Blog

We went from being on a cruise ship to two college shows to a sold out theater show back to another cruise ship.  If you are going to be on the Celebrity Solstice in February be sure to catch our show.  And coming up… we have a super busy schedule.  We will be in Arizona, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin all in the month of March.  If you live in any of those states be sure to check out our tour schedule and come out and see us.

What a great year 2011 was.  So many new things we got to experience.  To finish off the year we just did three incredibly fun shows in Beaver Creek, CO and one in Telluride, CO.  One more show tonight in Telluride and then we are ready to welcome 2012.  We are so excited to see what the new year will bring.  Happy New Year everyone!

After a show one of the most common questions asked of me by audience members is “Do you have any suggestions where to get props for my son or daughter who is interested in magic”? I always answer the same way. Denny & Lee’s. Denny & Lees magic shop is an actual “brick & mortar” magic shop located in Baltimore Maryland with a second location now in Las Vegas Nevada. They call it a “brick and mortar”  shop because it is neither only online or a catalog but two actual physical locations. That’s important because Denny is always available from 10am to 10pm to answer calls for orders or to offer advice on a particular effect. Also, if you’re in the area he offers inexpensive lectures in his shop by some of the best working magicians in the business.

If you, your child or spouse or whomever wants to learn magic or get props I suggest Denny & Lee’s. Unlike online magic sites Denny knows his products quite thoroughly and is frank about advice. He doesn’t hesitate to steer you away from a product that is less worthwhile than advertised or point you in the direction of something that is better suited to your level. Many times his candor and helpfulness has ended with “If you can get that book on Amazon for that price snatch it up”!  That’s rare in any field and certainly not common in magic.

Denny Haney the owner of Denny & Lee’s is a professional magician respected in the field. In the 80′s and 90′s he was a top college and then corporate entertainer sharing the bill with some of the biggest stars of that time. This is a man who made his living by performing magic and who’s knowledge of the subject came from serious study and working professionally for decades. Anyone who makes magic their vocation understands the elements of – level of material, appropriateness of material, angles and other performing conditions that will make or break an effect. That’s the kind of expertise Denny brings to the shop, an understanding of all of the elements of an effect, and he’s very giving of his knowledge.

We go to magic shops or talk to other magicians not just for “tricks” but advice. I would encourage those who call often and ask advice of Denny to demonstrate loyalty in the best way you can to a store; purchase your effects and books there. It’s one sided and unfair to exhaust someone’s knowledge only to make your purchases elsewhere for the “massive” savings of a dollar or two. That online shop etc won’t be there to ask questions of when your handling of the prop or technique seems awkward, or when you want to compare the quality of two close but different pieces of magic.

So if you’re interested in learning magic or helping someone to learn it please weigh my advice. I still call Denny and ask his thoughts on magic and purchase every prop I can through him. He’s a great guy, a great resource and a great recommendation to anyone interested in learning magic.

Best,
Jason Bishop

P.S.
Remember, never be disappointed in the “secret” to an effect. No one is disappointed in the secret to a piano or guitar. Those instruments you understand you have to master and practice to learn. Magic and it’s secrets are the same.

Magic effects and illusions aren’t gadgets like an iPad or DVR. They require practice before performing and don’t work themselves “out of the box”. Practice and rehearse a new effect 50 to 100 times by yourself in front of a mirror before showing anyone at all.

We are very thankful for all the incredible opportunities we’ve had this past year.  We performed in some very cool places and met a lot of really great people.  We are really looking forward to seeing what comes next for us.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

November is just around the corner and we are really looking forward to the shows we have coming up.  On Friday, November 4th we will be returning to the beautiful Dunn Center for Performing Arts in Rocky Mount, NC.  You can get your tickets at this link.

Next we are off to Canada to perform on Canadian soil for the first time.  After that we swing through New York for a return visit to Mohawk Valley Community College before another return engagement at West Chester University.  We don’t perform close to home all that often, so we are excited to see some friends and family in the audience.  You can get your tickets for West Chester at this link.

We hope you see you there!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the PVCC in Charlottesville, VA on Friday, September 23rd.  You were our first show back on land and we had a great time performing for the sold out crowd.  Don’t forget to join our Facebook fan page and tag yourself in the photos from the show.

Next up… a week on the Disney Magic in the Caribbean – October 11-18.  Remember to check our schedule regularly because we are always adding new dates.

We just got back from Alaska where we were performing on the Celebrity Millennium all summer and now it is time to get back on the road.  On Friday, September 23rd we will be performing in Charlottesville, VA at the Piedmont Virginia Community College at 7:30pm.  To get tickets call the box office at 434-961-5376 or visit their website at www.pvcc.edu/performingarts.  We are adding new places all the time so make sure to check out our schedule regularly for other tour dates.  Hope to see you at a show.

We have just decided to add a blog page to our website where you can find out when we will be performing in your area, crazy things that happen on and off stage and cool new things we want to share with you. We also really want to add YOU to the blog, so if you have a photo, story or just something you think is cool to add to the Jason Bishop Show world please send it to us at jbillusions@msn.com with the word BLOG POST in the subject line.

Photos by JargaPix