I am in LOVE with Celeste Evans...circa when she looked like Jane Russell. Va va voom!

I put in a vote for Maritess! New Yorks finest:0)

France Ireland pioneered so much for both men and women; she was my hero. AS a little girl I read With "Frances in Magicland" which somehow slipped into the local library: it made me feel I could also be a magician, even without a handy everyday suit. Always liked her definition of success from the Success Book series -- its what is a success for you, not for someone else. So magic helped pay my way through college.

Tina Lenert has a mystical weightlessness on stage that confounds you with its later wallop.

Carol Roy, though an assistant, was so fabulous at movement and timing that made Mr. Electric magically eclectrifying. Studying the DVDs is a revelation.

Tina Lennert is my favourite.
And guys, I don't think this thread was meant as a beauty contest, so just grow up!

I have to put in a vote for Dorothy Dietrich. A pioneer.

One of the first women to saw men in half.

First women to escape from a straight jacket from a burning rope off of a parachute ride hundreds of feet in the air. Done on an HBO special, put in by unrehearsed security guards when in her teens.

First women to do the jinxed bullet catch in the mouth and under test conditions at an IBM National Convention, as a teenager.

Ran New York City's Magic Towne House, the first ongoing cabaret of magic in NYC. Helped coach and start dozens of now well known magicians and in many ways the inspiration for NYC's Monday Night Magic. This would include Eric DeCamps, Jeff McBride, David Regal, Johnny Ace Palmer, Rocco, Peter Samelson, Imam, Meir Yedid, Michael Chaut, and a long list of others.

Currently runs and performs at the Houdini Museum, the only building in the world dedicated to Houdini.

Currently heads up one of the leading yearly Houdini Seances in the world.

Published, edited and wrote Hocus Pocus Magazine a 64 page magic magazine for three years.

She does everything from kids magic shows, escapes, dangerous life threatening magic, magic with silks, flowers, audience participation including a great misers dream routine, illusions, doves, poodles, rabbits, ducks, etc.

She is also an expert at graphology (handwriting analysis) and palmistry and does much mentalism as well.

She has been called the Female Houdini, America's Leading Female Magician, The First Lady of Magic, The World's Foremost Lady Magician and Mistress of the Occult.

That said any woman that can work and succeed in magic is to be congratulated and respected. Not an easy road.

Her hope is that someday a women will reach the financial heights and worldwide recognition of a Copperfield or Blaine.

CHRYSTAL NEED I SAY NORE.....

Hello, everyone,

Why do you suppose we are not taken seriously in magic generally speaking, is it because of sexism, or that magic is pulled off better from a man for some reason?

Just thinking,
Joan

Joan, first I'd like to point out that I can only ever remember seeing a couple female magicians in my whole life, so my opinion comes from a very limited perception of female magicians.

One of those ladies I liked, the other I didn't. Personally, I could do without the sex appeal stuff. I watch magic for the performance. I don't personally care to see a woman using the fact that she's a woman as a selling point for her act. That's just me. Have skill and talent and be a great performer. All I ask. I could do without the bathing suit or the leotard. And this coming from a very straight male.

As mentioned by several others, Julianna Chen is awesome.

The Reed sisters (Shayna, Jessica and Mandy) are among my faves. Also, Claudia (an up-and-coming coin artist) from Spain.

Bill

I've been avoiding this topic like the plague, but it just keeps coming back to the surface! Many women in magic are friends of mine, so I won't just list friends, beauty, or brains alone. Also, I try not to classify magicians as male or female...that is unimportant to me when it comes to who is a favorite. I feel like I'm treated as an equal by a large majority of my peers in the business--if not moreso, so I won't play the victim card. That doesn't help one find equality anyhow... That being said, there are many acts by female magicians that I don't care for. All too often they honestly come across as fake personalities--too contrived. There are also quite a few that I have been extremely impressed by.

I prefer to compare magicians based on skill, talent, and creativity--all of which are very different things. Juliana Chen is one of my favorite magicians (again, not male or female...just in general) and she's also extremely friendly. I agree with many of those listed already, so rather than drudging down that path again, I will add a few that have not been mentioned who really stand out based on my criteria: Sue-Anne Webster, Roxanne, Huang Zheng, and Kyoko. Just to name a few... I like different qualities about each of these artist's acts. I do not like them because they are women, but of course I do admire them a great deal...

I'd like to put in a word for Fay Presto and Mandy Davis, both really great magicians from over here in England. Also I'd like to declare my admiration for Arian Black, a fantastic magician who's done a lot to advance the status of female magicians generally.

AMEN!

Thought I'd thorugh out a few more names too...

I enjoy Keiko Muto's flower and fan/parasol manipulation. And Roxxane has got a great personality as well...I enjoy watching her magic.

After seeing a video of Randi Rain once...well, I was smitten. I like her style, her energy, and of course, her looks.

Never seen a female perfom magic "live", but hope to some day!

By the way, I wore a BRIGHT RED T-shirt today...breast cancer awareness day.

Doug

Trixie Bond,Great Look,Great routines and Versatile artist,Maria "Merlina" Iba~ez is a nice Magic Lady too!!!

Shedini.

I have never seen either perform, but two female magicians have brought magic my way.
Autumn Morning Star through her wise words and Mai-Ling through her beautiful music.

Peace,
Parson

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Lyn Dillies. She is in the National Archives for her production of 2 elephants. She is also the first magician male or female to do this. She has been in the biz. for ever.

Suzanne!

Suzanne, I say!

Douglas M.

It looked good on the marquee. I'm reminded of a radio station in NYC that used to boast it broadcast from the top of the Empire State Building. When told the EVERY radio station broadcast from the top of the Empire State Building, the station manager said; "So what? Did I claim we were the only ones?"

Always take advertising with a VERY large grain of salt!

I have seen both Chen and Shemada in person, I have to give a slight nod to Chen. Shemada is very entertaining, but during her performance she loses about 20 pounds. They are both friendly and engaging people.

Male magicians seem to interact with each other - they take criticism and suggestions without becoming offended. I once made a suggestion to a female magicican and you would have thought I stabbed her in the heart.

Jim