Crazy Great Week at The Castle

[David Regal]

I should've posted this earlier, but I was at The Castle on Wednesday, and I'm going back tonight with some friends, because this is one of those amazing weeks. It's worth driving a couple of hours if you are anywhere nearby. One of the best evenings of magic I've ever seen.

CLOSE-UP GALLERY
Early Performer
Richard Turner (amazing chops, amazing man)

Late Performer
Jonathan Levit (hugely entertaining, funny and skillful)

PARLOUR OF PRESTIDIGITATION
Early Performer
Arthur Trace (out of the box creativity and dazzing manipulative ability)

Late Performer
Howard Jay (I missed him - sorry Howard, I didn't mean to)

PALACE OF MYSTERY
Tina Lenert (her current act is pure, essential magic)
Richard McDougall (fantastic conceptual routines, and so, so funny - a great actor)
Mike Caveney (Mike's act is my favorite stage act at The Castle. His routines are so well thought out, they are the standard. And on Wednesday the audience was laughing so hard, it was almost something beyond laughter).

These weeks don't happen often. It's as if the planets align.

[Pete Biro]

Thanks for the review... I do know Trace and Levit are KILLERS... guess I'll have to slide by.
This afternoon we are having a memorial service for Dennis Marks (1:00 pm).

[Sam Kesler]

I intended to go Wednesday night but developed a bug @#$%^&&. Would've been nice to see you again David.

I did the next best thing to get my magic fix. I watched Premise, Power & Participation again. That kid from Boston is pretty damned good. And I didn't have to dress up. ;)

p.s. David, glad you escaped the TV writers' room from hell. What show are you working on and how's it going? Are you able to work on some new magic projects other than your Genii reviews?

[Gordon Bean]

As usual, Dave's right on the mark. What a great week. All the performers are ones I've enjoyed in the past, and this time around I've been able to escape from the library to see two shows: early Close-Up and the Palace. Jonathan's close-up routine is masterfully designed, managing the the tough feat of being simultaneously clear and original. This is an act that could well win any competition, but still keeps the laity giddily on board. Upstairs, Tina, Richard, and Mike are presenting a show that's elegant, mysterious, and hilarious. It's just fantastic, and makes you proud to be a magician.

[David Regal]

Sam -

Thanks for the nice words. My last staff job was with some great people, so I was happy, but it wrapped before Christmas. I'm working with Disney now, developing an idea of mine and finally realizing my dream of working for a production company that's in the same city I live in. I was commuting to Culver City from Burbank for two years, which is a haul - but better than commuting to New York, which I did the year before that. God bless us every one.

And yes, I'm working on magic pretty heavily. I have a couple of card items in production, plus an unusual non-card thing that's still in R&D.