How NOT to start your own one-man show

I receive at least one email per month from magicians around the world. Their notes usually begin like this:

Dear Mr. Cohen,

I am a magician in [name of town] trying to build my client base and marketing reach.

I would like to use your idea of doing parlor magic using a high end hotel as a base. Would you object if I used that approach here in [name of town]?

Any advice you can offer would be appreciated. Do I split ticket sales with the hotel? Or, does the hotel pay me a fee and take all ticket profits? Does the hotel supply drinks as a part of the show price? How long should the show be? How much should tickets be? etc. etc.

Before I offer an extremely rare rant (not the type of prose you’ve come to expect from me), here is my form-letter response: […]

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Award dinner videos

I’ve posted several videos here from my National Arts Club award dinner on October 5.

Mark Levy gave a dynamic presentation, telling little-known stories about my private magic shows.

Legendary talk-show host Dick Cavett talked about his life in magic, and his experience with fellow magician and talk-show host, Johnny Carson.

Holly Peppe related how she began working with me 10 years ago. The final video shows National Arts Club president Aldon James presenting the award.

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Back from Beverly Hills

I received a Hollywood welcome when I arrived in Los Angeles last week. Actors Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, How I Met Your Mother) and Chris Williams (“Krazee-Eyez Killah” on Curb Your Enthusiasm) both came out to my show at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, and director Steven Spielberg even bought tickets for himself and his […]

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You’re Invited to my Award Dinner

I will be receiving a special award – The Medal of Honor for Magic –  from the National Arts Club on October 5. Presenters at this exclusive event will include Mark Levy and legendary talk show host Dick Cavett. I hope you’ll be able to join me and my friends on this special evening. Although […]

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Back from Boston

The photo leading this post is one of my new favorites. It may look small, but you MUST click it to view an amazing panoramic view of the gorgeous St. James room in Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel. It was taken minutes before the doors opened to the public. As you can see, the mahogany walls and soaring window drapery provided the perfect backdrop for a classical magic performance.

Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge brought his whole family to the show, and even […]

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Siegfried & Steve

Siegfried Fischbacher (of Siegfried and Roy fame) came to my Waldorf performance tonight. It was amazing having a Las Vegas legend in the audience. We spoke for ten minutes after the show, and he told me that he envied me. “I envy you,” said Siegfried, “because you present a perfectly elegant, very smart, one-man show. […]

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Tour Dates – Boston & Los Angeles this month!

I will be touring later this month, and hope you can help spread the word. Tickets are now available for Chamber Magic performances in Boston and Los Angeles. The show will be identical to my long-running Waldorf-Astoria show in New York.

I’m excited to announce the following tour dates:

BOSTON:
The Fairmont Copley Plaza
September 17
(2 performances: 7pm and 9:30pm)

LOS ANGELES:
The Beverly Wilshire
September 24 and 25

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