illusionists – Magic Roadshow

On Verge of TV Deal, Magician Says ‘Illusionists’ Partners Left Him Stranded in Venezuela..

November 12, 2015 Rick Carruth

In a federal lawsuit, professional magician Brett Daniels says he has a trick to make vehicles like an antique horse and carriage appear out of thin air, but needed to resort to legal threats in order to get out of Venezuela.

Daniels is the co-creator of The Illusionists, reported to be the highest selling magic show in Broadway history and possibly soon to be showcased in a television broadcast.

In his complaint filed in Wisconsin against other Illusionists producers including Simon Painter and Timothy Lawson, Daniels alleges he was due 10 percent of all fees paid to performers for any Illusionists show in any format.

“However, after using Daniels’ expertise, contacts, and efforts to get the show off the ground, and after the Show began to achieve international success, Defendants cut Daniels out of the Show and refused to pay him his contractually guaranteed share of the Total Act Fees from at least November of 2013 to the present,” states the complaint. “Further, Defendants continue to use Daniels’ proprietary copyrighted illusions in the Show without Daniels’ approval or consent.” Read more…

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/verge-tv-deal-magician-says-839004

truTV Reveals 10 Awe-Inspiring Performance Teams Set to Compete in Season 2 of “Fake Off”..

April 24, 2015 Rick Carruth

Season 2 of Fake Off Premieres Wednesday, May 6, 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on truTV

This summer, 10 teams of gifted performers will set out to stun viewers like never before in the second season of truTV’s eye-popping competition series Fake Off. Launching its new season Wednesday, May 6, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), Fake Off takes viewers into the visually stunning world of Faking, a mix of theater, acrobatics, black light and illusion. In each episode, teams are challenged to reimagine iconic moments in pop culture to see who’s got the skills to be named America’s Fake Off Champions and walk away with a $100,000 cash prize.

Actor and dancer Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) is set to host the second season of Fake Off. Harry Shum Jr. (Glee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend) returns to the judging panel and is joined by two new judges: actress, choreographer and Emmy®-nominated director Laurieann Gibson (Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden, Making the Band) and actor, creative director and choreographer Beau Casper Smart (Street, Big Bang Theory, Nick Jonas, Jennifer Lopez). Meghan Camarena better known as YouTube sensation Strawburry17, will serve as backstage correspondent, a new role created this season.

Fake Off premiered on truTV in November 2014 in conjunction with the launch of truTV’s “Way More Fun” brand campaign. The series produced by Endemol Shine North America earned high praise from television earned high praise from television critics and viewers alike, prompting weekly audience growth after its premiere. In the first season, teams performed brilliant interpretations of moments in pop culture inspired by action-adventure and fantasy movies, video games and the biggest global sporting events.

Season 2 of Fake Off will consist of eight episodes, climaxing with the big finale in which one team will be named the Fake Off Champion and earn the cash prize. Here are the 10 teams vying to be the Fake Off Champion, along with links to their video introductions:

Academy of Villains (San Francisco, Calif.), a performance crew specializing in hip-hop and theatrics. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-academy-of-villains.html

Astra Dance Theatre (Los Angeles, Calif.), a multimedia dance theatre group from Los Angeles, Calif. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-astra-dance-company.html

ClownSnotBombs (Berkeley, Calif.), a circus troupe and physical comedy performance company. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-clownsnotbombs.html

CubeMetricks (Los Angeles, Calif.) a theatrical hip-hop performance crew. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-cubemetricks.html

The Deca Crew (Brooklyn, N.Y.), a dance crew specializing in technology and prop manipulation. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-the-deca-crew.html

JUNK (Philadelphia, Pa.), an aerial, dance and physical theater troupe. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-junk.html

LUMA (Pahoa, Hawaii), a troupe that combines light with dance, magic, puppetry and physics. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-luma.html

On The Fly (Indianapolis, Ind.), a stunt and daredevil crew composed of aerialists, dancers, flyers and acro-artists. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-on-the-fly.html

The Surrealists (St. Louis, Mo.), a magician and illusionist trio. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-the-surrealists.html

Tribe of Fools (Philadelphia, Pa.), physical theater group specializing in acrobatics and comedy. http://www.trutv.com/shows/fake-off/videos/meet-tribe-of-fools.html

Complete details on each of the 10 teams competing this spring on Fake Off are included below.

Fake Off is produced by Endemol Shine North America, with James Sunderland serving as Executive Producer and Showrunner, Eden Gaha, Robin Feinberg and Chris Culvenor serving as executive producers.

About truTV

truTV takes viewers on a fun ride that surprises and entertains. The network delivers a dynamic mix of action, comedy and competition, featuring engaging characters and compelling new worlds that pull you in and leave you wanting more. Currently seen in 92 million U.S. households, truTV features such popular original series as Impractical Jokers, The Carbonaro Effect, Friends of the People, Hack My Life, How to Be a Grown-Up, Barmageddon and Breaking Greenville as well as the upcoming Billy on the Street, Those Who Can’t, Six Degrees of Everything, Santas in the Barn and The Hustlers. In addition, truTV is a partner in airing the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; kids and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Illusionist Uses Magic Skills to Help Disabled..

October 15, 2014 Rick Carruth

By Julie Taboh for Voice of America..

GERMANTOWN, MARYLAND—

Kevin Spencer saw his first magician perform when he was five years old. He remembers vividly telling his mother, ”When I grow up, I’m going to be a magician.”

He has been a magician for more than 30 years, performing on stages around the world with his wife, Cindy, bringing tricks and magical illusions to millions of people.

But early in his career, a bad car accident changed the focus of his work.

“The car I was in was crushed by a tractor trailer,” he recalled. “I woke up in neurological intensive care with a closed brain injury and a lower spinal cord injury and spent almost a year in therapy just trying to regain the skills I’d lost as a result of the accident.”..

September 8, 2014 Rick Carruth

The UAE’s best-known magician and illusionist Moein Al Bastaki has new tricks up his sleeve… But don’t get too close to him – he can and will read your mind.

Since he made the Burj Khalifa vanish and famous Arab celebrities fly, Moein has been busy working on new acts.

“I’m going to try this new one on you before anyone else, if that’s ok with you” he says.

The 34-year old Emirati hands me an empty glass jug and asks me to hold it mid-air inside another glass container, to demonstrate his latest trick.

The controversial performer, who left me spellbound after his latest trick, is definitely not a sorcerer, but convincing others is harder than it seems.

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