Magician's On Screen Exhibit: Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria

The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria has recently introduced a new series which is running through January 1st, 2012 called Magicians on Screen.

In the 1890s, stage magicians were the world’s most popular entertainers. And then the cinema was invented. Always eager to incorporate new technologies, magicians quickly embraced the moving image, using it to create astonishing new illusions. Magician/filmmakers like Georges Méliès furthered cinema’s potential to make the impossible appear possible through their innovative use of editing and special effects in the genre they invented, the trick film. Unfortunately, as audiences fell in love with the movies, they abandoned the stage magicians, and the grand old magic halls disappeared or were converted to movie palaces.

There will be a screening of The Great Buck Howard (A film based on the life of the much acclaimed mind-reader, The Amazing Kreskin) on December 31st, free with admission. Along with the museum exhibit, the Wall Street Journal interviewed magic legend Ricky Jay on the history of magic in film, a very interesting read and definitely worth checking out.

Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35 Avenue
Astoria, NY 11106

Magic Camp Documentary in the Forward!

Tannen's Magic Camp made some news recently when the Forward interviewed director, Judd Ehrlich, about his upcoming documentary "Magic Camp."

The camp will be held this summer from July 7th to July 14th, 2o12. All sign-ups before January 1st will receive a $100 gift certificate which can be used at the store!

Sign-up today and we'll see you this summer!

Great to have Darwin Ortiz back in NYC!

Darwin Ortiz lectured for a very enthusiastic sold-out house last night at Tannen's Magic.

It was great to have Darwin back in New York City! He performed a stellar lecture on card magic, including some very commercial routines that have floored his audiences for the past two decades. He shared a wonderful anecdote with the crowd about his first time at Tannen's Magic. Darwin emphasized the importance of making your magic strong and direct, points which are further discussed in his two books Strong Magic and Designing Miracles.

Tannen's has a small number of autographed copies of both of those books available now for those who missed the lecture!

Tannen's Magic Campers' Dueling Card Restorations!

Two current Tannen's Magic Campers have just released two very different Torn & Restored Card (T & R) Tricks to the magic marketplace!

Reuben Moreland is a former Tannen's intern who is now perusing an undergraduate education at the University of Cincinnati. He recently published Fourfit, a piece by piece restoration of a playing card based on an original concept from another Magic Camper, Max Cron. Reuben has been very busy over the last year competing in international magic competitions with an act that led Mac King to say, "Reuben Moreland is my favorite young manipulator."

Jeff Prace is a Chicago based magician who has put out a number of great tricks including the hit effect Gum. Jeff's new T & R, Fuze, is a very interesting twist on the standard plot. In Fuze the corner of a signed card is ripped off and initialed and then instantly restored.

We can't take all the credit for these two, but we'll take some, and we're thrilled to have both Reuben and Jeff back this summer for Tannen's Magic Camp 2012 (July 7th - 14th). Keep your eye on these two as we're sure they'll continue innovating through their pioneering ideas and original effects.

Beyond Amazing: Creativity and Innovation in the World of Magic

A free event featuring:

Steve Cohen

Joshua Jay

Eric Jones

Todd Robbins

Magic is an art that draws heavily from its heritage, yet requires a well-spring of new ideas to avoid stagnation. In a field characterized by secrets and mystery, where do new ideas come from and how are they realized? The four accomplished magicians on this panel will talk about how they develop their acts, how effects are created for the magic marketplace, where magic fits in the realm of the overall performing arts and much more. Select performances of relevant effects will also be included.

Panel Discussion:

November 17th, 2011 at 6 PM

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center

Bruno Walter Auditorium

Amsterdam Ave at 65th Street, or enter through Lincoln Center Plaza

Free Admission (first come - first served)

Magic Occupies Wall Street

Tannen's intern Jeffrey Limoncelli and employee Ben Nemzer spent some time interviewing the crowd in Zuccotti Park about the Occupy Wall Street movement. During their investigation they discover what the movement represents to different groups of protestors.

While there, they performed great tricks like Fiber Optics and the ParaPad, sharing their wonderful magic and mentalism with the masses.

Make sure you check out the video!

Dan Sperry Terrifying NYC Audiences at Times Scare!

The Anti-Conjurer Dan Sperry (seen on America's Got Talent) will be performing a special goose bump inducing magic show every night this week leading up to Halloween.

Held at Times Scare, New York City's scariest Haunted House, the show is sure to creep out your friends and family.

Showtimes are as follows:

Monday - Thursday at 7:30pm

Friday at 7:30p, 9:30p and 11:30pm

Saturday at 2:00p, 7:30p, 9:30p and 11:30pm

Sunday at 3p and 7:30pm

Fakini Mayhem!!!

Check out our brand new shipment of Fakini Billiard Balls!

For the first time ever we have the Fakini Designer Set, a stylish and contemporary set which will be highlighted by former Tannen's intern, Reuben Moreland, at the up-coming FISM in Blackpool.

Persi Diaconis' new book Magical Mathematics is NOW AVAILABLE!

Persi Diaconis (student of Dai Vernon) and Ron Graham have just released an entire book about why mathematical card tricks work. Magical Mathematics is currently available and ready to ship.

On page 156 you'll find a really cool anecdote mentioning Alex Elmsley spending time at Tannen's...

This book is certainly worth checking out!

Mark Wilson at Tannen's Video

Mark Wilson is MAGICAL!

Last night we were honored to have Mark Wilson and his beautiful wife Nani Darnell lecture for us!

The packed room was buzzing with energy as guests from all over the country listened to every word their childhood hero had to say.

Mark showed us some great tricks out of his Complete Course in Magic including a devious rope knot and a sucker version of the torn and restored napkin. He told us stories about how he would pitch his magic to the early television stations. Then using his hit television program as his platform he'd highlight the greatest magicians of the time like Dai Vernon and Jay Marshall, giving them the opportunity to perform on TV.

One thing is absolutely certain, Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell are truely magical.

Mark Wilson lecture at Tannen's!

Have you heard? The biggest names in magic always lecture at Tannen's.

This Thursday the legendary Mark Wilson will be lecturing on the art of magic. Mark was instrumental in bringing magic into peoples homes through their television sets in the 1950's, almost 50 years before the time of David Blaine or Criss Angel!

Do not miss this opportunity to see Mark Wilson and experience the golden age of magic.

Buy your tickets now!

Hottest tricks of MAGIC Live!

Photo courtesy of Herb Scher.

We had an amazing time last week at MAGIC Live in Las Vegas! While showing in the dealers room we premiered several great effects to the magic community.

Without a doubt, L.I.F.T. by Jack Reimon set the convention abuzz. L.I.F.T. an acronym for Live Impromptu Floating Table, is a table levitation that can be done with any table at any time. Pictured above is Tannen's demonstrator, Jared Molten, demonstrating L.I.F.T. for the legendary Johnny Thompson!

Along with the Great Tomsoni we sat down and showed L.I.F.T. to Jeff McBride, Chris Kenner, Michael Weber, Barrie Richardson, Mathieu Bich, Garrett Thomas, Martin Lewis and even Losander bought a copy of the book!

The PLF Mentalism effects were also a HUGE convention hit! Magicians from all over the world couldn't wait to see the ParaPad, Depicting Thoughts Set and PLF Marked ESP Collection demonstrated.

All in all the convention was an absolute blast, we're looking forward to showing again at the next one!

FREE Magic Show at Lincoln Center this Saturday!

Check out Meet the Artist Saturday at Lincoln Center on September 3rd to see a FREE magic show by Mario the Magician!

Held in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center the show will begin this Saturday at 11:00 AM.

There will be a live music accompaniment by the Sleight-of-Hand Band and following the show will be a Q & A segment with Mario.

Tannen's Staffers in Times Square Magic Show!

Looking for something fun to do on a rainy night? Go see your favorite Tannen's demonstrators and Magic Camp counselors perform in Times Square!

Hosted by Jared Molten, the show will highlight New York City's most talented magicians including Ben Nemzer, Michael Patrick and David Schwartz. Tannen's Magic Campers get FREE admission, but remember there is a two drink/food minimum for every guest!

The show will be tomorrow night, August 26th at 7:00PM at the Times Square Arts Center located at 669 8th Avenue. Make sure you arrive early to see some stellar close-up magic.

Tannen's at Magic LIVE

We're packing up the store and getting ready for Magic LIVE in Las Vegas. It will be Tannen's first convention booth in almost a decade!

If you're in Vegas make sure to stop by our booth to get a full serving of the New York City Magic Experience!

LIVE Magic Show this Friday!

Tannen's Magic Camp counselors Ali Shelley, Ben Nemzer and Harrison Greenbaum will be performing their magic show There's Magic in the Air: Live in Times Square this Friday, July 23rd, 2011.

The show starts at 8:00PM at the Producers Club, 358 West 44th Street. Tickets are only $20.

Buy your tickets here or call 561-809-5181.

Tannen's Magic Camp 2011 a HUGE Success!

This past week we enjoyed one of the most AMAZING Tannen's Magic Camps of all time!

The local CBS morning show came to visit us and see our magic. They wrote a story about the camp and even filmed several segments that aired live on TV!

That was only part of the fun! This year we had some extraordinarily special guests come to teach the campers. The legendary Johnny Thompson performed and lectured on the Malini Egg Bag. The Millionaire's Magician, Steve Cohen, visited us and performed his highly esteemed evening show for the campers. Eric DeCamps and Meir Yedid got the camp off to a rolling start performing their excellent close-up magic on the opening night of camp.

Alex Pandrea, Doug McKenzie, Ricky Smith and Dan Hauss joined our older campers for late-night close-up magic jam sessions.

We can't wait to see what will happen next summer...

Camp's around the corner...

We're getting ready for the best year of Tannen's Magic Camp ever!

This year some of the biggest names in magic will be joining us, both performing and lecturing for the campers. The legendary Johnny Thompson will be there. Steve Cohen will perform his evening show. Marc DeSouza, Eric DeCamps and Meir Yedid will all be making appearances to share their stories and knowledge.

Think that's cool? Dan White, who's starring in his own show on the Discovery Channel, The Supernaturalist, will be stopping by. Vanishing Inc., Blue Crown, and Theory 11 stars Ricky Smith, Tony Chang and Alex Pandrea will all be coming by for jam sessions with the campers.

And that's not all..

While at camp, campers will have exclusive access to the EMC 2011 Magic Conference!

The Supernaturalist Premiere!

You do not want to miss Dan White's new TV show, The Supernaturalist, which premieres tomorrow night on the Discovery Channel at 10:00PM Eastern Time!

On the show Dan will be exploring the most remote parts of the world hunting for stories of real magic. Along the way he'll be performing street magic for the locals, some of whom have never experienced magic before.

Along with being a good friend to Tannen's, Dan is a consultant for David Blaine and one of Theory 11's founding artists. Dan's trick, Lit, where a matchbook transforms into a chosen card, is currently being used by magicians all over the world.

Show him your support and check out Dan's Facebook and Twitter.

Eugene Burger Tannen's Video!

A BIG thank you to Michael Boyce for making this awesome video of Eugene Burger at Tannen's! Enjoy!

Tannen's Magic Promo with Eugene Burger from Michael Boyce on Vimeo.

Tannen's Camp Counselor Hiawatha at Manhattan Magic!

Looking for a GREAT magic show to see in NYC this weekend? Check out Manhattan Magic Show, cool enough for friends but clean enough for families!

Tannen's Magic Camp is being very well represented on the show this week with a full line-up of former campers and counselors. The show features Ben Nemzer, Harrison Greenbaum and Patrick Terry with guest star, the legendary Hiawatha!

The show starts at 7:00 PM at the Times Square Arts Center and there is a two item drink or food minimum per person.

All 2010 Tannen's Magic Campers from are welcome to see the show for FREE, just e-mail manhattanmagic@gmail.com before 5PM on Friday and let them know you'll be coming!

Alain Choquette Lecture June 8th!

We're very excited to see the great Canadian magician and illusionist Alain Choquette lecture on Wednesday, June 8th, at 7:00PM.

Alain is the creator of many great effects including, The Verdict, the disappearance of 12 randomly selected audience members that David Copperfield still uses to close his show!

A student of Gary Oulette, Alain's magic is interesting, entertaining and insightful, his primary goal is connect with his audiences on a deeper level. You will not want to miss this lecture.

As always, the earlier you purchase your ticket, the better a seat you'll have!

Lance was Here and it was Fantastic!

Wow did we have a great time with Lance and the cast of Make Believe when they were here at the shop! Pictured above are Tannen's owner Adam Blumenthal, Close-up King Eric DeCamps, Mentalist Nick Belleas, Tannen's Campers Reuben Moreland and Matt Schick and of course the reputable Master Magician Lance Burton!

Check out this video of Lance at Tannen's!

Tannen's Magic Shop from Michael Boyce on Vimeo.

If you haven't seen it, the Theory11 Insider posted a video of Lance and the Make Believe kids saying hello from New York City!

Then Lance left with David Blaine on his motorcycle!

All in all, it made for a very cool Thursday evening.

Make sure you check out the Make Believe Documentary this week in NYC! Bring in your ticket stub for 10% off your next Tannen's purchase!

Lance Burton at Tannen's!

Attention Tannen's Customers!

Master Magician, Lance Burton, will be in our shop (45 West 34th Street, Suite 608) with the cast of Make Believe, to meet and chat with our fantastic customers this Thursday, May 12th, from 5:30 - 7:00 PM.

Lance just retired from his long running stage show at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas and doesn't make it out to the East Coast too often. We're SO excited to have him here in New York City!

See Make Believe this Week!

Get your tickets to see this amazing documentary about the Teen Competition in the World Magic Seminar.

Premiering this Friday, May 13th, at Cinema Village in NYC, many of the screenings will be accompanied by close-up magic from Tannen's Magic Campers!

After winning Best Documentary at the L.A. Film Festival as well as the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival this documentary is a lot fun. Bring out the entire family to see the magic!

Salute to Magic!

Get your tickets now for SAM Assembly #1's annual Salute to Magic show on May 14th. Starring Thomas Solomon, the show will be full of fantastic escapes and magic!

Also, if you're an SAM member, don't miss their annual Close-up Gala tomorrow night where our very own Jared Molten will be swallowing steel needles.

New Bee Erdnase - Smith Backs Available NOW!

The Conjuring Arts Research Center has done it again! These stunning cards, available in both Cambric and Ivory finishes, will undoubtedly keep your hands busy for hours.

The Smith No. 2 Blue design is exceptional and these are the best handling cards to date. You just won't be able to put them down!

Buy yours TODAY.

Head Hacking Tannen's

Some of you may remember Anthony Jacquin's fantastic lecture for us this past November on Street Hypnosis!

The guys over at Head Hacking JUST let us know that they're going to be turning his lecture here at Tannen's into a lecture DVD! We'll keep you all posted and let you know when it's released. Until then enjoy this trailer!

Don't forget, Anthony will be holding a Trilby Connection 2-Day Training Workshop here in NYC on April 30th and May 1st! Sign up now at http://headhacking.com/training and make sure to mention Tannen's.

Giobbi was Incredible! A true Maestro!

New Yorkers were enthralled by Roberto Giobbi's lecture last night, his Homage to Dai Vernon.

From the Cups and Balls to Vernon's Poker Deal and the classic Linking Rings, Roberto not only showed us why Vernon's legacy is so great but analyzed every move, gesture and line. Roberto brought in video clips of Vernon which were played throughout the lecture. After each video he would demonstrate the ins and outs of what made that routine so great in Vernon's hands.

For a close-up kinda guy, this lecture was priceless. Non-stop fun and interesting anecdotes that encapsulated the life and magic of Dai Vernon.

On the day before the lecture Roberto hosted a full-day workshop, the Card College Seminar, which was also absolutely fantastic. Fifteen students from all walks of New York life joined us for the workshop which focused entirely on card magic. After a full day with Roberto Giobbi one couldn't help but feel inspired.

Thank you to all of our customers for joining us at the workshop and the lecture and of course a BIG thank you to Roberto for giving us a very magical two days.

Card College Seminar Students with Roberto

Tannen's Staff on DVD!

Tannen's staff members, Michael Patrick and Jared Molten are the latest Reel Magic "Move Monkeys"!

Check out their tricks, The Brightest Day Cut and the Ring Under Armpit Thing, respectively. We're sure you'll get a kick out of seeing them on video!

Feel free to come into the store and see them do their tricks LIVE and in person!

Giobbi Autographed Books

Since Roberto Giobbi will be lecturing for us this Monday (tix are still available) we decided to offer a special promotion to all of those who can't make the lecture.

If you buy the Complete Card College Set (1-5) before the Monday lecture, we'll give you 10% on the entire set along with a personalized autograph from Roberto!

If you buy his new book Secret Agenda before Monday you'll also get an autographed copy personalized to you!

If you buy ANY of the Card College books or the DVD set individually before Monday you will also receive an autographed copy!

All you have to do is enter the order online or give us a call at 212-929-4500 and we'll ship it out to you on Tuesday, March 22nd - the day after the lecture.

Giobbi's Coming...

The Tannen's Lecture Series is in full throttle! We're bringing the master of card magic, author of the best-selling Card College books and Secret Agenda, Roberto Giobbi, here to New York City to lecture!

Giobbi will be holding both a full-day workshop (the Card College Seminar) on Sunday, March 20th and will be lecturing on Dai Vernon the following evening. Tickets to the workshop are limited to a small group and the sooner you buy your lecture ticket the better seat you'll have.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from a living legend. Buy your tickets now!!!

Giobbi Lecture: Monday, March 21st, 2011 at 7:00PM. $50.

Giobbi Workshop: Sunday, March 20th, 2011, 11AM - 7PM. $150.

Lennart Green Masterfile: Now Shipping!

One of the most sought after card men in the world, Lennart Green, has finally released his new DVD series!

The Masterfile is an extraordinary collection of Lennart's best and most inspiring tricks and performances.

Full of plenty of foolers, this DVD set is sure to bring a smile to your face and a cramp to your hands.

Shipping now, get yours here today!

Ted Karmilovich was AWESOME!

The Ted Karmilovich lectures went absolutely great on Thursday and Friday! The first half of the lecture was full of Ted's working material from over two decades of performing mentalism. The material was VERY strong and is only available in his lecture notes.

The second half consisted entirely of Ted's different handlings and presentation points on the Mother of All Book Tests 2.0. This new and improved book test is an absolute fooler and is sure to leave your audience in disbelief with your psychic abilities. Literally any page, any word - instantly.

We have the Mother 2.0 in stock and are proud to be the only retailer to carry the original Mother and Mother 2.0 combo package, two great book tests for one low price. If you do mentalism, you will want this book.

Patrick Redford Lecture - March 10th, 2011!

Thursday, March 10th, 2011 at 7:00PM, $20.

Buy your tickets now before this amazing lecture sells out!

Metro Detroit entertainer, Patrick Redford has been entertaining audiences with his psychological magic for more than ten years. You may know him from his best-selling DVD Prevaricator. This BRAND NEW LECTURE focuses on Mentalism based magic.

"Patrick is a real worker; he makes a living at this. As a result he knows all the subtleties one says and does and how very important each piece of verbiage is. He understands that the wrong word can signal things we do not want a spectator to even think about." – Banacheck

"It (the lecture) is a journey from creation to performance - with several significant stops in between." - Rick Maue

"Fucking Impressive." -Bruce Bernstien

Bob Fitch stopped by Tannen's Yesterday!

The wonderfully talented Bob Fitch stopped in yesterday to say hello!

His magic workshops are a great way for performers to further improve their acts. Our very own Rich Kameda has worked with Bob for the past few years and strongly recommends the workshop.

Karmilovich lecture SOLD OUT - A Repeat Lecture on Friday, February 18th!!!

The tickets for the Ted Karmilovich lecture on February 17th have SOLD OUT!

Luckily, we have booked Ted for a second lecture night on Friday, February 18th, 2011 for those who did not buy their lecture tickets in time. Buy your tickets now!

At this point the only available tickets are for the evening of the 18th, the lecture will be exactly the same for both nights.

Tickets are $25 each and the lecture starts at 7:00 PM. Ted is one of the premier mentalists in the world and this is not a lecture that you want to miss. Ted's much anticipated Mother of All Book Tests 2.0 should be available soon and will be discussed at length in his lecture.

Sign-up for our Spring Magic Classes Today!

Once again, this Spring, we're offering our prestigious magic classes to the general public.

If you or someone you know are interested in learning sleight-of-hand, misdirection or anything magic related come join us for a magic class! All the classes are taught by Tannen's own professional magicians who make their living performing all over the country.

For those who want to learn a little bit about everything, the Beginner Adult Magic Class is a great place to start! For those whose interests are a bit more specified, you can sign up for either Introduction to Card Magic or Introduction to Coin Magic. Of course, if you'd like to learn more advanced sleights, the Intermediate Coin Magic class is perfect for you!

All of the classes will be held once a week for four weeks straight in February. Sign up today!

Wayne Houchin killed last night!

Wayne Houchin was incredible at his sold-out lecture here last night! He performed and explained his more popular effects like Thread, Stigmata and Sinful and even showed us a few things that he hasn't published including a great broken and restored match.

One of the highlights of the lecture was his his finale. He showed us how he ends his stage show by performing a masterful rendition of the classic needle swallow.

All in all, Wayne was spot-on last night and we enjoyed having him very much!

Balloon Workshop a HUGE Success!

Tannen's was proud to host it's first event with Random Events NYC this past Tuesday. The event featured a balloon sculpting class taught by our very own Ben Nemzer. Random Events is a meet up group that focuses on bringing people together to do... well... random things! What's more random then learning to twist balloons at Tannen's Magic in the middle of a snowstorm?! We thought the idea was so cool, we were happy to donate our space for such a fun and successful event.

For more information about Random Events NYC or to sign up for future classes check out their website!

Astoria Magic Show this Sunday!

LIVE Magic show this Sunday at the Waltz-Astoria in Astoria, NY!

Starring Tannen's very own Rich Kameda and Jared Molten plus the very funny and magical Lee Alan Barrett and the award-winning David Schwartz.

Waltz-Astoria

23-14 Ditmars Blvd.

Astoria, NY 11105

Just a $10 food and drink minimum to see the performance.