HARRY KELLAR - MAGICIAN BIOGRAPHY

HARRY KELLAR

Uno de los Magos más conocidos de la Historia de la magia. Nacido en pensylvania y de padres Alemanes inmigrantes.
Nacido el 11 de Julio de 1849, en Erie Pensylvania, en los Estados Unidos. Hijo de inmigrantes Alemanes. Kellar huyó de casa a la edad de 10 (se atribuyó a un agujero que hizo con productos químicos en el establecimiento en el que trabajaba y con la intención de evitar el castigo de sus padres se marchó) y comenzó una serie de escapadas que le llevaría a ostentar el título "The Dean Magic" y "The Most Beloved Magician in the History".Pero Kellar no llegó a ser quién fue a la edad de 10 años, él tuvo una serie de trabajos aquí y allí, que le llevaron a ser adoptado por un Ministro de New York, sí este chico estudiará para ser Ministro. Kellar pareció convencido ante tal ofrecimiento pero tal iniciativo se transtornó cuando Kellar vió la función de "The fakir o Ava". Entonces la magia se apoderó de Kellar. Comenzó a comprar libros de magia y practicarlo, dejando el trabajo que su benefector le había ofrecido.
Kellar pronto aprendió que la vida de un mago en la carretera es cualquier cosa menos fácil. Su primer intento fue todo un fracaso a la edad de 16 años, pero Kellar no se rindió, 2 años después Kellar lo volvió a intentar con muchísimo mejor resultado, mejorando e improvisando continuamente con elementos folklóricos. A la edad de 20 años tomó una decisión que pudo afectar su carrera para el resto de su vida: trabajó junto a los "Davenport Brothers and Fay", Kellar aprendió todo junto a los Davenport como asistente y posteriormente como representante. En 1873 se marchó llevándose a Mr. Fay consigo. "Kellar y Fay" combinaban los trucos de Kellar y la inspiración de Davenport, así comenzó los éxitos através de Canada, México y Suramérica. En 1875 Fay dejó a Kellar volviendo junto a los Davenport, más allá de renunciar Kellar monta un nuevo grupo llamado "The Royal Illusionists". Aproximádamente en los siguientes 30 años Kellar llegó a ser le mago más conocido del Mundo.Todas las palabras, movimientos, gestos en sus funciones estaban cuidodadósamente estudiados. Tal era la admiración por Kellar que cuando en 1878 murió Robert Heller, Kellar tomó el manto de "El Mago Americano más Grande", el cual llevó con mucho honor hasta que a la edad de 60 años, Kellar pasó el testigo a Howard Thurston, quién junto a Houdini dominaron la Magia Americana en la primera parte del siglo 20.Houdini comenzó a ser amigo de Kellar, visitándole frecuentemente en los Angeles, de hecho la mayoría de lo que hoy se conoce de Kellar viene de la mano de Houdini.

MELINDA MAGICIAN

Melinda: The First Lady of Magic (CLOSED) By Chuck Rounds
Melinda: The First Lady of Magic is playing at the Showroom, inside the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Her show is filled with music, dancing, and magic. It is not just a magic show. It is a full production show with magic. As a woman, Melinda is unique in the world of magic. She has proven herself time and time again. The show seems to fly by at a very energetic pace and is fun to watch.Melinda is a prop magician--meaning that she relies on set pieces to do the tricks for her while she dances around and presents them. It is very much on the same order as David Copperfield or Siegfried & Roy. This type of magic relies heavily on showmanship (or show-woman-ship, in her case.), and execution is everything. If you have ever been amazed at these magicians in the past, then you will be just as engaged to watch Melinda. Melinda is a woman in a man's world. Magic is still truly a "Boy's Club", and generally, in a situation like that, a woman has to be at least twice as good as her male counterparts to achieve the same amount of praise. As a woman, Melinda is unique in the magic world, but she is also in a very difficult position--balancing the need to prove herself a good magician with the demands of simply performing and being the magician.I feel that she has proven herself as a good magician. She can definitely sell a trick. She has a great stage presence. She is charming. She uses her dancing, her performance, and her sex appeal all very well. She has achieved more than any other female in her field. She is a solid performer and now has a good production behind her. She has nothing more to "prove." I just want to see her perform.The only problem I still see with the production is that Melinda often times works as her own magician's assistant. The illusion comes about, but seems as if it was performed by an invisible magician, rather than as Melinda being the magician herself. Melinda should always take center stage as the magician.The Showroom inside the Venetian is both a blessing and a curse for her production. All of the seats offer a good view of the show, and the theatre has all of the technical bells and whistles one would hope for. The lack of extra backstage space, though, limits the size and scope of many of the illusions. The stage was built for bands and not for magic. The production has, however, been able to "squeeze in" an amazing amount of tricks, sets, and illusions.One of the highlights of the evening was master juggler, Rejean St. Jules. His unique take on juggling, brightened the evening considerably. He kept the audience intrigued and engaged. He was a joy to watch.Video screens throughout the showroom offer an additional perspective of the show as well. Sometimes these screens offer an interesting second view of the performance, while at other times, they split the focus so badly that the audience doesn't know where to look.Melinda puts on a good show, and has all of the potential to achieve even greater things. Melinda is an important and needed figure in the magical community, and I would like to see her receive greater accolades and recognition for her work. The show is fill with a lot of good elements and is a very enjoyable evening.