The Harry Potter series is complete. What an incredible success story! Last night, there was a big celebration at Scholastic, the US publisher of the Potter books. I put on my fancy wizard’s robe and hat and entertained at the VIP party one last time. Celebrities like Salman Rushdie were there to mark this historic occasion.
With Dick Robinson, the President, Chairman and CEO of Scholastic.
This year I have had a number of interesting magic consulting jobs. I worked with actor Stanley Tucci on two movies: Blind Date, which is a remake of a Theo van Gogh movie by the same name, and Kit Kittredge, an American Girl Mystery. Oddly enough, in both movies, Stanley played the part of a magician, so my job was to teach him magic tricks! I am eager to see the movies when they come out.
Right now I am working on a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream for Shakespeare in the Park, which is produced by the Public Theater here in New York. Director Daniel Sullivan wanted to add some magic to the play, so this past week I have been having a lot of fun creating magic for Puck, Oberon, the Mechanicals and the young Fairies, and presenting ideas to Dan. The play goes into previews at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park on August 7th.
Puck (Jon Michael Hill), Bottom/”Pyramus” (Jay O. Sanders) and Flute/”Thisbe” (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) in the forest
The Lovers Demetrius (Elliot Villar) and Helena (Martha Plimpton)
The Fairies (aerialist Chelsea Bacon in the tree, Keith David as Oberon, and Laila Robins as Titania)
