NEW from Theory and Art of Magic Press

A book to inspire and amaze in these uncertain times : The Magic of Hope by award-winning author Robert E . Neale

Legendary magician and thinker Bob Neale brings you The Magic of Hope — a deeply personal collection of new magic routines and unpublished essays — curated to uplift, entertain, and remind us of the power of kindness, laughter, and most importantly, hope.

What’s Inside: 7 exclusive, powerful routines for close-up and stand-up performances 2 short, thought-provoking essays on resilience and optimism A show-stopping, longform presentation: “The Pratfall Perspective," to remind us to find joy and laughter even when life is challenging Plus, an opening interview with editor Larry Hass

Praise for Bob Neale :

Martin Gardner: “Bob Neale is a wonder. How Neale manages to think of such things is a mystery hard to fathom .”

Barrie Richardson: “Bob Neale’s insights make you shake your head with awe , wonder, and respect .”

THEORY AND ART OF MAGIC PRESS

www.theoryandartofmagic.com

For dealer inquiries, contact Murphy’s Magic Supply

VANISH: You’re searching for new theatrical concepts. Can you give us an example of the kind of ideas you’re looking for?

STAN : Really, anything that gives the magic a different narrative , puts the art in a different “frame.”

Recently, Jonathan Levit and Mad Tad did a show in the Peller Theatre at the Magic Castle with a wall dividing the stage in half. The two “ex-friends” performed on either side of the wall, complete with a sliding window to pass items to each other when absolutely necesssary. The effects might have been from their regular acts, but the conflict between the performers offered a new dynamic to the show. And in this case, a dynamic — ex-friends having to work together — that an audience can easily relate to.

Another example from past Lives was Richard Wiseman’s Experimental , a 20-minute magic show presented without a magician — and yet it involved a lot of audience participation. As the show went on, the attendees became the magicians.

VANISH: So, you’re not looking for something like magic with teddy bears?

STAN : No. Magic with teddy bears might be a great idea, but it’s pretty much a theme act. We want to showcase unique theatrical experiences .

VANISH: Let’s say I have an idea that I’d like to take to the next level. How do I proceed?

STAN : All you need to do is write up your concept and send it to us. Just a paragraph or two is fine, and you don’t have to have everything figured out. Basically, it’s your elevator pitch!

now and then, someone comes along with a new concept for performing magic. Not simply a new effect or method , or even a new act. Rather, they show us a fresh theatrical approach to presenting magic.

VANISH: Sounds simple enough.

The team at MAGIC Live has staged a number of these unique presentations over the years. They created Documentary Live , a history of Sawing a Woman in Half, and has since presented five more live documentaries. Another year, From the Dark presented a magic show experienced only through sound and touch. Recently, the convention offered The Very Strange Monday Night Show that allowed the audience to watch a magic show both onstage and off.

STAN : It is, but there’s a deadline. All ideas must be received by midnight Pacific Time on March 7th.

VANISH: That gives me about a month.

STAN : Right. After that, we’ll give a handful of concepts development money to help them move forward — an outline, a script, and eventually a rough video. Ultimately, we’ll select the final four to each perform a 10- to 15-minute “sampler” of their concept at MAGIC Live this summer. From there, they’ll have an opportunity to expand their work to possibly play The Peller Theatre at the Magic Castle.

Now, MAGIC Live and the Academy of Magical Arts are joining forces to search the worldwide magic community to not only find magicians with new theatrical approaches, but to help them get these ideas out of their heads and onto a stage at Live! It’s called ETC (Experimental Theater Concepts). And you can be part of it.

VANISH: I’m sold!

Vanish Magazine sat down with Stan Allen, producer of MAGIC Live , to find out more.

STAN : Great. Visit our website (www.magicconvention.com/ ETC) for details. And please tell a friend!

Vanish Magic Magazine

Photo by @antonyphoto

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FEBRUARY | 2025

If you’re reading this, thank you. I hope you’ll be inspired. You will learn about me, and what I’m doing. You will also find out that we are not so different. So I’ll start with what’s new, show you some of the sides that make up the me you see onstage, and maybe when we meet we’ll understand each other better.

I am not a rockstar, an artist, a magician, producer or a family man.

Stick around…

Creating the Biggest Dinner Show in Quebec’s History in 4 Months

You can have the greatest magic tricks/show in the world, but if your marketing doesn’t grab people in three seconds, you’ll be playing in an empty room.

Houdini understood that, the power of an eye-catching story, and so do I.

After the runaway success of Les Soirées Illuminées , our Harry Potter- themed dinner show, life throws us a cease-and-desist letter from a Hollywood producer. You don’t quit—you pivot. That’s exactly what happened. We managed to stage nine unforgettable performances, each one met with sold-out crowds and incredible reviews. But just as we began scaling to even larger venues, Warner Brothers slapped us with a formal notice that shut us down. I guess we created something very special and made enough noise for them to get involved.

That’s show business baby! Just as well, I had a problem with partying and for the first time this pushed me and I got sober for 3 months.

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