775: Abbott's 85th Get Together 2023 Convention - Day One Report

Tuesday, August 1st

(Pre Get Together Events)
8:00AM THE OPEN COLON "NO FRILLS" GOLF CLASSIC (more info)
(with Al The Only - The cost is $10 plus the cost of golf)

2:00PM MAGICIAN'S TOUR OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF MAGIC (This tour of the museum and archives is geared towards magicians and will include a special selection of artifacts never-before-on-display. $10 per person. Reservations not necessary.)

Wednesday, August 2nd

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (more info) (requires registration)
10:30AM ABBOTT'S SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR BOOK SALE BEGINS (more info) (requires registration)
10:30AM ABBOTT'S SUPER SHOWROOM SPECIALS BEGINS (more info) (requires registration)
11:00AM ABBOTT'S NEW BOOK RELEASE SEANCE HOUDINI 26:26 (more info) (requires registration)
12:00PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Odd Cory & JuJu Sideshow at Curlys)
1:00PM LECTURE - 1ST JAPANESE GROUP LECTURE (requires registration)
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW featuring John Shango at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
2:00PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
2:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Jania Taylor at Grannys Place)
3:00PM LECTURE - 1ST SOUTH AMERICAN LECTURE (requires registration)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage)
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW featuring Joe Bennett at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5
5:00PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
5:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE (Captain Sean at Magic Capital Grill)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - A ROCKING NIGHT OF MAGIC GALA
Featuring BJ Mallen (Welcome to Colon), Jeffery Jene, Steve Chezaday, Michael Trixx, Richard Hughes
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (requires registration)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 – We arrive at the airport in Houston in preparation to take my “magic carpet” on Southwest Airline to Chicago for Abbott’s Get Together.

00:04:30 – Owner of Five Start Pizza in Colon, Carl Thornton, is a major figure in the Colon community and he talks about the city and how it rallies behind Magic Week.

00:11:01 – Al the Only is the coordinator of the annual Open Colon Golf Tournament. This is the 34th annual tourney. He chats a bit about that.

00:18:18 - While at his party in the Grand Magic Theater, David Seebach, tells us about his new location for this annual party.

00:28:19 – Kurt, Carol, John and Precious talk about the Grand Magic Theater and what they have been doing with it since Dwayne and Mary Laflin left this theater.

00:35:55 – Long time Stage Director, Mark Holstein, tells us what he and his team do each year to prepare for each evening’s show.

00:50:32 – Gay Blackstone tells us the story of how Harry Blackstone, Sr. got his stage name.

00:55:20 – Mike Woodward is the official photographer for Abbott’s Get Together and talks about his experience over the years.

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741: Steve Aldrich - A Long Strange Trip

This episode is dedicated to those who remember the past and for those who want to learn more about our rich history. This week we travel back in time in our Grateful Dead VW bus and visit with magician and co-founder of the Foan Family Circus, Steve Aldrich. It was a simpler time when magicians were experimenting with new presentations and popular music of the time. It was at the height of Doug Henning’s popularity who was considered by some as a “Hippie Magician”.

Steve Aldrich also performed magic at the famed Tower Bar in Snowmass at a time when Doc Eason was still a waiter Steve and his band of merry men (and a woman) surprised and entertained magicians with their “tongue in cheek” original presentations of their “Foan Family Circus” at many magic conventions during the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. So what happened to the group? That and more will be the topic of discussion in this week’s episode.

If you are more of a visual person, then you will enjoy this video of our conversation recorded via Zoom.

Steve talks this week about the formation of the Foan Family Circus, their original presentations and music, their performances at magic conventions (one of which won them the Senator Crandall Comedy Award at Abbott’s Get Together), plus the origins of magic at the Tower Bar starting with Bob Sheets then passed down to Steve Aldrich and Steve Spill.

703: Abbott's Get Together 2022 - Day One Report

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3rd 2022

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant Purchase Registration/Tickets

10:00AM - 12:45PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:00AM TARGET: MIDNIGHT RELEASED in Dealers Room Target Midnight Release (High School) Requires Registration

10:15AM SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR BOOK SALE in Dealers Room (Available Book List) (High School) Requires Registration

10:30AM SHOWROOM SPECIALS in Dealers Room Spooky Collectibles and Super Deals (High School) Requires Registration

11:15AM LECTURE - Duane Laflin "Making Magic Fun" at Laflin's Grand Magic Theater Free

12:00PM STREET PERFORMER - John Sturk (On Blackstone at Dawn's Cafe past picnic tables)

1:00PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with John Shango at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

2:00 PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater

2:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Jania Taylor (Granny's Place by American Legion)

3:00PM LECTURE - Bizzaro at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage) Free

3:00PM-6PM FACE PAINTING with Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix

4:30PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with Joe Bennett at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

5:00 PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10

5:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Bibik! (Magic Capital Grill by bridge)

6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own

7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)

8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)
Featuring Bizzaro, Nick Diffatte, Doug Stafford, Joel Hodgson
NOTE: Tickets for the Abbott evening Stage Show must be purchased in advance at the Abbott Plant or online before 5pm that day.
You will be able to pick up tickets at a will call window at the show, but Abbotts will not be able to sell any at the door.

8:00PM GRAND MAGIC CLASSIC SHOW - 8 PM at the Laflin's Grand Magic Theater - $14.95 adult, $6.95 child

10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:16 - After departing FISM Quebec, we are on the road from Detroit, Michigan, on an early, early morning drive to Colon.

00:04:44 - David Seebach, one of the perennial registrants and also one of the performers this year. Lance Burton joins us as he talked about his new tour bus. Lance also talked about the cemetery where Gary Darwin was just buried.

00:10:51 - Kevin James joins us for lunch as he talks a bit about the Illusionists tour and what he’s doing now. He also talks about piracy of magic.

00:18:00 - Abbott’s Magic proprietor, Greg Bordner, is a co-organizer of this convention. He talks a bit about this convention and expectations for this year.

00:28:30 - Steve Chezaday is one of the stage hands for the past 25+ years and talks a little about what makes this convention special to him.

0036:36 - The first evening show is about to begin, but first we chat with the creator of “One Hundred Monkeys”, Chris Philpott. This is the first Get Together for him, too.