Tales from the Fantastic Magic Center with Kent Cummins

You know about Kent's background with puppetry. Today he shares how he not only became a juggler, but a certified juggling instructor! ----- See more, take a virtual tour, and become a supporter at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Continuing his exploration of magic's allied arts, Kent talks about the strange practice of ventriloquism. ----- Take a virtual tour, see more history, and become a patron of the Fantastic Magic Center:  https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Kent has been a magician for more than 70 years. He's also a juggler. Did you know that he has also explored the art of puppeteering? He tells about his introduction to puppetry and the tragic event that forced him to let it go. We're getting into the allied art to magic! Photo credit: Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commo...

Oddly enough, sawing people in half has become as much a trademark of the magician as pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Has Kent Cummins sawed people in half? Yes, thousands of them. Hear stories about the origin of this illusion and the way it became a staple for Kent's performances. ----- Take a virtual tour, celebrate magic history, and become a supporter of the Fantastic Magic Center: https://fan...

Kent has touched on different types of illusions, but did you know there is actually a list? Today he shares the many categories of illusions and some of the ways he has connected with all of them. ----- Take a virtual tour and become a supporter at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Last episode Kent talked about vanishing elephants. Today he talks about making people appear? Who? Corporate bigwigs, beauty pageant contestants and himself! It's another tale from the Fantastic Magic Center. ----- Take a virtual tour and become a supporter of the Fantastic Magic Center. Help preserve the history of magic. https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

When you think about magicians you may picture making rabbits appear. But do you ever think of vanishing elephants? You will after Kent shares some of his own experiences with The Vanishing Elephant. ----- Take a virtual tour and add your support to the Fantastic Magic Center: https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Kent starts the new year with stories about the Hocus Pocus Hundai adventure, with the lessons learned. He also shares how he continued the legacy of Houdini's Stocks of Zanzibar. ----- Take a virtual tour, learn more, and become a supporter at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

How do you give Santa Claus a fantastic entrance in the middle of a mall full of enthusiastic families? In a magical fireplace, of course! Kent talks about how he developed, constructed, and used the Santa Claus Illusion, which served him for many years. ----- Take a virtual tour, learn more, and become a supporter of the Fantatic Magic Center: https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Magicians have a history of pulling things out of top hats. What's the biggest thing you can produce? Sometimes you need a bigger hat! Kent shares his own love of hat tricks and how he grew into producing people out of a hat. +++++ See more, take a virtual tour, and become a supporter at https://fantastic magic center.com/

In 1983, the same year that David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear on national television, The Fantastic Kent Cummins created a unique illusion to magically produce a tree as part of a topping ceremony for the La Mansion Hotel in Austin, Texas. Kent talks about that challenge and how he created an event that had never happened before and will likely never happen again. See bonus vi...

It is said there are books about magic and there are books OF magic. In this case, it's a bit of both as Kent shares his time with the Big Book of Magic, which has served him well for hundreds of performances. We also spend a little time with Satan's Seat! ----- Learn more, take a virtual tour, and add your support at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Kent shares more memories about the big stuff, featuring the tale of the Chinese Dress Change illusion. ----- Take a virtual tour, find links and add your support at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/

Kent talks about the big stuff, magic with lions, tigers, and bears, and one of his personal favorites: floating a beautiful woman in the air. ----- See more and add your support: https://fantasticmagiccenter.com

How do you create a successful, motivating, life-changing, inclusive experience for young people? You let the monkeys run the circus. Kent Cummins explains how trust did things he never could have imagined and how young people have so much to teach us if we will pay attention. ----- See more and support the Fantastic Magic Center by visiting the web site: https://fantasticmagiccenter.com

For this eighteenth episode, Kent  shares a labor of love he did for eighteen years. It was the Magic Camp, then the Kent Cummins Magic Camp, and lives on as the Fantastic Magic Camp ----- Learn more and support the Fantastic Magic Center at https://fantasticmagiccenter.com/ To see what's happening with the Fantastic Magic center, visit https://magiccamp.com/

The World Famous Magic Auction has a fascinating history, from it's humble beginnings to becoming the largest magic auction in the world. It's been away for a while, but it's coming back. Kent tells you about the origins and his own dedication to this unusual event. ----- Learn more and support the Fantastic Magic Center: https://www.fantasticmagiccenter.com/

In episode 15 Kent told you about his experience watching the Ghost Shows of the 50s. In this episode he gives you an inside look at how he and his partner, John, created their own. This episode features several vintage commercials and soundtracks from their original marketing and performances. Happy Halloween!

Kent takes you back into cinematic splendor of William Castle, Roger Corman and the midnight ghost show! Thrill to the chills of monsters, spooks and unspeakable things in the darkness. ----- Learn more and become a supporter by going to https://FantasticMagicCenter.com/

Keeping with the spooky season of October, Kent shares history and personal experience for one of the most alarmingly named magic effects of all time. Is the zombie a person under the total power of the magician? Is it a flesh-eating member of the undead? The real answer may surprise you. Join Kent on another journey into the world of magic. ----- Learn more and become a supporter by going to http...

Of all the illusions that Kent Cummins has performed in his career, the guillotine has a soft spot in his heart. Originally created as a "humane" form of execution, the guillotine tore swaths of terror through the aristocracy in the French Revolution. As Kent has discovered, it can also be light-hearted entertainment with an edge. It's an unusual love story. ----- Learn more and become a supporter...

Early in his career as a full-time, professional magician, Kent Cummins packed up his son, his daughter, and Harry Houdini to tour with the Mighty Thomas Carnival in Canada. Learn how all this came together and some of the adventures along the way. ----- Learn more and become a supporter by going to https://FantasticMagicCenter.com/

Many people know Kent as a speaker, teacher, magician. Did you know he is also a great fool? Many years ago, Kent created Felonious the Fool as a character for Renaissance fairs in Texas. Comedian, juggler, magician, Felonious is the fool for all seasons, and still makes appearances at special events. Kent shares the unexpected journey of getting out of his comfort zone and into the wilds of festi...

Very few people experience a ceremony unique to magicians who have passed. It is called the "broken wand ceremony." As an elder statesman of the magic community, Kent has been called upon to conduct many of these observances. It is a bittersweet honor that he takes to heart. Kent talks about the nature of these rites and how they have moved him over the years. Become a supporter by going to https:...

Early in his journey as a full time, professional magician, Kent Cummins portrayed Mr. Seeit, the magician with a vision. The experience gave him perspective on show development, magic with a message, and many other things that stayed with him in his more than 70 years as a magician.  Become a supporter by going to https://www.patreon.com/FantasticMagicCenter