Tucson, AZ - Hub of Western Cultural World

[Guest]

With one of the liveliest magic communities in the nation ([I]SAM 136 just raised $10,000 for its lecture budget with two shows for the general public) [/) you can be guaranteed meeting a bunch of compeers every Sunday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Williams Magic. The crowd Monday through Thursday is sparser but many pros check in and use the back room noon to six p.m.

I have hit magic shops and "gathering places" all over the world for about 50 years now -- and I can say that Williams Magic is one of the best and friendliest I have ever been in. Their back room is always open to pros to session. Emory Sr. & Jr. have lived magic all their lives -- and are honest about what they know -- and do not know.

If you think of a Martinka's "special room" atmosphere but cleaner and with more space inside a modern magic store with a huge book, tape, DVD sale library, a pro magic inventory, starter stuff, then add juggling and vent goods (a few novelties too), you get the picture.

Tucson is home base for John Shryock (still somewhere off Hawaii at the moment) Eric Buss (somewhere on the planet presumably) Adrian Van Vactor (awaiting the Rapture) Rod Robison (figuring out how they talk to the dead) former SAM VP Mike DeSchalit (trying to get kids down to earth) the venerable Joseph DuPerry (trying to avoid the earth) and Fr. Daniel Roland (looking to the heavens) Jim Riser (holed up in a machine shop, not seeing daylight) and other notables Sorry to report Boston Man (Bruce Martyn) has been ill lately -- but tries to make it to Williams Magic Sundays noon to one.

If you wish to contact me at my seance venue for more information about Tucson, PM me for details through my site wonder-wizard. Yes -- .com. Or contact Williams magic directly.

We generally have at least one larger show going in town each month. In the recent past folks like Kerry Polack, Vito Lupo, Mike Michaels, Charles Bach, Goeff Williams, (of course Eric Buss and John Shryock) Sylvester, Greg Frewin and many more have been on our Gaslight and Temple of Music and Art Stages.

C. H. Mara
Commercial Operations, LLC

[Jim Morton]

I'll second this. Williams Magic is a great store. They also get points in my book for knowing about Bunny's--the magic store in Tucson when I was growing up (50s-60s). I live in San Francisco now (and we have a couple excellent magic stores in the Bay Area too), but I always visit Williams Magic when I pass through Tucson. I recommend it to anyone interested in magic.

Also, unless the f@$#!d it up, The Temple of Music and Art was a beautiful little theater. I'd gladly perform on that stage (actually, I have, but that's another story for another time).

Jim

[Guest]

The Temple of Music and Art is better than ever. Several years ago it was put on the national register and The Holsclaw Foundation put $1 million into exceptionally fine renovations.

Even balcony sightlines are handleable....and Scott now dead ends at the theater. The Masonic Lodge Building nearby has been used for Parlor and Close Up by both IBM and SAM in the last few years -- but no smoke or flame allowed in it.

The nearby (Santa Rita) hotel hosted our last convention in their fully new building. Alas the historic (but somewhat decrepit Santa Rita that spawned so many WWII romances was torn down to make way for the very comfortable new facility.

PLUS the Fox Theater is in the middle of a $5 million restoration nearby, as is the slower moving project in the Rialto across from the still standing Hotel Congress where Dillinger was captured--a great place for a seance, BTW.