Dr. Hass is a philosophy professor by way of experience and education but a magician by way of avocation.He wanted to teach a course on the Finest Art at his Muhlenberg College in beautiful Allentown, Pennsylvania. Actually, he wanted a little bit more than that.He hoped to make the college a center for the study of theatrical magic.
Dr. Hass told the New York Times, “I was very, very nervous to bring it up to the deans. There was the concept and I was also asking for resources – about $20,000 – which would not be insignificant.” Dr. Hass is no fool: he waited until he was tenured before proposing his concept.
The idea was met not with hostility or doubt but acceptance and resources.
The curriculum began with two courses half a decade ago and is now a successful part of the unique college. World-class magician Juan Tamariz lectured students for about a week and there were few seats available for the course.
Mr. Tamariz not only discussed the best methods for entertaining, focusing and holding an audience, but also provided advice on innovating. According to the New York Times article, “By the way,” he advised at one point, “all the rules of art are made to be broken. You just have to come up with a really good reason for breaking them.”
According to MSNBC?s Jeannette Walls, ?Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn, the hugely popular big cat tamers who were sidelined when Horn was mauled by a tiger last year, are secretly shopping around their joint memoir.?
The duo intend to ?tell all? about their ?private and personal lives.? One insider told Ms. Walls, they hope to meet with ?top publishers? in the next few weeks. Interested in buying the book rights? Be ready to pony up seven figures.
Spokesmen for Siegfried and Roy didn?t return calls from MSNBC.
James Hamby, a sheet-metal worker, fell to his death while working on the demolition of the Siegfried & Roy Theater at The Mirage.His brother was below Mr. Hamby and saw the horrible scene. Mr. Hamby was 49 years old.
Federal OSHA officials have begun an investigation of the site and the events leading to the tragedy. As we reported earlier this month, The Mirage has begun the complete conversion of the soon-to-be-former Siegfried & Roy Theater to make a new home for a show produced by Cirque du Soleil and the Beatles.
Our prayers are with Mr. Hamby’s brother and family.
Where can a magician practice the basics of our art without worrying the inevitable exposure of the unpracticed tricks to human audiences? We used to say that we didn?t know.
Then the Edmonton Sun?s Steve Tilley reviewed the latest television shows in Japan. Just as we are unable to get the latest and greatest computer products for a year after they debut in Japan, non-Japanese magicians are denied access to the type of practice audiences they deserve.
Magician Versus Monkeys, Happy Happy Fun! – Well, this seems perfectly obvious: a show where a magician goes to a zoo and fools monkeys with sleight-of-hand tricks. Like putting a grape in his fist, and then when the hungry little capuchin pries the guy’s hand open – it’s gone! Oh no, look who’s the monkey now, you, uh, monkey!
Just in case I didn’t make it perfectly clear, let’s say it again: He’s fooling MONKEYS with his magic tricks. How low on the magician’s scale do you have to slide before you get the job as the guy who GOES TO THE ZOO AND DOES MAGIC TRICKS FOR MONKEYS? “Yeah, the birthday party thing wasn’t working out because the six-year-olds kept on figuring out that the rabbit was actually in a box beneath the hat. But wait’ll you see my NEW gig!”
Scott Tokar and Harrison Carroll are two of innovative group Corporate FX.Within their ranks are the very talented Bill Goldman, Steve Cohn, Dana Daniels and Tim Noonan, and their mission is bring magic to various corporate venues.Now, Mr. Tokar and Mr. Carroll are taking their talents to the medical field with their new Side-Fx.
Side-Fx is not your traditional medical textbook, it’s a collection of easy to perform magic tricks, special effects, illusions and puzzles for use in the exam room alleviating a child’s many fears associated with visiting the doctor. A practitioner can perform each effect with medical supplies that are traditionally available in any exam room or office.Giving the equipment and supplies a dual purpose ? diagnostic and magical ? makes these otherwise scary instruments magical.
“It’s long been known that a simple doctor’s exam can generate nervousness and anxiety in patients, especially for children,” said Mr. Tokar. “What Harrison and I have done is combined the calming and often humorous effects of magic and put them to work in the serious realm of a doctor’s office improving the overall doctor-patient relationship — and the results are, well … Magical!” he added.
Throughout the year and a half spent researching and developing the book and its techniques, Mr. Tokar and Mr. Carroll received the same feedback repeatedly from physicians — that many of these tricks are ideal relationship builders for use with all age groups and within a wide range of medical specialties.
Team Corporate FX
For example, the trick “The Paralyzed Finger” is specifically targeted to help adult family members understand the frustration experienced by a cerebral palsy patient or a stroke victim.
Similarly, the effect, “The Leaping Rubber Band,” has a long history of being useful in connection with physical therapy through the Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital program called “Project Magic.”
In addition, radiological technicians loved the optical trick, “The Hole in the Hand,” which helps them explain the differences in diagnostic modalities available today.
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