Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 05/21/2008 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Board meeting at 6:30 pm
Meeting theme: Traditional tricks
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.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
2008-05 From the Editor
It was nice to be able to meet so many of you at the monthly meeting and the Banquet. Due to my travels this newsletter is often my only way to keep in touch with the ring. However, last month I started with a new employer and was working from home, waiting for a new project. I am back on the road, currently in South Jersey, just outside the city of brotherly love.
Thanks to our contributers for this month, especially Gary's photos for the banquet performers and guests.
Keep your fingers crossed for our Dan Stapleton and his attempt to crack "America's Got Talent".
Keep those contributions coming,
Your Editor
Thanks to our contributers for this month, especially Gary's photos for the banquet performers and guests.
Keep your fingers crossed for our Dan Stapleton and his attempt to crack "America's Got Talent".
Keep those contributions coming,
Your Editor
2008-05 Ring Report
Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
We had 34 attend our April Ring meeting. This included three guests, Jim McNiff and Deacon and Brenda Matthews. President Craig Fennessey gaveled the meeting to order. A significant number of our members are working magicians and they announced their locations. Mark Fitzgerald is at the Hardrock. James and Joe are at Renaissance Fairs. Biondi is at Waterford Lakes. Dan Stapleton is at the Radisson and gave us a report on his audition for a national network TV show guest shot. Mystana, one of our young lady members, announced her recent marriage to Mystan, an up and coming escape artist.
Phil Schwartz, our resident magic historian and Thayer expert presented his Magic Moment mini-lecture #3. At the risk of sounding like a magic advertisement, Phil’s lectures alone are worth the price of the Ring dues. His lecture was on the history of the Floyd Thayer Magic Company and its history as Thayer was joined by Carl Owens and later Les Smith and John Daniel. Phil gave details of Brookledge, the legendary home and workshop that also changed hands into the Larsen Family. Next month he promises to show an antique trick he brought.
With the business and lecture portion concluded, it was show time. Luciano acted as the evening’s Emcee. First up was Mystana with a love drenched version of Hot Rod. The jewels that were all colors magically turned into red, the color of hearts and love. She brought her new husband up, Mystan, and he did his Siberian Chain Escape.
Dan Stapleton then presented what we thought was going to be an impossible ESP effect. A voice track on a boom-box featured a mature woman who sounded like a college professor. Her voice gave directions on placing 10 objects from volunteers on 10 randomly selected playing cards. Just when we thought a miracle was going to happen and somehow the detached voice actually would name the random match, the trick failed and the object and card did not match. The track was started again and the voice said, “What, it isn’t the six of hearts?” it was followed by her voice yelling an expletive expression expressing extreme disgust. The shock of being taken in by Dan’s gag sent the audience rolling in the floor.
James Songster was next. He invited up an audience member from the audience and passed a coin through the table followed by a salt shaker. It was nice handling for the class impromptu effect. Charlie Pfrogner always has an unusual twist on classic effects and this month it was the Egg Bag. He used an Egg vase and made the egg disappear. In the process it appeared the egg was broken but with the wave of a cigarette lighter under the bag a fried egg was dumped out. Syd McWethy is developing along the lines of our own Kostya Kimlat. He had some deft manipulations with cards and a selected card popped out of the deck.
Jim McNiff presented a routine he said came from Jamy Ian Swiss of New York’s Monday Night Magic fame. An entire deck of cards was shuffled and divided into 4 piles and taken by four spectators. Then two cards in each pile were placed in the right and left pocket of each spectator. Jim stood across the room and proceeded to name every card in each spectator’s packet and pocket. It was a lengthy but impressive feat.
Finally, Dennis Phillips presented a mini-lecture on The Miser’s Dream effect. He brought an Abbott’s Coin Pail, Keller coin droppers and an Abbott’s Coin Ladder. He bought the antique trick at a recent magic flea market, and rebuilt and updated it. After plucking half-dollars from the air he concluded by producing a bouquet of spring bills. Another fun meeting was concluded. Many activities are planned for the coming months. If you are in Orlando for vacation, please join us at a future Ring meeting because good things are always happening in Ring 170.
Dennis Phillips
We had 34 attend our April Ring meeting. This included three guests, Jim McNiff and Deacon and Brenda Matthews. President Craig Fennessey gaveled the meeting to order. A significant number of our members are working magicians and they announced their locations. Mark Fitzgerald is at the Hardrock. James and Joe are at Renaissance Fairs. Biondi is at Waterford Lakes. Dan Stapleton is at the Radisson and gave us a report on his audition for a national network TV show guest shot. Mystana, one of our young lady members, announced her recent marriage to Mystan, an up and coming escape artist.
Phil Schwartz, our resident magic historian and Thayer expert presented his Magic Moment mini-lecture #3. At the risk of sounding like a magic advertisement, Phil’s lectures alone are worth the price of the Ring dues. His lecture was on the history of the Floyd Thayer Magic Company and its history as Thayer was joined by Carl Owens and later Les Smith and John Daniel. Phil gave details of Brookledge, the legendary home and workshop that also changed hands into the Larsen Family. Next month he promises to show an antique trick he brought.
With the business and lecture portion concluded, it was show time. Luciano acted as the evening’s Emcee. First up was Mystana with a love drenched version of Hot Rod. The jewels that were all colors magically turned into red, the color of hearts and love. She brought her new husband up, Mystan, and he did his Siberian Chain Escape.
Dan Stapleton then presented what we thought was going to be an impossible ESP effect. A voice track on a boom-box featured a mature woman who sounded like a college professor. Her voice gave directions on placing 10 objects from volunteers on 10 randomly selected playing cards. Just when we thought a miracle was going to happen and somehow the detached voice actually would name the random match, the trick failed and the object and card did not match. The track was started again and the voice said, “What, it isn’t the six of hearts?” it was followed by her voice yelling an expletive expression expressing extreme disgust. The shock of being taken in by Dan’s gag sent the audience rolling in the floor.
James Songster was next. He invited up an audience member from the audience and passed a coin through the table followed by a salt shaker. It was nice handling for the class impromptu effect. Charlie Pfrogner always has an unusual twist on classic effects and this month it was the Egg Bag. He used an Egg vase and made the egg disappear. In the process it appeared the egg was broken but with the wave of a cigarette lighter under the bag a fried egg was dumped out. Syd McWethy is developing along the lines of our own Kostya Kimlat. He had some deft manipulations with cards and a selected card popped out of the deck.
Jim McNiff presented a routine he said came from Jamy Ian Swiss of New York’s Monday Night Magic fame. An entire deck of cards was shuffled and divided into 4 piles and taken by four spectators. Then two cards in each pile were placed in the right and left pocket of each spectator. Jim stood across the room and proceeded to name every card in each spectator’s packet and pocket. It was a lengthy but impressive feat.
Finally, Dennis Phillips presented a mini-lecture on The Miser’s Dream effect. He brought an Abbott’s Coin Pail, Keller coin droppers and an Abbott’s Coin Ladder. He bought the antique trick at a recent magic flea market, and rebuilt and updated it. After plucking half-dollars from the air he concluded by producing a bouquet of spring bills. Another fun meeting was concluded. Many activities are planned for the coming months. If you are in Orlando for vacation, please join us at a future Ring meeting because good things are always happening in Ring 170.
Dennis Phillips
2008-05 Report of the David Ginn lecture
We had David Ginn’s workshop April 26th at the College Park Baptist Church. Wow, what a great learning experience. David went through the Do’s and Don’ts of performing for children. Along with that he showed different performing styles, using some of the same items. We had in attendance 21 people, special guests Samuel Patrick Smith, Bruce Johnson, and Scott Humston, and they all said the same thing that they had a great time and learned many new things.
The workshop:
Prepping the audience, seating instructions, comedy warm ups.
Audience participation magic
The look don’t see
Run on's
Magic with music
Tricks to close the show
For birthday’s, how to make it special for the birthday child.
How important it is to include the adults
How to make a personalized magic kit and add some dollars to your wallet.
Along with the workshop between various magic tricks David would give everyone an item or trick that would help with your own show.
As with most workshops/lectures David had all his items there for sale so anything he performed could be purchased right there. His prices were great and he had numerous deals for the attendees. No-one left without getting something.
Chris Dunn
The workshop:
Prepping the audience, seating instructions, comedy warm ups.
Audience participation magic
The look don’t see
Run on's
Magic with music
Tricks to close the show
For birthday’s, how to make it special for the birthday child.
How important it is to include the adults
How to make a personalized magic kit and add some dollars to your wallet.
Along with the workshop between various magic tricks David would give everyone an item or trick that would help with your own show.
As with most workshops/lectures David had all his items there for sale so anything he performed could be purchased right there. His prices were great and he had numerous deals for the attendees. No-one left without getting something.
Chris Dunn
2008-05 Magic at the Fringe festival
Travis & Yves Wonder Show of the Universe will run for 7 performances at the Orlando Fringe Festival on the following dates:
5/16 FRI 8:10PM
5/17 SAT 12:15PM
5/18 SUN 7:30PM
5/20 TUE 6:30PM
5/21 WED 6:20PM
5/22 THU 10:50PM
5/24 SAT 3:25PM
Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the fringe festival's website: http://www.orlandofringe.org/ or at the festival before the show. All seats are general admission, and the show is family friendly. A Fringe button is required to enter ANY Fringe show within ANY venue. The button costs $6 and is a one time purchase. Patrons MUST have Fringe buttons on to enter the venues.
Do you believe in Ghosts? Experience astonishment and be mesmerized as you witness a historical re-creation of supernatural manifestations and decide for yourself if the spirits really do come back.
At the turn of the century this belief was not only held by many, but was being demonstrated on stages across America and England during the heyday of the Spiritualist movement, which flourished from the the 1840s to the 1920s. Though no more than a small subculture in modern times, this movement still exists even today.
Come experience this fascinating glimpse into the past along with a modicum of other mysteries of legerdemain and grand illusion.
You can learn more at www.wonder-show.com and www.myspace.com/wonder_show
Produced, written, and directed by TRAVIS WINKLER and YVES BROOKES
TRAVIS WINKLER and YVES BROOKES are entertainers, world travelers, and purveyors of the mysterious and unusual.
Each an accomplished actor, Travis is also a director and professional illusionist, while Yves brings her knowledge and experience as a researcher and practitioner of theater arts to the table.
Together, they’ve traveled and performed all over the world: the Casinos of Atlantic City, the theatres of Bratislava and Prague, the streets of Italy, the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, the Cannes Golden Lion Awards, and even the remote countrysides and villages of India, Bangladesh, and South America.
Magically,
Rex Todd Alexandre
2008-05 Ring 258 Flea Market
IBM Ring #258, The Lake County Magic Club
Presents
Our Annual Flea Market, Swap Meet, Auction and Lecture
Saturday, May 17, 2008
At
The Youth and Retreat Center
33926 Haines Creek Road (Hwy 473)
Leesburg, Florida
Buyers - $5.00
Tables - $5.00
Lecture by Mr. Mark Fitzgerald - $10.00 Additional
Free to Ring 258 members.
Sell the "Magic" that is gathering dust in your closet!
Buy someone else's junk and make it your treasure!
Get to know your I.B.M. buddies in Ring 258!
Get there early for a shot at the best stuff!
What else do you have to do that day!
Directions:
From Orlando take SR 441 (OBT) North toward Leesburg.
Make a Right on Haines Creek Road/Hwy. 473. The Youth And Retreat Center will be on your Right, just after the sweeping Left curve in the road. The Ring 258 black banner will be on the fence.
Drive around to the Left of the large building to the smaller buildings behind.
Presents
Our Annual Flea Market, Swap Meet, Auction and Lecture
Saturday, May 17, 2008
At
The Youth and Retreat Center
33926 Haines Creek Road (Hwy 473)
Leesburg, Florida
Buyers - $5.00
Tables - $5.00
Lecture by Mr. Mark Fitzgerald - $10.00 Additional
Free to Ring 258 members.
Sell the "Magic" that is gathering dust in your closet!
Buy someone else's junk and make it your treasure!
Get to know your I.B.M. buddies in Ring 258!
Get there early for a shot at the best stuff!
What else do you have to do that day!
Directions:
From Orlando take SR 441 (OBT) North toward Leesburg.
Make a Right on Haines Creek Road/Hwy. 473. The Youth And Retreat Center will be on your Right, just after the sweeping Left curve in the road. The Ring 258 black banner will be on the fence.
Drive around to the Left of the large building to the smaller buildings behind.
2008-05 Another Magical Tribute Evening
reserve May27th for this exciting evening, organized by Dan Stapleton. Look for reminders in your email.
2008-5 Brett Daniel's Wohscigam
Yesterday I saw Brett Daniels' Wohscigam at the Sahara. I was very disappointed in the show. I even gave up a day of my training for to see that show.
First I was able to get a ticket for half price so it was about $25 and then I was sat off of stage left on the far left. After I got to the theater I saw that they were handing out free tickets to anyone who just happened to be walking by. They were sitting in the center section too. I paid and got stuck on the side while the freebies were given a better seat. After the show started I moved over to a better place.
It appeared that it was a dress rehearsal and needed a lot more time. Many obvious mistakes and mis-cues.
As far as the show concept. It was very interesting and different. It was narrated by Brett as a true story of a magician, Lester Tiband, just after the turn on the century. The story used many real magicians from the past and a few that were created for the story. About 10 minutes in I figured out where he was going with the story but that in no way would keep someone from enjoying the show if the show were up to par and ready for paying audiences.
The actual performance was more of a close-up / manipulation show with a few large scale illusions as well.
Here is what the performance consisted of...
A very interesting stage set. The curtain was very nice with many magical images and phrases. Two large gargoyles on each side of the stage came to life when the show started. A stand with a large book sat on stage left and a close-up table sat in front the first row on stage left.
Two billowing cloth banners from each corner of the stage towards a point, upstage, center stage. The cloth then disappeared into the center and Brett was floating above the stage a the point of the disappearance. After he descended you could clearly see the gimmick retreating back through the curtain as Brett walked forward to accept his applause.
After the opening he performed some card fans, card manipulation, coin manipulation/coin ladder and then some pocket watch manipulation to multiplying oversize pocket watches. During the card manip he seemed to be having trouble with the cards. It looked like the problem that many card guys say they have when they are visiting humid Florida but this was non-humid Las Vegas.
A coin matrix effect was next that led to a version of Silver Odyssey with the gimmick built at different places across the table top. It was nice but their were a few moments that were a little off.
This led to a coins through table routine using a glass window that was in the center of the table. It looked very magical as each coin passed through the table one at a time. At the end they all passed through at the same time. This effect probably got the most positive audience reaction in the show. It was very good. He followed the coins through table by inviting a child on stage and performing a card through glass with his selected card. The finale was that the card was trapped between two panes of glass and stuck in inside. It was removed and given to the child along with a souvenir poster that we could all purchase in the lobby after the show. More on the poster later.
Twisting the aces was next with a change to all queens at the end.
His next effect happened on the close-up table down in the house on stage left. He spread a deck across the table and had it signed by a spectator across the entire spread. After shuffling until the spectator said stop he re-spread the cards to show that the name was now mixed, juts like the cards. After a few more shuffles and being told to stop again he spread the cards out and showed that the name was now back the way it started. During all the shuffling he had been showing the faces by spreading the deck, face up, across the table. After the name had been shown back the way it started he spread the cards face up one more time and the name of Lester Tiband was now written across the faces.
His cups and balls was interesting but it also suffered from the dress rehearsal look. It started with a wood carving a a 3-dimensional cups and balls from a single piece of wood. He placed it to the side and performed his routine using peanuts that eventually changed into the regular crotchet balls we all recognize. After a few standard C & B moves he ended with a potato under each cup as the final load with one more load, a handful of peanuts, under the center cup. After it was over he passed a cloth over the cups and picked it up and brought it down to the front row to show that it was now a solid piece of carved wood.
Levitation - A cloth was held from his hands down the platform. After removing the cloth the female assistant was now floating in front of him. It seemed like he was talking her through the routine since his lips were moving but he wasn't making any noise since his mic was off. This was something I noticed throughout the performance.
Brett forced a card, badly, on a woman from the audience. He was caught but he had no choice but to use the card he wanted to use so he played it off and had it signed and used the force card anyway. It had to be the card used since it had to match later in the show. This was all for his torn & restored card routine. During the restore it was obvious that he was ditching the pieces of torn card because they were clearly seen falling from his hand as he was opening the restored card.
Gypsy thread was next using two colors of thread that were eventually restored to an alternating two color thread.
A ball manipulation routine was next. It ended with multiplying balls.
The Hand Thing - Remember the book on the stand I mentioned earlier? Brett turned to a page in the book and used a jumbo card to slice through his hand which remained on the table. The hand then rearranged the letters on the page to form the name of someone in the story that was being told. As he reattached his hand it appeared that he as having trouble. Even the kid sitting next to me said to his mom, "He screwed it up!"
A zombie routine was next. It used a ball the reminded me of an armillary sphere.
His final effect, read false ending, was a disappearance from the stage with a reappearance in the audience. After some applause he asked if we wanted to see one more.
After a lackluster response he proceeded to his actual finale, the appearance of a large carriage led by four carousel horses. It was big but I don't know how many people were fooled by it since then stage was obviously used for producing and hiding things throughout the show. It wouldn't be a huge leap to assume that the carriage was hiding under the stage which it was.The stage itself was actually sitting on top of the actual stage. I guess that it was made to be able to sit in any theater to make it easier to perform without too much retooling of the show.
A few additional notes...
On at least two occasions I noticed that he was talking to the light tech to let him know that it was time to darken the stage or change the lighting.
His on stage assistant was obviously someone provided by the theater and she was still learning.
About 6 groups of people left during the show. They were kind enough to wait until Brett had left the stage for a costume change so he wouldn't see them.
When the show was over I expected to see him in the lobby signing the posters that he had given to the child during the show. We were filed out of the theater into a bar area that was around the corner from the theater entrance. Some people were looking to see if Brett was doing a meet and greet but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually his assistant came around the corner and looked perplexed since we were not where we were expected to be. I didn't see any sign of a meet and greet or merchandise table anywhere. I could only think that it was canceled because we were let out of the wrong theater door everyone proceeded to leave the area or that it was never going to happen but it was part of the script and he forget to take it out.
I would have better spent my time going out with the rest of the team I am here with. I have seen Brett in the past and was very impressed and the magic periodicals have raved over this show.
http://www.wohscigam.com/PressPage.html
At least I only lost $25 but I don't think I would be happy even if the ticket was free.
So far this week I have seen Cirque du Soleil's KA, Brett Daniels' Wohscigam, Toxic Audio & later I am seeing Cirque du Soleil's O. You won't have to think too hard to figure out which show is at that bottom of my list.
That's all for now. If I can think of something else I will add it later.
JoeV
First I was able to get a ticket for half price so it was about $25 and then I was sat off of stage left on the far left. After I got to the theater I saw that they were handing out free tickets to anyone who just happened to be walking by. They were sitting in the center section too. I paid and got stuck on the side while the freebies were given a better seat. After the show started I moved over to a better place.
It appeared that it was a dress rehearsal and needed a lot more time. Many obvious mistakes and mis-cues.
As far as the show concept. It was very interesting and different. It was narrated by Brett as a true story of a magician, Lester Tiband, just after the turn on the century. The story used many real magicians from the past and a few that were created for the story. About 10 minutes in I figured out where he was going with the story but that in no way would keep someone from enjoying the show if the show were up to par and ready for paying audiences.
The actual performance was more of a close-up / manipulation show with a few large scale illusions as well.
Here is what the performance consisted of...
A very interesting stage set. The curtain was very nice with many magical images and phrases. Two large gargoyles on each side of the stage came to life when the show started. A stand with a large book sat on stage left and a close-up table sat in front the first row on stage left.
Two billowing cloth banners from each corner of the stage towards a point, upstage, center stage. The cloth then disappeared into the center and Brett was floating above the stage a the point of the disappearance. After he descended you could clearly see the gimmick retreating back through the curtain as Brett walked forward to accept his applause.
After the opening he performed some card fans, card manipulation, coin manipulation/coin ladder and then some pocket watch manipulation to multiplying oversize pocket watches. During the card manip he seemed to be having trouble with the cards. It looked like the problem that many card guys say they have when they are visiting humid Florida but this was non-humid Las Vegas.
A coin matrix effect was next that led to a version of Silver Odyssey with the gimmick built at different places across the table top. It was nice but their were a few moments that were a little off.
This led to a coins through table routine using a glass window that was in the center of the table. It looked very magical as each coin passed through the table one at a time. At the end they all passed through at the same time. This effect probably got the most positive audience reaction in the show. It was very good. He followed the coins through table by inviting a child on stage and performing a card through glass with his selected card. The finale was that the card was trapped between two panes of glass and stuck in inside. It was removed and given to the child along with a souvenir poster that we could all purchase in the lobby after the show. More on the poster later.
Twisting the aces was next with a change to all queens at the end.
His next effect happened on the close-up table down in the house on stage left. He spread a deck across the table and had it signed by a spectator across the entire spread. After shuffling until the spectator said stop he re-spread the cards to show that the name was now mixed, juts like the cards. After a few more shuffles and being told to stop again he spread the cards out and showed that the name was now back the way it started. During all the shuffling he had been showing the faces by spreading the deck, face up, across the table. After the name had been shown back the way it started he spread the cards face up one more time and the name of Lester Tiband was now written across the faces.
His cups and balls was interesting but it also suffered from the dress rehearsal look. It started with a wood carving a a 3-dimensional cups and balls from a single piece of wood. He placed it to the side and performed his routine using peanuts that eventually changed into the regular crotchet balls we all recognize. After a few standard C & B moves he ended with a potato under each cup as the final load with one more load, a handful of peanuts, under the center cup. After it was over he passed a cloth over the cups and picked it up and brought it down to the front row to show that it was now a solid piece of carved wood.
Levitation - A cloth was held from his hands down the platform. After removing the cloth the female assistant was now floating in front of him. It seemed like he was talking her through the routine since his lips were moving but he wasn't making any noise since his mic was off. This was something I noticed throughout the performance.
Brett forced a card, badly, on a woman from the audience. He was caught but he had no choice but to use the card he wanted to use so he played it off and had it signed and used the force card anyway. It had to be the card used since it had to match later in the show. This was all for his torn & restored card routine. During the restore it was obvious that he was ditching the pieces of torn card because they were clearly seen falling from his hand as he was opening the restored card.
Gypsy thread was next using two colors of thread that were eventually restored to an alternating two color thread.
A ball manipulation routine was next. It ended with multiplying balls.
The Hand Thing - Remember the book on the stand I mentioned earlier? Brett turned to a page in the book and used a jumbo card to slice through his hand which remained on the table. The hand then rearranged the letters on the page to form the name of someone in the story that was being told. As he reattached his hand it appeared that he as having trouble. Even the kid sitting next to me said to his mom, "He screwed it up!"
A zombie routine was next. It used a ball the reminded me of an armillary sphere.
His final effect, read false ending, was a disappearance from the stage with a reappearance in the audience. After some applause he asked if we wanted to see one more.
After a lackluster response he proceeded to his actual finale, the appearance of a large carriage led by four carousel horses. It was big but I don't know how many people were fooled by it since then stage was obviously used for producing and hiding things throughout the show. It wouldn't be a huge leap to assume that the carriage was hiding under the stage which it was.The stage itself was actually sitting on top of the actual stage. I guess that it was made to be able to sit in any theater to make it easier to perform without too much retooling of the show.
A few additional notes...
On at least two occasions I noticed that he was talking to the light tech to let him know that it was time to darken the stage or change the lighting.
His on stage assistant was obviously someone provided by the theater and she was still learning.
About 6 groups of people left during the show. They were kind enough to wait until Brett had left the stage for a costume change so he wouldn't see them.
When the show was over I expected to see him in the lobby signing the posters that he had given to the child during the show. We were filed out of the theater into a bar area that was around the corner from the theater entrance. Some people were looking to see if Brett was doing a meet and greet but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually his assistant came around the corner and looked perplexed since we were not where we were expected to be. I didn't see any sign of a meet and greet or merchandise table anywhere. I could only think that it was canceled because we were let out of the wrong theater door everyone proceeded to leave the area or that it was never going to happen but it was part of the script and he forget to take it out.
I would have better spent my time going out with the rest of the team I am here with. I have seen Brett in the past and was very impressed and the magic periodicals have raved over this show.
http://www.wohscigam.com/PressPage.html
At least I only lost $25 but I don't think I would be happy even if the ticket was free.
So far this week I have seen Cirque du Soleil's KA, Brett Daniels' Wohscigam, Toxic Audio & later I am seeing Cirque du Soleil's O. You won't have to think too hard to figure out which show is at that bottom of my list.
That's all for now. If I can think of something else I will add it later.
JoeV
2008-05 Dennis' Deliberations
I had a good time at the banquet and a full article for The Linking Ring will be on these pages very soon. Craig is digging up the photos and I am pounding the keys.
I did go to the Ring banquet by myself as I usually do. Perhaps an explanation is due. I will soon be coming up on my 36th wedding anniversary. Yes, to the same woman, continuously and happily. I know all the old lines about marriage that night club comedians use.
My wife has been supportive and encouraging about my magical adventures. Cindy will assist me on most gigs for lay audiences if I need help. But, she prefers to be left out of any social magic activities with magicians. She detests magic talk and card tricks and is bored silly with coin matrices and almost all walk-around stuff. Other than Vince Carmen, Bev Bergeron , Dan Stapleton and the late Harry Blackstone Jr. she has never expressed to be about being thrilled by the performance any stage magician. She was, for the most part, bored in the Las Vegas magic scene and only made positive comments about Rich Thomas’ Illusion Show and that is probably because he handled his audience volunteers well and incorporated ballroom dancing into his production numbers. Cindy and I are ballroom dance instructors.
How could a rational person, an educated woman, an artsy woman, a former elementary school teacher, be so disinterested in being around performing magicians? Recently, I think she enjoyed the visit from James and Joe and family as well as Richard Hewitt as long as the magic did not replace the social aspects. She also enjoyed being at Craig Fennessy’s Christmas party.
For a start, at the beginning of our marriage, almost all of the professionals and wanna-be professionals that socialized with us were either ego trippers, liars, blowhards, con-men or out-of-control drunks. Most of the time, they were all of the above. She considered the majority of them to be a bad influence on our three kids. What do you call a magician without a girlfriend? “Homeless”.
I do know that she always considered magic (show business- broadcasting) to be a kind of “mistress” to me that she had to compete with. She always thought that I was wasting my time and talents messing with show business. “Dennis, you could a tenured college professor, an engineer or a school administrator if you weren’t afraid of being 'tied up' with a regular job so you couldn’t make a show or short tour".
Maybe it was the Bra-trick done on her 30 years ago that created a permanent phobia of attending magic banquets. She was a 32A and the Bra was a 38DDD. As I recall it also had THREE cups! Some magical moron thought that it would be funny.
She reminds me that in another show she was called up by another loud-mouth to help with the Disecto Wrist Chopper and one of the lines he used with the carrot was “Here is a long skinny one. (Held like a phallic device) Do you like long skinny ones? Ha ha”.
Thank God most magicians do not do that stuff to women anymore, but that was the 70s.
So now when I ask her to accompany me to a magic show, she says, “You want me to go?” Then she assumes the stage inflections of a magician. In a sing-song stage voice she says, ‘Gimme a hand, no the clean one’- ‘Stand right here, on the trap door’- ‘what is your name? And your phone number while you are at it, honey?’ – She concludes with, “and you want ME to go to your magic show?”
I keep telling her that things are better now at magic banquets. Wish me luck as I try for next year with her.
*********************************
Automatic E-Mail replies are a fact of life. Computers can have a robot send an automatic reply to the sender. You send an E-Mail hoping to get a fast reply and you find out it will take a while. With the help of Magician Larry Thornton in Calgary, Canada, Here are some good replies for your robot E-Mail program to send to people.
1. I will be unable to attend to my emails until I return from my touring magic show gig. Please be patient, and I will make your message vanish magically in the order it was received.
2. I am currently out of the magic shop at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get employed by Criss Angel, please be prepared for my foul mood.
3. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the magic shop. If you're a kid with another inane question, chances are you wouldn’t have received anything at all from UPS.
4. Sorry to have missed you, but I’m at the doctor’s having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted to the head of a talent agency.
5. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply by the time we get our wholesale magic order from Timbuktu.
6. I'm sorry I can't answer your email, as I’ve run away to join David Blaine on a flagpole in Alaska.
7. I will be out of the magic shop for the next two weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as ‘Pamela' instead of Hans Klok.
Dennis Phillips
I did go to the Ring banquet by myself as I usually do. Perhaps an explanation is due. I will soon be coming up on my 36th wedding anniversary. Yes, to the same woman, continuously and happily. I know all the old lines about marriage that night club comedians use.
My wife has been supportive and encouraging about my magical adventures. Cindy will assist me on most gigs for lay audiences if I need help. But, she prefers to be left out of any social magic activities with magicians. She detests magic talk and card tricks and is bored silly with coin matrices and almost all walk-around stuff. Other than Vince Carmen, Bev Bergeron , Dan Stapleton and the late Harry Blackstone Jr. she has never expressed to be about being thrilled by the performance any stage magician. She was, for the most part, bored in the Las Vegas magic scene and only made positive comments about Rich Thomas’ Illusion Show and that is probably because he handled his audience volunteers well and incorporated ballroom dancing into his production numbers. Cindy and I are ballroom dance instructors.
How could a rational person, an educated woman, an artsy woman, a former elementary school teacher, be so disinterested in being around performing magicians? Recently, I think she enjoyed the visit from James and Joe and family as well as Richard Hewitt as long as the magic did not replace the social aspects. She also enjoyed being at Craig Fennessy’s Christmas party.
For a start, at the beginning of our marriage, almost all of the professionals and wanna-be professionals that socialized with us were either ego trippers, liars, blowhards, con-men or out-of-control drunks. Most of the time, they were all of the above. She considered the majority of them to be a bad influence on our three kids. What do you call a magician without a girlfriend? “Homeless”.
I do know that she always considered magic (show business- broadcasting) to be a kind of “mistress” to me that she had to compete with. She always thought that I was wasting my time and talents messing with show business. “Dennis, you could a tenured college professor, an engineer or a school administrator if you weren’t afraid of being 'tied up' with a regular job so you couldn’t make a show or short tour".
Maybe it was the Bra-trick done on her 30 years ago that created a permanent phobia of attending magic banquets. She was a 32A and the Bra was a 38DDD. As I recall it also had THREE cups! Some magical moron thought that it would be funny.
She reminds me that in another show she was called up by another loud-mouth to help with the Disecto Wrist Chopper and one of the lines he used with the carrot was “Here is a long skinny one. (Held like a phallic device) Do you like long skinny ones? Ha ha”.
Thank God most magicians do not do that stuff to women anymore, but that was the 70s.
So now when I ask her to accompany me to a magic show, she says, “You want me to go?” Then she assumes the stage inflections of a magician. In a sing-song stage voice she says, ‘Gimme a hand, no the clean one’- ‘Stand right here, on the trap door’- ‘what is your name? And your phone number while you are at it, honey?’ – She concludes with, “and you want ME to go to your magic show?”
I keep telling her that things are better now at magic banquets. Wish me luck as I try for next year with her.
*********************************
Automatic E-Mail replies are a fact of life. Computers can have a robot send an automatic reply to the sender. You send an E-Mail hoping to get a fast reply and you find out it will take a while. With the help of Magician Larry Thornton in Calgary, Canada, Here are some good replies for your robot E-Mail program to send to people.
1. I will be unable to attend to my emails until I return from my touring magic show gig. Please be patient, and I will make your message vanish magically in the order it was received.
2. I am currently out of the magic shop at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get employed by Criss Angel, please be prepared for my foul mood.
3. You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the magic shop. If you're a kid with another inane question, chances are you wouldn’t have received anything at all from UPS.
4. Sorry to have missed you, but I’m at the doctor’s having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted to the head of a talent agency.
5. Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply by the time we get our wholesale magic order from Timbuktu.
6. I'm sorry I can't answer your email, as I’ve run away to join David Blaine on a flagpole in Alaska.
7. I will be out of the magic shop for the next two weeks for medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as ‘Pamela' instead of Hans Klok.
Dennis Phillips
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