Ring 170 - The Bev Bergeron Ring (I.B.M.)'s Fan Box

Friday, May 11, 2007

2007-05 Famulus newsletter of IBM Ring 170

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 05/16/2007 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Board meeting at 6:30 pm

Meeting theme: Rope Magic
Marks Street Center, 99 Mark Street, downtown Orlando

If you visit with us and do not know the room we meet in , please be aware that some of the people in the office at the Senior Center may not be aware we are meeting there! At the last meeting one visitor asked where the "IBM" was meeting and the management apparently thought they were asking for the International Business Machines group! They said that there was no "IBM" on the schedule. So, if you have never been to our ring meeting , please say "magicians" or "FAME" and if that doesn't get the room location , just walk around looking for us. The Senior Center is a public building.

Lunch meetings every Tuesday at noon at Goodings (next to the food court)

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
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Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – Art.Thomas@Disney.com
Dennis Philips- Secretary – Dennis@alliedcostumes.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
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GET PUBLISHED!
Got an idea for an article to add to the next FAMULUS? Put it in the body of an email or in a Word document attached to an email. Send it to Famulus@illusioneer.com, and we will get you in print. Please, please, please, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so.

2007-05 From the editor

Congratulations to the board again for another excellent club event. The Flea Market and Auction was a great success. I especially enjoyed the Alain Nu workshop and then the following lecture. About now the Orlando Fringe is taking place, do try to support our local entertainment scene.

Another lecture is coming up - Pavel - do not miss him!

Thanks to all contributors, especially the pictures. Keep those pictures and articles coming..

Stefan

2007-05 Ring report

Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring

The April meeting had thirty-two attending with two guests, Dick Arbeitter and John Slusher. President Craig Fennessey gaveled the meeting to order and reviewed the upcoming events. With the quick business meeting concluded, we took a break for our monthly raffle and then John Crosby volunteered to be the Master of Ceremonies for our monthly ring show.

First on was Kerry Pierce , "KP". He showed 10 Superhero Comic book covers and gave an assisting spectator free choices of eliminating the covers. He ended with Superman and promptly unbuttoned his shirt and the logo of the Superman costume could be seen on his blue undershirt. This was an innovative use of Roy Baker's PATEO Force. Charlie Pfrogner always has an original gem. This time it was an effect using the important date of Houdini's greatest escape challenge. With a few eerie computations ,a page could be seen missing from a magic magazine. It was found in an envelope and the numbers all matched.

Luchin showed a quick trick with a length of rope wrapped around and penetrating his fingers. Dan Stapleton did a "Terry Seabrook" style effect where five spectators seal up their five twenty dollar bills in one envelope and pieces of newspaper in the other four envelopes. Four of the envelopes are burned and the one remaining,chosen by a spectator , had the bills unharmed. This is the second time Dan has tried to set off the fire alarm but the trick was worth it!

Mark Fitzgerald made some spectator selected cards appear in a sealed envelope held on a long white rope between two spectators.He then promptly pulled the rope through his waist. Bob Sheets is the creator of this rope penetration called "Hang 'em High'. He would have been pleased. Finally, John Crosby closed out the show with a clever coin trick. Join us whenever you are in Orlando.

Good things are always happening in Ring 170.

Dennis Phillips

2007-05 June lecture

Be sure to mark your calendars for this great lecture coming in June….. tell a friend.

Lecturing for FAME of Greater Orlando

IBM Ring 170
Presents

June 6, 2007
7:30 - 10pm

PAVEL
HOW TO INVENT A NEW TRICK !

PAVEL'S MAGIC is both astonishing to watch and easy to perform. He is the author of several books on magic and is known around the world for his magical creations. It is no wonder that the Academy of Magical Arts honored Pavel with the 2002 Creative Fellowship Award at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.
For decades now, the name PAVEL has been synonymous with some of the most innovative magic around. The CABARET MAGIC and The CREATIVE MAGIC OF PAVEL videos are the most evident examples of his competency in the matter.
This brand-new lecture deals precisely with the subject "how to invent a new trick". It features a large range of his latest amazing creations using general props such as ropes, cards, silks, balloons, clothespins, ribbons, colored discs, bills… More than twenty different effects are performed and explained!
If you are weary of card or coin trick lectures and are seeking a simple but impressive stand-up magic, this is for you. It's an exclusive occasion to see and learn something new and completely different from the master himself.
ADMISSION:
Fame Members: $15.00
Non-Members: $20.00

LOCATION:
I-HOP restaurant at 5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819 across the street from Hooters near Universal Studios. 407-370-0597 (Back conference room)

2007-05 Just in Ring #258 Flea market

HI FELLOW MAGI,

THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM THE PREZ OF RING #258:

ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE FLEA MARKET THIS SATURDAY MAY 12TH
AT THE YOUTH AND RETREAT CENTER IN LEESBURG.

NOTICE: AN AUCTION HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE FLEA MARKET.
IT WILL START ABOUT 2:30PM.

TAKE YOUR AUCTION ITEMS ALSO.

JIM MOODY

2007-05 James & Joe @ Cranes Comedy

Members James Songster and Joe Vecciarelli will be performing as part of Cranes Comedy on May 22, 2007.

The venue is located behind the Altamonte Mall

Cranes Comedy
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Come and laugh the night away at Cranes Roost with the best local and national comedy acts. Join us in the Eddie Rose Amphitheater on the fourth Tuesday of every month for the areas best outdoor comedy show.

Eddie Rose Amphitheater
Cranes Roost at Uptown Altamonte
274 Cranes Roost Blvd.
Altamonte Springs

2007-05 Magic History...Orlando

Mark Your Magic Calendar's now!
Monday, May 21st...7:00pm...and it's free!
Place: College Park Baptist Church, Edgewater Drive, Orlando

In recognition of three of Orlando's early days of magic.
  1. Don Masters (the Dai Vernon of Central Florida)
  2. Harry Wise (early television's Mr. Magic & Spook show star)
  3. Lee Bernard (early magic enthusist)

We don't see many of these guys much any more so come and listen to their stories of what magic was like in Orlando in the 1950's & 60's. Lots of fun stories to hear we promise.Did you know that Don Masters worked for Burling Hull?!?!
Did you know that IBM Ring 170 used to be called FAME?...and that Harry Wise (along with Burling Hull) was the one who came up with the name in 1958...when FAME was a club all its own?
Did you know that Club Juana (Casselberry strip club) had magicians and other acts perform there and that Lee Bernard was the manager?

We will have some photo's, scrape books, posters and who know what else there to see. This is not a show but a fun two hours of talk show format of Orlando's early days of magic with great stories to hear from our three "stars of the evening" who need to be recognised.Don't miss it....and bring your camera. Please forward this to all of your local magic friends who might be interested in this history. Or better still, email this to all on your (local) magic address book.

See you there.

Dan Stapleton(407) 491-3287

2007-05 Jay Marshall Auction & Magic History Conference

Just returned from the Chicago auction and conference and will give a review at the next meeting.

Dan Stapleton

2007-05 Auction Photos

View pictures by clicking below

Magic Auction

2007-05 Magic at the Orlando Fringe

Below are a few links to information on my show in this year's Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival. .
Will you folks be having a meeting during May? I may be able to attend. I should be getting to Orlando around the 10th.
Yours,
Taylor Martin

ANDREA MERLYN, THE QUEEN OF MAGIC

WFTV.com - Events

Shows 2007

2007-05 Dennis' Deliberations

Annual Banquet Returns!

After a two year absence,the Annual Ring 170 Banquet returned in triumph! Most people never realize the planning and hard work that goes into being the event chairman on one of these things.

The biggest issue the Ring has had for the last two years has been finding an affordable place to host the banquet and show. Local hotels and their food and beverage departments have , for the most part, priced themselves out of the range of what local folks like us can afford to spend. Much of this is because of the return of the convention business and tourism to the Orlando area after the events of 9-11 and the triple hurricane season. The challenge for Event Chairmen, Craig Fennessy and Art Thomas was to find an affordable and appropriate place. The solution was our gracious friends at Christ the King Lutheran Church and connections that Chris Dunn has with The Shelly Garza catering service.

Almost one hundred people attended. The Parish Hall at the church was transformed into a classy banquet room and our club's extensive staging was used to create a stage . Many other helping hands were in the event. Linn Fitzgerald created the table decorations and welcome gift bags. Mark Fitzgerald coordinated the Close-up performers and handled the Ring Web site. Mark also worked with Craig on the printed program for the banquet. Stefan Bartelski does our web publishing and blog hosting. Joe Vecciarelli created the Advertising Flyer.

The Production Stage Manager for the show was Sue Jacoberger. Art handled the lighting set-up and Craig did audio. Randy Chappuis was the technician.
Four of our top Close-up Performers volunteered for some pre-banquet walk-around entertainment. these were Wallace Murphy, J.C. Hiatt, Al Coury and Mark Fitzgerald.

Following dinner, President Craig Fennessey conducted the Award's Ceremony . Bev Bergeron was honored by the FAME Board with "The Founder's Award" for service to FAME from the early 1970s to today. When Bev made the move from Hollywood to Orlando to take a staring role in The Diamond Horseshoe Review at Disney's Magic Kingdom, he continued his service to the magic fraternity and helped revive Ring 170 and establish FAME. Our Ring is what it is today because of the long years of hard work and service by magic legend Bev Bergeron. He deserves our gratitude.

Harvey Brownlow and M.J.Emigh were given Past President Awards for their labors and service in their two-year tenures as President of FAME Ring 170. Serving as President is a task with a lot of responsibility and leadership demands. They served us well.

Art Thomas then took the podium for the next award. I want to express my gratefulness for being honored by the FAME board with a Lifetime Membership Award. I am a rookie in great company with FAME legends like Bev Bergeron, Bill Rosenthal and the late Dick Randall.

The Big Evening Show began and featured magic legend Aldo Columbini as Master of Ceremonies. Aldo is a leading magic funny man using his Italian accent and mannerisms to great comedic advantage. The show opened with Wallace Murphy presenting his rarely seen dove act. He included some golf ball manipulations showing
the skills most of us know him for. Doves appeared from a cascade of ribbons and disappeared in a breakaway box as Wallace finished to a nice hand.

Life Member Bill Rosenthal took the stage with some gems of classic stage magic. He did the Vanishing Birdcage assisted by his rubber canary, Birdini. He used a spectator for the Malini Egg Bag and finally a comedy bit with cards and blocks and a spectator wearing a helmet with flashing lights. Bill was in good form and enjoyed by the audience.

Aldo and his new wife, Rachel Wild ,next performed a rib-busting funny bit. She was blinded-folded and played a Psychic as Aldo circulated through the audience having her attempt to identify objects and names. This is a classic vaudeville routine but they had many jokes I had not heard before. At one point Aldo said, "Madam Zola needs to consult the Spirits for more answers and Rachel "Zola" pulled out a small flask of whiskey and took a swig!

Bill Terry, "PJ" was the best I have seen him. He did an extended Sponge Ball manipulation routine, a clever Linking Ring routine with 4 rings and finally comedy routine where a jumbo card is selected by a spectator and revealed in many ways.

Closing out the show was Aldo with his comedy magic.He effectively used lots of audience participation. A spectator assisted in counting the cards in his Six Card Repeat. Another spectator helped him with a Ling Ropes routine using colored ropes. His final comedy magic sketch was with a dock of cards with a hole and a yellow ribbon running through the hole and a spectator's selected card escapes.



Annual Flea Market and Auction

This year's Flea-market and Auction was probably the best we have had in recent memory. Old timers with Ring 170 will recall the years we held a combination Friday Banquet and Show and Saturday market at the old ( long since gone) Elks Lodge on Oak Ridge Road. We moved for a few years in a Lodge in Longwood where we just held the Saturday market. Christ the King Lutheran seems to be the ideal location and facility for what our events.

The Flea market tables were loaded and we had a good mix of vendors. I always enjoy Stan and Sandy Lobernstern's bins of fun and other great deals from Rabbit in the Hat Ranch. Phil Schwartz and Dick and Phyllis Berry had some great collectables. It was great to see Tom and Donna Salvador from their magic shop and they were a big help with the clean-up. A big thanks for making the event a success also go to Bob Kimmel, Sue Jacoberger, James Songster, Joe Vecciarelli, Amanda Vecciarelli, Richard Hewitt, Chris Dunn, Jeff Pierce, Bill Rosenthal, Corinne Fennessy, Peggy Dever, Joe Zimmer, Anesa Vecciarelli, and the volunteers from Christ the King Lutheran Church.

The lecture was Alain Nu. Alain is a talented thinker in magic and I appreciate that. He opened his lecture with a strong example of how we don't know what is real and what isn't real. Some standouts in his presentation included his version of The Invisible deck with a shocking appearance of a wristwatch on his arm. His version of a Bob Hummer mentalism bit with a watch, ring and key was very good. Nu's signature act is his "spoon bending" demonstration. He had most people believing he actually could bend metal with his mind. He did not reveal his secrets on this portion of the act. This disappointed some of the crowd who misunderstood the flyer that indicated he would only demonstrate that part of his act. Regardless of this, everyone enjoyed Alain Nu.

The Close-up portion opened with a cabaret comedy sketch by Kostya Kimlat and Darren Rockwell . Phil Keiser provided some classy manipulation.

If you missed the Flea market you missed getting a lot of magic for pennies on the dollar. Erik Olsen's table was selling a brand new "Tying Shoelace" made famous by David Blaine. Erik loves the trick but he felt that his style of walk-around magic would not have him with untied shoelaces. I saw some great buys on magnetic rings at Tom and Donna Salvador's table. Bev had some classic Impression clipboards. Phil Schwartz had some great old photos of Harry Blackstone Sr.and so did Dick Berry.
Some amazing bargains for $1.00 were at Sandy and Stan's table. Richard Hewitt had some great classic books. Jim Moody and the gang from Lake County had good stuff... Everyone had great items for you to take home.

You made the Flea Market and Auction a great event this year.

Dennis Phillips