The Newest Tops

The final four performances of my 21st annual “Illusions in the Night” 10/27, 10/28 & 10/29 on Milwaukee’s south side at the Greenfield Performing Arts Center, S 60th St & W Layton Ave. Thurs – Fri – Sat @ 7:30 pm Sat matinee @ 2:00 pm All Seats Reserved Burning Alive Buzz Saw DeKolta Chair Asrah Levitation ... Read more

Summer of ‘72 My first experience of Colon in August was at the Get-Together that wasn’t.  Both Neil Foster and Duke Stern had suggested I would enjoy attending the annual summer shindigs, but I was a teenager at the time so a 250 mile journey to a village without hotels and —as I recall back then— only one restaurant was both... Read more

“Speech!  Speech!” Several weeks ago I attended a public performance at a local elementary school that featured volunteer entertainers from one of the two major magical organizations in the world.  They were all members of the local chapter.  The audience was neither small nor large; it was a family crowd and they seemed enthusiastic about the show. I was there only to... Read more

Magic’s popularity is ever-swinging. That’s how it always has been as far back as I can remember. When the magic ‘bug’ bit me hard in the 1960s during my teen years illusions were not very popular. They were out of favor. Whether they were out of favor with the general public or just amongst magicians I cannot... Read more

One Hundred… and Counting! Some folks who apparently have the time for this sort of accounting patience have combed the voluminous files of the Colon archives and determined that this particular offering from me is the one hundredth column I have offered up for readers of Abbott’s publication. You armchair economists out there are no doubt well aware of the... Read more

I’m Trying to Remember… If our project this month was to make up a list of skills that the successful illusionist must have, what might they be? We’ll skip over such mundane requirements like talent and deep pockets. I’ve written before that the illusionist needs a real sense of showmanship; he needs to command the stage in the manner of Mr Blackstone.  The... Read more

According to Mr. Reynolds In the January, 2010 issue of the Society of American Magicians’ magazine, M-U-M, respected magical authority Charles Reynolds offers a thought provoking article about surprise. Here’s what surprised me: “…many illusionists do not have too many brilliant ideas.”  Now, if you’re thinking that this bold insult offended me, you do not know me very well. I could not agree... Read more

Ed. Note – Apologies to David for getting his submission up so late. Things got shuffled around on my desk, and it slipped off my radar screen. -JAS Subject: Illusions Holiday Illusions It’s at about this time each year that magicians see articles and ads for Egg Bags and Changing Bags that look like Christmas stockings and Abbott’s reminds us that they continue... Read more

The Get-Together Vent-O-Rama I must confess that in all my years of attending the annual Abbott Magic Get-Together that I have never taken in the regular Vent-O-Rama feature.  Let me emphasize that I have absolutely no aversion to it, but as I’ve never dabbled in ventriloquism I guess I have not had occasion to participate. My confession above means I’ve missed lots... Read more

He Said, He Said – Seebach vs Harary It was very gratifying to receive such a positive response to my “So You Want To Be An Illusionist” lecture presentation at the annual Abbott’s Magic Get-Together in August, 2009. The accompanying book, written to be appropriate as a ‘stand-alone’ volume, was very popular. If you’d like a copy... Read more

Where Have All the Kids Gone? Forgive me, but I am going to diverge from my usual main topic of magic’s great stage illusions this month to address an issue that has been bothering me lately. I noticed it one week ago when one of my agents booked me at a suburban library for a pair of performances... Read more

Abbotts Spectacular Finale Here’s an illusion that is not mentioned in my forthcoming book So You Want To Be An Illusionist. The book, to be released on Thursday, August 6th at my lecture during the annual Magic Get-Together, is a treasure trove of advice and information for the performer who desires basic illusion information, tips, advice and... Read more

David Seebach’s Abbott’s Bryce’s Screen or Gee, I Know How to use Apostrophes If you are like me your well-worn copy of the Abbott catalog shows the effects of your constant perusal of its pages. Somehow, though, that page in the Illusions section that advertises Bryce’s Screen just hasn’t grabbed your attention the way many others have. The prop does... Read more