Archive for October, 2004

Do Not Miss Your Chance to See Darren Romeo

Darren Romeo – Outstanding

In our book, Darren Romeo is underrated and if he was a racehorse, we would bet ?both lungs? that he will eventually be one of the top magicians in on the globe.  Since leaving the Siegfried & Roy Theater?s afternoon slot a couple of years ago, he has worked in Branson, Tampa Bay and now he will appear at the beautiful Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.  

Mr. Romeo will perform his highly acclaimed ?The Voice of Magic? from November 3^rd to December 5^th.  The show is an incredible mix of magic and music replete with incredible illusions.  If you are looking for rehashed knock-offs of over-performed effects, save your cash.  Mr. Romeo?s act is both original and respectful of magic?s past.  

The ticket price is just under $20.00 ? unless you are a high-roller and then it is probably free ? and given the energy and originality poured into the show, this is the deal of the century. 

Not only can Mr. Romeo sing with the best of the Broadway stars with whom he once worked, but he can perform magic in a manner worthy of his enviable status as Siegfried & Roy?s sole prot?g?.  The highlight of the show, in our humble opinion, is Mr. Romeo?s exclusive performance of Harry Blackstone, Jr.?s Floating Light Bulb illusion.  Recall Mr. Blackstone?s deep baritone suggestion at the start of this classic, ?As long as you live, you will never forget  . . .? To see Mr. Romeo perform this classic is to again experience the unforgettable.  

We agree with the Beau Rivage?s advertising:

His intimate show is best described by Siegfried as ?a roller coaster of powerful magic and breathtaking music?. Plus, you?ll enjoy his unique…
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Eighth Annual Motor City Close-Up Convention a Week Away!

Kick Up Your Heels

The 8th Annual Motor City Close-Up Convention will be here next Friday. This is the last reminder I’ll be sending for this year’s event. This year?s line-up is awesome! If you haven’t registered yet there are still some good seats left. Don’t miss out on the premiere close-up convention in the Midwest.

The Motor City Convention will feature Doc Eason, Whit Haydn, Kostya Kimlat, and Mark Mason. You will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with them, ask questions, and, if you wish, share some of your ideas with them.

You can find out more about the performers by going to the convention website http://www.hometown.aol.com/johnlukamagic/convention.html and clicking on “click here to view the performers.”

In addition, the 2004 & 2003 1st Place Winners in Close-Up Magic at the National I.B.M. & S.A.M. Conventions, Rick Merrill and Pattrick Przysiecki, respectively, will perform their award winning acts at Motor City 8. Thank you, Rick and Pattrick!

There will be four lectures, two optional workshops and three close-up shows. Both, Doc and Whit will be conducting a workshop. Doc and Whit are seasoned performers who work under “real world” conditions for a living. The workshops will fill up quickly. Sign up for the workshop of your choice as soon as possible.

Some of the dealers signed up already include: Hank Moorehouse, Mint Magic, Gordon Miller, The Magic Shop, Encore Magic, The School For Scoundrels, Rocky Mountain Magic, and more to be announced later.

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David Copperfield: The Lord of the (Media) Dance

Yeah, What is the Truth About Her and Him?

We’ve said it before and so it makes sense to say it again: David Copperfield is the absolute master at doing advance work.  Circuses send their advance people a couple of stops down the road to build excitement for the upcoming show.  These people are experts at their craft.  But that’s all they do; they have no other job. 

The Big D, on the other hand, still has to perform 500 shows a year, invent new effects, rehearse, run a business, make television appearances, and film specials.  Heck, just denying rumors about his unfortunate break-up with Claudia Schiffer would be a full-time job for most. 

But as he completes his 2004 tour with a final swing through the western states, he takes time to get his name in the newspapers two or three stops ahead.  Sure, many of the smaller papers would be happy to give space to his press releases and promote his show the way they help the Barney tour or Disney on Ice.  But the Copper-Man works it.  He doesn’t settle for a token picture and 12 lines on page C3 of the Mickel Tribune-Dispatch-Democrat-Daily. 

For instance, the one they call David Copperfield will be appearing soon in Palm Springs, California.  He isn’t there yet and won’t be for a while but he boosts ticket sales to the two days of three shows each by giving a tailored interview to city’s The Desert Sun newspaper.

He doesn’t just provide an interview, though, he provides a hook.  He knows in order to get some decent space in a paper, you’ve got to give the City Editor some reason to think your story has a story to it. 

He doesn’t change his trick line-up but announces in the interview that he intends to make the city’s mayor, Ron Oden, vanish from the McCallum Theatre.  Whether he’ll return is uncertain, DC told the paper. 

Q: You?re also going to vanish Palm Springs Mayor Ron Oden from stage during the Friday show. Is he in on the trick?

A: Ask him, ask him, absolutely not.

Q: Are you…
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