IT ’ S ALL ABOUT YOU , BABY - CALLING THE WORLD ’ S BEST MAGIC ACTS ! THE SME - STEVENS MAGIC CONNECTION :
Once he came up with the idea , raised the money , and hired his executive team , Jonathan needed to get the word out to magicians and he turned to Stevens Magic Emporium for help . Stevens Magic Emporium ( SME ) has enjoyed over 40 successful years working in the magic business catering to the working professional magician and hobbyist . SME was started by Joe and Martha Stevens and is still run by Joe today with his son Mark . Mark takes great joy in the majesty and wonder in magic and Jonathan refers to him as , “ the salt of the earth .” Over the years Jonathan had built up a friendship with Mark and at one point they were going to launch a new series of coin magic from Todd Lassen , ready to go , but sadly Todd passed away suddenly and the project never saw the light of day .
With 25 hotels planned the HOTEL MAGIC LLC team needs a lot of superior magicians . They are out there but how to find them ? One of the ideas Jonathan came up with was to run a world-wide talent search for professionals who can do a 70 minute parlor show ( or two 45 minute shows ) with the experience and credits to qualify for top billing at a The Magical Mystery Show ! property . He approached Mark Stevens and suggested that Stevens run a global contest with magicians posting their videos for review . Mark suggested that he could put together a panel of world class magicians as judges to review and recommend the best of the best to HOTEL MAGIC LLC . Jonathan loved the idea and asked Mark to run with it . Being one of the largest dealers in the world , Mark naturally sought major assistance in running the contests . He suggested Paul Romhany and everyone agreed that the fit was perfect .
Stevens Magic Emporium and Stevens Global are expected to begin their search online soon and magicians globally will hear the call and start posting their videos and resumes . Magicians not already on the Stevens mailing list should register a free account at one of the two sites www . stevensmagic . com or stevensmagic . global so they can get notice of contest dates and data .
REVERSING THE TREATMENT OF MAGICIANS AND GETTING RESPECT BACK :
In recent memory , even in long term memory , we cannot recall any production offering pay this good in conditions this luxurious to so many magicians for such long periods . This is groundbreaking work in magic entertainment . Additionally the magicians working for HOTEL MAGIC LLC are being treated with respect that hasn ’ t been abundant in our profession . It ’ s about time !
At a time in the world where entertainers are working less and less HOTEL MAGIC LLC , has created multiple venues and a good income for working magicians . They have the ‘ inverse ’ problem of the magic community - they NEED magicians and they pay WELL . Magicians are used to not being paid well and also not being treated well . Each hotel show will have a venue producer who is responsible for interaction with the crowd prior to and after the show and also dealing with sales and pitching of
Photo from top down . Joe Stevens , Roy , Muhammad Ali and Siegfried .
Photo taken at Jay Marshall ’ s magic shop “ Magic , Inc .” – Mark and Joe Stevens with Jay Marshall .
Billy McComb and Mark Stevens . Mark Stevens , Johnny Thompson & Joe Stevens