Episode 83: Noah Levine joins Elliott for a chat about magic, his experience performing over the years, a critical class in magic, his show "Magic After Hours" and more. Enjoy! Follow Noah (@magicafterhours) on Instagram. Follow us on instagram @MagicalThinkingPodcast and Like us on the Facebox.
Mar 27, 2020•1 hr 39 min
Episode 82: Nate Staniforth joins Elliott for a chat about magic, his process, art, learning, burnout, etc. It's fun! Follow Nate on instagram.com with @natestaniforth for updates. Visit https://nate-s-school-71d4.thinkific.com/courses/making-tricks-into-magic for Nate's new course on Making Tricks Into Magic, and checkout his YouTube page for cool videos and things. Follow us on instagram @MagicalThinkingPodcast and Like us on the Facebox.
Dec 12, 2019•2 hr 2 min
Episode 81: Our guest for this episode is Xavior Spade. Xavior is one of the staple members of the New York coterie of underground card men. He’s also the man behind LostArtMagic, and he’s blazing a trail as one of the great magicians working to elevate the explanation and instruction of magic on YouTube. Xavior and I have been friends for a few years, and it was on my most recent trip to New York that we sat down for our discussion of social media and YouTube, personal and professional creativi...
Mar 09, 2019•1 hr 34 min
Where has Magical Thinking Podcast been? What happened? Here're the answers. Email me at [email protected] and share the new MagicalThinkingPodcast.com Please rate and review the show in iTunes!
Mar 09, 2019•10 min
Episode 80: Derek DelGaudio sits down with Elliott to share his experience of the current state of magic, his feelings on leaving room for the audience to take ownership of the performance, general guidelines for ethically making magic and building a show, and the objectivity of art. Enjoy!
Aug 24, 2018•2 hr 2 min
Episode 79: David Williamson sits down with Elliott to discuss his humble beginnings in Ohio, the blue-collar showbusiness path he was drawn to, his thoughts on scripting and being present in the room, and how he transformed from the shy, quiet kid into the outrageous powerhouse that steals steals the show. Enjoy!
Jun 28, 2018•2 hr 18 min
Episode 78: Lance Pierce sits down with Elliott at PebblePalooza to discuss details and subtlety when crafting routines, how your magic will change as you grow, and Lance shares some amazing stories about his time with Roger Klause, Michael Skinner, Bill Malone, and others. Enjoy!
Jun 22, 2018•2 hr 51 min
Special Episode: Elliott sits down with Danny Garcia and John Wilson at PebblePalooza 6 in Dallas, TX. Lance Pierce was kind enough to offer some time in front of the group at this amazing gathering, and the ensuing conversation is both hilarious and insightful. This is the first episode in front of an audience, and it was a fulfilling and exciting experiment. Enjoy!
Jun 12, 2018•1 hr 34 min
Episode 77: Asi Wind sits down with Elliott to discuss art, magic, and how those can come together. Asi shares thoughts on his creative process, working with David Blaine for television, and how to learn from both failure and success. Enjoy!
May 31, 2018•1 hr 44 min
Episode 76: Jeanette Andrews is a magician and artist who specializes in creating interactive sensory illusions through conjuring, and in the episode she shares about her creative process, her inspirations and mentors, and the empathetic potential of sharing magical experiences. Enjoy! @MagicalThinkingPodcast on Instagram!
Apr 26, 2018•1 hr 39 min
Episode 75: Simon Aronson has written extensively about close-up card magic. You may not know that he has been doing the most baffling two-person mentalism act Elliott has ever seen for almost 50 years. Simon is also a talented ballroom dancer and art collector, and Elliott and Simon discuss passions, the Chicago magic scene, and Ed Marlo in this wonderful episode. Enjoy! Read The Magicians Article in Chicago Magazine: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2016/Magicians/ Visit http:...
Mar 29, 2018•1 hr 24 min
Special Episode! I recently travelled to Chicago for the grand opening of the Chicago Magic Lounge - Chicago’s newest home for close-up and stage magic. The lounge was previously just a a show, but over the last year, the construction of an incredible, immersive magic venue has given the Chicago Magic Lounge a new home and a new face. The place is gorgeous, and visiting and seeing the shows are definitely the coolest experience you can have in Chicago right now. Enjoy!
Mar 16, 2018•1 hr 41 min
This is an update on the state of Magical Thinking. Get bonus content from Elliott at Patreon.com/MagicalThinking. Stay up to date by Liking the podcast on Facebook and following on Instagram: @MagicalThinkingPodcast Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes! Cheers!
Mar 16, 2018•4 min
Episode 74: Rico De La Vega creates and consults for the biggest names on stage and television. In the episode, Rico shares his thoughts on creativity in a collaborative environment, the power of context in performance and how magic can and should be relatable to the audience, and how he believes that the truest potential of magic is to touch, move, or inspire the audience. Enjoy!
Jan 05, 2018•2 hr 36 min
Episode 73: Mike Caveney shares the history of Egyptian Hall Museum, some fo the famed conjurors of the Golden Age of Magic, and himself in this wonderful episode. Mike and Elliott discuss character, work ethic, creativity, and the value of flight time in learning how to be a magician. Enjoy!
Dec 21, 2017•2 hr 4 min
Episode 72: John Wilson sits down to discuss his unorthodox path in magic, his relatively recent and consuming passion for the Tarot, and his ideas regarding making intimate, memorable, meaningful moments of magic with people that he meets. This podcast is full of gold for performing strong magic. Enjoy!
Nov 16, 2017•2 hr 16 min
Episode 71: Magician and magic consultant, Lisa de la Vega, sits down with Elliott to discuss performing with her brother Rico as Junior members at the Magic Castle, her magic teacher’s wisdom, her experience performing around the world, the importance of an attitude of gratitude, women in magic, and consulting for touring stage shows and magic on television. Enjoy!
Nov 03, 2017•2 hr 18 min
Episode 70: Expert card mechanic, Richard Turner, sits down with Elliott to chat about DEALTmovie.com, getting started as a card mechanic, studying card table artifice at the Magic Castle, his personal life and the dedication and discipline he has for mastering cards, his own body, and his mind. Enjoy!
Oct 19, 2017•2 hr 27 min
Big changes are in store for the future of Magical Thinking. Get bonus content from Elliott at Patreon.com/MagicalThinking. Stay up to date by Liking the podcast on Facebook and following on Instagram: @MagicalThinkingPodcast
Oct 13, 2017•20 min
Episode 69: Jim Krenz is a performer and creator who has travelled the world fooling everyone in his path. In the episode, you’ll hear us discuss a wealth of topics including: getting started in Chicago, pitching magic behind the counter, the importance of magic clubs, ethics in magic, creativity, how to fight burnout, and much more. Enjoy!
Oct 05, 2017•3 hr 6 min
Episode 68: The illustrious and incomparable Max Maven joins Elliott to discuss popcorn magic, professional wrestling, magic and meaning, how the internet and television have changed magic for better or worse, and more. Max is one of the most prolific figures in the conjuring community, and he has a lot of wisdom to share. Enjoy!
Sep 22, 2017•2 hr 32 min
Episode 67: Johnny Thompson, a true living legend, sits down with Elliott to discuss the state of magic, how the Mob made Vegas great, performing a silent club act with his wife as Tomsoni & Co., comedy, music, Charlie Miller and The Professor, his upcoming book, and more. Johnny is a charming raconteur, and this episode is full of gold. Enjoy!
Sep 14, 2017•1 hr 57 min
Episode 66: John Archer, award winning comedy magician, writer, and actor, sits down with Elliott to discuss comedy and magic, collaboration, magic on television, and more. John is lovely and hilarious throughout, and his challenge to Elliott near the end of the episode is really a treat. Enjoy!
Sep 07, 2017•2 hr 7 min
Episode 65: Anthony is an award winning television producer and executive in the UK, and he’s done thousands of hours of work on magic for television: Derren Brown, Paul Wilson, James Went, John Archer, and more. Anthony is a renowned creator of magic and mentalism, and he discusses his passion and experience with Elliott. Enjoy!
Aug 31, 2017•1 hr 32 min
Episode 64: Shawn Eric sits down with Elliott to share stories about Cellini, Johnny Fox, Tom Frank, and more. Shawn has been performing for over 30 years, and we talk about busking, travel, passion, and the difference between distraction and entertainment. Enjoy!
Aug 25, 2017•1 hr 59 min
Live: Elliott sits down with Michael Feldman (Ep 36), Raahul Srinivasan (Ep 37), Theron Schaub (Ep 33), and Alex Schaeffer to discuss their experiences of the Golden Gate Gathering, San Francisco's wonderful magic convention. Funny stories, some inside baseball, and a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Aug 18, 2017•1 hr 7 min
Episode 63: Jamy Ian Swiss, renowned magical author, thinker, historian, and teacher, sits down with Elliott to discuss the current magic climate, share stories about coming up in New York, sitting with some of the greats, and launching magic shows. Jamy is oozing with knowledge and experience, and you’ll definitely look forward to seeking out some of his work after the episode. Enjoy!
Aug 11, 2017•3 hr 8 min
Episode 62: Chris Korn, world traveling magician and raconteur, sits down to share stories of his performing career, insight into your performing context, growing up in the St. Louis magic community, burnout, and more! Outstanding stories and many lessons to learn. Enjoy!
Jul 27, 2017•2 hr 20 min
Episode 61: Ben Seidman, a hilarious comedy magician, sits down with Elliott to discuss writing jokes, cruise ship performances, magic on television, hecklers, mean YouTube comments, and more! Chock full of laughs and jokes, listeners of YMIW with Pete Holmes will get a kick out of this one.
Jul 20, 2017•2 hr 18 min
Episode 60: Derek Hughes, the Stand Up Magician, sits down with Elliott after a week in the Palace of Mystery at the Magic Castle. In this episode they discuss triumphs and failures, open mics, America’s Got Talent, working as a professional, scripting and improvising, and pens! This episode is chock full of gold from one of the funniest, most talented magicians working today. Enjoy!
Jul 14, 2017•2 hr 35 min