As readers of this blog know, I am somewhat infatuated by Max Malini, the extraordinary magician who entertained celebrities, tycoons and aristocrats. I’ve modeled my career on his, and have been tracking down Malini stories for years. Many of these stories are chronicled throughout this blog.
I recently acquired Malini’s advertising booklet at auction (circa 1926) and was delighted for two reasons simultaneously. First, it is an honor to own this historic memorabilia of a prominent magic figure. The booklet is in very good hands.
Second, the text of the booklet has confirmed that Max Malini stayed and performed regularly at the hotel where I’ve presented Chamber Magic for the last decade: the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.
In his advertising booklet, he includes laudatory letters from prominent figures, including President Harding. Here is one of the inside pages, containing personal notes from General Pershing and Vice President Charles Dawes […]
The magicians Steve Cohen, Joshua Jay, Eric Jones, and Todd Robbins talk about where their ideas come from, in a discussion and demonstration at the Library for the Performing Arts. (917-275-6975.)
Here is the press release for the November 17th event, organized by photographer and writer Herb Scher.
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Magic is an art that draws heavily from its heritage, and many effects with cards, coins, ropes, and levitating ladies have long been staples of the repertoire. Yet, like other art forms, it requires a well-spring of new ideas to avoid stagnation. In a field characterized by secrets and mystery where do new ideas come from and how are they realized? And what role does magic play in the realm of the broader expressive arts? Can it remain relevant in an era when movies, video games, and the internet offer heightened experiences that were not earlier available. A panel of four innovative and accomplished magicians, Steve Cohen, Joshua Jay, Eric Jones, and Todd Robbins will address these and many other questions in Beyond Amazing: Creativity and Innovation in the World of Magic, a panel discussion with demonstrations of relevant effects, presented November 17, 2011, at 6 p.m. at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. The program will be moderated by photographer and writer Herb Scher. The event will be held in the Library’s Bruno Walter Auditorium, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza. Admission is free.
Read the full press release for this upcoming panel discussion here […]
Buzz Aldrin after my performance in New York: “I used to think Saturn V was a miracle. But your show – this was a real miracle.”
I performed magic last week for NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a fascinating group of space tourism supporters.
Buzz let me use his ring for one of my tricks – the ring HE WORE ON THE MOON!
Without a doubt, that experience trumps all the other notable rings I’ve borrowed in the past, including a Super Bowl ring, and Ellen Barkin’s wedding ring.
I still can’t get over it. I held the ring Buzz Aldrin wore while walking on the moon. And he let me use it in my show. What an honor.
I’m a fan of movie star Renée Zellweger, and was thrilled when I found her sitting in the front row at my show last night. In this blog post, read what she had to say about the show […]
It’s near the end of Steve Cohen’s Chamber Magic show, and he reaches for his legendary teakettle. Yeah–here it comes. Our small group has already been gobsmacked by an hour of warp-speed trickery within inches of our bugged-out eyes. A silver dollar turns into a clay brick. Three rings borrowed from fingers in the audience become interconnected. Playing cards disappear here, reappear there, change colors and suits with the wave of a hand.
We’re in Cohen’s Waldorf-Astoria suite in New York, where on weekends he performs shows for up to 50 people. And we’ve been waiting for the teakettle. It’s the hocus-pocus prop for Cohen’s signature Think-a Drink trick, where he pours any requested beverage from this one container.
A woman asks for an apple martini, and Cohen pours one. Someone yells out “Long Island Iced Tea,” and that drink comes splashing from the spout. A man wants red wine, and out it comes. Each person sips the requested drink and confirms its authenticity. Shazam–we’re talking some serious magic.
Cohen is billed as the “Millionaire’s Magician” because of his private shows for megabucks folks like Warren Buffet, Michael Bloomberg, and Martha Stewart. And from years of performing for these powerful people, Cohen has conjured up secrets on how to captivate audiences.
Cohen’s a magician, but he’s also a salesperson, each night selling the joys of being mystified by his legerdemain. Try using his showmanship secrets to better sell your ideas to bosses, clients, and other decision makers.
Have you ever wanted to see the inside of the legendary Friars Club in New York City? It’s a private members-only club with rich show business history. Then read on, and enjoy a few in-action photos from my recent induction ceremony, held on September 20, 2011. The ceremony was held in the Frank Sinatra dining […]
My favorite comment after returning from my Philadelphia tour was an email I received from a guest. He wrote, “Your show is a thing of beauty, a magical symphony.” Wow. What a nice compliment. But I must say that Philadelphia audiences – who came out in droves to the magnificent Four Seasons hotel last week – made my job a pleasure indeed.
Whenever I launch the show in a new city, there is considerable risk on my part. Will people show up? How do I get the word out? Do I have any fans in that city who can help drum up interest?
Fortunately, Philadelphia is close enough to my home base in NYC that the word spread quickly. I even got a little advance press on a cool blog that has a large local following. The four shows sold-out swiftly, even before I arrived in town.
Another part of the risk in performing in a new city is that […]
It’s the dream of any performer to stand on-stage at Carnegie Hall, presenting what they’ve trained their entire life to perfect.
I’ll have my chance on January 12, 2012, and I’d love it if you would share this momentous evening with me.
Carnegie Hall has three performance venues – I’ll be performing in their most intimate: Weill Recital Hall. Tickets went on sale this morning at 11:00am, and the box office tells me that they had people queuing up on the phones, waiting for the sale to begin.
This is a one-night only performance of my stage show “Theater of Wonder” – which is entirely different from “Chamber Magic,” now in its eleventh year at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. If you’ve been to my smaller show and want to see more magic, “Theater of Wonder” is for you.
Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall box office (57th Street and Seventh Avenue), through CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or online […]
Chamber Magic® will be running tonight (August 26) as planned, but I have decided to follow Broadway’s lead and have cancelled all three shows tomorrow (August 27), at 2pm, 7pm and 9pm. If you are a ticketholder to one of these shows, please contact OvationTix to reschedule your tickets to a future performance date. OvationTix […]
My friend and TV travel expert Peter Greenberg gave me excellent advice to beat jet lag. Peter travels over 400,000 miles per year (equal to sixteen times around the earth annually), yet he never suffers from jet lag. How does he do it? I’m going to share Peter’s secret here with you.
I can tell you with some authority that it works.
At the moment, I’m in Osaka, Japan and haven’t had a single bout with jet lag since my arrival three days ago. After the fourteen hour trip (which I’ve taken over 20 times), I’m usually demolished for the coming week. This time around, however, I’ve been alert since I hit the ground and have slept like a baby each night.
Here, in Peter’s words, is the secret he shared with me in person. At the end, I’ll add a few extra comments of my own. […]
