We will list SOME of the exceptional talent here, check back often as we update and add MORE MAGICAL NAMES.
ONE name will NOT be revealed until the first day of the convention! This person will be our MYSTERY MAGICIAN for 2019.
You won’t believe your eyes when you see who YOU will get to meet IN PERSON at AbraCORNdabra 2018 – It’s gonna be WILD!
FRANK ZAK
FROM:
Las Vegas, Nevada
Frank Zak is a uniquely talented sleight of hand entertainer originally from the East Coast. He has appeared across the country including the famed FORKS HOTEL (Home of the F.F.F.F.). Using his special talents as a magician, Frank has entertained customers as a magic bartender in Las Vegas since 1990. He also provides entertainment in the corporate environment at Trade shows, Hospitality Suites and company festivities for clients such as: Standard Duplicating Machines Company, Marriott, Atlantic Richfield Co., Dr. Pepper, and ARCO. From start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, frank entertains them all with his unique, easy-to-follow style of magic.
Over the years, Frank has gained accolades from his peers and clients alike. Published in various magic journals, Frank has been recognized by his peers with numerous awards of achievement and excellence. He has performed and lectured for his peers at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention, the Society of American Magicians convention, and at the esteemed Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.
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BEN ZABIN
FROM: Cos Cob, Connecticut
Ben Zabin has been an entertainer his entire life. starting off his career by taking the magic competition circuit by storm, Ben became the proud holder of more than a dozen international awards & honors at an early age. His unique brand of magic has been seen from off-Broadway stages in New York city to the famous Rio hotel & casino in Las Vegas, and everywhere in between. In 2018 alone, he performed over 300 shows.
Ben is the author of the book “AbracaDAMMIT”, and will be sharing selected passages from his book at the exciting Friday night event ~ “TELL S’MORE”
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ALEX GEISER
FROM:
Las Vegas, Nevada
AbraCORNdabra is proud to have Alex Gieser joining us this year. He has been a major force in the underground coin and close-up magic circuit for more than a decade. Alex rarely appears at magic conventions, we are excited and thrilled to have this powerhouse magician coming to Iowa this year!
The only magician working today who got Teller to speak on National T.V. ~ Watch Alex get an audible GASP from one of the hardest men in magic to impress, on the C.W.’s “FOOL US”
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Mario the Maker Magician
FROM:
New York City, New York
Touring children’s performer Mario the Maker Magician is known for his integration of DIY electronics and robotics in his show. As seen on Sesame Street and NBC Universal’s Sprout Channel, Mario the “Maker” Magician is an artist and inventor who creates his own props. He is known for his dedication to the Maker Movement and STEM initiatives and his clever integration of DIY electronics and robotics into his performance. Despite his use of cutting edge technology, he never sacrifices the old-school slapstick vibe that audiences so love. It’s vintage meets the future. Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin for the modern age, with a mad inventor twist, and a whole lot of audience participation.
Mario has even had the honor of touring North America with David Blaine as his opening act in 2018.
Mario received an astounding four Editors Choice awards and a Best in Class at World Maker Faire New York in 2016. He is currently a resident artist developing new work for New Victory Theater’s LabWorks program in New York City. He is also the subject of award-winning indie documentary film, Building Magic.
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Carisa Hendrix
FROM:
Calgary, Canada
Carisa Hendrix grew up fascinated by the art of magic, creating her own tricks to fool her classmates at the age of 7. By the time she graduated from high school, she had become a skilled fire eater and sideshow artist and began doing shows around town to help pay the bills. It wasn’t long before a local magician saw her performances and natural stage presence and hired her on the spot as his new lovely assistant. Over the next 4 years, she worked with for 6 different magicians as an assistant before breaking out to create her own magic shows.
Since then Hendrix has done thousands of performances, written for magic magazines, been featured on iTricks, stage managed for the largest magic convention in the world, and starred in her own Las Vegas Illusion show in 2015.
Her character “LUCY DARLING” has become a “fan favorite” at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California
Hendrix’s unique magical style was showcased nationwide as the star of a feature-length Super Channel documentary that first aired in October of 2016. Hendrix continues to create and perform original magic in her shows all over the world, creating custom props and new magic in her Calgary based studio & workshop. SIDE NOTE: Carisa’s FIRST MAGIC CONVENTION she ever attended was AbraCORNdabra in 2014! We are honored to have her returning as one of our special guest artists!
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Charles Bach
FROM:
Las Vegas. Nevada
Charles Bach is a magician, dancer, illusionist and escape artist. A genuine, contagious enthusiasm makes the audience feel they are part of the magic as Charles transforms a theater into a magical place, filled with joy and wonder.
Charles started doing magic when he was 8 years old after his uncle showed him a card trick while being raised in Collinsville, Illinois, just outside of St. Louis, Mo.. He figured out how to do it and performed the trick the next day for his family. Growing up as a kid, Charles’ life was full of magic and creativity. He built stages and props out of cardboard boxes, floated balls around his room, made puppets from socks, and trained a white dove called ‘Dove Henning’ and a fluffy rabbit ‘Houdini’ to travel and perform at thousands of birthday and Christmas parties.
At 12, Charles started taking dance and acting to help him on stage. His years of ballet, modern and jazz dance training gave him a unique opportunity to study dance at Joffrey Ballet in New York, St. Louis Ballet and Cleveland Ballet. He also performed in musical comedies and plays. Charles blends magic, dance and theater like no other magician in the world.
“Best magician on the planet! Dashing charm, beautiful poetic dance integrated into mysterious illusions, hilarious jokes , spectacular, wondrous magic that leaves you feeling like a child again, wanting more….”
Anjj Lee
Throughout all his theatrical training and dance performing experiences, Charles continued to perform magic shows, study magic books and create his own original illusions. Eager to perfect his skills and talents, he began performing at Caesar’s Magical Empire in Las Vegas. Following his four-year-long Las Vegas success, Charles was approached by theme parks, resorts, casinos and luxury cruise lines to perform his own show. Charles has amazed and wowed audiences around the globe with his WONDERS show. He has appeared all over the world, including performances at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and Branson. He has also been seen on the E! Entertainment Channel, the Discovery Channel and the Food Network, and has made many other appearances on international TV around the world including England, the Netherlands, Norway and Taiwan. Charles’ creativity in magic has been called on to make CEO’s appear or levitate for numerous companies and he has consulted and created magic for ballet companies and other theatrical productions.
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OSCAR MUNOZ
FROM:
San Antonio, Texas
Oscar joined our AbraCORNdabra Family Staff several years ago. He is our Master of Ceremonies for our Big Gala Show at Hoyt Sherman Place each year, as well as our Contest Manager.
Continuing with a tradition we started in 2018, Oscar will again be over seeing a special event JUST for our very special KERNELS Young Magi! A select few magicians will join Oscar as they mentor our Kernels ~ Young Magicians with a private Critique Session & Free Lunch after their performances in the KERNELS YOUNG MAGICIANS SHOWCASE SHOW. We are calling this event the “JIFFY POP PARTY”
This is exclusively for the Kernels and Oscar’s hand-picked staff of magicians only.
For more information about the JIFFY POP PARTY – check out “SPECIAL STUFF”
This person will be our featured guest on our AbraCORNdabra Collectible Coin Series for 2019. This year – the folks who register during our 24 HOUR/ONE DAY ONLY Early Bird Registration Day (January 17th, 2019) – will receive in the mail ONE PHYSICAL CLUE as to who the 2019 MYSTERY MAGICIAN will be…
Here is some more clues…
This year’s MYSTERY MAGICIAN is a World-renowned master magician. He is an extraordinary sleight of hand artist and TV actor who has been charming audiences around the world for decades with his unique style of magic.
Legendary magician Harry Blackstone Jr. described him as “The epitome of real magic”. With movie star good looks, he carries with him all of the elements so crucial for “extraordinary magic”, poise, wit, charisma, and a European style of charm that is totally disarming, along with impeccable sleight of hand.
His magic career really began when he won the Golden Lion Award for stage and close-up magic from Siegfried & Roy at the Las Vegas Desert Seminar. He has been nominated nine times as “Magician of the Year” by the Academy of Magical Arts (the governing body of the Magic Castle) in four different categories. He has won the prestigious Merlin award twice and the Mandrake award once.
Our MYSTERY MAGICIAN is the only American to win awards at two (Yokohama, Japan, and Stockholm, Sweden.), F.I.S.M. (Federation Internationale des Societes Magique), the most prestigious Magic Organization in the World.
This living legend of magic has literally performed his way around the world from the Poly theatres in China, the Grace Kelly theatre in Monte Carlo, the Crazy Horse Cabaret in Paris, France to venues in numerous other countries.
He has appeared numerous times on the “Master’s of Illusion” TV series and has starred on VH1’s magic reality series “Celebracadabra”. In addition to American TV, he has also performed on International TV in countries from China to Spain to Italy to name just a few.
He has performed for such luminaries as Michael Jackson, Muhammed Ali and Howard Stern, as well as for the Queen of England. He is often seen performing on both Coasts, from the well-known Monday Night Magic in New York City to the World famous Magic Castle in Hollywood California.
AbraCORNdabra is proud and honored to have this man coming to Iowa for our 9th year as our treasured & honored guest magician.
For more information about the COLLECTIBLE COIN SERIES – check out the bottom of the “LECTURES” page.
2019 AbraCORNdabra is going to be WILD!
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KEITH WEST & KITTY MARIE
Des Moines, IA
Returning for their ninth year, Keith West & Kitty Marie joins the cast of all star magicians in the Saturday night Gala Show! A local favorite, Keith’s illusions and cast of beautiful female assistants including the amazing Kitty Marie and “The Illusioneers”, are always a feature of our Saturday night evening gala show & they are one of our TOP supporters of AbraCORNdabra!
Keith West Website – http://entertainmentgroupcomedy.com/magicians/KeithWest/keithwest.html
