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Wave of illusionists on TV

Wave of illusionists on TV

It’s no illusion that magic is making its presence felt on TV.

The Illusionists, a band of magic experts from a hit Broadway show, comes to NBC Wednesday (10 p.m. ET/PT) for a one-hour special featuring everything from a futurist toying with technology to an “escapologist” holding his breath for several minutes while trying to break out of an underwater cell.

Viewers of America’s Got Talent may be familiar with some of The Illusionists, who have appeared on the NBC talent competition, and magician Mat Franco won Talentin 2014 and had an NBC special in September.

In other TV legerdemain, aspiring magicians try to dupe Penn & Teller on CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us, which has been renewed for a third season, and Syfy has an upcoming  drama series, The Magicians (Jan. 25, 9 p.m. ET/PT). The drama, based on Lev Grossman’s best-selling trilogy, stars Jason Ralph (Aquarius) and Stella Maeve (Chicago PD) as young adults who attend a secret magic university.

Futurist Adam Trent of The Illusionists, who sees people of all ages attending the stage shows, senses a resurgence of magic.

“I think there absolutely is a growing interest in it,” he says. “There’s a lot of good magic out there lately and a lot of amazing magicians performing now, across YouTube, touring live, in comedy clubs, on Broadway.” Read more..

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2015/12/05/wave-illusionists-tv/76472070/

Martin Gardner’s Impromptu..

Martin Gardner’s Impromptu..

Martin Gardner was a giant in the recreational math world — many of the puzzles we take on each week here at Numberplay are direct descendants of the many counter-intuitive conundra that Gardner curated in the 20th century. He was such a significant force in math puzzles that we forget — or have a hard time really believing — that he had other lives, including that of a popular and influential magician. This week I’m pleased to present a book that captures this magical life: Martin Gardner’s Impromptu. The book is absolutely gorgeous: beautifully designed and full of detail, with hundreds of pages of original notes and sketches by Martin Gardner (the book itself is over 800 pages long). Click here to enjoy selections from the colorsection of the book, and here for an introduction to MiniTrix, a series of short videos featuring Martin Gardner performing various impromptu tricks. Read more and let Martin read your mind..from the grave…

http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/gardner-impromptu/?_r=1

Meet the Magician: The Illusionists’ Jeff Hobson

Meet the Magician: The Illusionists’ Jeff Hobson

The international hit magic spectacular The Illusionists is back on Broadway for the holiday season with an all-new show at the Neil Simon Theatre, and returning as the evening’s charming, funny, and flamboyant emcee is Jeff Hobson, known as The Trickster. Read more at…  

 http://www.broadwaybox.com/daily-scoop/meet-the-magician-the-illusionists-jeff-hobson/

We at the Magic Roadshow were pleased to recently publish an array of magic effects by the highly talented and always entertaining Mr Hobson. One effect was featured in most issues from #160 to #168  .. Check ‘em out at..  https://magicroadshow.com/160.php

Magic-Trick Apps to Unleash Your Inner David Blaine..

Magic-Trick Apps to Unleash Your Inner David Blaine..

LIKE MANY BOYS, I was obsessed with magic as a 12-year-old. I was that kid who would make your quarter vanish, then pull it from the crook of your elbow. Guests who came over to my family’s house for dinner were an involuntary audience to my 20-minute magic routine during dessert. It ended, dramatically, with a daring escape from a pair of thumbcuffs.

At some point, though, self-consciousness kicked in, and embarrassment barred me from asking friends if they wanted to see a card trick. Instead of becoming the next Doug Henning or David Copperfield, I grew up to be an editor of personal-technology articles.

Luckily, the worlds of magic and gadgets have converged to provide an ideal hobby for me: illusions that require neither a cape nor a wand and instead rely on a prop I always carry with me: a smartphone. Read more…..

http://www.wsj.com/articles/magic-trick-apps-to-unleash-your-inner-david-blaine-1448476092