AMI BOARD MEMBERS
For The Advancement Of The Art
Current Board Members
The Board is made up of a structured mix of ages and experiences. This establishes a good combination of views and is not just limited to one age, gender, race, or opinion. Above all, it is a democratic Board in every sense of the word devoid of Politics and ego. Its prime purpose is to do all that is possible to make AMI a friendly organization that seeks to advance the Art of magic.
The A.M.I. Board Members Are:
Arthur Tivoli (President)
Anthony Darkstone (Executive Chairman & VP) – Ali Nouira (2nd VP)
Frank Zak – Alexander May
Mark Williams – Louise Andrée Douglas – Dr Todd Landman
Austin Moody – Ariel Frailich – Brian Role`.
Arthur Tivoli
President
Based in France, Monsieur Arthur Tivoli, the AMI President is an experienced International Performer for many decades. Included in those decades is some 10 years in cabarets/dinner shows in Paris as a magician and ventriloquist, 7 years in Disneyland Paris as a Cardshark and balloon Twister and 16 years on cruise ships as an Emcee, Entertainer and Cruise Director.
He is a FISM qualified judge and is often called upon as a Judge at many Magic Conventions. He is a Member of many magic organisations including The Magic Circle, The Society of American Magicians and The International Brotherhood of Magicians . He is well known for his tribute performances honouring the legendary René Levand and has headlined in many of the Galas Shows Produced by Anthony Darkstone for the S.A.M. International Assembly.
Most notably he is The Chairman of the renowned Magic School “Les Magiciens du Garlaban and The Founder of “Magik Allauch-Ween.”
Anthony Darkstone
Executive Chairman and VP
Performer, Producer, Writer, Mentor & Talk Show Host. An AIMC with Silver Star Member of The Magic Circle, President of the International Assembly of The Society of American Magicians, and a Merlin Award recipient from The International Brotherhood of Magicians.
He has received two presidential citations from The Society of American Magicians and other awards & accolades.
Involved with Magic for well over 5 decades he has performed and lectured in several US states, including Las Vegas, Nevada, and other countries around the world. He has lectured and given Talks at The Magic Circle. He has been featured in several Magic publications, TV, Radio, and press media. His written work has appeared in several magic-related magazines and journals. Together with Dan Garett, he co-Hosted ‘World Class Magic’ in M-U-M which ran for some four years. More recently, also another column in M-U-M entitled ‘Magic Around The World’. Other stand-alone articles including cover features have also appeared in M-U-M.
He is the Executive Producer of The Magic News Network. He is also the Host & Producer of The Darkstone Dossiers and Chillin’ With Darkstone.
He has Produced and Hosted Talk Shows for The IBM British Ring 25, The Society of American Magicians, Magic at The Red Sea, the Texas Association of Magicians, etc.
His guests have included Michael Finney, Joe M.Turner, Shawn Farquhar, Walter Blaney, Maria Ibanez, Max Maven, etc. His Darkstone Dossiers have featured Jeff McBride, Lance Burton, Dorothy Dietrich, Marc Paul, Shawn Farquhar, Bill Palmer, Gay Blackstone, Kevin James, Marc Paul, Presidents of The S.A.M, both The President and VP of The Magic Circle, and many other notables.
Ali Nouira
2nd VP
Based in France, Ali Nouira has been a professional magician for over 25 years. Although he is in some degree self-taught he has used as his source literally hundreds of books and videos to create his style of performance and effects. He also sought out many leading names and spent considerable time in absorbing further knowledge. He has over the years become highly skilled and a name known to many in The Art.
He is extremely knowledgeable and has over the decades earned the reputation of, “a walking encyclopaedia of magic.” For over 20 years he has lectured and created various effects. He is best known for his collaboration with Paul Harris for the release of Steam 2.0. Founder Member of International Magic Festival in Narbonne , he has also has taken part in well over 200 Conventions and has met and shared his work with Tommy Wonder, Gaëtan Bloom, Juan Tamariz, Michael Ammar and many other notables.
In 2008 he opened AMF “Apotecari Magic France” his Magic store that stocks products coming directly from creators in Japan, other parts of Asia, Spain, England, etc. In 2012 he also joined the French magic team for coaching and is demand as a professor at major magic schools.
Frank Zak
Based in Las Vegas for many decades, Frank Zak is a uniquely talented sleight of hand entertainer. He wins his audiences over by making them his friend. Because much of his magic occurs in the hands of the spectators, his performances remain a special memory for his audiences. One of Frank’s personal career highlights was his special performance for Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band on one of their visits to Las Vegas.
Over the years, Frank has gained accolades from his peers and clients alike. Published in various magic journals, Frank has been recognized by his peers with numerous awards of achievement and excellence. He has lectured at many Magic clubs in the USA and also at the Conventions of The International Brotherhood of Magicians, the Society of American Magicians, Abracorndabra and The Magic Castle.
He has been a guest on The Darkstone Dossiers and in March 2023 a Member of The Panel on a show relating to Performance & Presentation.
Using his special talents as a magician, Frank has entertained customers as a magic bartender.
Since 1990 in Las Vegas, he has provided and continues to provide entertainment in the corporate environment at Trade shows, Hospitality Suites and company festivities for major blue-chip & Fortune 500 companies.
Several Las Vegas establishments have utilized his talents as a Gambling Consultant.
Alexander May
Alexander May is South African and has DNA magic in his blood as he hails from a family with a history in magic; it was inevitable that Alexander May would become involved in the art of magic. He has been ‘performing’ since he was in primary school, but his first real performances was at high school, when he started featuring at various school functions, such as fund-raisers, award evenings etc. From these small beginnings, his magic has taken him across the world – from New York, Paris, Las Vegas, Monaco, Los Angeles & Istanbul.
He has done various one-man stage productions – One Wand Wonder, Terms & Conditions Apply, and MAGIC:ONE. He has also teamed up with fellow Cape Town magician & escape artist Glendini, creating a show called ‘Maximum Magic’. For the University of Stellenbosch’s festival he teamed up with Jacques Le Sueur for a commissioned show called ‘ABRA!’ In 2016, he was a Headline performer in Season 2 of “Monday Night Magic” at the Cape Town Magic Club.
He has been awarded the annual Daelin Trophy for best performer by The Cape Magicians Circle in 2013 and again in 2022. In 2021, he created a special online version of the show for the National Arts Festival’s Virtual Fringe which was presented to the public via Zoom. He has made numerous appearances on national television. In 2023 he debuted his own TV show called “Impossible” which also showcases the talents of promising young magicians.
He performs at many corporate events for many of the country’s top blue- chip companies. He has been a featured entertainer for Southern Sun Hotels in the Cape Town/West Coast region, where he did twice daily shows at six hotels during peak seasons.
He is a Member of The Society of American Magicians and has been featured in several Gala Shows Produced by The S.A.M International Assembly.
He also runs his own company called Alexander May Creative Worx, which publishes and creates magic accessories and props that are distributed and sold globally.
Mark Williams
Based just a few miles off-strip in Las Vegas, Mark Williams has been performing magic for well over fifty years. He considers himself to be an underground talent and has used the catch phrase “Close-Up Illusionist”, to describe his magical abilities. He has spent and continues to spend time with many of the major names of Magic. Mark has obtained the Merlin Shield Award from The International Brotherhood of Magicians and is cited to receive The Excalibur level.
He also performs magic as his alter ego, “Mind Weak”. He developed this character over several years and he expresses a new found freedom with the magical arts, as Mind Weak. Both Mark and MindWeak has been featured on many S.A.M. International Assembly Gala Show and in March 2023, he was a Member of The Panel on a show relating to Performance & Presentation.
Mark brings a high level of magic knowledge to the table which he happily shares & imparts this wisdom with those willing to embark further into their own journey.
He is a skilled Video Editor and is the official Editor for all The Darkstone Dossiers and International Gala Shows.
Mark’s favorite quote is: “Once is Magic…Twice is an Education!”
Louise Andrée Douglas
Louise Andrée Douglas is a Scottish Magician & Illusionist that has, in a relatively short time, taken the International magic scene by storm whilst challenging the traditional roles of women in magic! Her magic has taken Louise all over the world.
She brings an expertise and highly valued female energy & perspective to the AMI Board. She is an AIMC with Silver Star Member at The Magic Circle and a Member of The Society of American Magicians. She has head-lined at Gala shows for the S.A.M. International Assembly.
Louise specialises in close up as well as stage magic and illusions. She is often called upon by many of the world’s leading Magicians as a ‘box jumper’. She has performed Internationally on Stage, TV, many of London’s West End Shows and as a head-liner at Magic conventions.
A lateral thinker, she is also a trained dancer, choreographer and actor and has a huge interest in fitness, yoga and well-being. She trained as an actor/ dancer in Scotland before moving to London in 2008 to study Musical Theatre, Dance Performance. Working alongside world class Magicians including former Magic Circle President Scott Penrose, her skills continue to be in demand by many leading Professionals.
Louise was an integral part of the all female super-group, ‘ Chicks n Tricks’. Mentored by Jamie Allan and Adam Heppenstall, the group began to take on the corporate magic world, offering something different than the stereotypical magician.
Louise is a full time Professional and performs close up, Corporate events, stage shows and cabaret. She also choreographs illusion routines for fellow magicians and consults for TV shows and theatre projects .
She also performs at great Ormond Street and various other Children’s hospitals in the UK & is a fund-raiser for the children’s charity ‘Spread a Smile’ . Magic has taken Louise all over the world.
Dr. Todd Landman
Known Internationally as The Academic Magician, Dr. Todd Landman combines his academic, and magical interests to provide a unique blend of Academic Magic that educates, baffles, and entertains, all at the same time. Using magic as a medium for communicating big ideas, his style of performance magic explores deep philosophical, scientific, historical, and other enduring questions concerning the human condition in a highly interactive, engaging, and entertaining way. He started performing magic in 1977 in the United States.
He was a Member of the Magician’s Alliance of Eastern States (MAES) and a member of The Keystone Conjurors in Pennsylvania. He performed all through the years of his formal education (1984-2000), and now performs professionally for a wide range of events, functions, theatres, private clients, corporate clients, and charities. He has consulted for ITV’s Midsomer Murders and was an expert witness for a legal case against a street magician in London.
He is Associate of the Inner Magic Circle (AIMC) with Silver Star, Founder and Lifetime Honorary Member of the British Society of Mystery Entertainers (BSME), Member of the Society of American Magicians (SAM), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Visiting Professor of Performance Magic at the University of Huddersfield, and Member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Performance Magic. In 2103, for his dedication to the development of mystery entertainment, he was awarded the title Chancellor of Mystery by the British Society of Mystery Entertainers.
He is the creator of many magical effects, routines, and products, and is the editor of The Magiculum and The Magiculum II, volumes of essays on the theory and philosophy of performing deeply meaningful magic and mystery entertainment for discerning audiences in a variety of performance settings. He has a number of videos from his different shows and repertoires.
He has guested on The Darkstone Dossiers and has performed Internationally, NBC Universal in London and Amsterdam, the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) in Vienna, the Asylum Steam punk Festival in Lincoln, the International Magic Festival in London, the European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR), and Comic Relief at The Cut Theatre in Halesworh in Suffolk. He performs as part of senior leadership events, combining the psychology and psychometrics of leadership with magic. He staged and live-streamed a blind folded bicycle ride around Highfield Lake at the University of Nottingham to raise money for brain tumour research. He lives and studies magic, mentalism, and mystery entertainment in his very own Magiculum in the Park Estate in Nottingham, England.
Austin Moody
Based in Texas, USA, Austin Moody is one of the rising stars of Magic and is considered to be one of the finest manipulators of our time and is often referred to as The Prestigious Purveyor of Mysteries.
He is a Member of The Society of American Magicians and has guested on The Darkstone Dossiers and been part of the Cast of Gala Shows for The S.A.M International Assembly.
Starting at around 7 years of age he has been involved in one form or another with Magic. He was smitten by the magic bug after seeing a show at school. The magician was Bob White. After the show, he spent time with him and was taught his first magic – a basic card peek. Since then, Austin has been making the impossible possible. Adding a few nuances and improvements of his own, he still performs that effect. Over the years he has honed his skills by volunteering to perform at Senior Centres as he passionately believes in caring and giving the residents their quality entertainment.
His performances cover everything from stage to close-up. In the last year, he has studied The Art with several major names as his tutors. He has sought out Mentors to help him develop & evolve. He was a Head-Liner in the inaugural show by AMI, “The Parting of the Veil”.
He also performs as Austin Sellars & has recently joined the ranks of full time Professionals .
Ariel Frailich
Ariel is well-known Internationally as an author and publisher of magic books, through his company I Saw That! Exclusive Magic, based in Toronto, Canada, He has countless interests in magic, as is evidenced by his writings. His most recent book is “Sub Rosa”, a treatise on easy-to-do techniques with dozens of applications for platform, parlour and close-up magic and mentalism. Prior to that, he wrote “Reading Writing”, a course on handwriting analysis specifically tailored to mystery workers, with an emphasis on readings as well as applications in mentalism performances.
Ariel is also an accomplished sleight-of-hand performer specializing in cards and close-up magic. He frequently appeared at magic conventions in the southern Ontario and western New York area, including a few early FFFF conventions. He has also spent time in Europe and speaks fluent French.
In the mid-1990s, he became interested in presentation and creativity, which led him to write his first book, “Card Stories”, which is about framing modern, hard-hitting card magic with story presentations. Eugene Burger recommended the book in his lectures and Max Maven called it “Charming”. An updated and expanded edition is currently being prepared.
Ariel is a member of the IBM, the SAM, and CAM, the Canadian Association of Magicians.
Brian Role`
Brian Rolé is an accomplished professional magician from Malta, who is in high demand for his versatile magic performances. Besides AMI, Brian Role` is also a Member of The Magic Circle, The I.B.M, and The S.A.M. He served as the President of the I.B.M. Ring 202 Malta Magician’s Society between 2005 & 2006 and is highly associated with other underground magical societies. He is qualified in Electronic Engineering and holds other Diplomas including Hospitality Management, Digital Marketing, and Web Design.
In 2000, Brian made magic a full-time professional career. He debuted as an international magician by travelling to Mexico co-Starring in a spectacular illusion display, that brought amazement to over 250,000 people during a stretch of 35 live shows over a period of 4 weeks. Since then, with his long-term partner Lola Palmer, he has been sharing his magic across the globe in several countries including Amsterdam, Germany, Spain, India, China, Norway, London, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Dubai, and of course, Malta where he is based.
With Lola, he has appeared at the exclusive ‘Leela Palace’ in Goa, India, performing for various MPs, celebrities, and other VIPs. They produced a three-week run in India at Le Royal Meridien’ in Mumbai for a nightly dinner show. In China, they shared the stage with other significant names in magic during the 7-day Happy Valley 2013 International Magic Festival in Beijing. They also have their own produced and directed dinner show, ‘The Chamber of Mysteries’, that has been running on a weekly basis since 2011 in Malta for which they have received many awards and accolades.
Brian’s career to date has also seen him as a regular performer on cruise ships, having given numerous shows aboard MS Grand Voyager, MS Color Magic, and MS Color Fantasy. He has produced his own full-scale theatrical magic & illusion shows at Malta’s national theatre, Teatru Manoel as well as performing in many other productions. As a result of his many appearances on TV throughout the years, he has become a popular name in many households in his native Malta.
Brian Role` has been a Head-liner in many of the International Assembly’s Gala Shows. One notable performance was as an Alchemist in the inaugural AMI show, “The Parting of the Veil” in 2022.
As we all want our organization to flourish for many years to come we will appoint Envoys and Ambassadors to get to know and understand the needs of all our Members. We are open to consider any Member who wishes to become an Envoy/Representative.