Magic Live has been promoting its upcoming convention with the release of videos from its archives of past events. The fourth one just hit the Internet, and it’s a moving talk by the legendary Joanie Spina. She was a performer, choreographer, and director whose career in magic began with David Copperfield before she went on to become a solo act. Her many years of professional performance led her to helping many magicians with the movement and staging.
For four years, Spina wrote a column called Directions for Magic Magazine and translated it into a stage talk at Magic Live. This video is her final appearance at the event, and the impact of her battle with pulmonary fibrosis and cancer is painfully evident. Spina passed away on August 17, 2014 at age 61.
In this talk, Spina shares some advice about improving a stage show, but also presents an incredible example of what happens when that advice is put into action. She shows early clips of magician Patrick Thernes, known with stage name Sir Pat-Trick. The then-unknown magician went from poster child of all the worst performing habits to a mesmerizing stage presence thanks to her coaching. To watch the whole thing, head over to the Magic Live video section.
Magic Live 2018 is being held August 5-8 in Las Vegas. Registration is still open, but getting closer to capacity by the day.
Today we’ve got two updates from the team behind Magic Live. First off: If you want to attend the event this August but have been twiddling your thumbs rather than registering, you might want to reconsider your behavior. As of the final days of December, the event is 81% sold out. The Magic Live convention is happening at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 5-8. Chop chop!
Never been to Magic Live? The event has been offering potential newcomers a sneak peak at what the convention is all about by posting videos of its General Session talks. The third was recently published, and it’s a good one.
Joshua Jay helped the College of New Jersey to survey audiences about their opinions of magic and magicians. The answers he shares in this interview with Jonathan Levit can help performers finesse their volunteer selection, make their card tricks more memorable, and generally improve their understanding of what’s going on in the audience’s heads. It’s valuable insight and an example of what Magic Live has to offer.
Magic Live was supposed to be a one-time-only gathering, but registration for its 10th outing opens today at 12pm (PT). Alumni registration opened a few days ago, so 60% of the spots are already filled; if you want to attend, be sure to take a few minutes and sign up today.
Magic Live will take place August 5-8, 2018, and will once again be held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Registration costs $435, with a $95 deposit holding your spot until February 1, 2018. To register, or to learn more, visit Magic Live’s site.
If you’ve never attended Magic Live and want to see a bit of what you might expect, several of the General Session talks are being placed online for you to view. You can check out Magic Live Video for the two that are currently posted, featuring Abbey Goldrake and David Williamson.