The most important book on performing

A second edition copy of Neo Magic arrived this week from England. After many months of searing for this incredible book and purchasing a copy of the also out of print "Neo Magic Artisty" to help and further my growth, to spur new thoughts and create a better show.

There is an interesting history behind Neo Magic, first run was only 500 issues, about half were destroyed on WWII. Second run only 750 issues. So maybe 1,000 at most still exist. This is the most important book ever written about performing magic, about keeping it elevated to an art form. The author Sam Sharpe was quite an interesting and amazing man.

To me at this time "Neo Magic" has become the single most significant piece of literature on performing.

With a journey that started with Tarbell, lead through "Books of Wonder, on through the Fitzike trilogy, by way of "Our Magic", with detours to "Strong Magic", "Essential Robert-Houdin" Carney's "Magic by Design", briefly working with Joanie Spina, Denny Haney & Bob Fitch's lecture notes, finally to "Art and Magic" and "Neo Magic Artistry".

To hold a signed, second edition copy of "Neo Magic" is absolutely amazing. I'm having a moment.

I'm trying to decipher the signature, "Best wishes to my friend ?AC Kefus? from Sam Sharpe Aug 1961" , perhaps I'll never find out. Good reason to keep searching, it was a long search that lead me to find this edition of "Neo Magic".

The book is hard to acquire, maybe that is a good thing, maybe not. It should be read by any and everyone who aspires to perform magic in front of live audiences as a quality entertainer. One of those things you need to become a true performing artist in the field of magic.

I also owe another debt of gratitude to my good friend Peter as he put me on the trail of the book a few years back (yes it has taken that long to find it), as Erdnase, "Expert at the Card Table" is his guide he knew Sharpe's "Neo Magic" would be as important to me

Deep down I know it's just another step, no matter how large, in the journey but the view from the plateau pretty good.

It was worth the search and this is what we do to further our art, I'm sure any other artist in any field reading this has made or will make a similar or even larger trip.

Came to mind, today I bought my son his first saxophone. Who knows, maybe that's his first step, hard to tell when he is only 9 but time will tell

So when your art means that much you follow the path. It's worth it, to you, your show and to your audiences!

Magic goes well and a very lucky magicain

Sorry I haven't posted much but

Everything has been going very well. I've been very lucky

The short time spent with Joanie Spina helped in so many ways. All the things Denny Haney has been so kind as to show, share, point me towards and discuss with me have meant so much and made me a much better performer than I could have ever hoped for

Congratulations are in order as National Booking Agency Gigmasters ...
Ranked magician Illusions by Vick the top Magician for Maryland, Pennsylvania, DC, Virgina, Delaware ...

Rankings are based on client feedback and satisfaction, amount of bookings, fees made from those bookings
Overall I'm ranked second nationally.A lot of work, a lot of fun, I've learned a lot
but most of all I've had the opportunity to share a lot of smiles, fun and great magic
Here's the press release
Illusions by Vick Named top Ranked magician in Maryland, DC, Va and Pennsylvania

While Gigmasters gets a lot of childrens bookings I don't do many if any of them
and the new show is ready
Here's the press release about it
About the New Show ~ Shades of Perception


Again thank you, without an audience to share it with ....... I'm Nothing

and bigger things are coming in October!

What Performing Magic can do

Another good show for a great group of people today. It's a wonderful feeling/experience to share a performance that touches people, give them laughter, encourages them to think, that emotionally touches and moves them and enables a perspective from a difference place, the small part I play in their creating a great time. It truly is the best thing I can do, for everyone.

Crazy .... or Amazing ... maybe a little of both

An amazing thing....... this past Saturday.

A potential client asked me about producing her daughter for her sweet 16th birthday party, she emailed the previous Saturday. I don't hear back from her so I think she's decided to do something else for entertainment. Out of no where she sends me a deposit ........ on Thursday ..... 2 days before the party.

Had given 3 options for the production. I finally get her on the phone and .... her daughter wants the Metamorphosis production ........ aaaahhhhhaaaa. I explain how challenging it can be and how people spend decades learning to do it well and ......

97% of the guests there are high school friends all done up and ready for a big night out.

This has all the ingredients for a disaster ..... I modify Metamorphosis a bit to make it easier. To her credit the daughter Jillian on the day of her Sweet 16 party spends the time I asked for rehearsal, she is willing to work to make the effect as good as we can in the time given and ........

We pulled it off!!! Pretty damn well, too.


Today .... the mother writes me an unsolicited glowing reference email


They were a great group to meet and work with, I'm really glad everything went well but ....
.... it still was crazy ;-)~

Thoughts on the art of Magic at Thanksgiving

It saddens me deeply that some consider magic as simply entertainment for children. Imagine throwing away, ignoring or belittling an art form that can enable you to think and feel, something that can elevate you from your normal daily existence, an art form that can move you to tears from laughter, creating beauty and touching other deep emotions

This is not the fault of the art consumer, the challenge lays with the performers who do nothing to enhance or elevate the art and appear simply as a trickster, "Hey look at me and what I can do, aren't these tricks neat".

The performer who does nothing to educate their audience?

Those who don't or can't give their audience an experience that will elevate them, that will touch them, that will tuck something away in their mind for later consideration or even simply (and sometimes the hardest) share a huge face splitting grin have cheated their audiences as well as cheated themselves and harmed the art.

Does the challenge lay with so called performers who don't share with their audiences what magic can be and instead appear in a foul polyester vest pulling objects from their mouth or their various other insults to the art? Or does the fault lays with performers like myself who know something different and don't enlighten those less fortunate? Those who haven't had the guidance to read and study the amazing books on the art. Who may not have had the time or experience to know how rewarding it is to create and share those special moments with the audience.

I've often said I don't do magic, the magic happens in the audience. Without an audience I am nothing, a guy doing odd things. It is with that consideration I go into every show and know I have to give the best possible show, try to create art, to reach the audience on many levels and craft a unique and memorable experience. Anything less is a cheat, totally unacceptable and unthinkable.

If all you are looking for is someone to ask "How did you do that" then you have missed the boat as a performer.

Children are the easy ones to win over (even though they can be the most severe audiences) it is adults who most need their imaginations sparked, their funny bone tickled, their thoughts stimulated and their heart strings tugged.

Please join me as we begin a journey into a world where anything is possible