Bill Blagg's Blog2012-05-19T00:39:17ZBill Blagg Copyright 2012, Bill Blagg SPHPBLOGChanging Reality...One City at a Time! Our "2012 Season" is off to great start! We've been performing in a lot of venues for the first time. It's always exciting working with a new theatre and bringing our one-of-kind brand of magic & illusion to their patrons!
WHITEWATER, WI
Recently we had a run of shows that started off right here in WI and then took us over to OH for a nice group of performances. We started out with 2 shows at the Young Auditorium at the UW-Whitewater campus.
(Shot of the house from the stage)
The venue was amazing and the crew was awesome to work with! SELLING OUT iced the cake for what turned out to be a great day. The crew was ready for us when we showed up and things moved along perfectly. Before we knew it we were just over an hour from the doors opening and the audience packing the venue.
(Setting up the show)
Our audiences for both shows were on fuego (that's fire if you didn't know)! I get such a rush when I'm about to hit the stage to a sold out house of over 1,300 people who are ready to be amazed! Thank you Whitewater for an awesome time! We look forward to seeing you again soon.
COLUMBUS, OH
After our shows in WI we loaded up the truck and hit the road for Columbus, OH. We were scheduled for 2 performances at the historic Lincoln Theatre downtown. The Lincoln is an amazing venue that recently went through a multi-million dollar restoration. Trust me when I say not a single detail was overlooked!
(Lincoln Theatre in Columbus)
The surrounding community has a very rich African American heritage which ties directly into the atmosphere of the theater. If you're ever in Columbus go see a show in this venue! It's truly a remarkable space.
Both of our shows here were SOLD OUT weeks before we arrived. It's always a great feeling knowing that every seat in the venue will be filled when you're about to hit the stage.
Show time came and we were ready to go and judging by the audience's reactions they were ready for us too! Thank you Columbus for such an awesome day at the Lincoln Theatre!!
(My stage manager Nate and I after the show)
ATHENS, OH
We left Columbus immediately after our shows and made the 2 hour trip south to Athens, OH. The next day we were scheduled to perform one of our largest shows to date at the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium. We arrived in Athens with enough time to grab a quick bite to eat and hit a few local hot spots before calling it a night.
The next morning we had breakfast at a cool local diner and then drove over to the venue to begin loading in for the show. The venue holds close to 2,500 people and has hosted just about every major touring act.
(The Templeton-Blackburn Auditorium)
When we were loading in the director mentioned that the last magic show they had was David Copperfield in 1986 (I didn't even know how to ride a bike then)! The bar was high so it was a good thing I flew in some of my additional show crew to work this show with us.
(A cool shot I took during set up)
I'm very proud of my team and the show we present. Our show continues to grow and evolve but one thing I'm most proud of is our original material and high-energy presentation. Our show has illusions that you will not see in any other touring magic show. From my Departed illusion that uses an airplane seat and audience volunteer to my Plexiglass Box where I vanish while suspended 10' in the air even to my Hoverboard that I fly across the stage on these are illusions we've created exclusively for our show. It takes a lot of work to create original material but it's totally worth it in the end!
In addition to our illusions we also have some cool production visuals in our show. As a matter of fact as I write this, fabrication is being completed on some new elements we'll be bringing to the stage later this season!
(Putting the final touches on the lighting)
We combine our illusions with specific music, lighting and staging which all take extreme detail to set up prior to each performance. We strive for perfection and settle for nothing less because our audiences deserve it.
(Final production check before the live show.
I'm also proud that our show in genuine. When I'm on stage I'm just being me. Audiences are smart and can tell when someone is trying to be someone they're not. Our genuine nature is what allows us to connect with our audiences and Athens was no different. I have to admit I was nervous as heck when I was about to take the stage. A mentor of mine always told me that being nervous is a good thing because it shows you care. I guess that explains why I'm nervous before every show :-) In the end though the performance was great and the audience was with us the whole way! At the conclusion of the show we were awarded with an awesome ovation that I will never forget!
(The finale'...what a great show)
After the show I hit the lobby and was greated with a tremendous round of applause! While my team packed up I spent a few hours talking with the people who had come to see our show. It's such a great feeling hearing people tell you how much they loved the show. It makes all the hard work and late nights worth it. Thank you Athens for one of the most memorable shows of my career!
(My stage manager Nate, production Manager "D" and I after the show)
DUBLIN, OH
After our show in Athens we hit the road and headed over to Dublin, OH. We didn't end up getting into Dublin until 1:30am. We were excited to get to the hotel since we had a 7am load in that day!
It had been over 3 years since we last performed in Dublin and I was excited to be back. The performance space is really different from the "typical" theatres we perform in. The venue is known as a "Black Box" style theatre which has an open performance space. With the configuration of this theatre the audience would actually be seated above us with a downward view during the show.
(Setting up in Dublin)
There is nothing better than fooling a packed house especially when they're seated above you! We had a single matinee performance in Dublin that was SOLD OUT and had standing room only! It was a pleasure to be back and the audience was just as excited as I was. Thank you Dublin for a great morning and capping off a wonderful performance week for us! Hope to see you again!
After the show I had to quickly change and head over to the airport to catch my flight home. I made it just in time as they were calling my name one final time before the gate was closed! Talk about a close call.
A few hours after I performed my last illusion in OH I saw a familiar site outside the window...Chicago!
(Chicago from 20,000' up)
Thank you to everyone who came out to see us in WI and OH! This was truly one of the most memorable performance weeks I've ever had. I hope to see you all again soon!
We're off to Austin, TX next week for 5 SOLD OUT shows so stay tuned!
We kicked off our 2012 season a few weeks back in Vineland, NJ. We had been looking forward to this show for awhile. I flew in on Fri night and met up with my team to go over final details before the next morning. Next thing we knew morning was upon us and it was time to load in. I took a few minutes to squeeze in a quick work out before day the got going.
(Me rock lifting)
The day went extremely smooth thanks to Lee, Micheal and Mike. We had the show set up in no time and we were ready to kick our season off! The venue, crew and audience were all amazing.
(View from backstage right before the show)
The packed house absolutely loved the show and let us know by giving us an enthusiastic standing ovation!!! This was our first show with our new team as well as a few new illusions and the energy was great! I couldn't have asked for a better way to start our 2012 season. Thank you NJ!!! We hope to see you soon!
The next day I was sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to board and I ended up running into one of my friends in magic, Mike Super.
(Mike and I)
I hadn't seen Mike in about 5 years and never expected to bump into him at the airport! We spent some time catching up but then I had to run so I didn't miss my flight. What a small world!
We're off to Whitewater, WI, Columbus, OH, Athens, OH and Dublin, OH this week! Stayed tuned for more photos and stories from the road.
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry120212-1332482012-02-12T00:00:00Z2012-02-12T00:00:00ZTHANK YOU 2011, HELLO 2012! We recently closed out our 2011 performance season with 4 great back-to-back shows on the east coast.
My team and I flew into NY and made the quick trip across the George Washington Bridge to the Bergen PAC in Englewood, NJ. This was our third year in a row performing there. It's a beautiful performing arts center that hosts a variety of well-known national touring acts. We were honored to once again be part of their season.
We had 2 great shows with some very responsive audiences. It was great to see a lot of familiar faces and catch up with our friends after the shows.
Immediately following our NJ shows we headed back across the GWB to Queens, NY. By the time we arrived we were ready for a late dinner. Our hotel suggested a great restaurant which didn't disappoint. I carbed up and had the lasagna dinner. I was shocked when the plate arrived! I fought a great fight but in the end I wasn't able to finish it all.
Our waitress was a lot of fun and it turned out she was from Wisconsin! She was now living in NY to pursue an acting career. She said she loves WI so much that she got the state tattooed on her neck...she wasn't kidding! I've heard of cheddar pride but this takes the cake or should I say cheese :-)
The next morning we loaded in for our 2 performances at the Queens Theatre in the Park. This was our first time performing at this venue. When we arrived we were greeted by the observatory towers which were featured in the movie, Men in Black. Turns out the theatre in right underneath them! It was really neat to see them in person and take a quick walk around the park.
Set up went really well thanks to Ruben and his crew. We had 2 great shows that both ended with standing ovations! What a great way to cap off our 2011 season! We truly look forward to bringing our show back to Queens in the near future.
Following the show we packed up and grabbed a quick photo in front of the Unisphere.
I would like to thank everyone who came out to our shows this year. We truly appreciate all your support and are grateful for the opportunity to entertain you!
We will start our 2012 season in Vineland, NJ on January 28th at the Landis Theater. If you're in the area come see us!
Here's to 2012!
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry120103-2209562012-01-04T00:00:00Z2012-01-04T00:00:00ZEXCITING TIMES! We've been enjoying a few months of down time to focus on some key aspects of our show. We're finalizing our new stage set and are excited to start fabrication on it! We're also working on a few "special" projects that I can't talk about just yet but as soon as I can I will let you know!
It's a very exciting time for us. We've started slotting in dates for our 2012/13 tour and it's shaping up to be our largest tour to date! We also are closing on our brand new warehouse at the end of next month! This new facility will give us additional room for development, practice and much more! I'll post some pics once we move in.
Well, that's it for now! I'll be in touch!
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110925-1118202011-09-25T00:00:00Z2011-09-25T00:00:00ZDO "NEW" ILLUSIONS REALLY EXIST? My family and I had a great time during the 2 short days we were in town! Met up with a lot of old friends in magic and made some new ones.
(Hanging out with Mike Caveney before the afternoon show)
(James Dimmare and I before the evening show)
We were all sitting around one night and someone asked the question of whether or not there is such a thing as a "new" illusion. What seemed like a simple question created one of the most interesting conversations on magic I've had in a long time.
As we were discussing if "new" illusions really exist one of the illusions in my show was brought up. One of the gentlemen mentioned my "Walking Thru Steel" illusion. He asked, "Bill, is your Walking Thru Steel illusion new?" I joked and said, "No, it's a few years old." In all seriousness, while the design and method are "new" to magic is the illusion itself? Hmmm...well to be honest the answer would have to be no. Magicians have walked thru walls, steel, mirrors, etc. for a number of years.
Take the popular "Walking Thru a Brick Wall" illusion for example...
Harry Houdini first performed a version of this illusion in 1914 after receiving performance rights from a London magician named Sidney Josolyne. In Sidney's version he walked thru a steel wall. Harry Houdini changed out the steel wall for a common brick wall. The rest is history.
Houdini might have been the first to walk thru a brick wall but he wasn't the last. Famous illusionist Doug Henning performed a version of this illusion in Dec. of 1977 on his network TV special. 9 years later in 1986 David Copperfield performed his version when he walked thru the Great Wall of China! The illusion then fell off the "magic radar" for a number of years. Most recently a modern version has made its way to the stage. Actually not too far from where Houdini first performed it! French illusionist Jan Rouven performed this modern version on a 2008 french TV special. You can see Jan's performance of it here:
It was the first time the illusion had been seen in Europe since Houdini performed it in 1914! As they say...what is old is new again!
This is just one example but the same is true for some of the other popular "walking thru" illusions. In 1981 Doug Henning walked thru a mirror on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Then in 1990, David Copperfield walked thru a mirror. I'm surprised nobody has gotten stuck yet! Oh wait...someone did! In the Broadway musical "Amour" the hero of the musical actually got stuck while passing thru a brick wall!
There are many "walking thru" effects in shows all over the world today. David Copperfield currently performs a really cool "Passing Thru Steel" which for the record is much different than the version I perform ;-) The reality is these style of effects have existed for years. Does creating a new method or look to the props make them new or do people see the same "magic moment" in all of them? I guess that is for the audiences to decide.
In the end my opinion is that "new" illusions don't exist. They're just creative twists on classics of magic and if performed right come off as new. For example, we've all seen magicians levitate their assistants or themselves and we've seen David Copperfield fly. However, have you ever seen someone fly around on stage on a flying skateboard?! Well I do but the root of my Hoverboard illusion is a classic magic levitation but we've twisted it to make it our own and new to audiences.
For me it always comes down to one thing...entertainment. Is my audience entertained by what I do? If the answer is yes then I'm doing things right. Every performer is different and we all have our own styles. Some will claim to be the only ones performing certain illusions but the reality is they're probably not. They even go a step further to state they created the illusions and other performers took their ideas or copied them. Again, not the case. Don't get me wrong, there are illusions out there that performers have created for their shows exclusively. We have a few. For example, my Departed, Hoverboard and Plexi Box illusions were created by me and my team for our show only. You will not see them in any other show. Likewise, you won't see my Thru Steel illusion in any other show (at least for now) but I can't take credit for its creation. That credit goes to renowned magic creator Jim Steinmeyer who creates illusions for many of today's top professionals.
In the end, to me performing illusions is more than just rolling a prop onto the stage. It's about taking the time to develop the piece from start to finish, creating the right jokes, moments, situations and then staging it all to lighting and sound to bring it to life! That to me is where the true "magic" is. As my dad always says, "The trick doesn't do itself. It's up to you to make it something different and special," which is exactly what I strive to do every time I get on stage.]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110816-1552542011-08-16T00:00:00Z2011-08-16T00:00:00ZThat's a Wrap!
Our spring season closed out with a Friday performance in Wilkes-Barre, PA and a Sunday show at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY. These last two shows were a great way to cap off what has been our best tour yet!
Our PA show was completely SOLD OUT!! It was an awesome audience and I can't even begin to describe the energy in the air during the show! Thank you to the union crew and local staff for all of their hard work!
Prior to our performance in Albany, NBC Channel 13 invited me to come perform on their Morning Show. I gladly agreed and put together something really cool to perform on the show.
I arrived at the NBC 13 studios an hour before the show was set to go live. It was cool walking around the studio and meeting the show hosts and crew. Before we knew it the hour had flown by and it was time to get ready!
(Checking my hair)
Right before the show went live I noticed a mirror hanging above me on the ceiling. I just couldn't resist myself and I had to take this shot!
With that photo op out of the way it was time to bust out some magic for the folks watching at home. The trick went off great and the hosts were floored with what I performed. They even tried to bribe me to tell them how it was done!
(Performing live on the air)
Thank you to everyone at NBC 13 Albany for such a great time! I also want to send a special thank you to my friend Rick Wilcox for his help with the routine I performed on the show. With the TV appearance done it was time to get over to the theatre and get ready for the show!
When I got to the theatre my crew was already working away at getting our truck unloaded. We had a tight schedule with the performance taking place at 3PM. The union crew at the Palace was great and had our equipment up and running in no time.
After a quick late lunch showtime was upon us. Hundreds of people were filing into the theater ready to see the show we had in store for them. My crew and I had been looking forward to this show for months now. The audience was just as excited as we were. The show ended with an incredible standing ovation!! Thank you Albany!
After the show, we loaded all of our equipment out of the theater which completed our spring tour.
(The Palace Theater)
Thank you to everyone who came out to see our show this year! Also, a big thank you to all of the venues who included The Magic of Bill Blagg LIVE! on their season and made this tour possible!
Have a great summer everyone...I'm going on vacation!
Bill ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110618-1239522011-06-18T00:00:00Z2011-06-18T00:00:00ZON THE ROAD AGAIN!
Prior to our performance at the Palace in Albany, I'll be making an appearance on the NBC Weekend Today Show which airs on Channel 13. If you're in the viewing area tune in to check out a little something I put together for the show!
I'll be taking a lot of pictures from the road and will post more when we get back. Hope everyone is doing well!
-Bill
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110518-2240082011-05-19T00:00:00Z2011-05-19T00:00:00ZReinventing I'm very fortunate to have one of the industry's top magic consultants on my team. His name is Don Wayne. Don has invented an endless amount of illusions that have been featured by top professionals all over the world. He's made it possible for people to walk thru the Great Wall of China, Vanish Lear Jets and much more.
(Don Wayne)
Don has been working side by side with me on our show for a number of years now. He and I collaborate on a large number of concepts and ideas, some of which have recently made their way to the stage in our show. It's a very rewarding process watching things go from a random spoken idea, to a sketch on a sheet of paper, to a full complete illusion. It's a process that takes an endless amount of time. One of the new pieces we're working on right now has been in the works for well over 5 years!
As I already mentioned, we have recently gone through our entire show top to bottom. We've discovered and enhanced a lot of key moments in the show. We're always looking to push the envelope further and present new, original, entertaining magic with each season. Our new line-up will debut in September 2011 and will feature some really cool, original magic you won't see anywhere else! I'm really looking forward to bringing it all to the stage!
(Don and I about to enjoy some dinner after a long day of work)
During our show review, we recognized some key areas that we wanted to add more visual elements to. We've tossed a bunch of ideas back and forth and have come up with some really cool concepts. I'm in the process of working with one of the country's top production companies to bring these visual elements to life. We're experimenting with a variety of soft goods (fabric) as well as trussing, lighting, etc. to bring a visual element to our show not seen in the industry today. Very exciting times!
(Don Wayne and Tom McPhillips discussing some ideas while on tour with our show)
Keep an eye out for our new "look" and "feel" that will be coming to a stage near you ;-) We're going to be working very hard in the shop over the next few months before we head back out on the road to finish our season in Wilkes Barre, PA and Albany, NY!
If you want to get an inside look on what we're up to sign up for MOBB Mail at www.billblagg.com!
Till next time!
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110316-2248052011-03-17T00:00:00Z2011-03-17T00:00:00Z2011 Kicks Off! (Loading up for the first show of 2011)
On Jan 8th we rolled in to Morristown, NJ for 2 shows at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. The day started early with our first show at 3PM but the crew got everything dialed in with plenty of time to spare.
(Getting ready for the show)
Both of the shows were packed and the standing ovations were greatly appreciated! What a way to start off 2011! We'll be heading back out to NJ on Feb. 12th.
After Morristown, NJ we made our way back to WI and rocked Sheboygan, WI on Jan 15th!
We had a special treat for our audience in Sheboygan. After a few trial performances last year we officially introduced our new illusion "Departed" into our line-up at the Sheboygan show! The audience loved it! We're still receiving e-mails asking us where Jim went! Jim was the lucky soul who volunteered that night to assist us on-stage. A few moments before Jim "departed" he told the audience that he was hoping he'd end up in Hawaii. I think Jim's wish came true! To everyone in Sheboygan wondering we did end up finding Jim and returned him to his wife Sue.
(Jim and I following the show)
The show was great and yet another standing ovation! We're on a standing ovation streak...15 in a row! After the show we had a very long line of fans waiting to say hello. It was great meeting with them and hearing about their favorite parts of the show and the great time that they had!
Once we got all the equipment packed up and loaded in the truck we went out for a little bit of fun on the town. Some of my family was in town for the show as well as close family friends as well. We had an amazing time coming back to Sheboygan and can't wait to come back again!
(Group photo while on the town)
We're off for a few weeks and using the time to get our new tech (Mike) up to speed since he'll be running some of the upcoming shows. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in Mahwah, NJ on Feb 12th!
Bill ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110124-2009252011-01-25T00:00:00Z2011-01-25T00:00:00ZI'm Alive! We're off to Sheboygan, WI tomorrow for a show at the Stefanie Weill Center at 7:30PM. If you're in the area come on out and see the show. We will be debuting a few new illusions tomorrow night! We've got a lot of cool new things in store for 2011!
I'll post some pics once we get back!
Stay warm!!!
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry110115-0042542011-01-15T00:00:00Z2011-01-15T00:00:00ZEnglewood, NJ & Soul Train Awards (My stage manager Nate, myself and Taraji Henson locking Terrence Howard into my Plexi Box illusion!)
This morning I received word from back home that there was a nice mention about us performing on the Soul Train Awards in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
My production manager Tim and myself just completed the 15 hour drive from Milwaukee to Englewood. It was a very smooth trip, save for a brief snowstorm when we were coming through PA. Our performance in Englewood tomorrow night will be our final show for 2010. It's been a great season and we'd like to thank everyone who came out to see our show and all the new friends we met on the road this year.
We have a few new illusions in the show tomorrow night so if you find yourself in the Englewood, NJ, area come on out. A few good seats still remain at www.ticketmaster.com.
Once the show wraps I'll be catching a plane out of NY bright and early at 6am on Monday to head back home :-) I'm looking forward to spending the next month at home, decorating for the holidays and spending some much needed time with family and friends.
Don't forget to check out the Soul Train Awards tomorrow night at 8pm (central) on BET!
Have a safe and happy holiday season!!
Bill
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry101127-1654192010-11-27T00:00:00Z2010-11-27T00:00:00Z2010 SOUL TRAIN MUSIC AWARDS (Terrence and I making Taraji levitate in mid-air!)
In addition to the levitation, we also performed one of my original effects called "The Plexiglass Box". My stage manager Nate and I assisted Taraji on stage while Terrence was brave enough to step inside the box.
(My Plexiglass Box Illusion on set for rehearsal)
I can't tell you what happened so you'll have to tune in to see for yourself! The show will air on November 28th on the BET Network (check your local listings).
I can't even begin to explain what an amazing experience this show was! Nate and I were on location for 4 days. Nate was a huge help and was very instrumental in working with the crew to make sure everything went off without a hitch.
(Nate and I outside the venue prior to filming)
We wrapped taping early this morning around 1:30am with over 2,500 in attendance. Many celebrities were present including Steve Harvey, Anita Baker, R. Kelly, Bruno Mars, Ron Isley, and many more. Steve Harvey and I were talking after the magic portions of the show and he said the illusions blew his mind! I was stoked to hear that!
Overall, the entire show was filled with incredible energy and amazing performances. From the stage set to all of the performances not a single detail was overlooked.
(The stage set for the 2010 Soul Train Awards)
I feel honored to have been a part of this show. Make sure you tune in on Nov. 28th...you won't be disappointed.
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry101111-2001252010-11-12T00:00:00Z2010-11-12T00:00:00ZJackie's Magic 2010 For 7 years now, Jackie's Magic has raised food to feed the hungry of Lake County, IL. The show is organized by Jim Stanislawski who created the show as a tribute to his daughter Jackie who passed away in a tragic car accident. Admission to the show in non-pershable food or a cash donation to the food pantry. This year was a banner year for donations!
My team and I volunteered our time in addition to our lighting equipment and stage set. Both my production manager Tim and stage manager Nate played an integral part in bringing the whole show together.
It was truly an amazing day watching 8 performers come together to put on a show for a capacity crowd to help feed the hungry. Everyone who is a part of the show volunteers their time for this charitable cause. It's nice seeing everyone come together to share their talents for such a cause.
In addition to the performers, we were also joined by world-renowned magician Marshall Brodien. Marshall is well-known for his role on The Bozo Show as Wizzo the Wizard as well as his ever popular TV Magic Cards.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support this great cause! Also, a big thank you to all of the volunteers who made this show possible and to Jim and his family for their hard work organizing the event.
For those who think magic isn't real...an event like this proves that it is!
-Bill
(Marshall Brodien and me after the show) ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry101027-2139322010-10-28T00:00:00Z2010-10-28T00:00:00ZHOVERBOARD!!! Today is a day that I've been working toward for a very long time. A little over 10 years ago I came up with an idea for an original illusion called the Hoverboard. It was based on the flying skateboard called a "Hoverboard" seen in the popular movie Back to the Future. I was in college sitting in my dorm trying to come up with something really cool that had never been done in a magic & illusion show before. All of a sudden BOOM! it hit me....the Hoverboard!
It's been a VERY long road to finally get this thing off the ground (no pun intended). I've been working with a team of builders and consultants to make this crazy idea a reality. Over the years we've gone through numerous concepts just to find out that they wouldn't work. A few years back we came close to having it all figured out then we hit a major snag so it was back to the drawing board. I was about to give up and then someone told me a quote Thomas Edison said when he was trying to invent the lightbulb..."I didn't fail 2,000 times...I just found 2,000 ways it wouldn't work!" That quote became my inspiration to never give up and to keep trying. Let me just say I know a lot of ways the Hoverboard won't work :-)
I'm always pushing myself to bring original material to the stage to create an experience like nothing that's ever been seen before. Specifically original, one-of-a-kind magic combined with my own unique style. I feel audiences deserve to see something new and unique and as a performer it's extremely rewarding to present your own original illusions that can't be purchased from a magic builder. With that said I present to you my latest creation....the Hoverboard!
(Riding my new Hoverboard)
I want to say thank you to my parents Bill & Debbie, Don Wayne, Willie Kennedy, Jim Steinmeyer, Don Horsley, Kristin Miller, Barry Richter, Ryan Reed, Miles Brooks, Jim Brando, Tim Clothier, Tiffany Cincotta, Hallie Meyer, Nate Richter, Tim Cooksy and everyone out there who didn't think I was crazy, believed in the concept and helped make it a reality. THANK YOU!
If you want to catch the Hoverboard in action it can only be seen in our show! It'll be one of the featured illusions in our upcoming tour (select cities)! I hope you get a chance to see it live!
Stay Tuned!
-Bill
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100720-2053522010-07-21T00:00:00Z2010-07-21T00:00:00ZNew illusions!!! It's very rewarding seeing these illusions finally hit the stage to be performed in front of live audiences. You can only practice in the shop for so long before you have to put it in front of the people and see how it goes. It's an exciting/scary process but it's the only way to truly grow as an artist and stand out from the other shows out there.
As some of the illusions make their way to the stage others are leaving the shop(s) where we have them fabricated. For example, right now I have a project being built in N. Hollywood at a company called EDF. They are known in the industry for building some of the most cutting-edge magic seen today. My consultant Don Wayne and I actually discussed this original effect over 12 years ago! Recently, Don and I started talking about it again and decided we should go for it and finally make it happen.
Here are a couple of pictures from EDF of it being built. It should be done and on its way to Milwaukee in the next couple of weeks.
I'd love to tell you more about what it is exactly but I'd rather you see it for yourself in our live show! I have a feeling this one is going to be a serious jaw-dropper!
If you're in the Chicagoland area come out and see us this Saturday at 7:30PM at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights, IL! We're debuting more new illusions so come check them out.
After the show this Sat. we're going to take some time off to overhaul the show before our tour starts again in Oct.
I hope you're having a great summer.
Bill ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100714-2218372010-07-15T00:00:00Z2010-07-15T00:00:00ZThat's a wrap...
We finished our final show of the season this past Friday night at the Capital Theatre at the Overture Center in Madison, WI. It was one heck of a way to send this banner season out in style! I honestly feel it was the best performance we've ever done! Thank you to everyone who came out and made the show a grand success. There's no better way to close out the season than with a packed house and a standing ovation!
(Getting ready to walk thru steel)
We had some amazing moments on stage with my audience volunteer Doug during my Walking Thru Steel illusion. It's always great when the audience yells out random things that end up bringing the house down! It was such an awesome moment as I was starting to pass thru the steel plate and I could hear the massive "WOAH!" sound sweep across the crowd...it gave me chills!
In addition to an awesome night, my consultant Don and I were working very hard to put the finishing touches on some very large projects we have going on. We were able to complete all of our necessary onsite work and I'll be heading out to Hollywood in the coming weeks to start putting all of the data together.
(Don working backstage)
This year was by far our best year ever! My team and I have worked VERY hard to create and present a show unlike any other show out there today. It's been so rewarding seeing more and more venues take notice at our original production. Thank you to all the local crews, presenters and fans who made this tour possible!
I'm taking this week off! Woo Hoo!
Stay tuned for lots of exciting news to come ;-)
Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100503-1923102010-05-03T00:00:00Z2010-05-03T00:00:00ZTaking Off..... This past weekend was a huge milestone for our show. We performed 3 shows, in 3 nights in 3 cities and received 3 standing ovations! Holla! We performed at some amazing venues! Thank you to the local crews and the presenters who made this past weekend possible. In addition, we also successfully tested 3 brand-new illusions! Video and photos are coming soon so stay tuned!
My consultant Don Wayne was onsite with us for the past 5 days. We have a few large projects we're working on and it was great to have him onsite. His insight and knowledge in magic is unparalleled in the industry today and it's an honor to be working with him!
(Don and I chatting backstage)
In addition to staging our new illusions and projects we also had Tom McPhillips onsite with us Friday night. Tom is world renowned in the entertainment industry for his work with acts such as Ricky Martin, Martina McBride, Michael Jackson, Michael Buble', MTV and many more. Tom and I are in the initial stages of a very important project with our show!
(Tom and I going over some concepts backstage)
We have so many exciting things going on right now! Wooooo!! Stay tuned and keep your eye out for many of these great things coming soon!
Up next is Madison, WI, on April 30th! If you're in the area come out and see us!
-Bill]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100420-2037272010-04-21T00:00:00Z2010-04-21T00:00:00ZMagic is a Rodeo! Our first stop was the Sherman Theatre in PA. As we rolled into town the day before we were looking around and BOOM! we found the theatre. Here's a quick pic I took from the car and I didn't even hit the guy stopped in front of me!
The audience here was great and we had an awesome time. A few notable people in the magic industry came out to see our show. It was cool catching up after the show.
After PA we took off to CT for 2 shows on Saturday. We had a few "issues" on the drive there. My assistant and I were following behind the truck in our super stellar blue Hyundai rental car. The long and short of it is the guys driving the truck ended up on the wrong road! Commercial trucks were prohibited from being on the road since there were low bridges (8')! I'm not going to mention any names...(Tim)...but the guys ended up exiting and having to call the state police to escort them off of the highway. Personally, I just think they like escorts. In the end everyone arrived safe and we crashed out since we had an early load in.
My team always amazes me and not just because they let me sleep in while they load in the show. However, on this occasion the venue posed a few minor challenges so my production manager called and woke me up and asked me to come down to the theatre to check things out. We got everything set and before we knew it show time was upon us!
Here's my team (The MOBB) posing for a quick pic before the start of the evening show. I was busy exploring the back stage area while the photo op was going on.
I scored HUGE on my exploration! I came across a conference room that had a large stuffed animal on the table. People in this business always say life on the road is like a rodeo....you bet it is!
(yeeeeehaaaawwww!!!)
Well, for the next few weeks I'm going to be busy in the shop working on a new appearance and a couple of other surprises we're working on for our shows in Michigan. We have 3 shows in 3 days in Michigan coming up here in just a few weeks. If you're in the area come out and see us! The week after our MI run we'll be in Madison, WI, at the Overture Center's Capital Theatre! It's an amazing venue and we're looking forward to performing there!
We have new tour dates and a bunch of other goodies coming soon so stay tuned!!
BB3 ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100315-2127452010-03-16T00:00:00Z2010-03-16T00:00:00ZEast Coast Baby!!! Tomorrow we are performing our new style cabaret show in NJ! It's an amazing new concept that we've been working on with my consultant Don Wayne. Both of our shows are sold out! It's not everday people get a chance to experience grand scale magic in such an intimate setting! Going to be an awesome time.
Stay tuned!!!
BB3]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100307-0036232010-03-07T00:00:00Z2010-03-07T00:00:00ZGreen Bay! We had a few extra hours before the start of the show so we decided to do some testing on a new illusion we've been working on. The illusion is called "Departed" and it's an original idea I came up with a few years back. Many revisions later and we finally moved forward with building the actual prop. It came in last week from Las Vegas and I was thrilled to have a chance to work with it before our show on Friday night. This illusion is AMAZING!! It seriously made me jump up and down screaming! It will be in our line up starting the first week of March so I hope you can see it for yourself!
(Testing "Departed" on stage in Green Bay)
Show time came quickly so we packed up Departed and got ready to kick things off. 7:30 came and wham! the show started. The Meyer Theatre is where we performed and it was one of the first true theatres that I've ever performed in when I was getting started in the illusion business. My team always says performing in Green Bay is like coming home to where it all began. A few of my old crew members even made the trip to come see the show. It's amazing how 2 hours feels like it goes by in a blink! In the end it was a great show! Thank you again everyone!
Afterward I had the pleasure of meeting many of those in attendance. I always love to hear what people have to say about their favorite illusion(s), etc. We even had some aspiring magicians in the crowd. One of which even took a minute to show me a really neat card trick after the show. He did an excellent job showing me a card trick that involved some complicated magic sleights.
(The tables are turned...now I get to watch in amazement!)
At the end of the meet and greet line was the luckiest man in the crowd...Larry. He will forever be known to us as "Larry the Beer Guy." I've been doing a routine in my show for years called "Hospitality" which is an illusion with a milk carton that can pour virtually any drink at any time. This was the first show we poured beer from the carton and when it came time to hand it our for a taste the crowd went crazy! It's true what they say about WI and their beer! Hahhaa! Larry was the lucky man selected to taste the beer and he came up after the show and told me it was great and had me sign his cup!
(Larry the Beer Guy!)
I can't thank everyone enough for coming to the show and supporting us over the years. It means a lot to me and my entire crew. Thank you Matt, Tim, Paula and the entire gang up there who made it all possible. Can't wait to see you all again!
-BB3
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100131-2113172010-02-01T00:00:00Z2010-02-01T00:00:00ZSouth Milwaukee Performing Arts Center Here are a few snaps from the show of my Walking Thru Steel illusion.
We're off to Green Bay for our show on Jan. 29th. We will be debuting 2 new illusions that night! Hope to see you there!
BB3 ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100119-2219522010-01-20T00:00:00Z2010-01-20T00:00:00ZWalking Thru Steel I've received e-mails from many people asking to see some pictures and video of the effect. So, I'm attaching some pics for everyone to check out. However, if you want to see the routine you'll have to come to the show :-)
Here are some pics from a recent practice.
I hope you dig it!
-BB3]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091222-2338352009-12-23T00:00:00Z2009-12-23T00:00:00ZWilmington, DE
After our shows on Friday and Saturday in Springfield, MA, we immediately took off for our overnight drive to Wilmington, DE. The GPS had us getting in just after 4am and our load in at the theatre was at 7am! It wasn't too bad of a drive and we got to see the NYC skyline as we drove by. I've never been to NYC so it was a cool site to see.
After a few quick hours of sleep our day began. We had the pleasure of playing at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE. The building is absolutely stunning! When I came around the corner downtown and saw it my mouth dropped. The organization behind this historic facility has done an amazing job restoring this beautiful space. It was almost demolished!
It's so sad that many of these historic places have been demolished and turned into parking lots over the years. They are so rich in history and it's almost like going back in time when you step through the doors into the lobby. Speaking of that...what was really neat is that the new lobby was built around the original exterior. When you look down the hall you can see the original brick exterior. Here a shot of it below.
We had a great show here which capped off with a standing ovation! We're on a roll with them :-) After the show was done I spent about an hour in the lobby signing autographs and meeting with the fans. Afterward I walked around a took a few more pictures and in one of them I think I caught a ghost! The pic is below....look on the left side on the back pillar by the cart. If you download the pic and zoom in there appears to be a mans face staring at me. Many of these historic places we play are haunted. I'm just fortunate that the spirits must like our shows because they always seem to be cooperative with us.
(ghost pic)
Until next time!
-BB3
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091125-1407092009-11-25T00:00:00Z2009-11-25T00:00:00ZAmazing time in Springfield, MA!
I had the pleasure of performing at City Stage in Springfield, MA, over the weekend. We made the long journey from Milwaukee to perform for a total of 3 shows. All I can say is that the place rocked! It was a different stage style than we are used to performing on but it was so cool! Usually when you're onstage you have to walk down the steps to interact with the audience...but not here! You can literally walk right up to everyone because they are on the same level.
If you've been to my show you know how interactive it is so I loved this theatre. Though I do think I freaked a woman out in the front row when I walked up to her and asked her what she was drinking. She swore it was just coke....riiiiiiight ;-)
My team and I had a great time peforming at City Stage over the 2 days we were there. The audiences were loud and awesome and the feedback at the meet and greets after the shows was amazing! Thank you to everyone who came out! We hope to see you again very soon!
-BB3
(Theater Lobby)
(Yes...this is my favorite shirt) ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091123-1744472009-11-23T00:00:00Z2009-11-23T00:00:00ZThere's more than corn in Iowa! (Stage prior to the start of the show)
This past weekend my team and I had a return performance in Maquoketa, Iowa. The staff and crew at the Ohnward Fine Arts Center are an amazing group of people and we always enjoy working with them. They have a beautiful theatre that holds close to 800 patrons. We last performed here just over 1.5 years ago so we were looking forward to coming back.
My crew headed out to IA from our shop on Friday night but I was staying home the extra day and joining them in the morning. My fiance' and I took off early Sat to head to IA to meet the crew and ended up getting stopped coming through IL for not having a front license plate on my car! The cop asked me if I by chance had $75 cash on me...hmmmm...I wonder if Officer Schmidt was looking to make a deal? Needless to say I got my ticket and was on my way.
Once I got the venue I caught up with the crew and started working on polishing up the illusions for the show. I'm very particular on how each illusion looks on stage and spend a lot of time maintaining their appearance. After all it is show business!
(polishing the plate for Thru Steel)
Show time came and the audience was packing into the theatre. I thought it was really neat how they project sponsors and information about the show onto the theatre walls.
The audience was great and the show flew by! Afterward I had the pleasure of meeting with a few fellow magicians who came out to see the show. They had some really nice comments and feedback on the show. It's always a pleasure seeing other performers come out to show their support.
Afterward we headed off to El Cazador for some mexican food and then to the Decker Inn to catch up with our good friend Troy who owns the place. We made friends with him last time we were in town so it was nice spending a few hours catching up.
Thank you Iowa for a great weekend!
-BB3
]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091116-1349192009-11-16T00:00:00Z2009-11-16T00:00:00ZLadysmith, WI -BB3
(Illusion testing before the show) ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091108-0559312009-11-08T00:00:00Z2009-11-08T00:00:00ZParamount Theatre
Last night we performed at the amazing Paramount Theatre in Anderson, IN. My crew and I had an awesome time and thank you to everyone who came out! In addition to a haunted theatre it was really neat performing Houdini's Metamorphosis illusion on the 83rd anniversary of his death. Overall, we had a great show and received a standing ovation to end the performance! Going to get some rest now. We're off to Ladysmith, WI, next!
Stay Tuned!
BB3 ]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry091101-1915052009-11-02T00:00:00Z2009-11-02T00:00:00ZTeam Work We've been in the shop lately putting the finishing touches on a number of projects that have been in the works for some time now. We just completed testing this weekend on an illusion I designed with my good friend Ryan Reed over a year ago. It's been through various design and fabrication changes before finally becoming the piece it is today. I want to thank my dad and Tim Clothier for their amazing fabrication work to make this illusion possible. Now that testing is out of the way we're going to start adapting the illusion for the stage by adding the lighting and the music to bring it all together. Once it's all set the prop will head over to be powder coated and have some last minute additions placed on it before being introduced into the show. It's been a long time coming but the final result is well worth the wait!
Here's a few pics from testing this weekend.
In addition to this illusion we're also actively working on 5 other effects. One has been in the works for close to 8 years now! Mostly because I can't seem to make up my mind on it but I think I've finally got it figured out :-) We did some initial testing with it this weekend and realized the direction we were going just wasn't going to work. With that being said we had to scrap over 2 years of work and head a completely different direction. I feel very confident in this new direction so hopefully I'll have an update on things in the next few months. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't...that's the joy of creating new material.
With all of the hard work my team and I put in it's important to take some time away to recharge the batteries. We make it a point to have a fun night out from time to time so we can relax and catch up on everyday life. It's so rewarding to not only have a team of great people helping to make this all possible but also being able to call them my best friends.
Here's a snap of us from a recent night out. We were hoping the booth would vanish like in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure but it never happened.
As always stay tuned! We have a lot of exciting news on the way.
-BB3]]>http://www.billblagg.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090920-2029452009-09-21T00:00:00Z2009-09-21T00:00:00ZBB3 on Twitter!
Hey everyone! Just finished setting up my official Twitter page. If you are on Twitter follow me!
This past weekend I took a much deserved vacation with my fiance' and her family. For our quick 4 day getaway we decided to head up to Wisconsin Dells to take in some sun and water slides. We were fortunate to have plenty of both. We stayed at the Chula Vista Resort and had a blast at their indoor and outdoor water park. I ended up spending a bit too much time in the sun and have the burn to show it.
Saturday night my fiance' and I went in town to see The Magic of Rick & Susan Wilcox at the Rick Wilcox Theatre. It has been close to four years since I'd seen the show last so I was looking forward to catching up with the both of them and seeing their new illusions. If you go to the Dells and haven't seen their show...GO! They present a wonderful 90 minute illusion show that caters to adults and kids alike. Their theatre is beautiful and first class all of the way just like the illusions in their show. Their show is a must see for anyone visiting in the area.
After the show we had the pleasure of heading out with Rick and Susan for a bite to eat and some great conversation. It's always a pleasure being able to catch up with them. They are two of the nicest people in this business and have worked extremely hard to get where they are today.
It was a great 4 days away and now it's back to the grind. Have some very exciting news coming shortly about an effect that has been in the works for close to 9 years!!! Stay tuned!
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