— A letter from Richard Greene, owner of Theophilus Magic

Theophilus Magic Shop will be open normal hours during the sale. Theophilus Magic Shop is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 6011 W. St Paul Ave. You can call for direction at, 414-257-2400. No mail orders please.

I hope you will stop and take advantage fo the sale, or just to wish us luck. Thank you all for the many years of magic you have all given to me.

-Richard Greene

Hello Friend in Magic,

This is Dan Pollack, Milwaukee Magician. Houdini entertainer.

You know how you go to Las Vegas, get off the plane, go to your hotel, get a cab or rent a car, then go out to see a world class magician?

Well, here’s your chance to see the top magician perform his magic for you, right here in Milwaukee this weekend. Not only is he performing, he is also teaching.

Jeff McBride, Las Vegas Magician, Headlining Entertainer, and teacher is bringing the closest thing there is to Hogwarts right here to Milwaukee this weekend.

Jeff’s show and classes are all being held at Carte Blanche Studios on 5th and mineral. That’s just 2 and a half blocks south of La Perla Restaurant and there is super easy access on and off the freeway.

You can get all the details for the show and classes at www.BestEverMagic.com

Friday night, Jeff is making a personal appearance at Big Guy’s magic shop. People can come and meet Jeff McBride and Houdini look alike, me, Dan Pollack.

Saturday afternoon, Jeff is starting off with a matinee showing of his acclaimed 90 minute performance of “Magic Behind the Mask” at 1p.m. Then at 3PM on Saturday, Jeff is doing his 2 hour lecture where he shares secrets that make the magic work. Jeff McBride shares his secret knowledge, and then you’re home in time for supper. Does it get any better than that?

On Sunday, Jeff is doing his 4 hour Super Session Workshop. Jeff has been performing magic around the world for 30 years. If you’re into magic, this is your chance to learn from the very best right here in Milwaukee. Jeff Says this is as close as it gets to really being Hogwarts.

And on Sunday, after the Super session, we’re celebrating the fact that it’s Jeff’s birthday by throwing him a party. Everyone who has attended the show, lecture or classes is invited.

We still have seats available for all events. My suggestion you go to www.BestEverMagic.com and get your ticket to this once in a lifetime event. This is the first time and possibly the last time that Jeff McBride is going to be here in Milwaukee.

I’m calling radio stations to promote to the public, So you might want to get your ticket for the show right now.

You can still get in on the lecture and show for $10.00 off, but we’lls be shutting that promotion down soon.

Look forward to seeing you there. Prestidigitationally,

Dan Pollack
414-378-0933
http://bestevermagic.com
P.S. Take a look at the promotional video just added to the www.BestEverMagic.com website.

Armed with great skill and a dazzling array of illusions, six diverse teens from around the world embark on a journey to attend the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas, where they hope to be crowned Teen World Champion. On stage, the passionate magicians are remarkably assured and dedicated. Off stage, however, these young outsiders confront the many obstacles of adolescence, turning Make Believe into a universally inspiring coming-of-age story that maps their personal journeys of transformation through magic. With great humor, honesty and heart, this Los Angeles Film Festival Audience Award winner reveals an enduring world audiences know little about while exploring a time of life no one ever forgets.

Clay Tweel, the director of Make Believe and 3 of the teenage magicians appearing in the film will be in attendance to perform live magic demonstrations and answer audience questions at the Ridge Cinema screening on Sept. 23 and the Oriental Theatre screening on Sept. 25.

Jeff McBride will be appearing on September 10th & 11th, 2011, at Carte Blanche Studios. Dan Pollack will be hosting Jeff during his visit to Milwaukee. Jeff will be performing his Magic Behind the Mask show, as will as his Magic Lecture and will also be offering his 4hr Super Session for more intense training. After the Super Session on Sunday, there will be a special event, it's Jeff's birthday, so we will be hosting his birthday party!

-Dan Pollack ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

We have a great facility, a fantastic line up of magic acts, terrific lectures and first rate magic dealers. The only thing missing - YOUR REGISTRATION!

No doubt about it, the 73rd Annual Houdini Club Convention is going to be a great one. DO NOT DELAY, REGISTER TODAY! The public shows will be held at the incredible Onita Casino in Green Bay, WI. All seating will be assigned. Registering now will guarantee your place in “The Best Convention in the Midwest”.

Great news! The hotel rate at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center is now $79 per night. To call for reservations call 1-920-494-7300 and ask for the “Houdini Club” rate.

To participate in the contests, please contact John Kurtz, 3600 West Abbott, Greenfield, WI 53221 or call him at 414-282-7729.

THE COST IS - only $105.00 each for members and member’s spouse. Non-members are $125.00 each and Juniors (under 16) are $85.00 each. Send a check today to:

HOUDINI CLUB OF WISCONSIN - P.O. BOX 476917 - CHICAGO, IL 60647-6917

Or register on line using the following credit cards: Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Check out the Event List for other Houdini Club events.

More information to follow shortly ...

The August 4th Open Mic Magic Night promises to be a fun time. Please join us for a night of fun and magic.

-Dan Pollack ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Post show note: A small, but excited crowd was treated to performanaces by Dan Pollack, Anthony Baca, Gregory Dobbs, Jailhouse Jonny, Raven, and David Swoboda. Everyone had a great time, so come on down to the next show and see some Magic!.

I.B.M. Ring 41 will present a Lecture by Dan Stapleton on Thursday August 18th., 2011. This lecture will be held at Dickens Grille in West Allis, Wisconsin

Mostly for the stage or parlor magician (although included are some very unusual card tricks), Dan has received rave reviews for his lecture. These notes are from his 2 hour lecture and is for those magicians who actually look for something they can USE....and they will. His candor concerning body language, using old "standard" jokes in ones routine (its OK sometimes), making sense of the tricks you perform (don’t stress over it), "projecting" when not using a microphone and how to entertain the whole room when performing close-up is a "must read"

...And lots of tricks to be learned and performed:

• *Impromptu Dancing Cane* Dan has used his method for 30 years and a fun story of how it was developed.
• *Plates* A card trick performed by members of the audience assisted by the magician standing at the far side of the room.
• *Stars of the Mind* Novel Mentalism with a diabolical method you will want to make up.
• *The 25 cent Flashpot* Developed for the Miss Florida Pageant and a magical way to open almost anywhere you perform.
• *Sweet Transfer* An "invisible" way to pass salt or sugar from one hand to the next
• *Flash Card Stab* An invention of Russ Walsh, Dans favorite, and a most theatrical way to present a card stab.
• *Ball to Silk* For the manipulator....visual and very pretty magic.
• *Silk & Rope routine* 4-Tricks in one with a silk and a rope
• and many more....

One of the effects is called Mass Communication. It is a Think of a Number effect elevated from a one on one effect to an effect used on a large envelope. This effect was published in The Linking Ring and is very clever! I personally attended this lecture in Branson this past Spring and thoroughly enjoyed it! Come and enjoy Dan’s presentation and learn something new you can use!

Please check the Events listing for dates and times of Ring 41 meetings.

— A letter from RIchard Greene, owner of Theophilus Magic

I know this is rather lengthy, but I do hope you will take the time to read it all. It took a lot of thought to make this decision, but it is with great displeasure that I announce, Theophilus Magic is going out of business. Sale is in process. Everything is 20% off, with a great many special prices. I will inform of further discounts. Theophilus Magic Shop has been in business for over 20 years. Fred and I had every intention of keeping it open for another 20 years. Sadly, Fred was not able to remain. Fred was Theophilus Magic Shop. It was his vision that made it " The greatest Magic Shop on Earth." ( I can say that, we have it in writing.) But alas, Theophilus Magic is succumbing to the internet and the economy.

Fred opened the shop with the mission to have the newest and largest selection of magic products and supplies available, he succeeded. Fred totally dedicated the shop to magic, he resisted the option of adding novelties or greeting cards. Our prices were competitive with all other shops, if you found it cheaper at another shop, we would match that price. We were the only magic shop that had a month long sale on all the magic in the shop, with discounts up to 40%. It is very unusual for a magic shop to even have a sale, let alone one that lasted a whole month. I remember our dear friend, the late Jay Marshall, telling Fred, " you never discount magic." We did, Fred always was a rebel.

Fred created a grand theater for our customers, filled with antiques, posters and memorabillia. He invited clubs and groups from both Wisconsin and Illinios, to private evenings of entertainment. Fred would show movies from his vast collection of vintage magic related movies. He would then bring in live entertainers for the groups, give away prizes. Then after all this, he would open the shop after hours and give the attendees special discount prices. No on ever left dissatisfied.

Fred would give our customers opportunities to perform in the theater to give them recognition, support and encouragement. Fred and I both always encouraged and support beginners and new performers. Many a time if a customer showed a real interest and did not have the extra money, we would add a little something in the bag for free. We supported and encouraged all clubs and promoted their events. We contributed items for prizes for the events and benefits. We brought in big name performers for lectures. Many great local, national and international magicians have come through the doors of the shop. Over the years we have made friends form France, Australia, South America and China and many other countries.

It is very difficult for magic shops to compete with Internet businesses that discriminate against magic shops. Internet businesses expect dealers to sell and promote their products, but do not offer fair prices to the dealers. This is the era of "instant gratification " from the Internet suppliers as one of my customers so effectively stated. Fred and myself, as well as all magic shop owners believe that magic is something you should have the opportunity to look and touch before you buy. This is something you cannot do on the Internet, but they do give you a very splashy ,edited and carefully staged video performance. Magic shops cannot survive without local support from their customers and the magic community. I am sure everyone of you can admit that your first visit to a magic shop was a very special and overwhelming time. To choose your first magic book or a $2.50 Royal Magic cups and balls, made enough of an impact on you that wanted to learn and absorb all you could. If you continue to choose the Internet and do not support, not just your local magic shop, but all magic shops, that kind of excitement and amazement will be gone forever. There are more and more magic shops closing every day.

With the downturn in the economy, there were fewer and fewer customers. It becomes more and more difficult to maintain a large inventory that just sits on the shelves. I resisted closing thinking the economy would turn around. Closing the shop is something that troubled me for the last year. It was a very difficult decision. Theophilus Magc Shop was and still is a labor of love. It has to be, you will never get rich owning a magic shop, but it has so many other rewards. Over the years Fred and myself have met and made some great friends, lost some great friends and watched customers blossom from beginners to great magicians. There is nothing like watching the eyes of someone, never introduced to magic, be totally amazed. You never get tired of someone asking, " How did you do that?"

Theophilus Magic Shop will be open normal hours during the sale. Theophilus Magic Shop is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 6011 W. St Paul Ave. You can call for direction at, 414-257-2400. No mail orders please.

I hope you will stop and take advantage fo the sale, or just to wish us luck. Thank you all for the many years of magic you have all given to me.

Julie Sobanski and David Seebach will once again be appearing at Polish Fest this weekend at the Summerfest grounds. Friday is the deal day--50 cents noon - 5.

Julie's shows are Friday 2 & 4pm, Sat 2 & 5:30pm, and Sunday  3 & 5:30pm.

David's shows are Friday at 8:00pm and Saturday at 8pm.

Please check the Events listing for dates and times of other public shows!

Ben Bergor Ring #31 Proudly Presents!

Friday June 10th., 2011 at 7pm

The GREGORY WILSON LECTURE

For a limited time, Gregory Wilson is back on the road with a new lecture and lots of unpublished material to share. From close-up to stage, there’s a little something for everyone. You’ll learn:

• Exact Change: A soon-to-be stunned spectator names a number from 1-100. You remove all the change from your pocket and the total matches exactly! It has fooled some of the best minds in magic: Banachek, John Kennedy, Chris Kenner, Paul Harris, Bob Cassidy, Cyril and many more.
• Chip on Shoulder: Finally for sale, this is the ultimate “pack-small-play-big” routine with an appearing and disappearing casino chip. • Bounce/No Bounce: Sounds cliché to call something a magician-fooler, especially with such a well-known prop. But wait until you see it.
• Coffeehouse Conjuring: With props found only in a coffeehouse (coffee, cups, lids, straws, napkins, sugar packets, stir sticks, tea bags, etc.), you’ll be doing impromptu miracles available on every other street corner around the world.
• Silverware Swindle: A knife and fork scam that has twisted magicians’ minds who then twisted Greg’s arm to finally put on the market.
• Rubicon: In Greg’s professional repertoire for years, this ground-breaking Rubik’s Cube routine will soon be seen on Cyril’s new TV special.
• Plus, a whole lot more: Including Greg’s highly visual and mid-air acrobatic card work.

The emphasis here is ENTERTAINMENT. Just because it’s called a lecture doesn’t mean that it has to be dry and boring. You’ll experience a rip-roaring, fast-paced, high-energy, laugh-out-loud, audience-involving SHOW!

Gregory Wilson is a two-time FISM award-winner with 15 best-selling instructional DVD’s on the market. In 1998, he was also awarded (by the International Brotherhood of Magicians) as the Most Creative Magician of the Year.

He has contributed scores of original effects to MAGIC, Genii, Linking Ring, MUM, Arcane, Penumbra, Magic Menu and other magazines—as well as a full chapter in Paul Harris’ The Art of Astonishment, a chapter in Harry Lorayne’s Best of Friends 3, a chapter in John Lovick’s Switch and a chapter in the wildly popular Magic For Dummies. Just don’t hold that one against him!

Please check the Events listing for dates and times of Ring 31 meetngs.

Illusionist Tristan Crist entertains at the Circus!

Wisconsin magician and illusionist Tristan Crist will once again be amazing audiences at Circus World in Baraboo this summer. Tristan stars in two completely different magic shows 7 days a week - May 21 through September 5, 2011. The "Ring of Illusions" show is a forty-five minute presentation of large-scale magic and illusion set in the circus ring. Witness magic in the round as the illusionist divides a lady in halves, predicts the future, folds a lady into a small 12" box, and demonstrates a thrilling illusion involving fire and steel spikes. A large cast compliments the show with several lovely assistants, clowns, acrobats and more! The "Ring of Illusions" show takes place in the Circus World Hippodrome daily at 1:00 pm.

Later in the day, experience magic up-close and personal in the 100 seat Feld Theater at 5:15 pm. During "The Comedy Magic of Tristan Crist," the illusionist shows his lighter side with a thirty minute presentation involving plenty of audience participation and comedy stage magic. Known for his charismatic onstage persona, Tristan Crist entertains and delights with sleight-of-hand and witty humor.

Please check the Events listing for dates and times of other Tristan Crist shows.

Scott Lane wishes to announce the opening of his new shop, The Magic Gambling Rabbit, located in Grafton, Wisconsin —

The magic shop specializes in new and used magic tricks, gambling supplies, oddities, and collectibles. We strive to be the magic shop of yesteryear, where honesty and integrity prevails. The shop also stocks a wide variety of gambling paraphernalia, circus and carnival props, and vaudeville memorabilia. For street magicians, we currently have a steam-powered gambling chuck-a-luck “one man band instrument”, several stump fiddles, and an authentic, antique organ-grinder hurdy gurdy from Italy. The shop also has a magician’s session table, equipped with mirrors and video equipment.

Also, every customer is encouraged to do research in our extensive research library consisting of thousands of magic books, magazines, DVDs and VCR tapes.

If any customer mentions, during the month of May, that they saw the posting on www.magicinwisconsin.com website they will receive 10% off their entire purchase.

It's almost that time once again...

The 28th Annual Knights of Sleights Magic Flea Market is just a short time away. It will again be held at the Diplomat West located at 681 W. North Avenue in Elmhurst, Illinois on Wednesday May 18th from 7 until 10 pm.

General admission remains the same at $8 with dealer tables still going for $35. Dealer-set up time is 6 pm. We presently have more than 20 of the available 40 tables booked, so if interested in space this year (which is going fast) please contact Freddy Fredricks at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further details on arranging for space.

We are sold out every year, so if interested please contact ASAP! Last year we had 200 plus attendees, and this year we hope to better that number.

Hope to see you in May! Freddy Fredricks

Please check the Events listing for dates and times of other public events and shows.

The next Houdini Club of Wisconsin activity meeting is set for Saturday May 14th, 2011

The theme of this month's meeting is COMEDY MAGIC. You won't want to miss the laughs and magic!

• Board Meeting 5:30pm
• Cocktails 6:00pm
• Dinner 7:00pm
• Program after dinner...

Check out the Event List for other Houdini Club events.