise ship magician, talks about this being his first MAGIC Live! convention and relates his experience with this event.

00:43:43 - Auke Van Dauken, creator of metal products (cups, coins and more), talks about some of his exciting new products especially some created from Tommy Wonder's ideas.

00:49:41 - Doc Eason is another first time registrant at MAGIC Live! and he gives his observations on this event.

00:55:06 - Stan Allen thanks everyone for coming as he introduces Johnny and Pam Thompson presenting his last performance as The Great Tomsoni and Company.

00:57:36 - Lance Burton is the first voice you hear then Penn followed by Teller.

01:04:46 - Stan Allen gives us his quick perspective on this convention now that it is over.

01:08:37 - Milt Larsen, the Godfather of the Magic Castle, talked about the 50 years of the Academy of Magical Arts.

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