Penn & Teller auditions on Gold Coast

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GOLD COAST MAGIC CONVENTION

By On With the Show’s SHIRLEY BROUN

THE QUEENSLAND GOLD COAST has been selected to host auditions for one of the USA’s most successful television shows out of Las Vegas.

Helen Coghlan with Penn & Teller in Las Vegas. The only female magician to have `fooled' them twice.

This rare opportunity is set to attract up to 200 of the world’s leading magicians to the popular tourist destination.

To be held in conjunction with the GC Magic 2019 Magic Convention in Surfers Paradise in October, producers from the `Penn & Teller: Fool Us’ TV show will – for the first time in Australia - be holding auditions to find some of the country’s most skilled and entertaining magicians to feature on the popular show back in the USA.

“This is an opportunity to showcase our talented Aussie magicians on an international stage,” said 2019 Magic Convention organiser Helen Coghlan.

“And those magicians who are successful at the auditions will have a chance to fool the expert Penn & Teller and win a trophy as well as worldwide acclaim.”

Helen knows what she is talking about for she is one of Australia’s leading female magicians and has not once … but twice … fooled Penn & Teller on their popular TV show in Las Vegas.

As such, Helen is the only female magician (and the only escape artist ever) to fool Penn & Teller twice, a feat that was screened internationally to millions around the world.

Helen was also the first woman in the world to perform Houdini’s Water Torture Escape.

Although the Penn & Teller producers could have selected any location to hold their inaugural Australian auditions, it was Helen and her eminent magician/escapologist father Arthur Coghlan they contacted to organise the event. 

GCMagic 2019 Magic Conference organisers Helen and Arthur Coghlan.

Arthur appeared with his talented daughter on her second Penn & Teller TV show appearance and was also responsible for inventing the tricks she performed including the one that stumped the celebrity judges.

Their suggestion to hold it on the Gold Coast was successful.

AUDITION PROCESS

Having the Penn & Teller auditions as part of the Magic Conference, the first one held on the Gold Coast since the 1980s, will give magicians an opportunity to speed up the audition process, according to Helen.

“Any magician who wants to audition won’t get it easier or better than at this conference.

“Usually they would have to submit a DVD and have to go through talent scouts but those participating in auditions at the conference will go directly to the producers who will also provide valuable feedback,” she said.

Importantly, Helen added: “To pass the auditions you don’t have to fool the producers … you just have to be entertaining, and if successful the magician will receive a free trip to Las Vegas including airfares, accommodation and an appearance fee on the TV show.”

Helen said that whether magicians fool Penn & Teller on the TV show or not, it will help raise their profile and open doors for them internationally.

“All they need do to audition is to register for the convention at the GCMagic 2019 website “, said Helen.

Auditioning for Penn & Teller’s Las Vegas television show is only one part of the magic convention which will be held from October 17 to 20, 2019 at the Voco Hotel (previously the Watermark) in Surfers Paradise.

HIGHLIGHTS

The event will feature magicians from Australia and around the world giving conference delegates an opportunity to learn from the masters.

Helen said there will be everything from learning about levitation at a lecture and performance by Las Vegas-based Losander to discovering the ins and outs of card manipulation by one of the world’s most skilled card magician/card sharks Richard Turner who just happens to be totally blind.

There is currently a film being made about this amazing blind magician.

Our own Australian magic legend, Arthur Coghlan, (87 and still performing), will also be revealing how he escaped from a 44-gallon drum on The Don Lane Show … a feat that has remained a mystery for some 40 years.

Arthur will also explain to delegates how to make a real Shetland pony and his assistant disappear in mid-air.

In addition the conference will give insights into the use of technology to achieve the impossible with guest speaker Greg Rostami, a special fast-paced mix of stand up magic, close up and children’s magic with Joel Howlett, a chance to learn about Close-up magic with one of the masters Barry Govan, the use of social media to improve your magic profile with Missy Burrell plus magic competitions and so much more.

For further information about the conference and the Penn & Teller auditions, and to register for the GCMagic2019 Convention go to www.gcmagic2019.com.au

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