I’d be remiss in not mentioning that the poster artist David Edward Byrd passed away on February 3rd. In his career, Byrd was responsible for such legendary theater and concert posters as “Godspell,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Follies,” “Jefferson Airplane,” and “The Jimi Hendrix Experience,” to name a very small few. However, it is his…
Tag: The Magic Show
Doug Henning Tribute at “The Magic Castle
I’d be extremely remiss in not mentioning something, well, magical happening this week in Los Angeles. Brandy LaPlante and friends are currently performing a one week tribute to “The Magic Show” at the “Magic Castle.” In honor of the show’s 50th anniversary, a 45 minute version featuring magic and musical highlights is being presented at…
Michael Whitecar Collection
Michael Whitecar recently sent me photos of his impressive collection of Doug ephemera. To say it’s impressive is an understatement, and it is my pleasure to share it with you. There’s so much to see in these photos that each one deserves multiple viewings to soak everything in. Which one is your favorite? Special Thanks…
50 Years of “The Magic Show”
I’d be very remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that today, May 28th, is the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of “The Magic Show.” This little Broadway show that could, has a long and storied history. It’s a story of Doug Henning’s dream to bring modern magic to the masses, and in the process changing the…
Original “Magic Show” Actress Annie McGreevey Reflects
I recently had the pleasure of asking original “Magic Show” cast member Annie McGreevey to reflect on her time with the show. Playing Donna, part of club Top Hat’s rock group “Donna & Dina, Annie was more than happy to oblige. I attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. Within the first year…
“The Magic Show’s” 49th Anniversary
I’d be remiss in not mentioning that today is the 49th anniversary of the premiere of “The Magic Show.” It goes without saying that the show itself continues to live in the hearts and minds of Doug and magic fans everywhere. It’s a special show indeed, and one that is worthy of a revival. Whether that…
Yoko One and Julian Lennon at “The Magic Show”
The above photo, and very rare photo, was taken on January 12, 1978, and, obviously, shows Yoko Ono and Julian Lennon leaving a performance of “The Magic Show.” How do we know it’s “The Magic Show? Well, it doesn’t take much investigating to see that Julian is carrying the deluxe souvenir program that was for…
Paul Shaffer on Marc Maron’s “WTF Podcast”
Today’s post comes from musician Paul Shaffer of David Letterman and comedy fame, among other things. Appearing on Marc Maron’s popular “WTF Podcast,” Schaffer recalls his career and how he’s gotten to where he is today. However, an unexpected story along the way is how Shaffer spent a year as the bandleader in the original…
Newly Discovered Doug Costumes: Part 3
It was certainly an eventful week of posts concerning possible Doug costumes. Wasn’t it? So, what did we learn? Well, the general consensus was that the costumes that looked like they were originals from “The Magic Show,” were more than likely from the touring version. Abb Dickson, in addition to owning a generally massive costume…
Newly Discovered Doug Costumes: Part 2
Yesterday, I received A LOT of responses regarding the two costumes that photographer Drew Perlmutter has in his possession that may or may not be from “The Magic Show.” Before, I get into specifics on the provenance of these tomorrow, I wanted to show you the rest that were sent to me. The second set…
Newly Discovered Doug Costumes
Photographer Drew Perlmutter, recently contacted me with a treasure trove of magic costumes that had recently come into his possession. As he explained to me: “The clothes had been sitting for a while in bags in a trailer, presumably since the 90s. My girlfriend’s best friend’s aunt… had come into them from a friend named…
Original “Magic Show” Poster Concept Art
I recently received an email from Lon Cerel shedding some light on whatever happened to “The Magic Show’s” original concept art, as well as a previous post I had done regrading it. Just a subtle hint, it’s with Lon: I recently stumbled upon your posting regarding David Byrd’s original artwork that was used to create The…
“Broadway World”-What Are the Longest Running Musicals That Haven’t Been Revived (Yet)?
“Broadway World” had a brief “Magic Show” mention today in their “Broadway Deep Dive” section by Jennifer Tepper. The article itself profiles many long running musicals that never have gotten a revival and, you guessed it, “The Magic Show” makes an appearance. To read the whole article please click: HERE
The Co-Stars of “The Magic Show:” Part 3
“Anita Morris” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division “Annie McGreevey ” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division “David Ogden Stiers and Co.”…
The Co-Stars of “The Magic Show:” Part 2
“Anita Morris” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division “David Ogden Stiers” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division “David Ogden Stiers” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division “Dale Soules” Copyright: New York Public Library’s Billy Rose Theater Division These photos are copyrighted by the New York Public…
The Co-Stars of “The Magic Show”
Over the last five and a half years, I have posted a lot of photos of Doug in “The Magic Show.” Probably in the hundreds, and that’s understandable. It was Doug’s show after all! However, I wanted to give the co-stars of the production a just due. A few years back, I posted some of…
One Ahead Article-Why Should Magicians Know About Glenn Priest?
I just wanted to let you all know about a very good article that was published October 4th on the “One Ahead” blog. Profiling Doug’s right hand man Glenn Priest, the article takes an in depth look at Glenn’s life and career. Writer Chris Pilsworth does an excellent job fleshing out this enigmatic figure who…
NY Sunday News-1974 “Magic Show” Sunday Spread
The above page comes from a 1974 “New York Sunday News” newspaper spread. In it, Doug is interviewed, while giving kids a lesson in magic. It’s a fun piece, and a nice representation on how “The Magic Show” was promoting itself during its very first holiday season. As the article itself is fairly intricate, I’ll…
OTB Newspaper Ad-1974/75?
The above advertisement for OTB (Off Track Betting) is certainly one of the most obscure ads that I’ve seen Doug appear in. However, the story of how it ended up here is a unique one in itself. Author and psychologist, Richard Wiseman, recently sent me a group of newspaper clippings he found in an old…
“Magic Show” Airing This Sunday (9/4/22) on RSU-TV
If there are any readers of the website in Claremore, Oklahoma, set your DVR for tomorrow night at 7pm. I just found out that “The Magic Show” TV movie will be played as part of RSU-TV’s “Digital Drive-in” showcase. The station itself is a PBS affiliate, and is on Channel 35.1. This is certainly a…
Sept. 12th Cort Theatre Renaming
As mentioned back in March, the Cort Theatre is about to enter a new era. As of Monday, September 12th, the theater will be renamed after venerable actor and Sith Lord himself, James Earl Jones. The theater itself has been undergoing extensive renovations during COVID, and when I saw it last November you could barely…
Updated 2021 MTA Broadway Subway Ad
Recently, I was going through photos of my trip to New York City last November, and came across this photo I had long forgotten about. At the time, the city was trying to reignite Broadway audiences long dormant during COVID and fearful of subways. To do this, the MTA looked to the past to influence…
Spanish Language “Magic Show” Poster
The images below are from a Spanish language production of “The Magic Show” that appears to have been from 1975 (month/dates unknown.) The production also starred popular Mexican actor and comedian Manuel Valdes (1931-2020), listed here as Manuel “Loco” Valdes. However, anything past this is up to your imagination, as photos from the production itself…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 