| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,617 / Monday – June 3, 2002 |
| Don Silvio Mantelli’s quest to make the 19th Century Italian priest Saint Giovanni Bosco a “patron saint of conjurers” is reported on the BBC where they recount Mantelli’s visit with the Pope who told him, “You’ll need a lot of magic wands to change our world; but lets make a start with this one!” The article also makes an interesting observation; “Ancient artists often portrayed Jesus with a miracle-working wand. It’s not unusual to find early Christian artists of the third and fourth centuries AD depicting Jesus Christ as a magician with a wand in his hand about to perform a miracle.” Mantelli regularly uses magic to infuse his messages during mass and holds an annual “Magicians Mass” which features guest magicians such as Gaetan Bloom who performed this year. He also hopes that the Vatican will formally accept his request by next year’s “Magicians Mass.” To read the Jun. 2 article by David Willey titled “Magician priest wants patron saint of magic” click: HERE.(6/3) The annual “Abracadabra” shows in Cincinnati have been scheduled for Aug. 15-18. A Cincinnati Enquirer article reported that the show already booked Greg Frewin, Goldfinger & Dove, Jeff Hobson, and Pat Hazell. To read the Jun. 2 article by Jackie Demaline titled “‘Abracadabra’ adds big, beasty cats” click: HERE.(6/3) The “Magician Of The Year and Century” titles used on Vegas marquees are researched in a Las Vegas Review-Journal article which looks at Rick Thomas, Steve Wyrick, and Siegfried & Roy’s titled. Organizations mentioned in the article are Society of American Magicians, International Brotherhood of Magicians, Academy of Magical Arts, and the International Magicians Society. Quoted in the article were Dale Hindman and Stan Allen. To read the Jun. 2 article by Mike Weatherford titled “Tough job keeping score of awards” click: HERE.(6/3) Martin Lewis, Whit Haydn, Sylvester the Jester, Dimmare, Ralf Gagel, Jon Armstrong, and Loren C. Michaels appear at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles on Jun. 3-9. Dan Sylvester lectures on Sunday Jun. 9.(6/3) |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,618 / Tuesday – June 4, 2002 |
 James Swain will present a book signing and free lecture about magic and gambling on Thursday Jun. 6 at 7-10pm. The event will be in conjunction with his newly released book, “Funny Money: A Tony Valentine Novel” about cheating casinos. The first novel “Grift Sense: A Mystery Introducing Tony Valentine” received rave reviews and will most likely be made into a movie. The event is being sponsored by Michael Canick Booksellers, LLC (200 East 82nd Street, #3B) in New York City. For reservations phone: 212-585-2990. You can also reserve an autographed copy of the book directly from them.(6/4)–To buy a copy of Funny Money for $16.80 click: HERE. –To buy a copy of Grift Sense for $6.99 click: HERE. Criss Angel is scheduled to appear on “Good Day New York” (FOX-TV) live from The World (WWE) on Tuesday Jun. 4 between 7am-9am.(6/4) Adam Williamson is featured in a Wichita Eagle article that reports, “Williamson, 23, is one of three magicians selected from 1,500 nationwide who has a chance to go on a coast-to-coast tour with the well-known magician David Blaine.” To read the Jun. 1 article by Bonnie Bing titled “Local magician has chance to go national” click: HERE.(6/4) Tim Scarbrough and his wife Janet won awards at the recent Florida State Magic Convention and are featured in a News Chief article that reported “Tim took first place in the senior close-up magic division, and Janet took third place in the senior stage magic division.” To read the Jun. 3 article by William Bygrave titled “WH magician named best in state” click: HERE.(6/4) Five-year old Jared got his wish from the “Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah” on Friday May 24 where he got a chance to perform magic in front of a live audience with guest magician Paul Brewer. To read the May 24 press release titled “Jared, 5, Wishes ‘to Be a Magician'” click: HERE.(6/4) |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,619 / Wednesday – June 5, 2002 |
| A Joe Raven fundraiser was held on Sunday Jun. 2 at the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort in the Poconos with hundreds of people being entertained by magic and music. The Morning Call reported that Mark Mysterrio “said the event fell short of the few thousand dollars he hoped to raise, it raised something else: Raven’s spirits.” Raven was the magician who lost four fingers while preparing a show with flash powder on Mar. 23. Raven said, ”People that I knew and people that I didn’t know received me so well and gave me that sense of renewal…and a sense of still believing that the magic does exist.” To read the Jun. 3 article by Mike Frassinelli titled “More sleight of hand raises spirits slightly” click: HERE.(6/5) The 12th annual ”Abracadabra” at the Cincinnati Playhouse in a Cincinnati Post article that gives the performer biographies for Greg Frewin, Goldfinger & Dove, Jeff Hobson, and Pat Hazell. To read the Jun. 4 article titled “Playhouse magic reappears” click: HERE.(6/5) NEW YORK: Jeff McBride presents his new “Magic In Concert” show on Saturday Jun. 8 at 7:30pm at the Irvington Town Hall Theater (85 Main St.) in Irvington. On Jun. 7 at 8pm he will present his “New Millennium Lecture” and a “No Holds Barred” secret session on Jun. 9 at 6pm. For more information contact Pino Gareri at 914-478-2680 or click: HERE.(6/5)  Balloon specialist John Cassidy caught in the act on Sunday Jun. 2 at Bob Little’s Super Sunday in Warrington, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Merrill Snyder). (6/5)= |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,620 / Thursday – June 6, 2002 |
| The 2002 edition of the Swann Magic Auction will once again center on Houdini. This time up for auction is the Manny Weltman Houdini Collection, which is considered to be one of the best and largest of its kind. Many pieces from this collection have been licensed for Television specials, exhibits and books on Houdini. Weltman also wrote “Houdini Escape into Legend” which was released in 1993. The book contained many reproductions from the collection. Key pieces up for auction will be Houdini’s personal diary from 1916, the scrapbook he used for spiritualism research, and many signed letters, documents, photos, posters, and personal scrapbooks owned by Houdini and his wife. Weltman passed away in 1994 and this collection is being offered by his estate which continues to license pieces of it for exhibition. The auction will take place on Thursday Oct. 31 at the Swann Auction Galleries in New York City.(6/6,7) Blackstone’s Steak House at the Monte Carlo Hotel in Las Vegas is featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The article states that the restaurant is, “Named after Blackstone the Magician (born Henry Boughton in 1885), the restaurant features a picture of the famed magician and posters related to magic on the walls.” To read the Jun. 5 article by Ken White titled “Blackstone’s chefs work their magic on traditional fare” click: HERE.(6/6) |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,621 / Friday – June 7, 2002 |
| Jeff Quinn’s appearance at the Edith Abbott Memorial Library is described in the Independent as a “…magic and comedy routine, which had kids alternately laughing, shouting out in excitement and applauding his tricks.” Using puns throughout his show he encouraged the young audience to read. The article also describes many of the routines, puns and gags used during the performance. Quinn pointed out, “Reading is like exercise… The more you read, the better you get at it.” To read the Jun. 6 article by Harold Reutter titled “There’s magic in those words” click: HERE.(6/7) Dave Womach is featured in a Spokesman-Review article that explained that he will be graduating High School while missing 51 school days, Womach was on the job, spending the time away touring China with his award-winning magic routine. He said he was seen by maybe 200 million Chinese television viewers during one performance.” To read the Jun. 6 article by Mike Prager titled “NC grad up to new tricks” click: HERE.(6/7) |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,622 / Saturday – June 8, 2002 |
 Darren Romeo whose show officially opened on Jun. 6 at the Siegfried & Roy Theater in Las Vegas is featured on the cover of the Jun. 7 issue of Neon magazine. The article speaks to Romeo and traces his career and how he decided to combine illusion and song. Siegfried said of Romeo, “When I see him onstage I see myself… I know what he goes through and what goes on in his head. To bring something to add to it with my experience, it’s very fulfilling.” Explaining what they tried to produce Romeo explained, “Now we’re hoping to give them a whole nighttime experience during the day… We’re hoping the quality will stand alone and create its own marketplace.” To read the Jun. 7, Las Vegas Review-Journal, article by Mike Weatherford titled “Tricks and Tunes” click: HERE.(6/8)“PC Sorcar the Younger” will perform at the World Cup final. According to an Ananova article he will “‘create Pele and Platini out of nothing’ and bring them face to face with Beckham, Ronaldo, Zidane and Figo before ‘making them vanish into thin air.'” To read the Jun. 7 article titled “Indian magician to create Pele and Platini out of nothing at World Cup final” click: HERE.(6/8) |
| VOLUME: 54 / ISSUE: 1,623 / Sunday – June 9, 2002 |
| Gary Ouellet who is probably best known as the producer of the World’s Greatest Magic television specials has died on Saturday Jun. 8 of a heart attack. Born on January 9, 1945, Ouellet was a very intelligent and talented man. After graduating Law School he wrote a legal textbook that is still being used in Canadian universities. He was also a lawyer, lobbyist and even a minister in the Canadian government. But magic and show business were his passions and he gave up his legal and political career to work on David Copperfield’s shows and later got a team together to produce most of the television specials in the 1990s. He was also a writer, consultant, composer, director, performer, choreographer and even a graphics designer. Along with Guy Camirand he was the co-founder of the Camirand Academy of Magic, which has been producing high-quality magic for more than 20 years. Camirand told MagicTimes that “Gary was a very great friend and the nicest and most generous man I have ever met. This is a big loss for magic.” Ouellet’s body will be flown to Quebec, Canada on Tuesday where funeral arrangements are currently being made. He is survived by his wife René, son Ryan and two daughters Marie and Jamie.(6/9,12) Darren Romeo’s show gets it’s first review in the Las Vegas Sun where they conclude that “It raises the standard for afternoon shows on the Strip — and eventually should find an evening home, when the time is right.” Romeo is described as, “…an energetic and sensitive young showman filled with confidence and poise.” The show is described as, “…marvelous. It touches the audience on many levels, from the awe-inspiring illusions, to the heartfelt songs, to the humorous asides.” The very positive review also points out that, “Romeo is equally adept at singing and illusions and is talented enough to succeed with either skill. For one performer to be gifted in two such diverse areas gives showgoers the best of both worlds.” To read the Jun. 7 review by Jerry Fink titled “Romeo does his mentors proud at Mirage” click: HERE.(6/9) Jeff McBride presents his “Secret Art Show” at the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck, NY on Jun. 11-16. For tickets and Information phone: 845-876-3080. While in Rhinbeck he will also present his Secret Art of Magic Seminar at the Omega Institute on Jun. 21-23.(6/9) |
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