Houdini Returns? Magic Legend Lives On in Austin 100 Years Later

Source: Austin American-Statesman

More than 100 years after his death, Harry Houdini is still making appearances—and this time, it’s happening in Austin, Texas.

Thanks to a series of events centered around the University of Texas at Austin, Houdini’s legacy is being brought back to life in a big way, proving once again that true legends never disappear… they just reappear in new forms.

Houdini Takes the Stage (Again)

One of the most unique tributes comes in the form of an immersive theatrical experience titled “Katie Bender: Instructions for a Séance.” The 70-minute show invites audiences into an interactive setting where they attempt to conjure Houdini’s spirit.

Yes—you read that right.

The performance blends theater, magic history, and audience participation, placing attendees right in the middle of a séance-style experience. Inspired by Houdini’s life (and his famous obsession with exposing fraudulent spiritualists), the show walks a fine line between mystery, storytelling, and illusion.

A Deep Dive Into Houdini’s World

Meanwhile, the Harry Ransom Center is preparing a major exhibit titled “Houdini’s Library,” showcasing the magician’s massive personal collection of books, letters, and artifacts related to magic and theater.

Houdini wasn’t just a performer—he was a student of the craft.

His collection was so extensive it once filled his entire New York home, and it’s now being carefully preserved and studied decades later. A new book, “Houdini’s Library: Inside the Spellbinding Collections of the Great Illusionist,” will also be released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of his passing.

Houdini’s Influence Is Everywhere

The resurgence doesn’t stop there.

Houdini is popping up across multiple forms of entertainment:

• Featured in theatrical productions
• Referenced in Broadway’s revival of Ragtime
• Celebrated as part of Austin’s theater history at the Paramount Theatre, where he performed back in 1916

There’s even a long-standing legend that Houdini once modified the Paramount Theatre itself to perform a daring upside-down levitation. True or not… it’s exactly the kind of story Houdini would’ve loved.

The Man Behind the Myth

Beyond the escapes and stunts, Houdini’s real genius may have been something else entirely—branding.

He understood how to captivate an audience, control his image, and stay relevant long after the curtain closed. He also spent years both investigating and debunking spiritualism, making today’s séance-themed performances an interesting full-circle moment.

As one expert put it: Houdini didn’t necessarily invent the tricks… he sold them better than anyone.

Final Thoughts

A century later, Houdini’s name still carries weight in magic, theater, and pop culture.

And maybe that’s the greatest illusion of all—
not escaping from chains or locked boxes…

…but escaping time itself.

 

Mat Franco Headlines UNLV Hall of Fame Induction in Star-Studded Las Vegas Gala

 Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Las Vegas continues to celebrate its biggest names in entertainment—and this week, one of magic’s own is taking center stage.

Mat Franco, best known as the first-ever winner of America's Got Talent, is being inducted into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame. The honor comes during the school’s 21st annual gala, held at the luxurious Wynn Las Vegas.

Franco, who has spent the past decade headlining his own show on the Las Vegas Strip, joins a diverse group of honorees spanning entertainment, education, and the arts. His induction marks yet another milestone in a career that helped redefine modern close-up magic for mainstream audiences.

A Big Night for Entertainment Innovation

Also making headlines at the event is Sphere Entertainment, which will receive the inaugural Global Impact Award. The company is behind the groundbreaking Sphere—a $2 billion immersive venue that has transformed the live entertainment landscape since opening in 2023.

CEO James L. Dolan, the visionary behind the project, will accept the award recognizing the Sphere’s massive influence on the future of performance and production.

Honoring a Legacy in the Arts

The evening will also pay tribute to the late filmmaker and longtime UNLV professor Francisco Menéndez, who is being inducted posthumously. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, Menéndez played a major role in shaping the university’s film program and mentoring future creatives.

Additional honorees include producer Cindy Doumani, Broadway in the Hood founder Torrey Russell, jazz vocalist Jonathan Karrant, arts advocate Denise Wunderlich, and alumni Wendy Kveck and Iñaki Sandoval.

A Celebration of Creativity

The gala also marks the 25th anniversary of Nevada Conservatory Theatre, adding another layer of celebration to an already packed evening.

Since its founding in 2003, the UNLV College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame has recognized some of the biggest names in entertainment—including legends like Penn & Teller, Liberace, and Wayne Newton.

Final Thoughts

For magicians, Mat Franco’s induction is more than just another award—it’s a reminder that magic continues to evolve and thrive on the biggest stages in the world.

From winning a national TV competition to headlining on the Strip for over a decade, Franco’s journey shows what’s possible when strong magic meets strong presentation.

And now, he officially takes his place among the greats.

Jade on Fool Us

 

International Festival of Magic 1957

 

The Erdnase Project

 Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com 

Introducing The Erdnase Project - Marcos Waldemar

A Monographic Study on the Erdnase Change

The Erdnase Change is one of the most iconic, studied, and debated techniques in card magic.

It was first published in English in 1897 by August Roterberg in New Era Card Tricks, under the name "Excelsior Change", attributed to Adrian Plate.

Years later, it would be popularized by S. W. Erdnase in the classic The Expert at the Card Table.

Since then, it has been reinterpreted by generations of magicians... When executed well, it may be the most powerful and practical color change there is.

When executed poorly... it's an abomination.

15 Years of Obsession

For over 15 years, Marcos Waldemar has lived with a deck of cards in his hands, obsessed with this technique.

This is not just an explanation.

It is the result of years of study, trial, error, and refinement.

Today, for the first time, he shares:

His secrets

His personal variations

And the invisible subtleties that turn a move into a real illusion

What You'll Find Inside

A complete journey through the Erdnase Change, from its foundations to advanced applications:

1. M.W. Erdnase
Foundations of the original technique and Marcos' personal approach
Technical details, structure, and control

2. Multiple Erdnase Change

3. Covert Erdnase Change

4. Middle Erdnase Change

5. Step Erdnase Change

6. No Deck Erdnase Change

7. Waldemar's Favourite Sequence

8. Bonus Trick

Take your Color Changes to the next level.

Download now!

Alex Voz on Local on 2 in Nashville

 

Penn & Teller Take Their Skepticism to the Supreme Court

 

Legendary magic duo Penn Jillette and Teller—known worldwide as Penn & Teller—are no strangers to exposing deception. But their latest move has taken them far beyond the stage and into the courtroom… all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The iconic performers recently filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the Supreme Court to review the case of Charles Don Flores, a Texas death row inmate. At the heart of the case is a controversial investigative technique: hypnosis.

When Magic Meets the Justice System

Penn Jillette, the outspoken half of the duo, was quick to clarify his position. He openly admitted that while he doesn’t know whether Flores is guilty, he strongly opposes the death penalty in all cases. But what truly drew his attention—and concern—was the reliability of the evidence used in the conviction.

“I’ve spent my life deceiving people on stage,” Penn essentially argues. “And I could do what that officer did.”

That statement cuts to the core of the issue: the use of hypnosis as a tool to recover memory.

The Problem with “Investigative Hypnosis”

The case centers around a witness whose testimony changed after undergoing hypnosis conducted by a police officer with no prior experience. Initially, the witness described suspects who looked nothing like Flores. But after the session, her identification shifted dramatically.

According to Penn & Teller, this highlights a dangerous misunderstanding of how memory works.

They argue that the common belief—that memory functions like a video recording that can be replayed—is simply false. In reality, memory is far more fragile and easily influenced, especially under suggestive questioning.

During the hypnosis session, the officer reportedly asked leading questions that may have shaped the witness’s recollection. By the time of the trial, the witness expressed absolute certainty—despite earlier contradictions.

Skeptics On and Off the Stage

Fans of Penn & Teller will recognize this territory. The duo has long built their career not just on illusion, but on exposing it. Their Showtime series Penn & Teller: BS! famously tackled pseudoscience, fraud, and questionable practices—including the misuse of hypnosis.

That background made them uniquely suited to weigh in on this case. Their brief emphasizes how easily perception and belief can be manipulated—something magicians understand better than almost anyone.

A Case with Big Implications

There is no physical evidence tying Flores to the crime, and much of the case hinges on the altered testimony. While many states now restrict or ban testimony influenced by hypnosis, those rules don’t apply retroactively in Texas.

Flores’ legal team is now attempting to reopen the case under a law that allows convictions to be challenged when based on discredited scientific methods—a difficult path that has yet to succeed for any death row inmate.

Final Thoughts

For Penn & Teller, this isn’t about proving innocence—it’s about questioning how truth is determined.

Penn summed it up bluntly: the methods used to obtain the evidence were no more reliable than the tricks performed nightly on a Las Vegas stage.

When magicians—experts in illusion—step forward to challenge the validity of evidence, it raises an unsettling question:

If deception is easy to create… how certain can we really be of what we believe?