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The Magic Word The Magic Word

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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)

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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.

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

Posted in Convention Report and tagged with Colon Michigan, Abbott's Get Together, Carl Thornton, David Seebach, Al the Only, Grand Magic Theatre, Mark Holstein, Gay Blackstone, Mike Woodward.

August 2, 2023 by Scott Wells.
  • August 2, 2023
  • Scott Wells
  • Colon Michigan
  • Abbott's Get Together
  • Carl Thornton
  • David Seebach
  • Al the Only
  • Grand Magic Theatre
  • Mark Holstein
  • Gay Blackstone
  • Mike Woodward
  • Convention Report
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662: Jeffrey Alan - American Museum of Magic

David Copperfield’s museum is private and only open by invitation. In another part of the country, The American Museum of Magic (AMM) is open to the public. This week, Jeffrey Alan talks about the museum, its history, how it came to be, how it expanded and much more. Jeffrey is on the Board of Directors for the AMM as well as the I.B.M. He is also a full time performing magician in the Michigan area. If ever you are in the Midwestern U.S., then you owe it to yourself to visit this wonderful collection of our history’s treasures.

If you are more of a visual person, you can watch a YouTube video of our chat recorded over Zoom.

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Jeffrey shares a lot of information about the history of The American Museum of Magic that brings our history to life. For more information, directions, and to make an appointment for a private tour, please visit their website at: https://americanmuseumofmagic.com/

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

Tagged with Jeffrey Alan, American Museum of Magic, Marshall Michigan, Bob Lund, Elaine Lund.

January 27, 2022 by Scott Wells.
  • January 27, 2022
  • Scott Wells
  • Jeffrey Alan
  • American Museum of Magic
  • Marshall Michigan
  • Bob Lund
  • Elaine Lund
  • 2 Comments
2 Comments

Colon, Michigan - The Magic Capital of the World

130: Greg Bordner - Las Vegas Comes to Mayberry

Colon, Michigan - The Magic Capital of the World

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!

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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/

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.

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!

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Tagged with Greg Bordner, Harry Blackstone Sr., Colon, Abbott's Get Together, American Museum of Magic, Hank Moorehouse, Neil Foster, close-up convention, Karrell Fox.

December 5, 2013 by Scott Wells.
  • December 5, 2013
  • Scott Wells
  • Greg Bordner
  • Harry Blackstone Sr.
  • Colon
  • Abbott's Get Together
  • American Museum of Magic
  • Hank Moorehouse
  • Neil Foster
  • close-up convention
  • Karrell Fox
  • Post a comment
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The Magic Word The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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This week's episode is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Magic Castle Juniors group and her feature article in VANISH Magazine and precedes Diana's induction to the Los Angeles Tribune Global Magicians Hall of Fame.
 #losangelestribune
Connie Boyd was a successful stage magician in Las Vegas and now is an author and producer. But she is a strong advocate for Women in Magic. She is our guest this week on The Magic Word Podcast  https://share.google/dHcDjJ177mCTlBmnT
#magicalwomen #m
This week on The Magic Word Podcast, "The Good Liar" Brian Curry from the Washington, D.C. area. #comedy #washingtondc #magicduel
Joe Monti was one of the creative minds and producers behind the early seasons of “Mind Freak with Criss Angel” and he has also fooled Penn & Teller. Listen to this week’s podcast episode at: https://themagicwordpodcast.com/909-
This week on The Magic Word Podcast, a chat with Christian & Katalina who have been performing their Mind Tripping Show in Indianapolis for 16 years.  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/908-christian-and-katalina
#indianapolis #m
This week we feature an episode about two magicians 🎩 🎩 who share ideas on how to find your own theatre to perform in, plus learn how to work with a magic partner on stage. Visit the website for more information:  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.co
What a great, action-packed, adrenaline-laced, fast-paced movie. I recommend watching part one (Dead Reckoning) to catch up from where we left off two years ago. Best to see this on the big screen. Recommended!
Eric Leclerc joins us from Canada this week to talk about comedy and his experience being the compere (emcee) at the Blackpool convention 2025. #ericleclerc #canadianmagician #comedymagic #mikehammer https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagi
This week's episode is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Magic Castle Juniors group and her feature article in VANISH Magazine and precedes Diana's induction to the Los Angeles Tribune Global Magicians Hall of Fame.
 #losangelestribune
Connie Boyd was a successful stage magician in Las Vegas and now is an author and producer. But she is a strong advocate for Women in Magic. She is our guest this week on The Magic Word Podcast  https://share.google/dHcDjJ177mCTlBmnT
#magicalwomen #m This week on The Magic Word Podcast, "The Good Liar" Brian Curry from the Washington, D.C. area. #comedy #washingtondc #magicduel Joe Monti was one of the creative minds and producers behind the early seasons of “Mind Freak with Criss Angel” and he has also fooled Penn & Teller. Listen to this week’s podcast episode at: https://themagicwordpodcast.com/909- This week on The Magic Word Podcast, a chat with Christian & Katalina who have been performing their Mind Tripping Show in Indianapolis for 16 years.  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/908-christian-and-katalina
#indianapolis #m This week we feature an episode about two magicians 🎩 🎩 who share ideas on how to find your own theatre to perform in, plus learn how to work with a magic partner on stage. Visit the website for more information:  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.co What a great, action-packed, adrenaline-laced, fast-paced movie. I recommend watching part one (Dead Reckoning) to catch up from where we left off two years ago. Best to see this on the big screen. Recommended! Eric Leclerc joins us from Canada this week to talk about comedy and his experience being the compere (emcee) at the Blackpool convention 2025. #ericleclerc #canadianmagician #comedymagic #mikehammer https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagi

The Magic Word Has been recognized by FeedSpot as the # 1 magician podcast in the world. Thank you all for your support and for listening throughout the years.

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