862: Alex Boyce - Making it There in Old New York

There are many rising, young stars in our magic community. Some are gifted close-up workers while others are confident stage performers, all with bright futures ahead of them. One such young performer (now 28 years old) who excels in both and whom I have kept my eye on is Alex Boyce. His life has been consumed with magic and was a student at Tannen’s Magic Camp. Since his graduation from the camp, he is now an instructor. He has competed in stage contests at magic conventions and worked his act in and around his home in New York including Scott’s Resort in the Catskills where they filmed “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” He now regularly performs at SpeakEasy Magick in New York City and is a client of Bill Herz, who represents many of the top names in magic today.

This week, Alex talks about his early days of performing in the Catskills, entering magic competitions, learning and teaching at Tannen’s Magic Camp, performing for celebrities and corporate parties, and some of the friends he works with at SpeakEasy Magick in New York City.

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861: Up in Colon...Michigan, that is with Al the Only

Al the Only loved performing as a “40 miler” around the Detroit, Michigan, area for many decades. He entertained regularly as a restaurant magician and also as a trade show “infotainer.” He excelled in performing for numerous corporate clients, but his “real home” is where his heart is…Colon, Michigan, the Magic Capitol of the World. Al has been traveling to Colon for decades where he regularly gives tours of the magicians’ graveyard, He has even written a book about it that is updated every so often as another couple dozen magicians are interred there. A few years ago he moved to Lahaina, Hawaii, and suffered a huge loss due to the fires that devastated the town in 2023.

In this episode, Al the Only talks about performing magic in restaurants, working the trade showroom floors, entertaining corporate clients, authoring the book “The Magic Graveyard” and giving tours of the graveyard for over 40 years. He also discusses his move to Hawaii and how his home was destroyed in the 2023 fire that devastated Lahaina.

848: Abbott's Get Together 2024 - Day Four Report

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD 2024
9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS (Requires Registration)
11:00AM LECTURE DANNY ARCHER - from Philadelphia - (Requires Registration)
11:00AM - 5:00PM COLON ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR
12:00PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE - Jania Taylor @ Granny's Place
1:00PM LECTURE JOHN REID from New York - (Requires Registration)
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic Showroom Theatre $5
2:00PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
3:00PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE - Cap'n Sean @ Mirf @ Colon Library
3:00PM LECTURE LANCE BURTON from Las Vegas - (Requires Registration)
3:00PM FACE PAINTING till 6PM outside 5 Star Pizza by Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix (Standard Fees)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open
4:00PM BOOK SIGNING - ILLUSIONQUESTS With David Seebach (Dealers Room)
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic Showroom Theatre $5
5:00PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10
5:30PM FREE STREET PERFORMANCE - Just Joe Chasney @ Magic Capital Grill
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER (on your own)
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM GET-TOGETHER STAGE SHOW - Saturday Night Gala (The Magic of Germany)
Requires Registration or Tickets (Floor / Bleachers)
Featuring Clemens Ilgner (MC), Axel Hecklau, Yann Yuro, Martin Sierp
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM RE-OPENS (Requires Registration)
10:30PM ABBOTT'S PERFORMER AWARDS (Requires Registration)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 – Trixie Bond and Ted Danger give a recap of last night’s show.

00:12:30 – Mark Holstein has been the Stage Manager for Abbott’s Get Togethers over several decades. He give credit to his back stage crew who make this show work. Mark was also one of the performers on the last Bozo show and he talks about that experience.

00:26:24 – One of the food trucks is unique to Abbott’s that sells “Rabbit Ears” (essentially funnel cakes) and run by Kay Decker. She tells us how it all got started.

00:35:42 – Gerry Costello relocated from Florida to Colon after he retired and hosts an annual party at his home on the lake. Mike Powers also joins us on this chat who talks about his many publications and his new projects.

00:43:56 – John Hebert, from Chicago, and a member of the Chicago Magic Roundtable. He talks a bit about the Chicago Magic Lounge.

00:48:47 – Michael Trixx is a Friend of the Magic Word and talks about the episode we recorded many years ago. He tells us about his memories of attending and performing at Abbott’s.

00:57:33 – Peter Thompson is directing a documentary about this convention. He talks about what he’s doing, how the idea came to be, and perhaps when it will be broadcast.

00:03:05 – in the Dealers’ Room BJ Mallen presented the Jack Gwynn Excellence in Presentation Award that went to the Evasons; the Senator Crandall Comedy Award that went to Martin Diert from Germany; the Jerry Conklin Family Award went to David Seebach; and, the Niel Foster/Bill Baird Manipulation award went to Alex Boyce. We then get to chat with some of the award winners.

01:07:17 – at the Conklin Family “after glow” party we chat with Devin who is a regular performer at the Chicago Magic Lounge and talks about some of its history.

862: Alex Boyce - Making it There in Old New York

861: Up in Colon...Michigan, that is with Al the Only

848: Abbott's Get Together 2024 - Day Four Report

The Magic Word