Dr. Ken Krenzel

Dean of the Parent Assembly Number One

October 2011

On October 3, 2011 The Board of  Directors of the Parent Assembly voted Dr. Ken Krenzel the Dean of the Parent Assembly.

Let me tell you a little about our new PA#1 Dean. In the program that named him PA#1’s Magician of the Year this was written:

“Just as Mel Torme is frequently described as a ‘singer’s singer,’ Ken Krenzel is known to the magic fraternity as a ‘magician’s magician.’ While lay audiences may be amused, amazed, and enchanted by his magical effects, magicians are held in awe by the ease, smoothness and perfection with which he accomplishes his miracles.” These written words are as true today as they were almost 20 years ago

Ken Krenzel is a native New Yorker and was born and raised on the Lower East Side. At the age of seven he saw a marionette show at his school and in his words it started his   “ life-long and passionate love of magic and all things magical” As a youngster, Ken became a charter member of F.A.M.E. (Future American Magical Entertainers) run by Dr. Abraham Hurwitz known as Peter Pan The Magic Man. This amazing group of young magicians would become major players in our magic world. They were Frank Garcia, Al Goshman, Jack London, Dr. Victor Sendax, and three other PA#1 Magicians of the Year – Howard Schwarzman, Harry Lorayne, and George Schindler, current S.A.M. National Dean. Among Ken’s group at the time were Lenny Greenfader and Mike Bornstein, whom he counted as close magical friends.

As Ken grew up he pursued the study of psychology in college and eventually earned a Ph.D. In addition, he is now well known as a leading exponent of expert sleight-of-hand with cards. He has published material in various magic journals: The Gen, Genii, MUM, Hugard’s Magic Monthly, Phoenix, Hierophant, Kabbala, Epilogue, New Jinx, Apocalypse, and the Minotaur. His art has been featured in books like The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel in 1978.

Harry Lorayne who published the book said of Ken “When Ken Krenzel performed the material in this book for me I knew then and there how good it was, and what a great contribution it’d be to the art I love – card magic”.  Still producing gems like  Ken Krenzel’s Relaxed Impossibilities published by Stephen Minch (March, 2010) his inventive genius seems to have no end. We at the Parent Assembly salute our new Dean whose creativity and grace humbles us all.

Taken from material from the PA#1 Archive and written by archivist Tom Klem

Upon receiving notice of his appointment Ken wrote the following:

“To My Dear S.A.M. PA # 1 Compeers:

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bestowing the great honor of Dean upon me. In turn I’d like to share with you some of magic’s greatest secrets. Some of you may have already discovered them…and for those who have yet to discover; know that magic has opened its portals to eternal virtual youth to you. You’ll never have to worry about entering a second childhood because you wouldn’t have ever left the first. Moreover you won’t have to worry about FaceBook, because magic will bring you friends from all over the world…Friends you would have never dreamed of meeting. Magic transcends artificial divisions between children, teenagers, and adults. Magic will perennially energize your mental faculties and restore a childlike curiosity and sense of wonder. In the future I will also share the memories of those many masters of magic I have met and those little known secrets which will further enrich your lives. We are all united in one bond of kinship though this great wonderful art we love. Thank you again. I look forward to seeing you all in person at an upcoming PA # 1 meeting. ”

PA#1 Dean Ken Krenzel, Howie Schwarzman,  and National Dean George Schindler

The next meeting of the Parent Assembly will take place on Friday February 3, 2012. 7:15 PM at

Mount Sinai Medical Center

1425 Madison Avenue

(corner of 98^th Street)

The after meeting event will be an improv workshop Given by Scotty Watson and Isaac Rodriguez. Add another skill to your performance toolbox!

Scotty and Isaac  will conduct an Improv workshop demonstrating how improvisation skills can enhance magical performances.  They will talk about fundamentals of improv and focus on :

Card expert Tony Cabral has been a well-kept secret among a few top card workers for nearly a decade. His sleight-of-hand skill and original effects have impressed the likes of Darwin Ortiz, Jason England, Jack Carpenter, Lance Pierce, and Michael Vincent. His debut DVD release, The Usual Suspect, contains what Jack Carpenter called “…probably the best gambling stuff to come out since Darwin Ortiz At
the Card Table.”

Tony’s material combines strong thinking, sleight-of-hand skill and good old fashioned sneakiness. These demonstrations will make you look like an expert—or a reasonable facsimile thereof. And above all, they’re designed to entertain an audience. The Usual Suspect Lecture features items from the DVD and a few new items never-before published. In addition, there’s thoughts on effect construction, the presentation of gambling material and even some left-handed card moves. Not for the beginner or anyone who wants to keep getting invited over for poker nights. Definitely for lovers of strong sleight-of-hand card magic.

Thursday December 8, 2011 Time: 7:15pm

Mount Sinai Medical Center

1425 Madison Avenue

(corner of 98^th Street)

Our December meeting will be at Mount Sinai starting at 7:15.

The aftermeeting event will be a wonderful show by Albert Lasher’s SYM group.

If you have not seen one of these you should come for they really are great fun.

Mayor Bloomberg Proclaims Magic Week

102nd Salute to Magic, American Escape Artist starring Thomas Solomon.

Saturday, May 14, 8pm. El Museo del Barrio

May 14, 2011 at 8pm

El Teatro at El Museo Del Barrio      1260 Fifth Avenue @ 104^th Street

American Escape Artist, starring Thomas Solomon

“World’s Greatest Escape Artist” – “The Thinking Man’s Magician”

The Parent Assembly #1 is proud to present Thomas Solomon in “American Escape Artist.” Don’t let the title fool you – this is a full-evening show of both MAGIC and ESCAPE ARTISTRY.  In addition to his world-famous death-defying escapes, Thomas Solomon will present dazzling classic magic with a contemporary twist, as well as never-before-seen magic effects.  Backed by a supporting cast as well as spectacular sets, costumes and lighting by top professional designers, this show will be a feast for the eyes and a not-to-be missed magical thrill ride.

Thomas Solomon has won awards as both an escape artist and a magician. He was named “World’s Greatest Escape Artist” at the 2000 World Magic Awards. In 1980 he won the national S.A.M. close-up competition. His many TV appearances include starring in two specials – “Thomas Solomon – The Escape Artist,” for CH4 in Great Britain, and “No Jail Can Hold Me,” for The History Channel. He starred in two Off-Broadway shows in New York, “Ellusions,” and “Theatre of the Macabre,” which ran for 1500 performances. As a magician he’s performed for many Fortune 500 clients.

His accomplishments as an escape artist are mind-boggling. Thomas Solomon has escaped from over 5000 pairs of handcuffs of all different types from all times in history. He has performed for two presidents at the White House, both times escaping from the handcuffs of the Uniformed Secret Service. Solomon has escaped two locked safes in his career, one of them underwater for his British television special. Solomon has escaped 19 jails throughout his career in New York City, London, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Trenton and others. Most notable were his escapes from the maximum-security prison Pentonville in the UK (that houses IRA prisoners) and from Al Capone’s personal cell at Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia.

Solomon is the only person to have escaped the leather and canvas moneybag previously used by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in New York City. He has accomplished hundreds of straitjacket releases, most notably an escape from the all-leather straitjacket specifically created to thwart him by Menkes Leather Works. He escaped a tightly bound straitjacket in the pouring rain hanging upside down from a tower crane 150 feet above the street in Portland, Oregon in December 2006.

The March 2011 meeting of the Parent Assembly Number One is

Friday March 4th at 7:15PM

The meeting will be held at Mt Sinai Hospital  on the Mount Sinai Campus in the seminar room accross from the Goldwurn Auditorium, 1425 Madison Avenue, NYC The cross street is 98th Street.

The after meeting event, produced by Bob Friedhoffer, will be  a lecture that starts around 8PM by Bill Schmeelk of Wellinton Enterprises .

Caleb Wiles

The Magic of Caleb Wiles
Tuesday February 22, 2011, 7:15pm
Mt Sinai Medical Center
1425 Madison (at 98th street) NY, NY

Get ready to step into the ring with one of magic’s newest heavy hitters. Caleb’s lecture is full of incredible close-up routines designed for the real world. No pipedreams here. Every effect has been highly acclaimed by the most important critics in magic… REAL audiences! And his book High Spots (published through Vanishing Inc) has been receiving rave reviews from magicians all over the world. Caleb’s just released his second book, and we’re happy to bring him to NYC so you can see firsthand why he’s become such a sensation.

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On November 5, following the meeting will be a lecture by Levent.

Levent is a professional Comedy Magician / Manipulator and the author of the highly acclaimed magic book “Roy Benson By Starlight”, He will explain his “Fundamental Rules of Stage Magic”. Levent teaches stage magic tricks from his own professional act such as the Misers Dream, Color Changing Silks, Long Pour Salt Trick, the Diminishing Cards, etc. Learn from the best and take your magic to the next level. He will also teach the Billiard Ball secrets of Cardini and Roy Benson. If you want to know what it takes to perform, create, invent, troubleshoot, and perfect an act then this is not to be missed.

Genii magazine called Levent “captivating”. Levent has been a professional magician for over 25 years, he was featured on five episodes of the recent TV series “Masters of Illusion” and is a regular performer on cruise ships and casinos. “Roy Benson By Starlight”, has been called “the best magic book many of us will have read in our entire lives, and “one of the best magic books ever written.” At the MAGIC LIVE Convention in Las Vegas (2009), a panel of experts declared “Levent’s Ultimate Guide to The Miser’s Dream” the Best Magic DVD of 2008 and 2009. Don’t Miss it.

Nathan Kranzo Lecture
Wed. October 13th, 2010, 7:15pm
Mt Sinai Medical Center
1425 Madison (corner 98th street) NY, NY

NATHAN KRANZO IS BACK with an ALL NEW STUFF LECTURE!