The Newest Tops

Keith Fields is new to the Abbott Stage, but this comedy magician from England is bringing a stage act, close up act and lecture to Colon for the 2010 Get Together. In 1984 Keith gave up a promising career in computers to become a street entertainer… his friends wondered why! But he was a lot younger then and had few responsibilities. Three years later he won the coveted title of Best Magician at the International Festival of Street Entertainers in Covent Garden, London. His friends started to be impressed! Later that year Keith left the street scene and started to work in comedy clubs and cabaret venues – it was winter and warmer indoors! The following year he was awarded the honour of  (continue reading…)

A Saturday Afternoon Show

For the 73rd time in its history, the Abbott Magic Machine is running full speed toward the convention dates of Aug 4-7, also known as the Abbott Magic Get Together.  Although preparation for these events begins over a year in advance (the dates for next years convention will be on your Abbott bag at this years convention), you do not really see the physical manifestations till about ten days before.  This year I thought I would try to capture the exact moment they switch on the “magic machine” and monitor some of the day to day activities as the machine switches gears and propels the Get Together into history…again. (continue reading…)

After a hugely successful run of Ben Whiting’s show, “American Gypsy” in Chicago, Ben and I headed south to Atlanta where the National SAM Convention was taking place.  The plan was for Ben and I to work the Magic Inc. booth during the week, and then for me to do my lecture on my book, “BEATING A DEAD HORSE: The Life and Times of Jay Marshall” on the final day.  Things don’t always work out the way you planned.  This turned out to be the best convention I never saw.  After Ben and I set up the booth on Tuesday night, I spent the next day at Emory Hospital where I had evidently hit the Trifecta.  I wound up being treated for Bacterial Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), Bronchitis, and Laryngitis.  As a result, I spent the entire week in bed (and not in a good way).  I didn’t see any of the shows or lectures at the SAM convention.  My entire focus was to get well enough to do my lecture.  My good friend, John Calvert—a fine actor/magician—who will be ninety-nine years old as of August 5th, once told me that he gets up every day and acts the role of a young man.  Taking his lead, I got up on the day of my lecture and although I was still pretty sick, acted the role of a well man, and managed to pull it off.

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Magicseen Magazine, Europe’s top bi-monthly full colour magic magazine which has been published in the UK for the last five years, is launching a new initiative which has been formulated in order to raise awareness of the magazine and its unique style and content. The idea is that 6 times a year they will produce a taster issue of Magicseen in pdf format which will be available to anyone and everyone for free.  The pdf will be released about one month after a regular issue has appeared and it will include some of the features from that current issue plus one or two other articles extracted from Back Issues and it will enable people to see what Magicseen is all about.

In Taster Issue 1 we have part of a large interview we did with David Copperfield, we showcase the talents of FISM award winner Marc Oberon, we get (continue reading…)

The Abbott Magic Co., the Colon Lions Club, and the Colon Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the 73rd annual Abbott Magic Get Together, august 4,5,6,7, 2010.  Watch as the village of Colon (population 1,200) doubles in size and turns into the Magic Capitol of the World.

Besides magicians performing in the streets, restaurants and bars, the Annual Craft and Arts Fair is held in town on Friday and Saturday.  The Chamber of Commerce will have free fire works after the Friday evening show.  Colon has one of the most unique cemeteries in the world where headstones memorialize the famous and not so famous magicians.  Some are already buried and some yet to be buried.  You can bring your swim suits because Colon has a public beach.

Each of the four days ends with a world class magic and variety show held in the air-conditioned Colon High School Auditorium.  Each of the four evening shows is (continue reading…)

Well, you have seen many looks of mine over the years, and now here is the last Pro Photo, taken by Kreigsman in New York.   It was used on the cover of Genii, it was a great article written my Pal John Mac Connell. I look the same they tell me, but don’t forget they all drink to excess!

I told you last time that I would list my  favorite books that I think are the greatest. Number one would always be the great Paul Osborne’s books, all of them!  This man is clearly a genius, just look at all the original illusions he has created. Yes, he revises old ones too. Look at the Big Black Book over a hundred illusions, and he still creates for Genii.    He has been ripped off and copied yet he remains classy and a gentleman.  I have seen so many versions of his illusions that someone else says it’s their invention. I really get pissed at these smucks. (You all know who you are!) Just remember Karma!  His new book  is great, and not that it is dedicated to me.  He has published some of his best that you can buy separate, but he has listed them and has comments, by some well known names offering advice on using these illusions.  And I agree with most of them.   So if you are smart run to get The Great Illusions #3, it is also available at Abbott’s. (continue reading…)

Thank you all in that great magic organization, the SAM, for all the work and for the wonderful convention you produced in a great facility. There are naysayers and such but anyone who went has to report a fun time. The dealer room was spacious with tables for play. Richard Turner absolutely blew me away and we reminisced about Vernon, who was his best man and a great mentor of mine. If you ever have a chance to see him, up close as we did, get all you can from this one of a kind, never to be seen again master.

Losander with his magical art was dealing and demonstrating real magic and Whit Hayden had the cool cool stuff and many others who I have read about were there and the old stand bys too, namely Bob Little who made the dealer room especially enjoyable. The break out rooms were on the same floor, The Main Showroom had professional risers and all the stagecraft by Bruce Chadwick to make the shows a success. Hats off to his tech helpers. I especially love to see the eager young magicians and their cards and sleights. I enjoyed the Thursday evening contest show with great flash magic. Visual magic is where it’s at for me. I too am working on a new 7 minute act, no Skilldini, more flash and show off. So once again thank you all who made this a great time.

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The Get Together Compendium is now available as a free download at http://www.magicgettogether.com/compendium.pdf .  This is  without a doubt the most comprehensive information on the Abbott Magic Get Together anywhere, over 300 pages, dozens of articles, tons of history, bio’s on the 2010 performers, information on all the events, applications for the contests, seating charts, all time  performer list, artwork from past Get Togethers, people behind the scenes, you name it, its here.

The idea behind the Compendium was two-fold, 1) create a single source which had all the info anyone could want on the Get Together; 2) Begin something that could be contributed to throughout the next year and update it annually.  Let us know what you think, let us know here or  by email at webmaster@magicgettogether.com

I remember. . .

my first Abbott’s Magic Get-Together when I was 12 years old. The sites, sounds and smells of the town are still with me today.

I remember . . .

seeing Bob Lewis and Ginny perform.  A real treat as I laughed at all of the jokes, even if I only understood half of them.  You see, Bob was a real professional.  His timing was impeccable. When he told a joke, you had to laugh.

I remember . . .

hanging around the outside of the showroom during the day when the pros talked about old-times.  Jay Marshall, Howard Flint, Roy Kissell, Karrell Fox.  They were all there.  They even took time to talk to the little guys.  One of them was me.

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