Magic Roadshow

It was January 27, 1908, at the Columbia Theater in St. Louis and Harry Houdini was about to debut his first theatrical performance. The great master of illusion stepped inside of an over-size milk can, sloshing gallons of water on to the stage. Houdini was about to do something that looked like a really bad idea.

The can had already been poked, prodded and turned upside down to prove to the audience that there was no hole beneath the stage. Houdini was handcuffed with his hands in front of him. His hair was parted down the middle and he wore a grave expression on his face. His blue bathing suit revealed an exceptional physique. Holding his breath, he squeezed his entire body into the water-filled can as the lid was attached and locked from the outside with six padlocks. A cabinet was wheeled around the can to hide it from view.

Time ticked away as the audience waited for Harry Houdini to drown.

Two minutes later, a panting and dripping Houdini emerged from behind the cabinet. The can was still padlocked. During his lifetime, nobody ever managed to figure out how he had escaped. Read more at:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/harry-houdini-ingenious-innovator-didnt-want-anybody-know-180961078/

Secret Houdini Footage..  https://youtu.be/suirIT9F_MY

Below.. Harry Houdini Divers Suit.. June 30th,1917 US Patent 1370316

( By Kerry Shorr ) On January 25, magical wunderkind and part-time West Palm Beacher Adam Trent will bring more than sleight of hand to the Crest Theatre in Delray Beach.

Mixing mind-bending magic with music, dance, and comedy, Trent has created a modern marvel with his show, aptly titled The Futurist.

Ahead of the happenings, PBI spoke to the entertainer, who recently performed in The Illusionists on Broadway, reveals his most elaborate feat and what gets his blood pumping.

PBI: How is your show different from other magic acts?

Trent: I combine magic with music, comedy, audience participation, and technology that we are all familiar with. I try to make magic entertaining first and tricky second. I really put a lot of trust in my audience as the majority of my show uses volunteers from the audience. It’s really a variety show that uses magic as the driving force.  Read more…

http://www.palmbeachillustrated.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.details&ArticleId=5579

By MIKE WEATHERFORD – LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

What were you doing on New Year’s Eve? Looking at fireworks or the bottom of a Champagne glass? Or were you among the 1.4 million people who watched at least some of a two-hour game of Jenga, played by Rick Lax and his friends on Facebook.

It was a fitting way for Lax to end the year. The magician spent most of it building up a phenomenal Facebook following for the short, interactive magic tricks he creates on a laptop in his Henderson condominium.

If you haven’t heard of Lax, you aren’t one of his 3.3 million Facebook followers. Or one of the 61 million people who have played along with a couple of his mind-reading tricks.

But don’t feel too bad. Lax isn’t a live performer on the Strip. He sold the concept for SyFy’s “Wizard Wars” but never performed on that competition show either.

“I don’t want to do a Vegas show. There’s a lot of good shows on the Strip. I’m not going to make the mistake of the ‘Band of Magicians,’” he says, referring to a recent Tropicana flop involving some of his performer friends. Read more..

http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/columns/mike-weatherford/magicians-social-media-numbers-explode-beyond-their-live