Hank Lee's 16th annual Cape Cod Magic Conclave takes place this month on Apr. 16-18 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and will feature an all-star cast of international talent that includes John Carney, Peter Marvey, Aldo Colombini, Pit Hartling, Piet Forton, Manuel Muerte, Paul Green, Meir Yedid, Gerry Frenette & Leonora, Mirko, Trevor Lewis, Eun-Gyeol Lee, Dave Womach, Mike Bent, Brinum-X, Mike Bent, and Al Cohen. For more information and to see if there are any last minute openings click: HERE.(4/2,7)

The 23rd FISM World Championship of Magic which will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on Jul. 31-Aug. 5, 2006 has just released registration information and has begun accepting early registrations on their website. The cost of early registration (until Dec. 31, 2005) is 4070 SEK  (Approx. US $550 or 440 Euro) per person. They have also instituted an e-mail newsletter and a forum to solicit advice. For more information click: HERE.(4/2)

As the opening of the new Houdini exhibit in Appleton, Wisconsin approaches its Jun. 2 opening the controversy about the planned exposure of his magic keeps getting press. A Post-Crescent article reported, "While local media has followed the story for months, the national media picked up on it Thursday, beginning with an above-the-fold front-page story in the Wall Street Journal and followed by segments on NBC's 'The Today Show,' CNN's 'Paula Zahn Now' and MSNBC's 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann.'" Oddly as the articles discuss exposure they also expose or get close to exposing the Metamorphosis illusion. For example the Wall Street Journal offered, "The two performers, who must coordinate carefully and be speedy and nimble, change places in seconds, with the help of a hidden escape hatch to get in and out of the trunk." Unfortunately it looks like the only way the exhibit will reconsider the exposure is once one of the kids tries it and gets injured.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 27 Post-Crescent article by Steven Hyden titled "National media jumps on Houdini story" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 28 Wall Street Journal story by Rachel Silverman titled "Houdini trunk exhibit puts museum in tricky situation" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article by Meg Jones titled "Magic goes 'poof'" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 Associated Press story by Rachel Emma Silverman titled "Magicians say Houdini exhibit will damage trade" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 UPI story titled "Houdini museum faces disappearing act" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 Associated Press article titled "Magicians Protest Houdini Display Planned at Appleton Museum" click: HERE.(4/2)

The Amazing Johnathan who's show at the Golden Nugget closed abruptly announced that he will be opening at the Riviera. A Las Vegas Sun article reported that "The comic magician told the Las Vegas Sun's Jerry Fink that he has reached a deal on a one-year contract to perform in the La Cage Theatre at 10 p.m. six nights a week (off Tuesdays)… The targeted opening date is April 14." To read the Mar. 31 article by Timothy McDarrah titled "AJ pulls a re-appearing act at Riviera" click: HERE.(4/2)

A Las Vegas Review-Journal article reported that Lance Burton won the Best Magician award for the fourth time at the "Best of Las Vegas Awards Show" on Mar. 27 at the Rio. To read the Mar. 28 article by Mike Weatherford titled "Annual awards show honors Las Vegas' best" click: HERE.(4/2)

Damian Nieman's movie "Shade" about card cheaters whose characters and names are based on well-known magicians will be featured as the opening night attraction at the 13th annual Philadelphia Film Festival on Apr. 8. Nieman will be joined by cast members at the screening and opening night party. The movie will begin a limited release on Apr. 9 in Los Angeles and is scheduled for a wider release on May 7. The movie starring Stuart Townsend, Gabriel Byrne, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith, Sylvester Stallone and Thandie Newton has been rated 'R' and will be released on DVD on May 25.(4/2)
--For more information about the Film Festival click: HERE.(4/2)
--To preorder the DVD click: HERE.(4/2)

Derren Brown's upcoming show at the Victoria Hall is previewed in a Crewe Chronicle article that also quoted Brown about what he does, "There's suggestion, misdirection, psychological techniques and blagging. A lot of it is about performance. …It's not a documentary, so a lot of it is about creating the impression that I'm doing something that I'm not always doing." The article also reported that "…there is also a new series of Derren Brown's Mind Control coming out on Channel 4 later this year." To read the Mar. 31 article by Julia Thorley titled "Mind over patter" click: HERE.(4/2)

As David Copperfield continues to tour throughout the US as newspaper articles promote the shows and take the opportunity to discuss his career and life. Discussing the possibility of a permanent show Copperfield said to the Chicago Sun Times, "I've had lots of offers to set up a permanent show in Las Vegas… but I don't see myself doing it. I think I'd lose my edge because performing live across the world is the best way to develop new illusions and test them on the widest variety of audience. It takes about two years to create and transition a new illusion into a show, and it works best when I can try it in different markets for different audiences." Copperfield also offered that he is contracted to do two more television specials.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 26 Chicago Sun Times article by Miriam Di Nunzio titled "Copperfield dazzles with his 'Greatest Hits'" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 Munster Times article by Philip Potempa titled "David Copperfield's keeps audiences guessing with 'Grand Illusion'" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 26 Purdue Exponent review by Katie Lietz titled "Magician entertains audience by stretching boundaries of reality" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To read the Mar. 25 Purdue Exponent article by Katie Lietz titled "Magician plans to probe audience's secret desires" click: HERE.(4/2)

"The World's Longest Magic Show" will begin on Monday Apr. 5 at 10am and will continue until it breaks the record of the 25-hour show organized by Dixie Dooley in 2000. The show will take place at Luna Park in Melbourne, Australia and will be used as a fundraiser for The Royal Childrens Hospital. Directed by Tim Ellis the show will feature many professional and hobbyist magicians from around Australia and will hold auditions on the day of the event to find new talent. For more information click: HERE.(4/2)

J. C. Sum, Shawn Chua, and Jeremy Pei are profiled in The Straits Times where they also report, "According to sources in the industry, there are around 150 magicians here [Singapore], of which fewer than 30 are performers. The others are simply magic enthusiasts." To read the Apr. 1 article by Sherwin Loh titled "Get real" click: HERE.(4/2)

James Randi is described as, "He crashes the party. He spoils the fun. He's the guy who says there's no Santa Claus -- or ghosts, or alien abductions, or the ability to bend forks just by staring at them really, really, hard" in a Palm Beach Post article that looks at his life as a debunker and recounted his start as a magician, "Randall James Hamilton Zwinge, born in Toronto, dropped out of high school and joined a carnival road show. He later worked the Canadian nightclubs as the illusionist The Amazing Randi." To read the Mar. 31 article by Eliot Kleinberg titled "What a fool believes, the Amazing Randi will debunk" click: HERE.(4/2)

Paul Lembo is featured in a Tampa Tribune article that looks at his fascination with magic along with his career as one of the designers of the Apollo spacecraft. Explaining how he became interested in magic Lembo explained, "I saw a magician in a Coney Island sideshow… I was born in the middle of that sideshow district. The cut-and-restored rope was the first magic I learned, and I was hooked. It's still my favorite…. I met Harry Blackstone Sr. during my introduction into the International Brotherhood of Magicians. I had to perform an original illusion that day, and it was pulling umbrellas out of various things. Blackstone told me, 'Son, you keep doing that and you'll be as good as me someday.' I only met him that one time, but he was such an inspiration.'' To read the Apr. 1 article by Steve Kornacki titled "From Moon To Magic Spectacle" click: HERE.(4/2)

The newly revamped "Showgirls of Magic" is reviewed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal where they conclude, "He [David Saxe] and choreographer Traci Mattea have speeded things up to the point where the whole 75 minutes just rockets along, and gradually stripped the show of most of the cutesiness that plagued earlier editions." To read the Mar. 26 review by Mike Weatherford titled "Showgirls retooled, but doesn't seem too different" click: HERE.(4/2)

Alain Nu presents his 50-minute show on Thursday Apr. 8 at 11am and 1pm at the Strathmore Arts Center in Kensington, Maryland. The show is geared toward kids over the age of seven and will be held at the Spring Break Theatre. For more information click: HERE.(4/2)

R.G. Smith's 17th annual Comedy and Magic Spectacular at the Capitol Theatre is reviewed in a Public Opinion article that quotes children who attended the show about which of the performers were their favorite. Performers included David Oliver, John Cassidy, Bob Sheets and Kohl & Company. --To read the Mar. 29 article by Jaime North titled "Families delight in comedy, magic" click: HERE.(4/2)

Penn & Teller's new DVD that features the first season of their Showtime series "Bullshit" is reviewed in Newsday where they report, "The DVD adds an unaired 'ghost' story, bloopers and deleted footage (including a 'naked promo' that's just that), plus an extended interview with veteran debunker James Randi." To read the Mar. 30 review by Diane Werts titled "DVD review" click: HERE.(4/2)
--To order the DVD click: HERE.(4/2)

As Penn & Teller's Showtime series begins it's second season it is previewed in the Denver Post where Penn is quoted, "When you start down the road as a magician, you learn manipulation, you learn physics, and you learn skepticism." The review ended with, "Some viewers object to the heated intellectual content of his show, while others object to the juvenile swearing, Penn said. 'Nobody is really comfortable with everything. We like it that way. It's so much like life!'" To read the Apr. 1 article by Michael Booth titled "Showtime forum lets Penn & Teller take on charlatans, myths and sacred cows" click: HERE.(4/2)

Las Vegas magicians who have been taped for Europe's Arté network's "City of Illusion," show are reported in a Las Vegas Review-Journal article that listed the names: Lance Burton, Rick Thomas, Steve August and Maria Gara, Bill Smith, Amazing Johnathan, Mac King, Arian Black, and Gary Darwin. To read the Mar. 22 article by Carol Cling titled "Food Network's '$40 a Day' prepares to film episode" click: HERE.(4/2)

Bob Fitch presents one of his rare lectures on Apr. 2 at 8pm at the Underground Magic Theater (21800 Town Center Plaza #66) in Sterling, Virginia. Admission is $15 per person. For more information phone: 703-404-8902.(4/2)

Manuel Muerte and Pit Hartling will lecture for Tannen's Magic on Monday Apr. 19 at 7pm at the 13th Street Repertory Company (50 West 13th Street) in New York City. Admission is $25 per person. For more information phone: 212-929-4500.(4/2)

A Las Vegas Sun article discusses April fools from around town and mentions Jeff Hobson as "a comic fool" and David Saxe "a producing fool." The article defines a fool using Webster's dictionary definition, "a person especially devoted to or skilled in some activity." Both Saxe and Hobson are then profiled. To read the Apr. 1 article by Jerry Fink titled "Fool Pool: Ambition, talent set many Vegas 'fools' apart" click: HERE.(4/2)

The first Midlands Magic Awards Show is discussed in an article in The State where organizer Joey Vazquez is quoted, "About 20 awards will be given, he said. 'These people have been deserving of these titles for many, many years,' …Now they will get the opportunity to be recognized for achievements such as dedication to the magic community and the invention award." Performers on the show include John Tudor, Troy Douglas and Lady Sarah. To read the Mar. 31 article by Williesha Lakin titled "Magical awards show is a first" click: HERE.(4/2)