331: Mike Pisciotta - Magic Castle Mixologist and Mystifier

Mike Pisciotta defeated all odds and stiff competition to win the "Close-Up Magician of the Year" from the Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle). He regularly performs in the Hat and Hare Pub in the "dungeon" of the Castle where he mixes drinks and magic in equal measure. But from time to time, he also performs new material in the Close-Up Gallery.

I recognize that Mike may not be as well-known to the international magic community as he rarely travels or performs outside of Los Angeles, except for his recent Texas lecture tour. But this is one of magic's "jewels" who you need to meet and know.

Esquire Channel's Best Bars in America Episode on LA Speakeasies Featuring The Magic Castle with a special erformance by Mike Pisciotta.

Time Stamps for this podcast:

00:02:11 - Mike Pisciotta talks about his surprise as being nominated for the AMA award and his further surprise win, his move from Colorado to Los Angeles and how he took over as the bar magician at the Castle, his inspirations to do bar magic, working with drunks at the bar, developing his act, his creative process, tips on getting TIPS, and more.

00:51:40 -Christopher Talbat's "Bowled Over" is a bowling ball production from a gift bag. A wonderful effect for birthday parties, parlor or stage. Recommended.

00:55:35 - Chris Philpott's "The End of My Rope Trick" is a great cut-and-restored rope trick that can be done impromptu or with gimmicks. This DVD teaches you how to do it both ways plus use other items like wire, string, crepe paper streamer, and even a string of pearls. Recommended.

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. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

Order your 2017 Magic Calendar and help support The Magic Word Podcast.

Click on this banner to download the Guidebook app and keep up to date on all convention activities.

299: Day One - 2016 I.B.M. Convention

San Antonio, the Alamo City, is the host for this year's 88th annual I.B.M. convention. The weather is perfect, the talent is outstanding, the fellowship is fun, the magic is awesome, and the dealers have all the latest, greatest stuff. If you cannot be here in person, then these daily podcasts will be the next best thing.

And thanks to a new feature on Facebook, we can enlarge the experience by going "Live" with our chats where you can ask questions in "real time" via Facebook as I am chatting/recording my conversation. Be sure to "Like" our page at http://facebook.com/themagicwordpodcast to participate in these impromptu, off-the-cuff chats that will happen. They can happen at any time so be vigilant if you want to participate.

First day activities.kicked off with the stage contest. This year there will be two scheduled days to hold all of the contestants, and it looks like there may be a Gold Medal or perhaps a Gold Cup awarded this year. Stiff competition.

The afternoon featured our first lecture with a full house for Joshua Jay. The evening started with an autograph session and each registrant received a free commemorative poster to have signed by the performers. The evening featured the Guests of Honor, The Great Tomsoni & Co. in a one-on-one chat with Paul Vigil as host. Afterwards followed the "Penn & Teller Fool Us" panel discussion featuring some of those who have been on the TV show and this was hosted by Shawn Farquhar that concluded the day's activities.

On July 2, 2016, while attending the 88th I.B.M. conveintion in San Antonio, Texas, Joe M. Turner, the current and outgoing International President of the I.B.M., joined Scott Wells on the microphone to record a podcast for The Magic Word. This was the first time we used Facebook's Live Streaming function.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:14 - Scott gets ready to depart for San Antonio

00:02:28 - Incoming International President, Oscar Munoz, talks about his goals and direction for the coming year as the new head of the organization,

00:11:35 - Joe Tuner talks LIVE on Facebook with Scott about his travels and work this past year as the International President.

00:22:44 - Andi Gladwin talks LIVE on Facebook with Scott about the Session convention in England, his partnership with Joshua Jay, and the MagiFest that he and Josh put together each year.

00:37:34 - Paul Vigil hosts a chat on stage with Johnny Thompson and Pam. This was recorded in the banquet room but pretty good acoustics.

Today begins the first of our daily reports from San Antonio. If you plan to attend (or even if you would like to keep up with what's happening each day), then download this FREE Guidebook app now to keep everything in the palm of your hand: schedule, maps, performers, dealers and more. Plus you can create your own personalized schedule so you never miss anything you want to be sure to see!

224: My Week at the Magic Castle 2015 - Part Five

This one is a doozie. Lots of interesting people, diverse backgrounds, and wonderful stories. From one extreme to another. We talk with one of the servers who works at the Magic Castle, then one of the long time performers, then a couple Television personalities, comedians and authors. If you don't learn something from one, then you will from another. There is definitely something for everyone in this one.

Here are the timestamps for this podcast:

00:03:13 - Patrick Benneyworth is an actor who moonlights as a server at the Magic Castle...or is it the other way around? He talks about how he came to work at the Castle plus how he balances his acting career. I think his is an oft-heard story around Hollywood from aspiring actors.

00:09:46 - Rob Zabrecky talks about his work and his wife who he gives credit for as being the inspiration and creator of many of his ideas.

00:25:20 - Andrew Mayne is more than a magician. Here he talks about his upcoming mystery novel, "Name of the Devil", that will be released in July.

00:29:52 - Steve Valentine, Chris Philpott, Paul Vigil, and Alan Bursky are at the "Cary Grant" table during the Friday "Members' Lunch" as I sit in with my microphone and capture "lightening in a bottle". I'm glad I was in the right place at the right time. This short conversation is hilarious.

00:46:58 - Michael Perovich, author of "The Vernon Companion" talks about his time with Dai Vernon and the book that came as an outgrowth of spending a lot of time with "the Professor".

click on the image above to see more information about Andrew Mayne's newest product, the "Trigger clip"

Even impossible dreams begin with a single step. Follow the journey below for exclusive content from The Walk Movie and Sony Pictures. www.facebook.com/TheWalkMovie www.thewalkmovie.com/ Synopsis: The Walk is the true story of a young dreamer, Philippe Petit, and a band of unlikely recruits who together achieve the impossible: an illegal wire walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.

Our special online documentary series on Naked Stages' ongoing production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night". Featuring Patrick Benneyworth Videography and Post-Production by Lauren Street