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Magician
Alex Ramon is a world class illusionist with over a decade of magic experience. He is currently with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, starring as the magical Zingmaster. Alex has earned many top awards and honors for his phenomenal magic, and has also traveled the globe with Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show, seeing 14 countries, four continents, 656 shows and more than a million people.
Click below to listen to 10 minute interview.
Resources
1. About Alex Ramon: www.magicbyalex.com
2. The Magic Castle: www.magiccastle.com
3. The Society of American Magicians: www.magicsam.com
4. The International Brotherhood of Magicians: www.magician.org
5. Misdirections Magic Shop: www.misdirections.com
About Alex Ramon
World class illusionist Alex Ramon summons over a decade of magic experience to bring an unexpected twist to the American circus as he joins the cast of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®. Starring as the magical Zingmaster, Alex astounds audiences with his incredible mastery of illusions, all while keeping his nemesis, Mr. Gravity and his gang of Heavies from causing trouble.
A true principal of his craft, Alex earned many top awards and honors for his phenomenal magic, including San Francisco Bay Area’s Best Stage Magician, the coveted Lance Burton award, given to the National Teenage Champion Magician by the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas, and the National Stage Magic Champion award.
But even a master magician can’t learn to make an elephant disappear overnight. So like the tourist who asks directions to Carnegie Hall, Alex says the answer is to practice, practice, practice. But to him, practicing magic is a labor of love.
Raised in Richmond, California, Alex developed a deep connection with magic when he was just 13 years-old. His father’s colleague, a magician, often showed Alex magic tricks, and Alex dedicated hours learning and perfecting his technique. Alex’s father took notice of his son’s growing passion and natural talent for magic and bought him a 370-page magic book for Christmas that allowed Alex to take his talent to the next level.
With performance in his heart, Alex began entertaining friends and family. His first successful magic show at a family gathering impressed and astounded so many, Alex decided he wanted perform in front of more audiences. Soon after, he was hired at a local restaurant to perform close-up magic for guests. Alex continued to refine his skills as an entertainer, gained confidence in his abilities, and entered his first competition at the age of 16. Alex, one of the youngest competitors, won second place and began to make a name for himself as a talented magician in the Bay Area.
Seen as a popular and acclaimed magician, Alex was asked to be the spokesperson for a popular, state-wide library showcase. Alex could not turn this opportunity down as he had a strong connection to books; Alex learned the art of magic by reading. The admired teenage magician traveled across the state of California and performed in more than 250 magic shows a year.
When Alex returned to Las Vegas in 2005, he auditioned for Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show, and skillfully won a spot as a professional illusionist alongside Master Magician Mickey Mouse. Alex traveled the globe with the world’s most famous mouse for two and a half years, seeing 14 countries, four continents, 656 shows and more than a million people.
“Magic is universal. It transcends language. At a restaurant in China, I made a coin disappear in front of a little boy. The kid’s face just lit up. I taught him how to perform the trick and he gave me a note written in Chinese that I later learned said “I will practice what you have taught me.” When you see a performer who really loves what they do, they’re not doing it. It’s happening.”
Alex’s talent and dedication put him top of mind when producers Kenneth Feld and Nicole Feld imagined a magical circus– one in which an elephant disappears and a man turns into a tiger.
“Here I am in The Greatest Show on Earth. You don’t get any bigger than this. But I’m waiting for the day a kid, maybe 10 years from now, says, you know, ‘I saw you in the Ringling Bros. show ZING ZANG ZOOM, and now I’m a magician and it’s my passion.’ ”
Ready to showcase his remarkable abilities, Alex can’t wait to enthrall and mesmerize Children Of All Ages across the U.S.
Hollywood Talent Agent
Learn how to become a Talent Agent for Hollywood actors from Teresa, who is Shia LaBeouf’s Talent Agent and also owner of a top Hollywood talent agency. Shia is one of the finest young actors in Hollywood, most recently known from his films, Disturbia, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and both Transformers films. Teresa has worked in the industry for over 15 years, and has helped Shia reach stardom for the last 12 years. Her client list also includes other Hollywood actors.
Click below to listen to 10 minute interview.
Resources
1. Talent Agent on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talent_agent
Books To Read:
- The Real, Low Down, Dirty Truth About Hollywood Agenting: The Day-to-Day Inner Workings of Hollywood from a Seasoned Talent Agent's Point of View by Rima Greer
- Hollywood Dealmaking : Negotiating Talent Agreements by Dina Appleton
- The 7 Steps to Stardom: How to Become a Working Actor in Movies, TV, and Commercials by Christina Ferra-Gilmore and Wink Martindale
- The Actor's Workbook: How to Become a Working Actor by Valorie Hubbard and Lea Tolub Brandenburg
Circus Production Manager
Kathy Chilcoat is the Production Manager for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. As Production Manager, her job is to help the performers uphold the creative vision. Before joining Ringling Bros., Kathy was a Stage Manager at Walt Disney World. She started with Show Development and Production, which builds new shows, park entertainment and signature events. Later she became a Stage Manager for Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and the Jedi Training Academy.
Click below to listen to 10 minute interview.
Resources
1. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: www.ringling.com
2. PlayBill.com: www.playbill.com
3. BackstageJobs.com: www.backstagejobs.com
4. Book: The Stage Management Handbook by Daniel Ionazzi
About Kathy Chilcoat
Production Manager Kathy Chilcoat still can’t believe her good fortune. Just two weeks after joining Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, this talented young associate production manger was chosen to oversee the two-year tour of ZING ZANG ZOOMSM, the 139th Edition of the Greatest Show On Earth®.
“I always expected to be in entertainment, and running a large production has always been a goal,” she says. “But I can’t say that I ever expected to be running an honest to goodness circus!”
As Production Manager, Kathy’s job is to help the performers uphold the creative vision. The balance isn’t always easy, as any manager knows. “I see a lot of my job as being there for the people who are under me,” she says, “but at the same time, helping them keep the show up to speed and to the standards that have been set.”
“This is my first experience with the Ringling Bros. circus and so far I love it,” she says. “It is a different world.”
Before joining Ringling Bros., Kathy was a stage manager at Walt Disney World for three years. She started with Show Development and Production, which builds new shows, park entertainment and signature events. Later she became a stage manager for Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and the Jedi Training Academy.
Kathy says she was best prepared for this challenge by an exacting theater professor, Mike Burnett, at Huntington University in Huntington, Indiana.
“He challenged me daily and pushed me to my limits. He really made me grow as a stage manager, as a person and as an entertainer. He was the person who probably pushed me more than anyone I’ve ever known, but he has made me a better manager because of it. He helped me maintain my compassion for people, yet lead within that. He taught me how to work really hard on very little sleep and how to not accept anything from myself, other than my best at all times. That has really helped me throughout Winter Quarters and learning this job quickly!”
As for her parents, “they were very encouraging. There were a lot of jokes about always knowing I’d run away with the circus.”
Circus Director
Shanda Sawyer is the Show Creator of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’s Zing Zang Zoom show. She is an acclaimed Emmy winning Director and Choreographer for a host of television specials, touring shows and music videos, including Dancing with the Stars and the Miss America Pageant among others.
Click below to listen to 10 minute interview.
Resources
1. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: www.ringling.com
2. About Shanda: www.shandasawyer.com
3. Ringling Bros. Clown College: http://www.ringling.com/TextContent.aspx?id=17084&parentID=390&assetFolderID=708
4. List of Circus Schools: http://www.ehow.com/how-to_4845448_3_join-a-circus.html
5. Acting & Directing Colleges & Universities: http://www.uscollegesearch.org/acting-and-directing-colleges.html
About Shanda Sawyer
In 2005, Kenneth Feld and Nicole Feld made the most dramatic changes to The Greatest Show On Earth® seen in 50 years. That show, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents Circus of Dreams, marked the first time that acclaimed Emmy® winning Director and Choreographer Shanda Sawyer directed an edition of The Greatest Show On Earth. Now Shanda’s creative spirit is back as she directs the 139th Edition, ZING ZANG ZOOM.
“It’s a very ambitious show, with many different layers – the acts, the storyline, the transitional moments,” she says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to create an experience for children that hopefully gives them a sense of magic and possibility in their own lives.”
Shanda is not one to rest on her laurels. She’s worked on this show for a year – creating, collaborating and cajoling to make it the best ever. She gives enormous credit to Kenneth and Nicole for their spot-on instincts in creating large-scale family shows that provide memorable experiences. And she gives credit to the many creative people who helped her present a show with hip appeal for today’s audiences.
“I call it a convergent process,” she says. “It takes a lot of forms on the way to ending up being what it is.”
“You want to honor this icon of American entertainment, as well as bring something new to the table and keep in step with kids and where their tastes are. This show moves things forward, yet still maintains the integrity and rich tradition of the circus.”
Shanda has a track record of success as a director, choreographer and executive producer in television, stage, music video and commercials. A San Francisco native, she started her career as a director/choreographer at age 14, creating a street-performance group with her 16-year-old sister. She attended USF/Lone Mountain College’s Theater Arts Department on a full scholarship and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In college, she formed a dance-comedy company, called The Rhythm Methods, which satirized pop culture through music and dance. It became a cult hit in San Francisco and caught the attention of media producers, leading to Shanda’s career in television and music videos.
Shanda continued to develop groundbreaking material after relocating to Los Angeles in 1990. She has been a choreographer, creative director and creative consultant for a host of television specials, touring shows and music videos. Her long list of credits includes Dancing with the Stars, the 69th Academy Awards® show and The Miss America Pageant.
In 2003, she won the Gracie Allen Award for Best Reality Show for Oxygen’s comedy-reality show, Who Needs Hollywood?
“It’s not just entertainment,” says this accomplished woman. “My mission is to elevate the human spirit.”