Jason Bishop

Last updated

Jason Bishop
Jason Bishop.jpg
Bishop in 2009
Born
Jasane Castro

January 23, 1978
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s) Magician, illusionist
Website TheJasonBishopShow.com

Jason Bishop (born Jasane Castro; January 23, 1978) is an American illusionist and magician, and performs one of the largest touring magic and illusion shows in the United States. Bishop has won a number of awards in magic, [1] including the Jack Gwynne award for Excellence in Presentation [2] and was the 2006 Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) Best Performing Artist of the Year. [3] Bishop performs an average of 150 shows a year, including luxury cruise ships, performing arts centers, theaters, [4] and corporate events. He has done performances throughout the United States and Europe [5] and has been called "one of the greatest modern illusionists of our time". [6]

Contents

Early years and education

Bishop was born Jasane Castro on January 23, 1978 in Newark, New Jersey to Josefina Castro Hernandez. He and several of his siblings were placed in St. Joseph's Orphanage in Philadelphia at a very young age. After living in the orphanage for some time, Bishop and his siblings entered the foster care system [7] and were placed in several foster homes throughout Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Easton, Fleetwood, Leesport, and Allentown. Bishop continued to be moved from foster home to foster home until he was 18 years old, developing an interest in magic during this time. [7] He went to libraries to find books on magic and illusions and began teaching himself small magic tricks and card manipulations. [8] Bishop then began to attend the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) Ring 32 meetings in Allentown, furthering his interest and knowledge in magic and illusions.

Bishop attended Salisbury High School in Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania and Fleetwood Area High School, in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. At the age of 15, [9] in the 9th grade, Bishop began performing at birthday parties and holiday gatherings, as well as for friends and other small audiences. It was in his senior year at Fleetwood High that Bishop met Kim Hess and began working with her as his assistant. Bishop went on to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, as a theater major, [8] but did not complete a degree. He continued to develop as a magician and began performing larger shows and larger illusions.

Career

Bishop and his assistant, Hess, promoted themselves as a touring magic and illusion show. To jump start their career while still attending college, they sent demo tapes to a number of resorts in the Poconos area, including Caesar's resorts, and Woodloch Pines, among others. From these demo tapes, Bishop began booking shows at several resorts. As more bookers became aware of the new duo, they started getting booked at colleges and universities. Today, Bishop mainly performs at larger venues in cities all over the United States, as well as on Disney Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises. Bishop has performed at The Bamboozle Festival [10] at venues such as the Midland Arena, in Midland, TX, the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA, the US Naval Academy, and the US Coast Guard Academy. [11]

Although Bishop is not the only grand illusionist in the genre and has competition such as David Copperfield and Criss Angel, he does currently have one of the largest touring illusion show, as well as illusions performed by few others. Bishop also uses more humor in his shows than most illusionists, [7] as well as a number of unique illusions, ranging in type from challenge magic to close-up magic, to manipulation magic. [12] Throughout the performance, he invites a number of audience members, children and adults, to come onstage and assist in illusions. [13] [14] Bishop's show also contains a large amount of technologically advanced equipment, including plasma and LCD TV screens, [4] iPods and iPhones, and a modern rock and pop music soundtrack that is continuously changing. [9] With the use of modern technology and equipment, Bishop is often billed as "America's Hottest Illusionist". [15]

Awards

Notable illusions

Current tour

There are 15 illusions in the current tour of The Jason Bishop Show, including illusions not performed by any other illusionist, such as a double levitation, and Plasma illusion, The tour travels all over the country. [20]

Jason is performing on the Celebrity Solstice as of May 2016 and will be featured on CW's upcoming Masters of Illusion series.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Copperfield (illusionist)</span> American magician (born 1956)

David Seth Kotkin, known professionally as David Copperfield, is an American magician, described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history.

Paul Kieve is an English professional illusionist and whose consulting work for both stage and screen has contributed to changing how magical special effects in productions are approached. He is the only illusionist ever to have won a New York Drama Desk award. He created the illusions for the 2014 Kate Bush concert Before the Dawn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criss Angel</span> American magician, illusionist and musician (born 1967)

Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, known professionally as Criss Angel, is an American magician, illusionist and musician. Angel began his career in New York City, before moving his base of operations to the Las Vegas Valley. He is known for starring in the television and stage show Criss Angel Mindfreak and his previous live performance illusion show Criss Angel Believe in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas. The show generated $150 million in tourist revenue to Las Vegas in 2010, but has since been replaced by Mindfreak LIVE! in 2016. He also starred in the television series Criss Angel BeLIEve on Spike TV, the reality-competition television show Phenomenon on NBC, and the 2014 stage show Criss Angel Magicjam.

Barry Jones and Stuart MacLeod are a duo of Scottish BAFTA-nominated magicians and comedians whose work has been seen on television and on stage around the world. The double act are known for their comically dark performing style, for taking as inspiration the accounts of Biblical miracles and faking paranormal phenomena to form the basis for some of their illusions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Klok</span> Dutch magician and illusionist (born 1969)

Johannes Franciscus Catharinus "Hans" Klok is a Dutch magician and illusionist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J C Sum</span>

J C Sum is a Singaporean hybrid marketer, author, content creator, former illusionist and illusion designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drill of Death</span>

The Drill of Death is a large-scale stage illusion in which a performer appears to be impaled on a giant drill. It was created by magician André Kole and illusion designer Ken Whitaker for magician Melinda Saxe. It was one of Saxe's signature tricks and featured as a highlight in her various First Lady of Magic shows.

Mike Super is an American magician who is the winner of the NBC show Phenomenon. He was a top finalist on Season 9 of America's Got Talent. He's also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Penn & Teller FOOL US TV series. Super currently tours the U.S. and Canada with his illusion show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (illusion)</span> Performing art involving the use of illusion

Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close-up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It is to be distinguished from paranormal magic which are effects claimed to be created through supernatural means. It is one of the oldest performing arts in the world.

<i>The Magicians</i> (British TV series) British TV series or programme

The Magicians is a British talent show, first broadcast throughout January 2011 on BBC One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Bavli</span> Israeli mentalist and illusionist (1971–)

Guy Bavli is an Israeli mentalist, illusionist, actor and lecturer. He is known for being the first Israeli citizen to win an international magic competition in the United States. He owns the entertainment company "Master of the Mind", based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Dan Sperry is an American magician and illusionist. He lives in New York City and Las Vegas.

Jason Latimer American magician

Jason Latimer, known by the stage name LATIMER, is an American illusionist. In 2003, he became one of four Americans ever to win the title Grand Prix "Best Overall" at the World Championships of Magic. In 2012, Latimer starred in the six live British television specials on the BBC One's "The Magicians," and won UK competition overall. In 2014, Latimer joined Penn & Teller and Christen Gerhart as a judge on the American magic competition television series Wizard Wars on the Syfy channel. In 2015, Latimer launched the Impossible Science program in San Diego, CA. Currently, Latimer is the curator of Impossible Science for the Fleet Science Center and oversees the Impossible Science Initiative in science centers throughout Southern California. Jason co-hosts Science Channel's series SciJinks with The Big Bang Theory's Johnny Galecki and Mythbusters: The Search's Tamara Robertson. In 2018, Jason joined the likes David Copperfield and David Blaine as one of the few recipients of the prestigious Golden Grolla Award from the Masters of Magic in Saint-Vincent, Italy. In 2018, Jason was the closing speaker of the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., for recognition of Impossible Science and changing education with wonder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Mada</span> Australian magician

Adam Mada, known professionally as The Wizard of Oz, is an Australian magician, entertainer, magic/illusion designer & director, speaker and magic consultant. He is the magic and illusion consultant, coach and director for the National Institute Of Dramatic Art (N.I.D.A) The magic coach and consultant for Australia's Got Talent 2022 The Australian magic & Illusion associate for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2, the Magic/Illusion designer & director for Possum Magic and Sydney Theatre Companies 2022 version of Blithe Spirit. He is the resident magician for Studio 3 on ABC3, and the famed weekly live cabaret El Circo in Sydney Australia, he was the inspiration for 2 characters in the Novel Siren by Tara Moss, Adam was cast in Band of Magicians, supergroup in 2015.

David Boyd better known by his stage name Kid Ace, is an American magician/illusionist from Harlem, New York. He has become one of the world top touring illusionist completing over 150 shows per year and is the recipient of the Allan Houston FISSL award. Since then he has toured the world and has appeared on television multiple times. He combines multiple elements of hip-hop culture when performing, such as hip hop music and fashion.

Rob Lake is an American magician and illusionist known for his original grand illusions and elaborate theatrical interactive performances. Rob Lake was a quarter-finalist on America's Got Talent in 2018. Rob has performed his illusion shows all over the USA, Japan, Australia, Europe, Guam, and Thailand. He currently performs his show on television, in casinos, and theaters around the world.

Jay Owenhouse is an American illusionist who operates the second largest touring magic show in the United States. He is known for his work with tigers and his performances of famous illusions originally done by Harry Houdini. Notably he has performed a version of the Suspended Straitjacket Escape with the addition of spiked jaws that slam shut after two minutes.

The Illusionists is a touring magic production which features a rotating cast of 5 to 8 magicians who all specialise in specific branches of magic from stage illusions to mind reading to escapology and comedic magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reza Borchardt</span> American magician

Reza John Borchardt, who goes by the mononymic stage name Reza Illusionist, is an American magician from Brookings, South Dakota.

References

  1. ↑ "Magic is coming to the mountains". summitdaily.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Jason Bishop Honored". YouTube.com. August 7, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "APCA National Photos 2006". hickoryrecord.com. 2006. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Jason Bishop Brings Magic to Norwich Saturday Night". evesun.com. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  5. ↑ Giorgi, Elizabeth. "Globe-trotting illusionist will arrive at Kutztown show in a snap". readingeagle.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Illusionist Jason Bishop returns to Beaver Creek". vaildaily.com. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 Pongrac, Kayla (April 9, 2012). "Jason Bishop Brings Magic to Pitt-Johnstown". Dailyamerican.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 "Jason Bishop Interviewed on Memphis' #1 Morning Talk Show". YouTube.com. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Jason Bishop Does Amazing Magic". YouTube.com. December 29, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ The Bamboozle. en.wikipedia.org.
  11. ↑ Wentworth, Skye (February 1, 2010). "Artist of the Month: Jason Bishop". Wanderingeducators.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  12. ↑ Tokar, Sofia (January 22, 2013). "Nazareth College Arts Center: Critic's Blog". naz.edu. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  13. 1 2 Myers, Morgan (February 14, 2013). "The Jason Bishop Show to Visit Community Arts Center". sungazette.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  14. ↑ White, Sue (February 9, 2013). "Illusionist Jason Bishop Boggles the Mind in Midland". mlive.com. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Illusionist Jason Bishop Brings His Versatile Show to Beaver Creek". vaildaily.com. December 27, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  16. ↑ Verner, Pat (January 9, 2013). "Jason Bishop Bringing Magic to Davis Theatre". hickoryrecord.com. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Jason Bishop Show -- America's Hottest Illusionist". Oceanspringsgazette.com. March 12, 2010. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  18. ↑ J.H.S. Productions, Inc. (2010). "Creations and List of Illusions". jimsteinmeyer.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  19. ↑ "iPhone Magic Fish Trick (iPod Touch)". YouTube.com. June 30, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Tour Dates". thejasonbishopshow.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.