Before the ‘pandemic’ hit NY I had the pleasure of attending a performance of “Nothing Here is Real” with Gary Ferrar. The show is held in a cellar at The Oxbow Tavern in the Upper West Side’. It is like a ‘speakeasy‘. Intimate and well-furnished. Gary’s performance persona is upbeat, charming and a little nerdy but he delivers a wonderful evening of mind-blowing magic and mentalism.
For more information about Gary’s upcoming shows visit his website!
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Every first Monday of the month the folks at Bindlestiff Family Cirkus put together a variety show with everyone invited. New performers and seasoned ones can all try out their acts on the lovely Dixon Place stage. This month was short and sweet! Only 9 acts!
Hosted by Keith Nelson of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus organization. A great performer with numerous skills from many performing arts disciplines. Here he is opening the show with his ‘Chinese yoyo’ act.
Luther Bangart followed Keith with some lovely poetic club juggling.
Book Kennison and Logan Kerr slowed down the evening with a musical duet.
The next act was something new for the delightful and very funny Joel Jeske. An excerpt from his new one-man show ‘The Artist Will Be With You in a Moment“.
Host Keith attempted to catch an imaginary bottle of water on an imaginary umbrella.
The charming and very talented mentalist Robin Channing startled the audience with his amazing skills. I thought of a word and told him my birthday and he had them written down on a post-it during his drive to the theater earlier that night!
After intermission, the show began with some political song from aerialist/singer/choreographer Cleo Carol Knopf.
The next act was Jacob D’Eustachio who recently returned from his working with UK based Giffords Circus. I photographed Jacob in 2009 performing at the Bindlestiff show and now he is back in NY for more juggling/comedy mischief.
Jacob started by juggling some machetes and then handed out lemons to quite a few audience members and ask that they throw them at him. He did cut a few in half with the machetes.
Recently relocated to NY, Rich Potter is a clown with lots of performing history up north. He is trying out material in NY. Tonight he performed a ‘surreal’ piece of comedic physical clown.
The last act of the evening was aerialist Nina Gershy musically accompanied by Book Kennison and Logan Kerr.
Every first Monday of the Month at Dixon Place! Lots of great acts and always surprises.
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Visited ‘The Coney Island Museum‘ last Sunday for the weekly ‘Magic at Coney‘ show.
Great magicians every Sunday and every week there are different ones! I loved the show.
Here are some photographs I took of the wonderful and mystifying performers that day.
Master of Ceremonies and the magic man himself Gary Dreifus.
Jim Vines was a treat. His close up magic was amazing. He worked with coins & Â bills.
David Schwartz did a wonderful set of magic that included cards and mind reading.
Yup! He picked his card after it being buried deep in the frozen block of ice. (notice hammer!)
A few volunteers from the audience were asked to select a movie in their head. He picked it!
Lee Alan Barrett had a great sense of humor and timing with wonderful magic skills.
Lee and audience volunteer are amazed at the rope knot.
 
Lee solicits an opinion from the audience volunteer about the trick.
Harry Mandel had a nice selection of wonderful mind benders for the audience.
The burning urn produced the card this audience volunteer had selected.Â
With the assistance of 3 audience volunteers to secure the handcuff and locks he then escaped from locks after putting his hands in the burlap bag.
Curtain call for the wonderful magicians that performed. Outstanding lineup.
For more information on ‘Magic at Coney”.
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Eric Walton is a very accomplished and professional performer. I saw him first at Dixon Place performing in the Bindlestiff Open Stage Variety Revue. His act was ‘amazing’.
I always am fascinated by great magicians/mentalist so I contacted Eric to find out more about his work and early inspirations. Here is a peek into his upcoming show and early days of learning magic.
For more information/tickets go here!
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I first met Jonathan Burns at the Festival of Fools in Vermont in 2012. I photographed him many times and laughed even more times. He is one funny man! Now he is coming to New York with a gang of  talent that Time Out calls “Some of the Most Skilled Performers in the Business”.
 I hope you can get a ticket~~
The show is described as “Acts of Magic, Mischief and Mystery”
Ben Nemzer – Direct from The Magic Castle in California
Marcus Eddie – Direct from Penn And Teller’s ‘Fool Us’.
Jo Firestone – Direct from ‘The Tonight Show‘.
Special Appearance by Vinnie DePonto – acclaimed mind-reader!
WONDERSHOW, 10pm
Thursday January 19th
The Cutting Room
44 E. 32nd St.
New York, NY, 10016
http://thecuttingroomnyc.com/
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I saw Eric Walton perform at Dixon Place a few months ago. I was really impressed. His demeanor, professionalism, and skills were all top notch. So, when I heard that he was doing his own ‘Mentalist‘ Variety show I had to know more.
Here is Eric Walton talking about the upcoming “Completely Mental” show happening at The Slipper Room on Dec. 28th at 8 pm.
I suggest you get a ticket soon! The show is AMAZING! Here is the interview with Eric.
Click Here for the website dedicated to this upcoming show!
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Featuring the talents of:
Keith Miklas and Melanie Cuccia
Mara Hsiung
Oliver Trager
Harold Moeller
Antonia Lassar
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro and Zhenya Topov
Zero Boy
Eric Walton & Rachel Jessee – The Immaterialist
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MC Keith Nelson gets the show moving along with his ‘Chinese Yoyo’ act
Oliver Trager performs a channeling of Lord Buckley.
Harold Moeller performs a short clown piece which gives him a very large headache.
Marisol Rosa-Shapiro and Zyenya Topov perform a Christmas theme comedy piece.
Zero Boy performs a vocal acrobatic rendition of an action film.
Mara Hsiung performs a beautiful aerial act.
Antonia Lassar performs a clown act about her dog.
Eric Walton and Rachel Jessee (The Immaterialists) were amazing in their mentalist skills.
Keith Miklas and Melanie Cuccia perform a wonderfully acrobatic duo.
Ambrose Martos went from surreal to absurd in his cartoon-like clown piece.
The Finale of the show was Keith Nelson performing his 8 plate spinning act.
In between the plate spinning Keith finds time to catch 5 spoons in metal cans on a platform.
Keith completely had all 8 plates spinning but I was in the front row without a really wide angle lens. Damn!
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Videos from Bindlestiff Open Stage Revue
For more information on Bindlestiff Family Cirkus go here.
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I was delighted to be able to interview Rob Drummond whom I had seen in “Bullet Catch” the night before at 59E59th Theaters. Great evening of magical theater!
A close-up interview with Scotsman Rob Drummond who has written and performs in the hit show at 59E59 Theater in New York City. Direct from a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year. The show is based on an age-old magic trick which Rob has adapted to an evening of theater. He discusses the origins of the play and what the history of it's run here and abroad.
Here is a write up about another one of his plays currently running at the Traverse Theater in Edinburgh.
'Quiz Show'
http://bit.ly/ZzgjkL
http://bit.ly/12m0MJ5
For more information on Rob Drummond in ‘Bullet Catch’ go here!
