Posts
Next general meeting Wednesday, 06/19/2013 at 7:30 PM SHARP
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
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
Sheldon Brook- Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.com
Treasurer - Bev Bergeron - Bev@bevbergeron.com
Mark Fitzgerald- Director at Large - markaf1949@hotmail.com
Dan Knapp- Sgt at Arms - danknapp@centurylink.net
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.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
2013-06 From the editor
We are already almost half way through the year, how time flies. The summer is traditionally a quiet time for magicians, unless, I suppose, you are in the thrills park or Rennaissance Faire business. It is a good time to review your effects, practice the one that you do not use often, try some new ones to add to your script (you do use a script, don't you?) and think hard about which ones you might drop alltogether for the upcoming season. Now is also the time to clean up your customer database (you do have a customer database, don't you? If only a card box with names, addresses and phone numbers). Start planning who you will contact when, to make sure you have enough to do in the upcoming holiday season.
I wish all Ring 170 and Ring 99 members a happy, safe and restful Independence Day.
Thanks to Dan for his multiple contributions this month, due to a "lost" email. And as ever, thanks to Dennis for his insight and wit.
Your editor
Stefan
I wish all Ring 170 and Ring 99 members a happy, safe and restful Independence Day.
Thanks to Dan for his multiple contributions this month, due to a "lost" email. And as ever, thanks to Dennis for his insight and wit.
Your editor
Stefan
2013-06 FMA 50th Anniversary in Orlando
ALL MAGICIANS,
I have just received this exciting announcement for this fantastic event coming to Orlando, Florida…..
It is not an IBM Ring sponsored event, however….. it is magic and I thought you all would like to know.
After a 19 year absence, the Florida State Magic Convention is coming back to Orlando for the big 50th anniversary convention, one year from this date (not day).
A. See web site at www.fma50th.com. Trust me. You will want to be one of the first 100 to register. Since the three (3) shows will be "open" seating, the first 100 registered will get preferred/reserved seating, along with some very cool "extras/goodies".
C. The special convention $89. room rate cannot be reserved until June 10 (only two weeks away).
D. The new Harry Potter expansion and Transformer ride should be open by convention time and right across the street from the hotel.
E. We will be having a "Welcome Party" first night (not "night before" party)...so be prepared to stay up late and get up early for the late-night/early-morning events.
F. Big convention registration discounts for spouses and youth so bring the whole family and make a vacation out of it.
G. Acts will not be announced until Oct. 31 but some very cool acts have already committed...ok...I'll tell you one a month from now.
H. Wouldn't YOU like to win one of the 50th Anniversary trophies for best stage and close-up act and get your name known?
I. Register now to be part of the "First 100 Club".
Dan Stapleton
President
FMA
I have just received this exciting announcement for this fantastic event coming to Orlando, Florida…..
It is not an IBM Ring sponsored event, however….. it is magic and I thought you all would like to know.
After a 19 year absence, the Florida State Magic Convention is coming back to Orlando for the big 50th anniversary convention, one year from this date (not day).
A. See web site at www.fma50th.com. Trust me. You will want to be one of the first 100 to register. Since the three (3) shows will be "open" seating, the first 100 registered will get preferred/reserved seating, along with some very cool "extras/goodies".
C. The special convention $89. room rate cannot be reserved until June 10 (only two weeks away).
D. The new Harry Potter expansion and Transformer ride should be open by convention time and right across the street from the hotel.
E. We will be having a "Welcome Party" first night (not "night before" party)...so be prepared to stay up late and get up early for the late-night/early-morning events.
F. Big convention registration discounts for spouses and youth so bring the whole family and make a vacation out of it.
G. Acts will not be announced until Oct. 31 but some very cool acts have already committed...ok...I'll tell you one a month from now.
H. Wouldn't YOU like to win one of the 50th Anniversary trophies for best stage and close-up act and get your name known?
I. Register now to be part of the "First 100 Club".
Dan Stapleton
President
FMA
2013-06 Is Bigger Better?
As I started thinking about this subject, my MAGIC magazine arrived in the mail and, wouldn't you know it, Editor Stan Allen already used this "Is Bigger Better?" title (OK his was titled Bigger-Better?) to his editorial. Oh well. It still fits my subject, so forgive me.
Magic is either evolving or digressing back to the days, perhaps two century's in fact, to when "parlour" magic was vogue. I read about more and more parlour magic shows happening around the country. We here, in Orlando, have three on-going "small" shows and I'm sure there are many shows of this type, across this vast land of ours that don't see print, for the weekly or monthly shows that exist. My friend, Ben Mason, said last year that he believes that more and more Parlour or Close-up "shows" will be popping up across the nation. And that is what is happening, whether the shows are in hotels, restaurants, time shares etc. Eric DeCamps and Paul Gertner, not to mention Ricky Jay all have had their shows to much success without "the big stuff". Sometimes smaller is better.
When I began performing aboard cruise ships in 1982, I did not perform illusions as my first two ships, the Stella Solaris and the Stella Oceanis, showrooms were too small to warrant any illusions. The ceiling on the Oceanis was six inches above my head and one night, as the ship was rocking and rolling, the female singer, to steady herself, held one hand up to the ceiling to steady herself and held her microphone in the other hand. My next ship was quite a bit larger with a larger showroom so naturally I took a few illusions with me, and continued to swap out illusions for many years aboard various ships depending on the size of the showroom. But I found that the smaller effects got just as much audience reaction as the illusions. In fact, many of my smaller effects, Snowstorm, Pic Pocket act, Zombie, Doves, got more reaction most of the time. I found myself using illusions as "fillers" with my stage or parlour tricks as the main ingredient to my shows. And that is quite opposite to what the grand illusionists did in their full evening show back in the "golden age" of magic with the big touring shows.
I remember calling home to my wife, while the ship was in port, and I was perplexed (and frustrated) in explaining how the audience far more enjoyed my Banana/Bandana routine, than my Butterfly Blammo Box illusion routine that I worked so hard in developing. Hmph!
While hosting a dinner table the following night I would ask my guests what tricks they liked best and invariably it was one of the smaller tricks, not the illusions. So I began cutting back on carrying all this furniture aboard ships and, I must admit, it was a godsend not having to travel in and out of countries with so many cases and trunks.
A few years ago I presented my own full evening show in a theatre in Winter Garden, Florida. With comedian-magician-juggler-banjoist Todd Charles as my opening act, and intermission, the first night show ran a whopping three hours! Backstage on a chalk board, it was only the illusions that I quickly crossed off the list in making the next evening of magic shorter. Of course, it only made the show stronger although I must admit it hurt that I had to cut a third of the show and especially cutting, "the big stuff".
My comedy-magician friend, Jeff Alan, posted on FaceBook this statement expressing his frustration: "This is ONE of the hardest decisions I've had to make relating to my shows. I felt like I had to share ALL of my
ideas in ONE show with an audience when, realistically it's a bad decision. It's taking too much time for the set up and breakdown, my body is wearing down carrying 5 LARGE pieces of equipment and I don't have to share my entire life's ideas in 90 minutes."
Of course, the length of the show might not always be the problem as I am often hired to perform 90 minute shows. And I must admit, I do believe in giving the client more than what they might expect and often after my shows I do get the comment/compliment, "Wow that was more than we expected." But it's not always the big stuff that people remember. Think Harry Blackstone and his Floating Light bulb or Vanishing Birdcage. In 1979 he came to town with his huge full evening show and it was an amazing show. Two years later he came back to another theatre and I was telling everyone how grand it was. But this time, he left out most of the illusions. But it was still a great show because he made it great, mostly because it was "Harry" and not necessarily "the props".
On the other hand, we must be careful of too much "fluff" as well. At a recent Kreskin show, after three hours, The Amazing One only presented six (out of the briefcase) effects. Of course, that is what Kreskin is
all about, lots (lots) of talk, but I doubt I'll sit through it again. After performing at Abbott's a couple of years ago one magician approached me and said, "You really know how to utilize the stage." AndI do. At any show I "use the room". I invented a play-huge card trick I call "The Human Deck of Cards" which uses 52 audience members. The whole trick takes five minutes but I can perform it in the largest of auditoriums.
A few years ago we had the national SAM mid-year meeting and banquet in Orlando. The show was held at the Radisson Hotel ballroom. I was performing my Sands of the Desert routine but, setting it for the stage
takes three people. So I asked the hotel for a separate riser and placed the Sands equipment on the riser, giving it its own staging to the side of the big stage. I received a couple of comments from the magicians
afterward how cool they thought that staging was. In reality, I just didn't want the props near anyone or anything during the rest of the show that might make the bowl of water or glasses of sand fall. But it did make for an intriguing theatrical experience.
A few years ago I went to see illusionist David DaVinci and while it was a very nice show, I could hardly believe my ears when it was the Magic Coloring Book that received the biggest response. I thought, OK, perhaps that audience reaction was a fluke. But the next day I received a phone call from my magic friend, Chuck Smith, who said that he too saw the show but at the earlier performance and he stated that it was the
Coloring Book that his audience connected with as well.
I think it was David Copperfield who said, when asked why he does illusions, "It pays more". And he is right, but not always and not for everyone, when you think about the many legends of magic who were
superstars in their own right, who didn't perform illusions. But sometimes you might not have a choice, if you want the work. A few years ago the Entertainment Director of Carnival Cruise Lines told me, "We only hire magicians who perform "mega" illusions. We don't want "Sub Trunks!” Of course, he was saying this because of the large stages cruise ships have become. I couldn't resist, so I asked him, "So tell me, how large do your comedians or singers have to be?" Oddly, soon after that I produced a magic-cruise aboard one of the Carnival ships and the company show magician, who had been aboard that ship a year, only performed two illusions in his act, one being, the Sub Trunk! ARG!
Yes, in my show I will continue to perform an illusion or two at the request of the client, or if the show warrants a large prop. After all, laypeople still want to see girls levitated, or sawed in half. And that's fine if they want to pay the nickel to see it. But it's my daughters who are concerned also. I am 60 years old. One of my daughters recently asked me, after doing the Sub Trunk, "Dad, how long do you think you'll be able to do that trick?" HMPH!-
Dan Stapleton
Magic is either evolving or digressing back to the days, perhaps two century's in fact, to when "parlour" magic was vogue. I read about more and more parlour magic shows happening around the country. We here, in Orlando, have three on-going "small" shows and I'm sure there are many shows of this type, across this vast land of ours that don't see print, for the weekly or monthly shows that exist. My friend, Ben Mason, said last year that he believes that more and more Parlour or Close-up "shows" will be popping up across the nation. And that is what is happening, whether the shows are in hotels, restaurants, time shares etc. Eric DeCamps and Paul Gertner, not to mention Ricky Jay all have had their shows to much success without "the big stuff". Sometimes smaller is better.
When I began performing aboard cruise ships in 1982, I did not perform illusions as my first two ships, the Stella Solaris and the Stella Oceanis, showrooms were too small to warrant any illusions. The ceiling on the Oceanis was six inches above my head and one night, as the ship was rocking and rolling, the female singer, to steady herself, held one hand up to the ceiling to steady herself and held her microphone in the other hand. My next ship was quite a bit larger with a larger showroom so naturally I took a few illusions with me, and continued to swap out illusions for many years aboard various ships depending on the size of the showroom. But I found that the smaller effects got just as much audience reaction as the illusions. In fact, many of my smaller effects, Snowstorm, Pic Pocket act, Zombie, Doves, got more reaction most of the time. I found myself using illusions as "fillers" with my stage or parlour tricks as the main ingredient to my shows. And that is quite opposite to what the grand illusionists did in their full evening show back in the "golden age" of magic with the big touring shows.
I remember calling home to my wife, while the ship was in port, and I was perplexed (and frustrated) in explaining how the audience far more enjoyed my Banana/Bandana routine, than my Butterfly Blammo Box illusion routine that I worked so hard in developing. Hmph!
While hosting a dinner table the following night I would ask my guests what tricks they liked best and invariably it was one of the smaller tricks, not the illusions. So I began cutting back on carrying all this furniture aboard ships and, I must admit, it was a godsend not having to travel in and out of countries with so many cases and trunks.
A few years ago I presented my own full evening show in a theatre in Winter Garden, Florida. With comedian-magician-juggler-banjoist Todd Charles as my opening act, and intermission, the first night show ran a whopping three hours! Backstage on a chalk board, it was only the illusions that I quickly crossed off the list in making the next evening of magic shorter. Of course, it only made the show stronger although I must admit it hurt that I had to cut a third of the show and especially cutting, "the big stuff".
My comedy-magician friend, Jeff Alan, posted on FaceBook this statement expressing his frustration: "This is ONE of the hardest decisions I've had to make relating to my shows. I felt like I had to share ALL of my
ideas in ONE show with an audience when, realistically it's a bad decision. It's taking too much time for the set up and breakdown, my body is wearing down carrying 5 LARGE pieces of equipment and I don't have to share my entire life's ideas in 90 minutes."
Of course, the length of the show might not always be the problem as I am often hired to perform 90 minute shows. And I must admit, I do believe in giving the client more than what they might expect and often after my shows I do get the comment/compliment, "Wow that was more than we expected." But it's not always the big stuff that people remember. Think Harry Blackstone and his Floating Light bulb or Vanishing Birdcage. In 1979 he came to town with his huge full evening show and it was an amazing show. Two years later he came back to another theatre and I was telling everyone how grand it was. But this time, he left out most of the illusions. But it was still a great show because he made it great, mostly because it was "Harry" and not necessarily "the props".
On the other hand, we must be careful of too much "fluff" as well. At a recent Kreskin show, after three hours, The Amazing One only presented six (out of the briefcase) effects. Of course, that is what Kreskin is
all about, lots (lots) of talk, but I doubt I'll sit through it again. After performing at Abbott's a couple of years ago one magician approached me and said, "You really know how to utilize the stage." AndI do. At any show I "use the room". I invented a play-huge card trick I call "The Human Deck of Cards" which uses 52 audience members. The whole trick takes five minutes but I can perform it in the largest of auditoriums.
A few years ago we had the national SAM mid-year meeting and banquet in Orlando. The show was held at the Radisson Hotel ballroom. I was performing my Sands of the Desert routine but, setting it for the stage
takes three people. So I asked the hotel for a separate riser and placed the Sands equipment on the riser, giving it its own staging to the side of the big stage. I received a couple of comments from the magicians
afterward how cool they thought that staging was. In reality, I just didn't want the props near anyone or anything during the rest of the show that might make the bowl of water or glasses of sand fall. But it did make for an intriguing theatrical experience.
A few years ago I went to see illusionist David DaVinci and while it was a very nice show, I could hardly believe my ears when it was the Magic Coloring Book that received the biggest response. I thought, OK, perhaps that audience reaction was a fluke. But the next day I received a phone call from my magic friend, Chuck Smith, who said that he too saw the show but at the earlier performance and he stated that it was the
Coloring Book that his audience connected with as well.
I think it was David Copperfield who said, when asked why he does illusions, "It pays more". And he is right, but not always and not for everyone, when you think about the many legends of magic who were
superstars in their own right, who didn't perform illusions. But sometimes you might not have a choice, if you want the work. A few years ago the Entertainment Director of Carnival Cruise Lines told me, "We only hire magicians who perform "mega" illusions. We don't want "Sub Trunks!” Of course, he was saying this because of the large stages cruise ships have become. I couldn't resist, so I asked him, "So tell me, how large do your comedians or singers have to be?" Oddly, soon after that I produced a magic-cruise aboard one of the Carnival ships and the company show magician, who had been aboard that ship a year, only performed two illusions in his act, one being, the Sub Trunk! ARG!
Yes, in my show I will continue to perform an illusion or two at the request of the client, or if the show warrants a large prop. After all, laypeople still want to see girls levitated, or sawed in half. And that's fine if they want to pay the nickel to see it. But it's my daughters who are concerned also. I am 60 years old. One of my daughters recently asked me, after doing the Sub Trunk, "Dad, how long do you think you'll be able to do that trick?" HMPH!-
Dan Stapleton
2013-06 Reaction Frustration
(ed. note: from the archive of "Lost Submissions", with apologies to Dan for the delay)
In the last few days I performed four shows, all different in content but using some similar items. But four completely different "ethnic" audiences..all spoke English, they were all American's (although we can't assume that all American's speak English...which many don't.)
And I can't assume that all shapes and sizes would understand my humor, heck, even my own kids and my wife sometime questions my sanity.
But I have never encountered four consecutive audiences who just sit and stare. And it wasn't just for my jokes. They also looked like Zombies after I performed appearing/ disappearing birds, the Sub Trunk...you name it.
Each show "organizer, tried cheering me up by explaining that this was typical of "their" group in reacting towards not only magic, but comedy as well..English-American comedy.
I must admit, after the show various audience members would come up to me and tell me, in perfect English, how much they enjoyed the show and thought the whole thing amazing. It's when I wanted to say, "Why didn't you let your face show it?"
Two of the shows, my two daughters assisted me and asked, "Dad, I've seen you get standing ovations. What's with these people?"
I said, 'Two things, Honey, first, whom ever said "there is no such thing as a bad audience" is a bull shitter!"
The second thing is a very important lesson every entertainer learns at one time or another. "What's that Dad", she asked.
I replied, "Just take the money and run!"
-Dan Stapleton
In the last few days I performed four shows, all different in content but using some similar items. But four completely different "ethnic" audiences..all spoke English, they were all American's (although we can't assume that all American's speak English...which many don't.)
And I can't assume that all shapes and sizes would understand my humor, heck, even my own kids and my wife sometime questions my sanity.
But I have never encountered four consecutive audiences who just sit and stare. And it wasn't just for my jokes. They also looked like Zombies after I performed appearing/ disappearing birds, the Sub Trunk...you name it.
Each show "organizer, tried cheering me up by explaining that this was typical of "their" group in reacting towards not only magic, but comedy as well..English-American comedy.
I must admit, after the show various audience members would come up to me and tell me, in perfect English, how much they enjoyed the show and thought the whole thing amazing. It's when I wanted to say, "Why didn't you let your face show it?"
Two of the shows, my two daughters assisted me and asked, "Dad, I've seen you get standing ovations. What's with these people?"
I said, 'Two things, Honey, first, whom ever said "there is no such thing as a bad audience" is a bull shitter!"
The second thing is a very important lesson every entertainer learns at one time or another. "What's that Dad", she asked.
I replied, "Just take the money and run!"
-Dan Stapleton
2013-06 Dennis Deliberations....
Editorial and Comment
By Dennis Phillips
June 2013
If Global Warming gets any worse, “Ice” McDonald, may be forced to change his act to “Steam” McDonald!
Carl Ballantine used to have a very funny line in his act. He would freeze his movement as we walked on and with a arrogant swagger say, “Every move a picture!” Few realize that his phrase is taught as the key to all performance dance and stage movement….the “position”, the “transition”, the “pose”…It is all created to make a pretty picture. When my wife and I taught ballroom dance, most pictures taken at dance recitals were always greeting with horror by the students. They would complain about their body, leg and arm positions as well as the look on their faces. I would always say, “Make every move a picture!”
Every serious student of stagecraft, show production and stage shows should recognize Italian, French and Russian ballet and the differences in them. (French style) pays more attention to elegance and precision. Cecchetti (Italian style) pays more attention to technique. Vaganova (Russian style) is very precise and focuses on flexibility. I prefer Vaganova. In terms of a dance style for illusionists it is similar to the very physical and dynamic Gene Kelly as opposed to the more French Fred Astaire. James Dinmare is an example of the Fred Astaire style.
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The magic magazines, make it sound so easy to get on the road with a show and pack out houses. They imply that IF you are no able to, then you must not be spending enough money on gear, props, music, promotion or not have a hot enough assistant working your boxes…
There is almost never a frank and clear statement that it is tough as nails to get and keep going. They cannot afford too! Readership would collapse. Luck, location and who-you-know have the most to do with “success”. It has very little to do with outstanding talent and production values, otherwise George Goble ( of Baltimore) and many others would have been the household magic names in the 60s to 80s.
Magic publishing is a BUSINESS. They print what grabs readers and then sell ads to the readers. The stories are not about the whole TRUTH, they are a magical fantasy for wannabees who are clinging to the hope that they can be like the heroes in the pages. This myth theme is common in every part of human existence. Stage mothers push their kids into theater, dance, beauty contests to play out their own shattered fantasies.
There is a MYTH, an insidious MYTH that pervades the American psyche and is what drives us. I suggest you read “Death of a Salesman”. Arthur Miller captured the essence of the phony myth in the character of Willie Loman…(The MYTH is that “anyone can make it if they only believe and try hard enough and if you fail, it is because you are lazy and stupid. Thus, you need to learn more, spend more money and be more aggressive and stomp over everyone as you are pretending to be a nice guy) In our society, which lacks an acknowledged landed-gentry or hereditary class with peerage, everyone supposedly has a chance at fame and fortune.
Willie: What’s the mystery? The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he’s rich! The world is an oyster, but you don’t crack it open on a mattress! (Act 1)
Charley’s speech about Willie: He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine . . . A salesman is got to dream, boy.(Act II)
Critics who saw the first performance in 1949, with Lee J. Cobb as Willy, said that when the curtain closed, they only heard silence. Then, sobbing.
"It's the only play I know that sends men weeping into the men's room," said director Robert Falls.
1949 America was far more realistic about success. Today ( 2013) after a generation of phony printed money, political finger-pointing, contrived class warfare and the bifurcation of wealth, our hopes are pinned on the Lottery and whatever money-grab we can make. We have lost our humanity. We have lost the ability to understand our personal identity. We all must become salesmen or we are labeled as leeches and parasites. We all know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
What is ticking me off about our magazines is their obvious self-serving hype. But then again, no one wants to hear realism. They want to hear baloney and anything that only bolsters their dreams. Its why Paula White ( a preacher), Joel Osteen, Tony Robbins, Richard DeVos and Glenn W. Turner made MILLIONS. It is the same classic American Myth:
“I always had a dream but I was nothin’ but a loser, a failure, livin’ a life of shame AND THEN I saw the light! I got up off my lazy backside and said, “I gotta think smart”. See, I was ignorant, dumb and stupid ,but I got smart. You are special and have smarts. You just don’t know it and for cash, I will sell you the secrets of getting’ smart! Send your money to me, buy the stuff that I sell, get addicted to my “Get Smart” message and you WILL BE just like me…and if you do all that and you still fail then it is because you are lazy, and ignorant and deserve to be a loser and a failure”.
Listen to any of these con-artists: You get so much sunshine pumped up your back-side, you don’t need flashlights for the next 6 months – you just open your mouth.
THIS is the essence of the American Success “Dream”…. It is actually a universal theme in human cultures, as Joseph Campbell points out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
It is an incomplete retelling and appropriation of the Mary and Christ story… (Every human culture has a similar tale) “out of humble beginnings, comes shame and failure. But obedience and perseverance and self-awareness are the path to glory”.
If you personally want to GET RICH… forget “Magic”. Become a baloney artist! Sell dreams. Pump sunshine up sucker’s back-side.
In many ways David Blaine and Cyril latched onto the
Universal Christ-image ( for Cyril, the Buddha-image) which is deep in the psyche of humans.
Watch the visuals and the audience on their specials.
Blaine walks among the poor, brings pigeons back to live, creates a cup of coins for a poor beggar. In most specials he cheats death and is brought back.
Houdini was successful by capitalizing on the myth of the triumphant underdog. He was a poor immigrant, an underdog who cast off the chains of the establishment.
Copperfield was the young kid who went on to rearrange national landmarks, get the hot women, beat the law ( Alcatraz) and death (Niagara Falls and building explosion) and “rise again”. Their success was all accomplished by using myth along with Big Business connections.
How many wannabees read the magic magazines and are clueless about the psychological truth behind all the success stories?
Dennis Phillips
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