The 51st Scottish Association of Magical Societies convention supplies shows for children in Dundee on Saturday. Performers included: Scott Penrose, Paul Nardini, June Love, Alec Proctor, Ali Cardabra, and Fifth Dimension. The Dundee Courier reported the winners of competitions at the convention: June Love (John Ramsay Rose Bowl), Derek Horton (Max Raskin Cup) and Harry Mudie (Harold McMillan Shield), Lewis Barlow (Anne Warlock Trophy), Kenneth and Katrina Hay (Fletcher Cup), Fifth Dimension (Murray Wand for Showmanship), Practical Magic (Jack Silver Dealer Award), Moira Golvan (Craig Trophy). The Dundee Magic Circle also won the Sir Alexander Cannon Trophy. To read the Apr. 29 article titled "Magical Performers Delight Youngsters" click: HERE.(4/29)

David Blaine's third television special (fourth if you count "Frozen In Time -- Blaine's Cut") has been scheduled to air in the United States on Wednesday May 22 at 10pm. Titled "David Blaine's Vertigo" it will feature his latest endurance stunt where he will stand on a small platform 100 feet in the air for 35 hours. The special is the last program to air during the May television sweeps.(4/29)

NEW JERSEY: Rey Ben lectures on Wednesday May. 1 at 8pm for JMMRT at the V.F.W. Hall (20 Pennsylvania Ave., two blocks from the NJ Transit -- Linden train station) in Linden. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. For more information phone Carl Bajor at: 732-969-2566 or click: HERE.(4/29)

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The 34th annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards Banquet has been scheduled for Monday May 20. This is the first time that the ceremony will be held at the Magic Castle. The special awards have already been announced with Billy McComb receiving the "Master's Fellowship" and Rick Thomas has been named "Magician of the Year." Other recipients include: The Pendragons (Performing Fellowship), Earl Nelson (Performing Fellowship), Jim Steinmeyer (Library Fellowship), John Kasnetsis (Special Fellowship), Pavel (Creative Fellowship), and Tihany (Lifetime Achievement Award). Tickets are $50-$200 per person and are available by e-mailing: Magicjan2002@aol.com.(4/30)

David Copperfield's spokeswoman, Staci Wolfe tells the New York Daily News that "David is ready to settle down and have some kids." To read the Apr. 29 article titled "A Place (and Pretty Face) In the Sun" click: HERE.(4/30)

Bart Rockett opens on May 20 at The Americana Theatre in Branson. According to The Springfield News-Leader the theater has been leased to SullivanShows who will produce the show. To read the Apr. 29 article titled "News at a glance" click: HERE.(4/30)

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EAST COAST/CANADA: Diamond Jim Tyler tours through the East Coast and Canada with his lecture, based on his best selling "Pockets Full of Miracles" book and video set. You can catch him at in Binghamton, NY (Phone: 607-648-5444) on May 3, Montreal, Canada (514-376-2312) on May 5, Manchester, NH (603-625-8641) on May 6, Wallingford, CT on May 7, Kingston, PA (800-639-2158) on May 8, Wilmington, DE (302-652-9665) on May 9, and Richmond, VA (Divine Magic Shop) on May 10. For more information click: HERE.(5/1)

Paul Sorrentino who uses magic in his classes at Virginia Tech is featured in a Roanoke Times article that quotes one of his colleagues, "The same kind of skill he brings to his magic he brings to his teaching… He keeps his classes lively by closely watching pace. He's keenly aware of an audience, and I think that's why he's such an effective teacher. He's able to read his students." Sorrentino added, "There's never a bad audience… only a bad performer. Teaching - like magic - is endlessly perfectible. I'm always attracted to students who have less of an interest." To read the Apr. 30 article by Donna Alvis-Banks titled "Professor makes magic on stage, in classroom" click: HERE.(5/1)

Monty Witt is reported to have "earned a spot in the Guinness World Records with his vanishing and reappearing balls trick." According to a Honolulu Advertiser article "His feat of making 15 sponge balls, each measuring 2 inches, vanish then reproducing them in his hands -- all at the same time -- has merited recognition from Guinness." To read the Apr. 23 article by Wayne Harada titled "Right on the ball" click: HERE.(5/1)

David Copperfield continues his US "Portal" tour with stops at the Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs, CO (May 1), Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City, UT (3-5), Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque, NM (7-8), Abraham Chavez Theatre in El Paso, TX (9), Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, AZ (10-12), and the MGM/Hollywood Theatre in Las Vegas, NV (16-22).(5/1)

MARYLAND: Ray Ben lectures at Denny & Lee Magic Studio (325 South Marlyn Avenue) in Baltimore on Friday May 3. Admission is $15 per person. For more information and reservations phone: 410-686-3914.(5/1)

PERSS RELEASE: THREE MENTALISM DVDS BY BECKER AND CASSIDY RELEASED.

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David Copperfield who is appearing at the Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City this weekend tells the Salt Lake Tribune that "All of the most popular ideas I've had in my shows have been based on my dreams… It involves a primal dream. Everyone has a perfect place they'd like to go to." To read the May 1 article by Brandon Griggs titled "Copperfield unveils latest vanishing act" click: HERE.(5/2)

Tom Mullica presents his Red Skelton tribute show on May 4 at 7pm at the Kearney High School Theater (816-628-6709) in Kearney, MO and on May 5 at 3pm at the Missouri Theater (816-271-4717) in St Joseph, MO.(5/2)

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Al's Magic Shop has officially been sold to Cindy and Steve Brown who will take over the shop on Friday May 3. Demonstrators Doc Dougherty, Jim Flanagan and Cary Angel will continue in their current positions. Al Cohen in a goodbye e-mail to his customers said, "I want to personally thank you all for your continued support, your friendship and of course, your business. You have all made it possible. It's been a wonderful 55 years for me, a real blast!" (Note: the new CEO at Louis Tannen Inc. is also "Steve Brown." Although they share a name they are two different people -- just clearing up potential confusion.).(5/3)

Ricky Jay's new off-Broadway show, "Ricky Jay: On The Stem," that opened on Thursday May 2 is reviewed by The Associated Press. The review points out that, "On The Stem" turns the magician's craft on its head. Instead of relying on the tricks to entertain, Mamet and Jay place the narrative patter firmly ahead of the trickery: each magical effect arises organically from the storytelling, much as songs arise naturally from the plot of a good musical." To read the May 2 review by Mark Evans titled "Magician Ricky Jay back on New York stage with `On the Stem'" click: HERE.(5/3)

David Blaine's upcoming TV special and stunt in an Entertainment Tonight article that gives the details of the stunt, "In his newest endeavor, he will have to balance on a circular platform, only 22 inches in diameter, atop a free-standing 100-foot pillar for 35 hours in public in mid-town Manhattan's Bryant Park. This endurance challenge will take place in full public view starting at noon on Tuesday, May 21, until he jumps from the top of the 10-story pole, live on his special." Blain also describes a routine with a snake that will appear on the special. To read the May 2 article titled "Uh Oh, It's Magic!" click: HERE.(5/3)

An article that looks at some of the magic acts in smaller Las Vegas theaters appeared in the Las Vegas Sun. Mentioned are: The Amazing Johnathan, Max Clever, Mac King, Dixie Dooley, Murray, Rick Thomas, and Fielding West. To read the May 2 article by Joe Delaney titled "Big changes to lineup at Venetian showroom" click: HERE.(5/3)

CANADA: Jay Scott Berry lectures for the Magic Club of Winnipeg on Monday May 6th at 7:30pm at the Canada Inns Express (Fort Garry on Pembina Highway) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Admission is $ 15.00 for members and  $ 25.00 for non-members. For more information phone: 204-772-8837 or e-mail: coolphoto@bigfoot.com.(5/3)

Max Maven pictured with Bob Elliott shortly after being honored at the F.F.F.F. convention in Batavia, NY on April 27, 2002. Maven performed, lectured and rekindled friendships with many east coast magicians who knew him when he first started out on his amazing career. (Photo: MagicTimes). (5/3)

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Ricky Jay's new show, "Ricky Jay: On the Stem," is reviewed in the New York City papers. The NY Times describes the show as "…a breezy evening of card tricks, lies, poetry, forgery, optical illusions and the folklore of those who have earned their living by deception on the mean streets of New York." The Daily News review, which called the show brilliant, reported, "Jay exhibits his vast array of skills in a fun, witty and often dazzling show that doubles as a lesson on the history of New York City's infamous scammers, hustlers, hoaxers and cheats." The reviewer added, "With a fast-paced, carnival-barker patter that he maintains throughout the show, Jay turns even the most mundane trick into an amusing -- and frequently gasp-inducing -- illusion." To read the May 3 New York Times review by Ben Brantley titled "Ghosts Up His Sleeve and a Million Tricks" click: HERE. (Members website).
--To read the May 3 New York Daily News  review by Robert Dominguez titled "Up to His Old Tricks, Brilliantly" click: HERE.
--To read the May 3 Newsday review by Gordon Cox titled "Ricky Jay Has More Tricks Up His Sleeve" click: HERE.(5/4)

"Fifty Greatest Magic Tricks" is the title of a new magic TV special premiering in the UK on Monday May 6 at 9pm on Channel 4. The show, which lasts 2 hours and 5 minutes, is described as, "Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish host this insightful and entertaining journey through the most bizarre and spectacular tricks in the history of magic, as voted for by members of the Magic Circle. It will be repeated on Sunday May 12 on S4C. We understand that your publisher's "Finger Fantasies" routine is one of the 50 included on the show.(5/4)

David Copperfield's upcoming appearance at the Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque is promoted in the Albuquerque Journal where Copperfield says of his current show, "It's the best show I've ever worked on… It's a show where people travel around the world in a second. We'll have a team in Hawaii and we'll see people on video screens and we'll be talking back and forth to them. Then we will take someone from the audience (in Albuquerque) and I will make them disappear and reappear on that beach in Hawaii with those people." To read the May 3 article titled "Show to move audience" supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(5/4)

NEW JERSEY: Ray Ben lectures at for IBM Ring #165 on Monday May 6 at 8pm in Collingswood. Admission is $10 per person. For more information e-mail: johnsmagic99@yahoo.com.(5/4)

PRESS RELEASE: YOUR OWN TALENT AGENCY.

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Steve Marshall who has been living and performing in Japan for many years now is featured in a Japan Times article which explains his evolution from magic to clowning and "comedy magician." Marshall said, "I don't really call myself a clown anymore. When you say 'clown,' people start thinking of tents and birthday parties. What I do is combine the comic elements of clowning with the technical aspects of magic." Explaining how he adapts to different audiences he said, "I most definitely change when I put on my performance persona, though it really is an extension of myself… And the transformation is affected by the type of audience. For instance, if I'm working with kids I tend to become more childlike. I adapt to the audience [by judging] how they are reacting." To read the May 1 article by Walter Roberts titled "The U.S. Ambassador of Magic" click: HERE.(5/5)

Geoffrey Durham's show is mentioned in the Independent where they report that his one-man show, "…sets out to answer the questions that have been bugging audiences at magic shows for aeons. Is it all achieved with mirrors? How do you persuade an audience to look "over there"? And what does a conjuror do if his trick goes horribly wrong?" To read the May 4 article titled "Geoffrey Durham Fri Cannock & Cheltenham" supplied by YellowBrix and Infoseek click: HERE.(5/5)

Red Malone, Richard Myer, Steve Blencoe, Roberto the Magician, and Mickey Magic will present a magic show to benefit for the United Service Workers Association on Monday. The Santa Cruz sentinel quotes Mickey Magic, "For me it’s a chance to give back to a community that’s given me so much." To read the May 4 article by Nancy Redwine titled "Magicians will make money appear at local fund-raiser" click: HERE.(5/5)

NEW JERSEY: Henry Evans lectures on Wednesday May. 8 at 8pm for JMMRT at the V.F.W. Hall (20 Pennsylvania Ave., two blocks from the NJ Transit -- Linden train station) in Linden. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. For more information phone Carl Bajor at: 732-969-2566 or click: HERE.(5/5)

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