Improv and Magic

Today I’m talking to Douglas Widick. Douglas is a professional actor, and is a veteran of UCB Theater, PIT Theater, and Magnet Theaters in New York City.  He has performed in various shows and festivals across the country, and has also had multiple television appearances including on Comedy Central and ESPN.  Douglas is also a founding member of the world-renowned improv group, North Coast, a hip hop improv group that has been named one of Timeout NY’s top 10 comedy shows.  In addition, Douglas Widick is also a musician and audio producer with over 20 years of experience.  He has his own studio in Brooklyn called Suite Tea Studios, where he provides everything from voiceover reels and jingles, to mixing and mastering services. Douglas was such a blast to talk to!  We get into a lot in this conversation, including his beginnings in improv, his deep love of music, and how he got to appear on the Rosie O’Donnell show. You can learn more about Douglas Widick by visiting his website, douglaswidick.com.  And, learn more about the world's best hip hop improv comedy show, North Coast by visiting their website, northcoastnyc.com.

Today we go outside the norm with my guest who is not an improv actor or a magician. But he's someone I admire tremendously. He's my best friend of 30 years, he is Jose Prendes. Jose is a director, writer, and producer of various films that include The Monster Man, Corpses Are Forever, The Haunting of Whaley House, Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark, Unspeakable Horrors: The Plan 9 Conspiracy, The Legend of La Llorona, and the Headless Horseman.  His latest film is called The Exorcists, which he wrote and directed with an amazing cast that includes Kayla Fields, Denice Duff, Victor Maraña, and Doug Bradley (Pinhead from the Hellraiser movies). In The Exorcists, Jose managed to do the impossible: shoot an entire movie in just 6 days! Jose Prendes is also an author, and his books include The Harbinger, Sharks of the Living Dead, Viewer Beware – The Goosebumps TV Companion, The Are You Afraid of the Dark Campfire Companion, Sharkcano, and Elementary, My Dear Watson #1 - The Astounding Adventure of the Ancient Dragon. Movies are in this man’s DNA, and he has a strong passion and love for making films that people will enjoy and remember.  In our conversation, we talk about how movies have always played a big role in his life, and he also shares very honestly his enjoyments and frustrations with becoming a director.  I am proud to call this man my friend, and I’m especially proud to share our conversation with you today. The Exorcists is available to buy or rent on Apple TV, Vudu, and Amazon Prime Video. Visit IMDB.com for a full list of Jose's movies, and goodreads.com for a full list of his books.

My guest today is Will Luera. Will is a comedic actor, presenter, writer, trainer and director, with a varied tool set that adds so many layers to his performances.  He is currently the Director of Improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Director of Big Bang Improv and serve as the Artistic Director Emeritus of ImprovBoston.  His professional skills also include corporate training, workplace mediation, IT generalist, personal trainer, and wedding officiant.  Will has also been seen at numerous improv festival across the country and around the world, including the Phoenix Improv Festival, Curious Comedy Theater Lovefest, Twin City Improv Festival, Countdown improv Festival, Miami Improv Festival, and Finland International Improv Festival.  And that’s only partial list of the many festivals he’s done. I’ve had quite a few opportunities to meet this guy.  You can tell that he is someone who loves to have fun, and help everybody else have fun too.  He’s kind, he’s warm-hearted, he’s an absolute pleasure to be around.  This was a great opportunity for me to learn more about him, and now you will too! To learn more about Will Luera, visit his website at will-luera.com, and learn all about Florida Studio Theater at their website floridastudiotheatre.org.

Today's guest is one of the current top magicians.  He’s become an international sensation, and his name is Javi Bentiez. Javi is a master of sleight of hand, but more importantly he performs with such a high level of charm, beauty and passion.  What Javi presents aren’t simply tricks; they are pieces of art.  He hails originally from Sevilla, Spain, and was a student of some of magic’s biggest influencers like Arturo de Ascanio and Juan Tamariz.  He’s a regular performer at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and has performed and lectured at various stages in Las Vegas and around the world. He’s also performed on many national and international tv shows, including Penn & Teller: Fool Us.  And yes, he also won his very own Fool Us trophy, and has since been described by Penn & Teller as “the best sleight of hand artists we’ve ever seen”. To find out more about Javi Benitez and upcoming shows, visit his website at javibentiez.com.

My guest today is someone who also holds a special place in my heart, Mark Sutton. Mark has performed, directed, and taught improv for over 30 years.  He’s one of the founding members of The Annoyance Theater, he’s performed and taught improv at Second City, both in Chicago and Toronto, and has performed at numerous venues and festivals all over the world.  Mark also teaches improv to people in the academic and business world, and his clients include major companies like GE Healthcare, Major League Baseball, McDonalds and Yahoo.  He’s also one half of the world renowned show Bassprov, which he performs alongside improv legend Joe Bill. In this conversation, you’ll hear about his love for the craft and his joy in sharing this with others, as well as the creation of Bassprov, the time he first meet Mick Napier… and his great love for baseball!

For today's tip, we talk about the important of performing in your own voice. Don't try to be like anyone else, just be you. You are the one we want to see, and you are just as special. You'll hear some examples regarding this, and you'll hear a story about someone I knew who tried to be like someone else...it didn't end well for them! Be sure to keep tuning in for more tips here on Improv and Magic.

Today's guest is the Mega Magic star himself, Franz Harary. Franz Harary’s groundbreaking illusion designs have changed the entire scope of modern magic, and his spectacular brand of grand illusion has been dubbed, “Mega Magic” by the international press.  His magic is on really a large scale, and includes such feats as vanishing the Taj Mahal, moving Hawaii’s Diamond Head volcano two miles out to sea, teleporting people from Japan to Los Angeles, making the Goodyear Blimp turn invisible, and even making the NASA Space Shuttle Explorer disappear! He’s been featured on many television shows like World’s Greatest Magic and Masters of Illusion, and has also appeared in other television specials airing in Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, and India, among others.  Franz Haray has also designed illusions for many well-known musical artists, like N*SYNC, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Usher, Reba McEntire and Missy Elliott, among many others. This was another one of my childhood heroes growing up, and I'm so honored to have had the chance to speak with him. To learn more about Franz Harary, visit his website at franzharary.com.

My guest today is Nnamde Ngwe. Nnamdi is an actor, model, Improvisor, teacher, and writer. He studied and teaches at iO and The Second City, and was recently awarded teacher of the year at iO Theater.  Along with his twin brother, Amechi, Nnamdi wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed show Julius which earned him a trip to the New York Television Festival and a nomination for Best Screenplay at the Best Of The Midwest Film Awards, among others.  He also wrote and starred in Rap Skool, which was also screened at the New York Television festival and earned him a best actor nomination also at the Best of the Midwest Film Awards. Nnamdi is also a cast member of the critically acclaimed and award winning Improv/Sketch team 3Peat, an absolutely incredible group that has performed around the world and has even been featured on Comedy Central. I got to meet Nnamdi when he and 3Peat performed at the Miami Improv Festival, and I was completely blown away by this guy’s talent! To learn more about Nnamde Ngwe, visit his website at thennamdi.com. You can also find him on Instagram and enjoy his love for mix CDs of the early 2000s.

For today's tip, I'll share what happens when you get conflicting notes for your performance. As we learn and grow in improv and in magic, we'll often get different points of view from people on how we should be performing. This can get confusing at times, right? So here's my tips on what to do when dealing with conflicting notes. Ultimately...it's your own cookbook!

Today I get to talk to one of my childhood heroes, the amazing Jeff McBride! Jeff is known as one of the world’s most innovative and exciting magical performers. His shows have won rave reviews and standing ovations in Vegas showrooms,  theaters, and arenas around the world.  Jeff has also had multiple television appearances on such major television shows like The Art of Magic on PBS, World’s Greatest Magic, The World Magic Awards, Masters of Illusion, VH-1’s Celebracadabra!, Criss Angel Mindfreak, and Penn & Teller Fool Us. Jeff McBride has won numerous awards and honors, which include Magician of the Year from both the Magic Castle and the Society of American Magicians, he’s a FISM world champion, Stage Magician of the Year from the International Festival of Magic, he’s been voted Best Magician by the Las Vegas Review Journal, a 3 time award winner by the Guinness World Records, and was inducted into the Society of American Magicians’ Hall of Fame. To learn more about Jeff McBride, visit his website mcbridemagic.com, and check out Jeff McBride's Magic & Mystery School at magicalwisdom.com for classes online and in person.