Paul Cummins has been performing and studying magic for over 35 years. Earlier in his career he worked with a partner, Bill Herz of corporate magic fame, doing a 13-year tour of children’s shows at summer camps and performing parlor and stage magic, including a two-hour evening show.

Through college Paul concentrated on close-up sleight-of-hand magic by performing at private parties, table-hopping at various restaurants (including a multi-year run at the Magic Moment restaurant in Sarasota, FL), and holding court behind the bar at Farrah’s Café in Gainesville, FL.

After moving to Jacksonville, FL Paul worked for AT&T as an Instructional Analyst for 13 years (designing and writing training courses), while still performing close-up at corporate events and private parties. During these years he published about 30 items in trade magazines like Harry Lorayne’s Apocalypse, Genii magazine, MUM, MAGIC, The Looking Glass, and Precursor; and in books like Stephen Minch’s Spectacle, Fleischer’s Brainstorm in the Bahamas, and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th New York Magic Symposium yearbooks.

In 1998 Paul left the corporate world and launched his own company; FASDIU Enterprises. Under the umbrella of this company Paul is performing at corporate events and private parties, writing and publishing magic books, and lecturing for magicians.

Since 1997 Paul has taken the FASDIU lecture on numerous domestic lecture tours and performed and lectured at over 20 conventions. In 1998 Paul wrote (with Tim Trono and Kevin King) and self-produced a teaching video on his coin magic, Up In Smoke, The Underhanded Coin Magic of Paul Cummins, which sold out three printings and is now available on DVD. In 2000, Paul introduced the ACME Card Magic Workshop which is a hands-on, four-hour learning session of sleight-free card magic, at four of those conventions.

Paul has authored two very successful sets of lecture notes, …from a shuffled deck in use… (1996) and FASDIU II (2002). Paul has also written and published two books on magic: Tricks of my Trade, the Magic of Doug Conn (1999) and FUSILLADE (with Doc Eason, 2000). Both books have been very well received and the Doug Conn book is now out of print (but available on CD-ROM).

Paul is currently at work on a large book about the magic of Buffalo, New York’s Mike Gallo, and has more publications in the pipeline. To these books, and to his lecture notes and workshop notes, Paul brings not only his background in Instructional Design, but also the kind of experience borne of thousands and thousands of performances. Currently, when Paul is not on the road, he continues to perform bar magic at a local Jacksonville restaurant.

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The FASDIU lecture and the …from a shuffled deck in use… lecture notes, upon the success of which Paul began his company, have been lauded by the experts:

“The term “real-world” is bandied about in magicdom, but Paul Cummins understands what this word really means. He not only has traveled the underground, but he has applied his extensive knowledge in the “real world.” He knows what works and why it works in this domain. His lecture is not only an exploration of tried-and-true abstractions, it is a festival of practical lessons. You will, trust me, learn solid ideas and tricks you will be able to use in and out of magicdom.” - John Racherbaumer

“Paul’s lecture notes are filled with strong, well thought-out card magic. Every item is an audience-pleaser. The material on the multiple-location plot alone is worth the purchase price.” - Darwin Ortiz

“Even if other cardmen don’t use [the] routines as they are from beginning to end, they will benefit from the original bits and pieces, techniques, and handling finesses that are scattered throughout [the] explanations and that are the trademark of a thinking, experienced performer... [Paul’s] treatment of Roy Walton’s classic “Time Travelers” is outstanding, and [his] thoughts and conceptions relating to “mass discovery” routines are the best writing I’ve seen on this topic.” - J.K. Hartman

“Paul Cummins is one of the cleverest magicians I know. He comes up with amazing tricks that audiences love and backs it up with terrific performing style. He is also a superb sleight-of-hand artist.” - James Swain

“The magic of Paul Cummins is simple in method, direct and clear in plot, and packs a huge wallop on any audience (laypersons and magicians alike!). Unlike today’s contemporaries who use effects to highlight a “move,” Paul is different. He only uses a move to make the effect more clear and highly visual (there is nothing “movey” looking in his magic). This is what creates magic! Paul’s magic is reminiscent of the late, great Eddie Fechter - eye popping, mind tingling magic that just happens! This is magic that is very visual and highly entertaining.” - Mike Gallo

"Yours is the best magic club lecture around. I noticed that the kids, the seasoned, and those between somehow all responded enthusiastically to the same material, but obviously, at different levels. Doing THAT, my friend, was possibly the best magic club trick I’ve ever seen!" - Ron Bauer