Contact: [email protected]
MAGIC AND THE LIBERAL ARTS
Magician-scholars gather to perform and discuss magic's implications for philosophy, psychology, religion, history and anthropology.
Magic is enjoying a renaissance. While it has always been popular on television, on Broadway and in Las Vegas, it is gaining additional popularity among scholars. Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield, Penn & Teller and Ricky Jay are household names. But, there is a large, emerging group of magician-scholars who are thinking about magic not only as a performing art, but as it relates to our culture.
Next fall, several magician-scholars will gather at Muhlenberg College to perform, lecture and discuss the art of magic. The one-month program, titled "The Theory and Art of Magic," will take place September 8 through October 14, 1999.
"This program will be a scholarly celebration of the magical arts," says Muhlenberg College philosophy professor Dr. Lawrence Hass, who organized the program. "The magic will astound you. After you study or hear about the impact of magic, you will never think of magic the same way again."
The discussions will center around magic as it relates to a number of disciplines, such as "Magic and Religion," "The Psychology of Magic," "Magic and Philosophy," and "Performing Arts and Magic." There will also be a studio course on magical performance.
Professional magicians Eugene Burger, Margaret Steele and Darwin Ortiz are part of the program. Mentalist Bob Fellows, composer and dancer Hiawatha and illusionist Hass will also lecture and perform. Here is the program schedule:
September 8-10 Eugene Burger and Margaret Steele Empie Theatre
September 15 Dr. Lawrence Hass Recital Hall
September 22-23 Darwin Ortiz Recital Hall
September 29-30 Hiawatha Recital Hall
October 6-7 Bob Fellows Empie Theatre
October 13-14 Robert E. Neale Recital Hall
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For more information contact:
Dr. Lawrence Hass, (610) 821-3376
Mike Bruckner, Public Relations, (610) 821-3230
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EVENT 1: EUGENE BURGER AND MARGARET STEELE
Wednesday, September 8, 1999, 8:00 pm, Empie Theater:
"An Introduction to the Art of Magic: A Lecture/Demonstration."
By Eugene Burger and Margaret Steele.
Tickets: $4 for Muhlenberg College students, faculty, and staff; $13.00 for general public.
Thursday, September 9, 11:00 am, Seegers 108-110:
"Women in Magic, Claiming Power."
By Margaret Steele. No tickets.
Friday, September 10, 11:00 am, Seegers 108-110:
"Who is the Magician?"
By Eugene Burger. No tickets.
EVENT 2: LAWRENCE HASS
Wednesday, September 15, 1999, 8:00 pm, Recital Hall:
"Ways of Wonder: Philosophy and the Art of Magic."
Tickets required, but no charge for them.
EVENT 3: DARWIN ORTIZ
Wednesday, September 22, 8:00 pm, Recital Hall:
"Magicians of the Criminal Underworld."
Tickets: $2 for Muhlenberg College students, faculty and staff; $10 for general public.
Thursday, September 23, 8:00 pm, Recital Hall:
"The Magical Experience."
Tickets: $2 for Muhlenberg College students, faculty, and staff; $10 for general public.
EVENT 4: HIAWATHA
Wednesday, September 29, 8:00 pm, Recital Hall:
"Memories."
Tickets: $2 for Muhlenberg College faculty, students, and staff; $10 for general public.
Thursday, September 30, 4:30 pm, Seegers 108-110:
"An Afternoon with Hiawatha."
No tickets.
EVENT 5: BOB FELLOWS
Wednesday, October 6, 4:30 pm, Seegers 108-110:
"Manipulation and Deception in Groups."
No tickets.
Wednesday, October 6, 8:00 pm, Empie Theater:
"Escape to Reality."
Tickets: $4 for Muhlenberg College students, faculty, and staff; $13 for general public.
Thursday, October 7, 4:30 pm, Seegers 108-110:
Mind Magic -- A Workshop."
No tickets.
EVENT 6: ROBERT E. NEALE, "CELEBRATING ILLUSIONS"
Wednesday, October 13, 1999, 4:30 pm, Seegers 108-110:
"Psychological Illusions." No tickets.
Wednesday, October 13, 8:00 pm, Recital Hall:
"Spiritual Illusions."
Tickets required but no charge for them.
Thursday, October 14, 4:30 pm, Seegers 108-110:
"Performance Illusions."
No tickets.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets are required for each of the Empie Theater and Recital Hall events (prices as listed above). A block of tickets is being held for members of the College Community and will go on sale at the Muhlenberg College Box Office on September 1. All the remaining tickets are now available by mail order (only). Please send a check or money order for the exact cost of the ticket(s) to:
Muhlenberg Magic
Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104
Please be sure to specify the shows for which you are purchasing tickets, and the number of tickets you are requesting for each show.
A number of factors indicate that the demand for tickets will be quite high, both on campus and in the larger community. Please order early!
PRESS - PERFORMER PROFILES
EUGENE BURGER is a philosopher, historian of religion, lecturer, and internationally renowned professional magician. He is the recipient of The Academy of Magical Arts award for "Close-Up Performer of the Year," and two time recipient of the Academy's award for "Lecturer of the Year." He has advanced degrees in divinity (Yale) and philosophy, and has taught comparative religion and philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of over 10 books, including THE EXPERIENCE OF MAGIC, SPIRIT THEATER, STRANGE CEREMONIES, and MAGIC AND MEANING (with Robert E. Neale).
MARGARET STEELE is a professional magician and Master of Music from Julliard. She has performed magic on television and internationally and has performed oboe on Broadway and for the American Symphony Orchestra, the Opera Orchestra of New York, and the American Ballet Theater.
LAWRENCE HASS is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Muhlenberg College where he teaches and publishes essays in Phenomenology, the Philosophy of Art, and the History of Philosophy. He is also an award winning author of essays on magical theory and performance. These essays have appeared in MAGIC, THE LINKING RING, LA CIRCULAR DE LA ESCUELA MAGICA DE MADRID (Spain), and HOKUS POKUS (Switzerland).
DARWIN ORTIZ is known as one of the world's leading experts at sleight of hand. He has appeared frequently on television, including THE CBS MORNING PROGRAM, THE DICK CAVETT SHOW, on HBO and CNN, and on national programs in Great Britain, France, and Argentina. Mr. Ortiz is also recognized as the world's leading expert on crooked gambling, and has served as a consultant to gambling casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and throughout the world. He is the author of numerous books on magic, magical theory, and crooked gambling, including: GAMBLING SCAMS, DARWIN ORTIZ ON CASINO GAMBLING, STRONG MAGIC, CARD SHARK, and DARWIN ORTIZ AT THE CARD TABLE.
HIAWATHA is Composer-in-Residence for the Department of Dance at Randolph-Macon Women's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is an entertainment artist whose performance involves a powerful synthesis of African magic, storytelling, mime, jazz, and dance.
BOB FELLOWS has his Masters Degree in theology from Harvard and is the author of EASILY FOOLED: NEW INSIGHTS AND TECHNIQUES FOR RESISTING MANIPULATION. He has been performing mentalism -- within the context of skepticism -- for twenty years. He has performed at The White House, and appeared on television numerous times in America (Letterman, Donahue), Canada, and Australia.
ROBERT E. NEALE, Ph.D, is a free-lance writer, magician, and ordained minister who previously taught twenty four years as Professor of Psychiatry and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He is the author of numerous books and essays on psychology, theology, and magic, including TRICKS OF THE IMAGINATION, and MAGIC AND MEANING (with Eugene Burger).
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