Second Season Poster

Remember a while back we mentioned Lawrence Khong, billed as Asia’s Top Illusionist who just happens to be a Baptist minister working as a social worker in Singapore?

Rev. Khong is the author of The Apostolic Cell Church – Practical strategies for growth and outreach from the story of Faith Community Baptist Church and an ambitious and tireless man.

The Chicago Sun Times has a very nice piece of about the Rev. Khong and his current tour Magic of Love. The show is more than a great mealange of illusions, story and music; it is also a chance for Rev. Khong to work with his talented daughter, Priscilla.

The show is in Chicago’s beautiful Cadillac Palace through Saturday, May 28th. It then moves on to Salt Lake City, Utah, and completes its current tour in Cerritos, California.

The Magic of Love tells the story of a father and daughter who grow apart and later reconcile. The presentations received great reviews from the press at each of its stops so far and Chicago’s reception was no exception. This is a special production that exemplifies the highest form of our art.

Priscilla Reads Minds

Rev. Khong knew he wanted to bring together magic and theater in a special show. He also knew he wanted to work with his 24 year old daughter, Priscilla.

I’ve been a magician all my life, so I went to Las Vegas to get illusion builders, magicians to help me, and I saw a great show. But the thing is, you walk out and you’re dazzled, but that’s it. There’s nothing that you can think about. I wanted to put together a show that people walk out and say, ‘Hmm, it is something meaningful …’ Otherwise, most magic show is like, ‘Tada! I can do it and you can’t.

So how did he come up with the story? Was it based on his actual relationship with Priscilla?

Priscilla is a very creative person and the downside of a creative person is you get a bit rebellious. She’s always been a difficult person in terms of being able to get close to and see eye-to-eye, so we work on the show and the first year, we were literally killing each other. I would say ‘I’m the father, do it.’ It took us a year or two and I began to recognize that she really has something there and she’s good and let me respect her. And then she began to respect me for the experience I have.

Interestingly, the Sun Times reporter asked Rev. Khong his favorite effect in the show and his response reminds us of our favorite effect — as performed by Rick Thomas. “I levitate my daughter and she flies around…
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John Calvert – The Man!

We never thought about until we read today in the Dodge City Daily Globe (KS) but they may be right; “John Calvert (is) a tall Vincent Price look-alike.” Now we cannot get the image of Mr. Price out of our mind.

Anyway.

The paper reports more than 80 folks showed up to witness the Invisible Lodge Magic Show in Meade, Kansas last Saturday. The show was held in the historic Lakeway Hotel Bed and Breakfast Inn — that name seems to cover just about all the possible options for a hotel — and featured magicians from around the world as a benefit for a local woman.

William “JR” Knight owns the place with his wife and serves as a director of the Invisible Lodge International.

The Dodge paper is justifiably impressed with Mr. Calvert and his tremendous resume as magician, lecturer, film star, writer, and inventor. No less than Walter B. Gibson wrote of Mr. Calvert, “He will be remembered as one of the great and unique magicians of history.” And Mr. Gibson would know.

Proof of the newspaper’s undying devotion to Mr. Calvert comes in their three paragraph description of his act beginning with:

At Saturday’s performance, Calvert, dressed in a sparkling purple jacket, intrigued his audience by his dramatic entrance, rushing down the aisle flicking cigarettes into the air gunshot quick so that the eye was bewildered by the sight and source of the cigarettes.

Mr. Calvert performed a dancing handkerchief routine titled “Casper the Ghost,” before levitating one of the hotel’s waitresses.

The show ended with patrons being treated to Mrs. Knight’s “luscious chocolate and cream pastries at a reception for the magicians following the show.”

This is the kind of story that warms the heart and reinforces our belief that magic is not dead; done properly it can leave an incredible impression on ordinary folks.

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Landis Smith, starring as The Great Alexi in The Enchantment Theatre (Philadelphia) production of the same name loves what he does for a living. In addition to performing magic in a show specifically designed to feature his skills, he is able to work with his wife, Jennifer Blatchley Smith.

The play tells the story of a young magician, Alexi, who studied to be a magician in his small Russian village. He tells the audience, “”By the age of fourteen. I thought I knew everything I needed to know. But one morning, a circus came to town and the next morning, I left with them. I had so much more to learn.”

That learning process and his life story makes for an “enduring vision where human beings move by hard work, endurance, and a good heart into the realm of love and understanding,” says Philadelphia’s Weekly Press. “It may be mostly a vehicle for some of Landis Smith’s astonishing magic tricks, but oh, what a vehicle.”

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have worked together for the last 20 years revising and reworking their original production playing at The Iron Gate Theatre in West Philadelphia through this weekend. The show depicts a young man growing into his life and life’s work shown in scenes featuring illusions, dance, and classical music.

As Alexi matures, his magic grows in sophistication and variety.

Early on, a huge flowerpot transforms itself into a bouquet. A 15-inch needle stabs at and protrudes through a translucent balloon without bursting it. Little square scarves of red appear and disappear into thin air, and when they reappear, they are huge and multicolored or there are a string of them that are pulled endlessly from ear or mouth. A heavy rope knotted in the middle suddenly jumps upwards and twists and unknots itself without Alexi moving a muscle. A newspaper torn into tiny shreds becomes whole before you even blink.

Once Alexi comes to America — hoping for his big break and learning his new occupation is at Coney Island — his magic becomes larger and more spectacular.

The show comes full circle when the now mature and established Vaudeville star Alexi teaching a young boy how to perform a simple effect. “when he sits with a young boy and brings out the simple, small red scarf from the early scene in Russia, the audience instinctively understands that Alexi will be passing wisdom – which really is a kind of magic in that it takes lots of instruction, lots of practice, and tricks that aren’t apparent to the eye of the untutored – on to the next generation.”

The show offers a guide for teachers to discuss the themes and issues in the play; including a brief history of magic and Vaudeville. You can read the PDF version of the guide by clicking here.

Make sure you check out this show. Its rave reviews and few remaining performances almost guarantee a sell-out so order your tickets now. Iron Gate Theatre, 3700 Chestnut St. For ages 5 and up. Performances at 10 a.m. Weekdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekends. 215-881-9899 or http://www.enchantmenttheatre.org.
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