For three days, October 31, November 1 and 2, there will be a special Magical Houdini celebration, in Scranton, PA.
Scranton, PA, October 17, 2013 -(PressReleasePoint)- For three days, October 31, November 1 and 2, there will be a special Magical Houdini celebration, in Scranton, PA. During the three days there will be a ribbon cutting for the Houdini Museum's new marquee, a recreation of the Original Houdini Seance, an escape at the Ritz Theater where Houdini performed, an autograph session, a proclamation by Mayor Chris Doherty of Scranton, and a Magic Show.
Day one… Oct 31. To honor Houdini, there will be a ribbon cutting at 11:30 by the Mayor of Scranton, Christopher Doherty, for the new grand marquee that will greet patrons as they arrive at Scranton's Houdini Museum. (http://houdini.org/NewHoudiniMarquee.jpg) The original design was by artist David Starr. David Starr has worked designing shows and sets for NSync, 50 Cent, Alice Cooper, Shania Twain, Americas Got Talent, David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Lance Burton, Penn & Teller, Earth, Wind & Fire, Drew Carey, The Official Blues Brothers Revival, Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney, Pamela Anderson, The Osmond’s, Warner Brothers, and Universal Studios. The new marquee was built by Bryan Filarsky and Jason De Candis of Dragonfly Signs.
Because Houdini died on Halloween, Dorothy Dietrich, celebrity magician and museum director, will recreate the Original Houdini Seance, a tribute started by Houdini's wife Bess, the year after Houdini died. It 's not a real seance, but a test to challenge those who claim they can make contact with the dead. Houdini said, that after he died, he would attempt to make contact from the beyond. He said if he could not make that escape, no one could. He told people to save their money and not be cheated by those who make such claims! Houdini's wife carried on the tribute for ten years and then passed it on to legendary writer and friend, Walter B. Gibson. Gibson was the creator of the famous Shadow series, that became a radio show, a series of books, a television show and finally a movie starring Alec Baldwin. Before Mr Gibson died, he passed the honor, legacy and responsibility of doing the Houdini tributes to Dorothy Dietrich of the Houdini Museum. Reservations suggested for this event, which begins at 12 noon, after the ribbon cutting.
Day two… Nov 1. The Mayor of Scranton, Chris Doherty, will proclaim November 1, 2013 as Dorothy Dietrich Day at 7 PM, at the Ritz Theater building, at 214 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA, where Houdini himself performed. The honor is being bestowed to Dorothy Dietrich for the tourism, publicity and business her Houdini Museum has brought to the city, as well as all the public awareness generated when she and fellow magician and curator Dick Brookz and escape artist Steve Moore restored Houdini's bust at his grave in Queens, New York, 2 years ago. (http://houdini.org/DietrichBrookzHoudiniBust.jpg) The bust was destroyed by vandals and had been missing for 38 years. This is the second anniversary of that restoration. It was done at a cost of $10,000 paid for by the not for profit 501 C-3 museum. His grave site has recently been abandoned by the Society of American Magicians and Ms. Dietrich is advocating the raising of funds to bring the grave site back to its former glory. There 'll be a special signing when she will autograph pictures of herself, the Houdini Museum, and the new bust at Houdini's grave for those who attend. She'll have on hand a full sized reproduction of the bust that now adorns Houdini's grave for all the world to see. She'll also attempt Houdini's signature challenge escape from a Strait Jacket. This is a free event, in the space now occupied by Wendell & Company Interior Design, and is open for all to attend. Donations will be accepted.
The proclamation will acknowledge Dorothy's many accomplishments and accolades given to her over the years being named The First Lady of Magic, America's #1 Female Magician, The Female Houdini, and the Modern Day Houdini. She's the first and only woman ever to perform the death defying Bullet Catch in her mouth, that has killed 12 men. It's the one stunt Houdini backed away from after announcing he would attempt it. Columbia Encyclopedia has called her "One of the most noted magicians of the late 20th century." Her Houdini Museum, the only building in the world totally devoted to Harry Houdini, has celebrated the magician, in Scranton, for over two decades. As the site of the annual Original Houdini Seance, it garners publicity all over the world for the city. Recently, the Internet's main site for Houdini news, WildAboutHoudini.com, heralded, "She's not only a bonafide legend of magic, but she is a tireless and selfless promoter of Houdini's history and legacy. With her museum, radio show, TV appearances, and her continued upkeep of Houdini's grave site, it could be said that no one is as devoted to preserving Houdini's memory as Dorothy Dietrich." The Mayor's proclamation will ask all citizens to join in applauding Dorothy Dietrich for all her accomplishments in bringing tens of thousands of visitors to the City of Scranton and making people around the world aware of the City of Scranton as the home of the world famous Houdini Museum, Tour & Magic Show. Thousands of students, camp and senior groups, tour buses, and individuals come and learn about the history of Scranton and it's Houdini connection. Her tireless commitment to the community and magic is also evident by her two weekly radio programs, The Sensational Tales, and The Dietrich & Brookz Show, which can be heard four times a week on WFTE FM in Scranton and Mt. Cobb and WXPI FM in Williamsport and Jersey Shore and elsewhere. The shows are archived at http://DorothyandDick.com and http://WFTE.org.
Day three… Nov 2. Dorothy Dietrich will be performing a stage magic show at The Houdini Museum which is available to the public. The show will include her doves, a rabbit, a duck and two poodles. She'll also be floating an audience member who will rise in the air and even have a hoop passed around them to prove there is no visible means of support. (http://houdini.org/DietrichShowLevitation.jpg) She'll also give a guided tour of the Houdini Collection. Doors open at 1 pm. Reservations are required, call 570-383-1821 for tickets.
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Press Contact:
Penny Wilkes
Houdini Museum
1433 N. Main Ave
Scranton, PA 18447
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