Inside Magic

Professor Michael Long

Professor Michael Long is featured in the Webster (MO) University News for his exceptional teaching and magical talents. 

Professor Long has been performing magic for more than 40 years and today considers himself to be a professional magician in addition to his work in academia.

The professor looks like both a professor and magician with his beard and serious looks.  As an educator he offers several classes at the mid-western university including Animation I and II, Storyboard Techniques, Storyboard for Animation, Fencing I and II and Laughing Matters, a general studies course on the importance of laughter.

These offerings are in addition to his courses on the history of St. Louis 20 years prior to the Civil War. When possible and helpful, Professor Long uses his magic to assist his teaching.  

“It’s useful when it can be applied to classes,” Long said.

He said his mini-performances especially seem to fit in with animation.

“Animation is all about magic and illusion,” Long said.

Long added it isn’t enough to perform a trick just to show cleverness.

Instead, his goal is to “create a magical moment for the audience.” He said he does this by using storylines, humor and having audience members participate in his act.

For example, Long gave a free show at a post-Halloween costume party Nov. 6. As the band took a 20-minute break, Long presented three illusions while in wizard attire dressed as Merlin’s older brother.

For one trick, Long planned to saw a woman in half using ropes instead of saws.

To make the presentation light-hearted and funny, Long said he used three audience members – one to rub a wooden spoon across a grater for the sawing sound, one to hold sponges in case any blood spilled on stage and one to stand by with scissors to cut the woman free if anything went awry.

The paper notes Professor Long “also enjoys a sub genre of magic called bizarre magic that let’s impossible things happen like a candle floating out of an audience member’s hand.”

“Bizarre magic invokes a feeling of the uncanny,” Long said.

Friends and family members often ask Long to perform at special events. He has been asked to present an act at a family reunion that has met regularly for over 100 years.

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Continue reading Michael Long: Professor cum Magician

Headlining Las Vegas comedian and
magician Mac King, whose show is a favorite for parents and kids alike, has
created the official Mac King’s Magic in a Minute Suitcase-O-Magic, loaded
with gags and magic tricks that are simple and fun for kids and adults.

Mac King’s Magic in a Minute Suitcase-O-Magic features the look of King’s
real on-stage magic suitcase along with characters from his nationally
syndicated comic strip. It can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores
nationwide ($14.95) and on Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com).

“These are tricks that any kid can perform,” said Mac King. “I had a
great deal of fun putting this together for young aspiring magicians. The
Suitcase-O-Magic offers a rare opportunity to learn magic from a professional
magician.”

Mac King’s Magic in a Minute Suitcase-O-Magic offers more than 50 amazing
magic tricks, a 64-page book and a one-hour instructional DVD that features
King demonstrating and explaining many of the tricks.

Intended for kids eight
and older, the magic tricks are easy to learn while remaining challenging and
fun to watch.

King has been named Magician of the Year by The Magic Castle, a famed
organization of elite magicians based in Los Angeles, “Magician of the Year”
by Las Vegas Life 2005 and is a Guinness Book of World Records holder in 2004
for “The World Longest Game of Telephone.”

King, one of today’s brightest and
most talented magicians, performs The Mac King Comedy Magic Show twice daily,
Tuesday through Saturday, in Las Vegas at Harrah’s Las Vegas Casino & Hotel.

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Continue reading Mac King Offers Suitcase-O-Magic