Frequently Asked Questions
Are you going to take the matter of secrecy so seriously this time?
Yes and no.
For the first time, we will make all the names of our speakers available to you upon checking in on Sunday, August 16. You will have the choice of knowing who will be presenting Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday... or not knowing. It will be up to you.
The performers at our close-up and stage shows, as well as a few other surprises, will not be announced.
Also, we will not be releasing any names of presenters or performers prior to the convention. We sincerely believe that mystery and surprise is a big part of magic, and a big part of the magic of this unique event.
Not announcing names in advance allows us a little edge when arranging talent for MAGIC Live! And if past conventions are any proof, the system seems to work pretty well. Here’s a list of just some of the names that took part in 2007: Jason Alexander, Michael Ammar, Les Arnold & Dazzle, Simon Aronson, Gaetan Bloom, Trigg Burrage, Eric Buss, Jason Byrne, Mike Caveney, David Charvet, Sebastian Clergue, Raymond Crowe, Dana Daniels, Jason England, The Evasons, Gabe Fajuri, Richard Faverty, John Fisher, The Flicking Fingers (Jorg Alexander, Thomas Fraps, Gaston, Pit Hartling, Stephan Kirschbaum, Manuel Muerte, Rainer Pfeiffer, Ben Profane, Helge Thun), Paul Gertner, Joel Givens, Bruce Gold, David Goodsell, Brad Henderson, Kevin James, Joshua Jay, Luke Jermay, Chad Juros, Tom Jorgenson, David Kaye, Chris Kenner, Kostya Kimlat, Mac King, Rune Klan, Mark Kornhauser, Krystyn Lambert, Martin Lewis, Homer Liwag, John Lovick, Max Maven, Shawn McMaster, Francis Menotti, Rick Merrill, Earl Nelson, Andrew Ngo, Anthony Owen, David Parr, Kerry Pollock, Ben Proudfoot, Anthony Reed, Christopher Rose, Bob Sheets, David Sousa, Starr, Cyril Takayama, John Thompson, Michael Weber, Gregory Wilson, R. Paul Wilson, Tyler Wilson, Asi Wind, and Dan Witkowski.
And that doesn’t include cameo appearances by Lance Burton, Neil Patrick Harris, Jeff Hobson, Guy Hollingworth, Hans Klok, Milt Larsen, Armando Lucero, Bill Malone, Norm Nielsen, Marvyn Roy, Siegfried, and Rick Thomas. And 2009 will offer another amazing list of names!
When does Live! begin and end?
The opening night gala celebration will kick-off at 7 p.m. Sunday, August 16, 2009. Our Registration Desk, however, will open on noon that day so that you can get signed up and settled in. The convention will end late on the night of Wednesday, August 19. If you do have to take a flight out Wednesday night, we suggest you book it after midnight. Of course, we would encourage you to spend Wednesday night at the hotel to relax and enjoy all the time possible with new and old friends.
Why register early?
MAGIC Live! sold out over five months in advance in 2007. By registering now (with only a $50 deposit, fully-refundable until December 31, 2008), you guarantee yourself a spot. Also, seating assignments will be made in order of registration.
If I register now, will I be able to sit with my friends?
In 2007, we spent hours and hours arranging and rearranging seating assignments to accommodate people who wanted to sit together. Ultimately, this caused last-minute seating problems that we will be avoiding in 2009.
If you register for your friends, then yes, all of you will be seated together. If your friends register later, they may or may not be in the same seating group. Keep in mind that all daily Sessions are open seating, so there will be plenty of time to sit with old friends. And you are going to meet the most amazing new friends while sitting in a show.
With a stand-by ticket to the Close-up Experience, what are my chances of seeing the show?
Really good! Unfortunately, there are only 900 seats available for our Close-up Experience, so we are now issuing stand-by tickets only. You will not have a guaranteed seat in one particular show, however, you can stand-by for any one of the eight or nine performances. If there is an empty seat, you're admitted to that show. In the past, every one of our stand-by ticket holders did get in to see one of the shows.
Is my $50 deposit refundable?
Yes, the $50 deposit is fully refundable through December 31, 2008. There is a 10% handling fee for any cancellations after December 31, 2008.
When is the balance of registration due?
The balance of $285 is due by February 1, 2009. The price of registration may increase on or after that date and any remaining balance will reflect the increased price.
Can I pay the full amount now?
Yes, you may pay the full registration of $335 at any time. Should it be necessary to cancel your full registration (prior to May 16, 2009), there will be a 10% handling fee.
What is the last day to receive a refund?
Refunds, less 10% handling fee, will be issued through May 16, 2009. There are no refunds after May 16, 2009.
If I have to cancel, may I give my deposit or registration to someone else?
While deposits and registrations are non-transferable, names on your additional registrations may be changed up until December 31, 2008.
This list of Frequently Asked Questions will be added to as we go along. If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, please drop us an email at live@magicmagazine.com.