Posts
Did I ever tell you my father was also a magician?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
2011-08 Dennis' Deliberations
The Great Recession or “The Great Depression Part II ” continues on. Jobs are not being generated. Both Political parties continue to blame each other. Magicians are struggling.
A long time dear friend from Ring #170 told me that he had a tough time reading my deliberations because of I have been “getting too dismal”. He is correct. I am a bit grim about the magic business and magicians... Not only are we in the same type of era in magic as 1950-1975 (when magic was basically OUT or mostly a kid’s thing) but we have a rotten business climate which is in stark contrast to that era! Not only are most people jaded and not interested in stage magic, there is no money around. Moreover, today’s magic is flavored with mostly back alley, unshaven, unwashed, grungy, punk-type street magic. The big names in the public eye, Blaine and Angel, look like hobos or dirty metal-heads. I love the talented and creative Danny Garcia but I would run from him on a city street. We just have a tough row to hoe. That is why I seldom to never call myself a magician and I never sell what I do as a “magic show”.
Actually, about the time I moved to Florida, in 1975, magicians and illusionists could make a fair living with a mediocre act. That was pretty much true until the early 90s. There was a fairly vibrant “Telephone promotion market” which still exists today in Canada. A charity sponsor would being in a show and contract out the ticket sales to a phone promotion agency who set up boiler rooms and would call all the businesses and many homes in a small town selling tickets. Amateurs mostly knew and appreciated that they were amateurs and stayed in their place.
As the American economy tumbled with global competition and the 70s oil shock, family incomes flattened out. In the early 80s the Reagan formula for deregulation and a far more competitive business environment developed. Amateurs were scrambling for magic show income to supplement or replace their lost wage income. I knew a machinist and steel worker who lost their trade jobs and went to work as “Magicians”.
Then TV technology got cheap and had two effects: First, satellite and cable brought in hundred of media signals and second, the rank amateurs would produce great promo tapes that were on par with any professional promotion reel. Editing can make a person look really good even though they stink on stage live. This all happened while actual performing venues declined. Telephone promotions were made illegal and small town shows dried up when Wal-Mart came in a demolished every downtown and drove the small business owners out of business. They were the ones that supported the shows! One more element of community cohesiveness vanished with the development of Big Box retailers.
Lots of barely competent performers got into the competitive unregulated - out of control- business environment. As you can guess, the strongest crushed the weakest in a form of Economic Darwinism. I think that may have been the plan with Reaganomics.
Once I was told, “Sorry, Pal, you may be great, but the last kid’s entertainer I hired had a great video promo also. Within two minutes into his show he acted like he pulled my wife’s bra off of her. Now management says no more chances, we are playing it safe and running video cartoons!”
After the dot com bubble popped in 2000 and 9-11, the convention business stumbled, so that venue was less prosperous. It was already sucking fumes from the 89-91 S&L crash. That was the end of the big convention businesses in Orlando and many went bust. Vegas crashed in 2008 and even cruise ships faltered.
Today, the American economy is in the trash can. The only consistent stage-magic gigs I can get are through schools where my credentials are that I am a Certified-Licensed teacher (working part time for 2 school districts) and have had FBI background checks and State Child Services clearances. Sad, what has happened to small-time show business!
Today, almost everyone is cynical, fearful and living in the shark pool of massive competition. Whatever crumbs fall into the water stir up a feeding frenzy. I was in a School Principal’s office two weeks ago firming up a booking for my show. He dug out a 2 inch file of “Magicians” who wanted to book a show. I was selected because my program is not a “magic show” but an educational presentation. All this chaos and competition leads to fatigue and overload and retreat into the “safe”. I don’t see much changing anytime soon. I am sure that until the political mindset changes and we, as a nation, decide to work together for a better country, chaos will continue. ONLY the Big, Strong and Vicious will survive.
When hard economic times hit, one of the first things to go is expensive diversions. In the Great Depression, Hollywood and the film business was booming. It may have been due to the cheap entertainment movies offered and that the film business and radio were highly regulated and controlled business. The studio system offered a “sure return” on money invested. It is not that way today for the small operator. Even News Corp, the FOX mother company, was losing money before the Murdoch scandal.
"Show business" is what people avail themselves of for a few minutes or hours of entertaining diversion, after the important (survival) bills have been paid. And the so-called talented people were paid (and often very little) to amuse the folks with juggling, jokes, and plays and the like.
If we go back to medieval times, when the peasants flocked down to the town square with a bit of partially-decaying "picnic basket" morsels, to watch the local hangings and decapitations. Now THAT was cheap entertainment! Hey! Maybe that explains the current situation in political and news reporting!
“Too dismal”? I report, you decide!
Dennis Phillips
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
2011-07 Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 07/20/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Free hoice
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 07/20/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Free hoice
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
2011-07 From the Editor
Thin pickings this month, what happened to the reports from the IBM convention attendees? Come on folks, send me something please.
Thanks as usual to Dennis and Sheldon for their regular contributions
Your editor
Thanks as usual to Dennis and Sheldon for their regular contributions
Your editor
2011-07 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on June 15th with
32 members and guests in attendance. He then went on to inform us that
upcoming lecturers were to include Steve Reynolds and John Racherbaumer.
Dan Stapleton commented on the magic acts appearing on the latest season
of America Has Talent and the upcoming Abbott's convention.
The membership was queried as to whether any of them knew of any space
that would be available to store our Ring's props, equipment and other
paraphernalia that has been collected over the years. It should be climate
controlled.
Jack Kodell, one of our esteemed members, had his autobiography published
and released this month. Mark Fitzgerald is doing close-up at several clubs
in the Orlando area, including the Hard Rock Cafe. Mike Martin and others
are appearing at Give Kids The World on a monthly basis. Jackie Manna is
performing her ventriloquism-magic at area libraries.
Bev Bergeron continued his monthly Teach-In with an impromptu business
card handling routine and was followed by Phil Schwartz and Magic History
Moment No. 32. Phil's subject was "Alexander, The Man Who Knows".
Born, Claude Conlon, in Skagway, Alaska, in 1880, he developed into a
top performer, appearing at the Pantages Theater in California and other
venues drawing top dollar for his performances as a crystal gazer of the 20th
Century as well as a master magician. During the period of 1915 to 1920
he worked with Floyd Thayer developing The Dr. Q series of magic effects
including the Rapping Hand, Talking Vase, Slates, and several others. He
passed away in 1954 after a very successful career.
This meeting brought out many performing members starting out with
Mike Martin doing a comedy magic lecture routine assisted by Ben Mason.
Charlie Pfrogner followed with a variation of the Invisible Card Deck. Kerry
Pierce was up next with a variation of Ed Joseph's Magic & Mischief Box
as presented by Rachel Colombini. Mark Fitzgerald presented two effects:
the first was a multiplying bill routine with changing denominations and the
finish was having a playing card selected, placed back in the deck, expertly
manipulating the deck and finally producing the selected card.
Valerie and Bob Swadling performed several card effects including Fred
Kapps' Card Changing Colors. Bob finished with a very memorable Chinese
Linking Ring routine which few in the audience had ever seen before.
The Swadlings were followed by our youngest member, Sebastian
Midtvaage, who is preparing to participate in the next FISM competition of
North America. He gave us a preview of his performance with a beautiful
Coin and Card Matrix.
Joe Zimmer performed a comedy card effect with the help of Cuda Clux, a
chicken dummy.
Dan Stapleton performed "Plates", a card effect performed with the help of 4
volunteers who handled the cards and eventually selected cards and marked
their selected cards on paper plates. Dan successfully named their selections,
to the delight of the membership.
A fine time was had by all!
32 members and guests in attendance. He then went on to inform us that
upcoming lecturers were to include Steve Reynolds and John Racherbaumer.
Dan Stapleton commented on the magic acts appearing on the latest season
of America Has Talent and the upcoming Abbott's convention.
The membership was queried as to whether any of them knew of any space
that would be available to store our Ring's props, equipment and other
paraphernalia that has been collected over the years. It should be climate
controlled.
Jack Kodell, one of our esteemed members, had his autobiography published
and released this month. Mark Fitzgerald is doing close-up at several clubs
in the Orlando area, including the Hard Rock Cafe. Mike Martin and others
are appearing at Give Kids The World on a monthly basis. Jackie Manna is
performing her ventriloquism-magic at area libraries.
Bev Bergeron continued his monthly Teach-In with an impromptu business
card handling routine and was followed by Phil Schwartz and Magic History
Moment No. 32. Phil's subject was "Alexander, The Man Who Knows".
Born, Claude Conlon, in Skagway, Alaska, in 1880, he developed into a
top performer, appearing at the Pantages Theater in California and other
venues drawing top dollar for his performances as a crystal gazer of the 20th
Century as well as a master magician. During the period of 1915 to 1920
he worked with Floyd Thayer developing The Dr. Q series of magic effects
including the Rapping Hand, Talking Vase, Slates, and several others. He
passed away in 1954 after a very successful career.
This meeting brought out many performing members starting out with
Mike Martin doing a comedy magic lecture routine assisted by Ben Mason.
Charlie Pfrogner followed with a variation of the Invisible Card Deck. Kerry
Pierce was up next with a variation of Ed Joseph's Magic & Mischief Box
as presented by Rachel Colombini. Mark Fitzgerald presented two effects:
the first was a multiplying bill routine with changing denominations and the
finish was having a playing card selected, placed back in the deck, expertly
manipulating the deck and finally producing the selected card.
Valerie and Bob Swadling performed several card effects including Fred
Kapps' Card Changing Colors. Bob finished with a very memorable Chinese
Linking Ring routine which few in the audience had ever seen before.
The Swadlings were followed by our youngest member, Sebastian
Midtvaage, who is preparing to participate in the next FISM competition of
North America. He gave us a preview of his performance with a beautiful
Coin and Card Matrix.
Joe Zimmer performed a comedy card effect with the help of Cuda Clux, a
chicken dummy.
Dan Stapleton performed "Plates", a card effect performed with the help of 4
volunteers who handled the cards and eventually selected cards and marked
their selected cards on paper plates. Dan successfully named their selections,
to the delight of the membership.
A fine time was had by all!
2011-07 Jack & Mary Kodell Benefit
Erick and Kim Olsen of Wizardz theater organized a very special show last weekend, to benefit Jack and Mary Kodell who have been invited to London to attend an anniversary (100yr, 150yr?) of the famed London Palladium theatre, where both have performed in the past. Some excellent magic was shown, as well as it being a great opportunity to meet and congratulate Jack and Mary.
Thanks to Erick and Kim, and any others, for working so hard on this event
Thanks to Erick and Kim, and any others, for working so hard on this event
2011-07 Dennis' Deliberations
Many people die with their music still in them.Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live.Before they know it, time runs out.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes-
The word “Music” comes from“The Muses”, the mythological goddesses of the arts such as poetry,dance, music and others. We should all appreciate the fact that all true art comes from within and touches the viewer’s and listener’s within. To the ancients it seemed like the person was processed by some delightful spirit or force that erupted outward in delightful artistic expression. Today we would try to explain it psychologically.
Did you ever watch a wonderful magic act and get a feeling that propelled you beyond simple appreciation of the cleverness and mystery? It is like something from the magician touched your soul. Something “connected”. If that is the case, then the magician was able to bring the music within them outside. Some very clever and talented magicians never quite get their internal music outside of themselves. You watch and say to yourself, “He or she is great but there just isn’t the real emotional connection”. Sometimes, the magician is just showing you someone else’s music. They either haven’t found theirs or they lack any. Worse, when some began they had great music but they kept playing the same song and they turned into a mechanical jukebox.
As I approach the Hayflick Limit of biologic life, I get to thinking about time running out. How many people spend their whole lives getting prepared to bring out their music and then time runs out. I have known at least 6 incredibly talented magicians who were always preparing and never brought out their inside music.They always wanted “one more move” or “the prop I really need to get going”. The truth is that they needed to worry about their routines and props later. The first two skills they need are communication (speaking and its related technology) as well as stage movement. All successful stage performers have these two basic skills. Before you pull out one prop, can you entertain an audience for 10 minutes by speaking or making faces or telling jokes or doing impressions? Do you walk on like you belong on stage? Do people feel comfortable and relaxed watching you? They need to like YOU and find YOU entertaining and then the props and all the rest just add to your personality.
I was going to finish this column with a story about the return of the Pendragons. Their return was a romantic myth while it lasted. Oh the poetic joy of knowing that Jon and Charlotte are making magic again with their aging flabby bodies in Trinidad! Doing their fast Subtrunk change in a little under 15 minutes? By now you know that Jon was appearing there and apparently a lazy local newspaper reporter Googled his name and assumed that he and Charlotte were still together and said they were appearing there together. It took less than 45 seconds(much longer than their old Sub Truck exchange) for that Trinidad Newspaper story to appear in a search engine! It set the magic world ablaze and for a few moments I was thumping my chest over the prediction I made, when they broke up, that they would someday get together again.I still hold to that prediction but they both may be busking from a wheel chair on street corners when it happens.
Fantasy dies hard… the story wasn’t true. The positive news is that Jon seems to have satisfied the buyers to whom Charlotte sold of some of their old props and they never received them.
I still think there is more drama in this story, stay tuned. It sounds like the stuff for a major movie?
The big current hype is the “buying opportunity”surrounding the extended end of Creative Magic of Utah. They even made the cover of Magic Magazine!
I hate to be a skeptic, but this smells of a poor deal to me, a stinking poor deal on gullible magicians. I hate to say at a future date, “I told you so!”
First of all, in my theatrical and artistic feeling, I refuse to put anything on my stage from them that looks like an automobile collapsible sun shade! The stuff looks like garbage from my car trunk. The only thing with some use for me could be the Shadow Tent but how many Boy Scout Troops do I perform for a year and especially WHERE do they have a stage to do this trick which can not be done surrounded? PLUS, I am not Mac King. Okay, I admit that I have a bias against his stuff. But the business deal is what really seems fishy.
This guy claims that “we are closing the doors forever”. That is GOING OUT OF BUSINESS or in his case a 24 month slow inventory bleeding-spiral-of-business-death. That makes no sense to me!
I was a businessman for 34 years.
Nobody who has a viable profitable money-making business (as he claims) is going out of business! They sell their business to another business entity! Nobody closing a business takes 24 months to do it and by only selling off the existing inventory!
Let me give you my analysis. This is my opinion and perspective, so don’t anybody sue me for expressing what I think is the issue. Think for yourself and make up your own mind.
This guy probably does not make much of what he sells himself. He probably gets it from Communist Red China or Viet Nam or from any of the 3rd world slave-labor countries that supply Wal*Mart and all the other Big Box retailers today. He has to commit to buying massive orders.
They do not work on credit, you PRE-PAY or at least mortgage your house and assets . So he is probably in debt to someone here for all of his inventory commitments and holdings. HE IS NOT selling the volume that he anticipated. WHO is buying $10,000 worth of magic to use? Almost every magic business making this price of props makes them to order and keeps their inventory low.
So, his business model logically seems to have failed. What do you do with a failed magic prop business?
He would get pennies on the dollar if he tried to sell off this stuff.
SO…he creates a program that will sell off his inventory and fulfill his commitments and most probably provide“written contracts” which he can take to his lenders to stave off bankruptcy or immediate foreclosure! You realize that banks look at purchase contracts as an “asset”.
Here is the danger: You folks, the people that have “committed” , bail on him after 2 or 3 payments and he can not maintain enough income to keep going. He then goes bankrupt. Your shipments end and the rest of his inventory is dumped for peanuts. For years you find the stuff on tables at magic flea-markets for $10bucks and you paid much more.
His Facebook page is too filled with hype and what sounds like over-blown nonsense. In essence, you are become a “shareholder” in his business and yet he offers no company information as to the number of investors, his financial status, etc. But you do get a certificate that you are a part owner! I have an old share of Enron framed and hanging on my office wall. They don’t even tell you what their “final illusions” is! Why pay $750 for something which you have no clue about?
I seriously don’t think his grand plan is going to pan out for the better. The rule of thumb in business and investing is: If it sounds too good to be true then it IS too good to be true.
But I could be wrong. If I am, I apologize.
Creative Magic may have just changed their name to “Creative Financing”? It will be a brilliant scheme if it works.
Dennis Phillips
-Oliver Wendell Holmes-
The word “Music” comes from“The Muses”, the mythological goddesses of the arts such as poetry,dance, music and others. We should all appreciate the fact that all true art comes from within and touches the viewer’s and listener’s within. To the ancients it seemed like the person was processed by some delightful spirit or force that erupted outward in delightful artistic expression. Today we would try to explain it psychologically.
Did you ever watch a wonderful magic act and get a feeling that propelled you beyond simple appreciation of the cleverness and mystery? It is like something from the magician touched your soul. Something “connected”. If that is the case, then the magician was able to bring the music within them outside. Some very clever and talented magicians never quite get their internal music outside of themselves. You watch and say to yourself, “He or she is great but there just isn’t the real emotional connection”. Sometimes, the magician is just showing you someone else’s music. They either haven’t found theirs or they lack any. Worse, when some began they had great music but they kept playing the same song and they turned into a mechanical jukebox.
As I approach the Hayflick Limit of biologic life, I get to thinking about time running out. How many people spend their whole lives getting prepared to bring out their music and then time runs out. I have known at least 6 incredibly talented magicians who were always preparing and never brought out their inside music.They always wanted “one more move” or “the prop I really need to get going”. The truth is that they needed to worry about their routines and props later. The first two skills they need are communication (speaking and its related technology) as well as stage movement. All successful stage performers have these two basic skills. Before you pull out one prop, can you entertain an audience for 10 minutes by speaking or making faces or telling jokes or doing impressions? Do you walk on like you belong on stage? Do people feel comfortable and relaxed watching you? They need to like YOU and find YOU entertaining and then the props and all the rest just add to your personality.
I was going to finish this column with a story about the return of the Pendragons. Their return was a romantic myth while it lasted. Oh the poetic joy of knowing that Jon and Charlotte are making magic again with their aging flabby bodies in Trinidad! Doing their fast Subtrunk change in a little under 15 minutes? By now you know that Jon was appearing there and apparently a lazy local newspaper reporter Googled his name and assumed that he and Charlotte were still together and said they were appearing there together. It took less than 45 seconds(much longer than their old Sub Truck exchange) for that Trinidad Newspaper story to appear in a search engine! It set the magic world ablaze and for a few moments I was thumping my chest over the prediction I made, when they broke up, that they would someday get together again.I still hold to that prediction but they both may be busking from a wheel chair on street corners when it happens.
Fantasy dies hard… the story wasn’t true. The positive news is that Jon seems to have satisfied the buyers to whom Charlotte sold of some of their old props and they never received them.
I still think there is more drama in this story, stay tuned. It sounds like the stuff for a major movie?
The big current hype is the “buying opportunity”surrounding the extended end of Creative Magic of Utah. They even made the cover of Magic Magazine!
I hate to be a skeptic, but this smells of a poor deal to me, a stinking poor deal on gullible magicians. I hate to say at a future date, “I told you so!”
First of all, in my theatrical and artistic feeling, I refuse to put anything on my stage from them that looks like an automobile collapsible sun shade! The stuff looks like garbage from my car trunk. The only thing with some use for me could be the Shadow Tent but how many Boy Scout Troops do I perform for a year and especially WHERE do they have a stage to do this trick which can not be done surrounded? PLUS, I am not Mac King. Okay, I admit that I have a bias against his stuff. But the business deal is what really seems fishy.
This guy claims that “we are closing the doors forever”. That is GOING OUT OF BUSINESS or in his case a 24 month slow inventory bleeding-spiral-of-business-death. That makes no sense to me!
I was a businessman for 34 years.
Nobody who has a viable profitable money-making business (as he claims) is going out of business! They sell their business to another business entity! Nobody closing a business takes 24 months to do it and by only selling off the existing inventory!
Let me give you my analysis. This is my opinion and perspective, so don’t anybody sue me for expressing what I think is the issue. Think for yourself and make up your own mind.
This guy probably does not make much of what he sells himself. He probably gets it from Communist Red China or Viet Nam or from any of the 3rd world slave-labor countries that supply Wal*Mart and all the other Big Box retailers today. He has to commit to buying massive orders.
They do not work on credit, you PRE-PAY or at least mortgage your house and assets . So he is probably in debt to someone here for all of his inventory commitments and holdings. HE IS NOT selling the volume that he anticipated. WHO is buying $10,000 worth of magic to use? Almost every magic business making this price of props makes them to order and keeps their inventory low.
So, his business model logically seems to have failed. What do you do with a failed magic prop business?
He would get pennies on the dollar if he tried to sell off this stuff.
SO…he creates a program that will sell off his inventory and fulfill his commitments and most probably provide“written contracts” which he can take to his lenders to stave off bankruptcy or immediate foreclosure! You realize that banks look at purchase contracts as an “asset”.
Here is the danger: You folks, the people that have “committed” , bail on him after 2 or 3 payments and he can not maintain enough income to keep going. He then goes bankrupt. Your shipments end and the rest of his inventory is dumped for peanuts. For years you find the stuff on tables at magic flea-markets for $10bucks and you paid much more.
His Facebook page is too filled with hype and what sounds like over-blown nonsense. In essence, you are become a “shareholder” in his business and yet he offers no company information as to the number of investors, his financial status, etc. But you do get a certificate that you are a part owner! I have an old share of Enron framed and hanging on my office wall. They don’t even tell you what their “final illusions” is! Why pay $750 for something which you have no clue about?
I seriously don’t think his grand plan is going to pan out for the better. The rule of thumb in business and investing is: If it sounds too good to be true then it IS too good to be true.
But I could be wrong. If I am, I apologize.
Creative Magic may have just changed their name to “Creative Financing”? It will be a brilliant scheme if it works.
Dennis Phillips
Thursday, June 02, 2011
2011-06 Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 06/15/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Ring & String
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 06/15/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Ring & String
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
2011-06 From the Editor
Summer is really upon us, so for many of our members it is the down time. Enjoy the weather, before it gets too hot.
Thanks to Dennis and Sheldon for their contributions.
Your editor
Stefan
Thanks to Dennis and Sheldon for their contributions.
Your editor
Stefan
2011-06 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order with 37 members and guests in
attendance. This meeting was specifically set aside to be a lecture evening featuring the
magic of Danny Garcia. The only comment Craig made before the start of the lecture
was that two of our Ring members, Donna and Tom Salvadore had unfortunately lost
all of their possessions in a house fire. The Ring moved to immediately hold a raffle
with the proceeds going to the Salvadores and Lecturer Danny Garcia donated the Raffle
Prize, a complete set of his available magic. Stefan Bartelski was the winner and $450.00
was raised for the couple's benefit. The lecture proceeded and was well received by the
members present.A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
attendance. This meeting was specifically set aside to be a lecture evening featuring the
magic of Danny Garcia. The only comment Craig made before the start of the lecture
was that two of our Ring members, Donna and Tom Salvadore had unfortunately lost
all of their possessions in a house fire. The Ring moved to immediately hold a raffle
with the proceeds going to the Salvadores and Lecturer Danny Garcia donated the Raffle
Prize, a complete set of his available magic. Stefan Bartelski was the winner and $450.00
was raised for the couple's benefit. The lecture proceeded and was well received by the
members present.A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
2011-06 Magician Provides Update on USDA 'Rabbit Police' | Bob McCarty Writes
A warning to those of you that use live animals in your act, make sure your USDA paperwork is in order....
2011-06 Dennis' Deliberations
Okay, I feel like a magic polygamist! My two “ladies” are not women, but IBM Magician’s Rings. For years I was active with Ring #170, Orlando. I was brought into Ring leadership by Bev Bergeron to help in doing the newsletter (when we used to print and mail it!) as soon as I finished the intensive work on my Masters degree from Rollins College. And then… 2 years ago my wife and I moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and I hooked up, pardon the pun, with Ring #320. Over Mother’s Day weekend, I was back in Orlando to see my youngest daughter graduate from Rollins College and to be with our grown children who still live there. It so happened that a magic name, Tony Clark, was in town for his lecture, so I got a chance to get together again with some of the Orlando Ring members at the IHOP meeting room.
This month’s column will be a double report on recent ring events in both rings:
The first was the May 10th lecture by Tony Clark at Ring #170 in Orlando. Tony is well known in the magic word and has been seen many times on a number of Gay Blackstone produced TV shows such as, The World’s Greatest Magicians and Masters of Illusion. Tony is known as a consultant for magic in movies and just finished working on Nicolas Cage’s latest movie which features magic. Clark was a student of Slydini and learned well from the master. He stressed the concept of “tension” and “relax” in misdirection.
He opened with a Slydini jumbo coin and silk routine. All the moves were logical and justified in secretly moving and loading the coin. The jumbo coin appeared in an empty silk and kept disappearing and appearing and finally the coin vanished in a shower of silver confetti. Tony followed up with a Slydini Classic, the Knotted Silks. Anyone who has ever witnessed the white silks magically tying and untying knows the power of this simple effect. Clark used two Champaign goblets and made the knots migrate from one set of silks to the other.
Tony then took a seat for some examples of Slydini’s table magic. Most know that Slydini was an expert at “lapping” or secretly dropping items or retrieving them from his lap. The cleverness is in making all the actions undetectable. Tony Clark showed an impromptu knife-swallowing bit that blew away the crowd of magicians. At just the right moment and combined with the “tension and relax” technique and body shifting, he was able to convince the crowd that he actually swallowed a table knife. He then invited up a magican in the audience and immediately taught him the technique. Tony followed up with cigarettes and coins, the same coins he exchanged with Slydini a generation ago. Tony Slydini was New York based and Clark took lesions from him once a week by commuting into Manhattan from his home in Connecticut. He credits Slydini and a love of magic instilled into him with saving his life from steroid abuse. Clark had been a power-lifter and “ripped” at over 225 pounds. He focused on magic and is now a healthy 165 pounds at 45 years old.
Clark wrapped up the lecture with some dealer demos such as his beer bottle-through-the-body or through-the-table. It is a new updating of the old table-magic bit using a salt shaker and a clever gimmick. He did his version of 3 borrowed rings in tissue paper, the classic Slydini migrations done to music. He showed a clever small box without a back that made loading the rings simple. As I watched Tony, I could see the same movements that Slydini used to make. Tony did them naturally and well. The old Chavez Magic School uses to also teach a series of identical body moves and poses so that the look of a Chavez graduate is almost identical.
Tony Clark then demonstrated his handling of the Keller Robe tie and Gypsy Balloon. He had a helium balloon and did the Classic Gypsy Thread routine using the string on the balloon! Eugene Berger would be thrilled. Clark then told about how his young son helped him create the illusion and how he used it as the finale of his Lake Tahoe Casino show followed by a balloon drop over the audience. Both Dan Stapleton and I saw the possibilities of an equally intriguing and emotionally powerful finale for a stage show in the same vein as the Chinese Snowstorm.
Tony Clark is a likable performer and good lecturer with valuable information and products. President Craig Fennessy and the Ring are keeping up the quality and fun of the Ring experience! The next morning it was back in the car for the 14 hour car-ride back home to Virginia.
I had a great time performing with Ring #320 the Saturday before Easter at the annual Waynesboro Theatrical Alliance Festival in Waynesboro, Virginia. They are a local group of boosters and supporters for restoring The Wayne Vaudeville Theater in downtown Waynesboro. The job is almost completed. The theater had been a vaudeville showcase and began to decline, as most downtown theaters did, in the late 1950s as suburban flight gutted many downtowns. This theater did hang on into the 80s. Mark Cline, the owner of several tourist attractions and the Haunted House at Natural Bridge, Virginia told me that as a youngster he sneaked in through a bathroom window , in the Wayne Theater, without paying the admission to see Phil Morris’ Ghost Show. Years later, Mark said he sent Phil the $1.50 admission with an apology! The old theater is still there and will soon be ready for a new generation of shows and art films.
The festival was held in the park by the river that runs through the town. Waynesboro was the old industrial center of the Shenandoah Valley and filled with factories such as DuPont Paints and Mohawk Carpets. Then in the 80s the deindustrialization of American began as factories moved to the third world seeking cheaper labor. The impact on the town, and many towns across America was devastation, depopulation and dilapidation. The collapse of jobs left unemployment and poverty. The simplistic answer from some politicians is that the workers should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and with no help from anyone settle for permanent poverty from odd-jobs and part time work with one-third of their former income. Other politicians grudgingly approved of minimal welfare relief along with calling those displaced by the industrial decline, lazy, stupid and deserving of what happened to them. The blame game has led to the current political war in this country. The fact is that the modern world is built on Industrial power and there is no way to assure world leadership and a large and prosperous middle class and employment without it. The past 30 years has been with the gluttony of financial speculation, market bubbles and personal and government debt all in an attempt to smother over the jobs problems that caused a Waynesboro, Virginia and Luray, Virginia and Detroit, Michigan and Youngstown, Ohio and Camden, New Jersey and thousands of industrial towns across this great land.
Perhaps American can experience a national Easter, a Resurrection. At least in a small way, The Wayne Theater may be a part of the resurrection of Waynesboro.
Our IBM Ring performance area was set up in the open air Pavilion and the wind was strong. Those that have never performed outdoors can not appreciate the effect of wind on silks, ropes, tables on wheels, props on tables and backdrop curtains. Steve Pittella set up a great pipe and drape backdrop and we struggled all afternoon fighting the wind. He braced it well and it did help cut some of the wind. Ring President Eddie Tobey was the magic Master of Ceremonies and opened the show with a cute Trevor Lewis Clap-o-meter where audience clapping moves a thermometer. He introduced Steve Pittella. Steve is an old pro who spent many years in New York City as a children’s performer. He had a colorful routine with lots of audience participation and engagement with the kids. I loved his packing tables all Formica covered and cleverly foldable. He got a lot of mileage out of a three kids in costumes and a comic kazoo version of the Blue Danube Waltz. Eddie was back on with some MC fun.
Richard Gimbert followed with a nice Stratosphere routine, What’s Next and orange silks and oranges and Hippity Hop Rabbits. Eddie kept up the momentum by pulling a gigantic mouth coil out of a marshmallow. John Coleman did a Professor’s Nightmare and the classic comic “Vanishing Bandana”. Eddie then introduced Dennis Phillips who brought up three young volunteers for a comedy version of 20th century Silks with a Breakaway wand and Fan . The center silk vanished from a change bag which only contained a string of sausages. He then asked for a mother in the audience, who was the best cook. Naturally all the kids volunteered their Moms but one was chosen. Dennis put her hand in the Disecto carrot-chopper, which he called the Kitchen Magician, but all ended well.
Dennis Phillips
L to R: President Tobini, Secretary Dennis Phillips, Richard Gimbert, John Coleman, Steve Pittella
Photo by Yvonne Tobini made at River Park in Waynesboro, Virginia April 23, 2001
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
2011-05 Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 05/18/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Danny Garcia lecture
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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, if you wish to submit to the newsletter, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so!
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 05/18/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Danny Garcia lecture
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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, if you wish to submit to the newsletter, use the above e-mail address, your messages are in danger of getting lost if you do not do so!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
2011-05 From The Editor
Summer is almost here and the temperatures outside must be heating up, because the stream of submissions for the newsletter is drying up. Come on folks, do send me your thoughts of recent events (Kostya Kimlat's Festival of Magic, anyone?) or recollections of times gone by.
Thanks to our reliable scribe, Sheldon, for the Ring Report. This month's newsletter also has a video which will make you card-throwers want to start practicing ....hard.
Don't forget, this month's ring meeting is a lecture by Danny Garcia, not to be missed.
Your editor
Stefan
Thanks to our reliable scribe, Sheldon, for the Ring Report. This month's newsletter also has a video which will make you card-throwers want to start practicing ....hard.
Don't forget, this month's ring meeting is a lecture by Danny Garcia, not to be missed.
Your editor
Stefan
2011-05 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order and opened with the sad announcement of a Broken Wand for long time Ring member Chan Alyea who just recently passed away. Craig also noted that our recent lecturer, Steve Marshall, had returned to his home in Japan and was welcomed by yet another 7.0 aftershock. Both he and his wife then decided that it might be in the best interest of their family to leave Japan and relocate back to Florida and hopefully to the Orlando area.
Lecturers, Tony Clark and Danny Garcia have been booked for appearances here in May. Valerie Swadling was very impressed with the performance of our Ring's Jackie Manna at a birthday party she had arranged for her grandson. Mark Fitzgerald will be off, shortly, to the Fechter 4F Convention in Batavia, N. Y. and Doug Kalcik will be entertaining at a charity event at Lake Eola here in Orlando. A discussion by the group and Craig Schwarz concerning the book, Spellbound, which depicts the life of Doug Henning, ended the general meeting.
Bev Bergeron was up next with his monthly teach-in and he stressed the importance and effectiveness of entertaining audiences with simple "magic" props and effects that, if properly performed, can be just as effective as more elaborate illusions and apparatus. Bev and his wife, Alouise, had just come off of a Caribbean cruise and were very happy with the experience.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #30. Phil's opening remarks concerned the recent on-line auction of the Collection owned by the late Christopher Milbourne, who had passed away some years ago, in 1984. The items auctioned included not only 20th Century books, photos, letters and other memorabilia but items from the 19th Century. The value of the collection was indicated by the premium prices received by the
auction. Phil's main subject this evening was Edward Maro, The Prince of Magic, nee Walter Truman Best born in Montpelier, Vermont in 1869. Maro was the first Lyceum magician and was very successful at it. He started out in music as an entertainer but through his brief life he learned magic, much of it from A. M Wilson. Maro lived only 39 years succumbing to typhoid fever in 1913. He is buried in St. Charles, Illinois under a 5-1/2 ton rock brought there from Leland , Michigan.
After a brief intermission, Chris Dunn emceed our performing Magi, starting with Jacki Manna, who demonstrated her magic and ventriloquism by predicting which of 3 different roses an audience participant would select as a favorite. She did have help from a 'genie' in the roses' vase who assisted her in the prediction. Dan Stapleton followed with his performance of Equivoque, where he predicts which arbitrary item one of ten volunteers has been selected by an eleventh impartial participant. Dan methodically eliminated each object held by the volunteers until the last when the match between the last volunteer and the eleventh participant is revealed. It made for a very strong effect. Charlie Pfrogner performed next and placed ten coins in his closed hand followed by as many marbles. With the help of a few magic words he opened his hand and to the audiences' amazement the coins had disappeared. Bev Bergeron capped off the evening with a die penetration through a glass tumbler.
A fine time was had by all!
Sheldon Brook
Lecturers, Tony Clark and Danny Garcia have been booked for appearances here in May. Valerie Swadling was very impressed with the performance of our Ring's Jackie Manna at a birthday party she had arranged for her grandson. Mark Fitzgerald will be off, shortly, to the Fechter 4F Convention in Batavia, N. Y. and Doug Kalcik will be entertaining at a charity event at Lake Eola here in Orlando. A discussion by the group and Craig Schwarz concerning the book, Spellbound, which depicts the life of Doug Henning, ended the general meeting.
Bev Bergeron was up next with his monthly teach-in and he stressed the importance and effectiveness of entertaining audiences with simple "magic" props and effects that, if properly performed, can be just as effective as more elaborate illusions and apparatus. Bev and his wife, Alouise, had just come off of a Caribbean cruise and were very happy with the experience.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #30. Phil's opening remarks concerned the recent on-line auction of the Collection owned by the late Christopher Milbourne, who had passed away some years ago, in 1984. The items auctioned included not only 20th Century books, photos, letters and other memorabilia but items from the 19th Century. The value of the collection was indicated by the premium prices received by the
auction. Phil's main subject this evening was Edward Maro, The Prince of Magic, nee Walter Truman Best born in Montpelier, Vermont in 1869. Maro was the first Lyceum magician and was very successful at it. He started out in music as an entertainer but through his brief life he learned magic, much of it from A. M Wilson. Maro lived only 39 years succumbing to typhoid fever in 1913. He is buried in St. Charles, Illinois under a 5-1/2 ton rock brought there from Leland , Michigan.
After a brief intermission, Chris Dunn emceed our performing Magi, starting with Jacki Manna, who demonstrated her magic and ventriloquism by predicting which of 3 different roses an audience participant would select as a favorite. She did have help from a 'genie' in the roses' vase who assisted her in the prediction. Dan Stapleton followed with his performance of Equivoque, where he predicts which arbitrary item one of ten volunteers has been selected by an eleventh impartial participant. Dan methodically eliminated each object held by the volunteers until the last when the match between the last volunteer and the eleventh participant is revealed. It made for a very strong effect. Charlie Pfrogner performed next and placed ten coins in his closed hand followed by as many marbles. With the help of a few magic words he opened his hand and to the audiences' amazement the coins had disappeared. Bev Bergeron capped off the evening with a die penetration through a glass tumbler.
A fine time was had by all!
Sheldon Brook
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
2011-04 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 04/20/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - April Foolers
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 04/20/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - April Foolers
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
2011-04 From the Editor
Spring is almost sprung and we are getting into the hot season. Things tend to quieten down for our art during the summer, but Craig has livened things up with a couple of sizzling lectures in May. Be sure not to miss them.
Your editor
Stefan
Your editor
Stefan
2011-04 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on March 16th and introduced the Ring's officers to the 23 members in attendance. He acknowledged the Broken Wand of Dr. Robert Albo; and Phil Schwartz, a member of our Ring and co-author with Dr. Albo of The Ultimate Thayer, expressed his thoughts and sentiments on the Doctor's passing.
Craig announced that lectures by Tony Clark, a student of Slydini, and another lecture by Danny Garcia would be coming in on May 10th and 18th, respectively. He also encouraged the membership to magically participate later this month in the Walk for Wishes, a charity event in downtown Orlando. Those members who participated in the recent Ring Flea Market and Auction as well as the SAM Convention Banquet thought that both events were well attended and are looking forward to our event next year.
Charlie Smith had available copies of MSM (MagicSceneMagazine) a UK publication for those members who were interested in them. Dan Stapleton distributed 3 packet tricks to Rings members who promised to learn and perform them at our next meeting. Dan also announced that he will be performing in Branson, Mo. in the near future. Mark Fitzgerald is appearing Friday nights at the Hard Rock Cafe here in Orlando.
Bev Bergeron presented an entertaining bit of restaurant magic using just a paper napkin for a prop and he was quickly followed by our in-house Historian Phil Schwartz with Magic Moment No. 29. Not surprisingly, his subject that night was our Ring's namesake, Bevely (Bev) Bergeron, a past President(1996-97) of the IBM Born at the start of the Great Depression in Baytown, Texas, Bev started in magic at the age of 10 and had his first professional gig at the age of 14. We are quite fortunate to have Bev with us as he has one of the most experienced and creative minds in magic. At the age of 17, he started doing tent shows with Willard the Wizard. He later graduated from the University of Texas and went to work for a Houston ad agency. After a military stint, during the Korean War, he pursued his entertainment career. In 1957 he portrayed Rebo, the clown, with Mark Wilson and Noni Darnell in Texas that culminated in the 60's with TV's The Magic Land of Alakazam. In addition to Magic, Bev is a prolific writer, an example of which can be found in a monthly article in the Linking Ring. He has done numerous TV shows, portrayed Ronald McDonald and for 16 years he was at Disney' Diamond Horseshoe Revue as a star, writer and director. His other accomplishments are too numerous to enumerate but we are indeed fortunate to have him in our midst.
Chris Dunn emceed our members performance program starting off with George Bernard doing a two-card transposition in plexiglas. Richard Hewitt and Wayne Dowling entertained with a card selection effect. Charlie Pfrogner put down a 12 card spread and also guessed correctly the selected card. Joe Zimmer was excited and enthusiastic in demonstrating Tenyo's 4-D surprise, and Dan Stapleton got twelv big laughs when he listed "Twelve Reasons Why You Know You Hired The Wrong Clown For Your Kid's Birthday Party. Kerry Pierce ended the evening with Patrick Paige's Diary Booklet with Cards.
A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
Craig announced that lectures by Tony Clark, a student of Slydini, and another lecture by Danny Garcia would be coming in on May 10th and 18th, respectively. He also encouraged the membership to magically participate later this month in the Walk for Wishes, a charity event in downtown Orlando. Those members who participated in the recent Ring Flea Market and Auction as well as the SAM Convention Banquet thought that both events were well attended and are looking forward to our event next year.
Charlie Smith had available copies of MSM (MagicSceneMagazine) a UK publication for those members who were interested in them. Dan Stapleton distributed 3 packet tricks to Rings members who promised to learn and perform them at our next meeting. Dan also announced that he will be performing in Branson, Mo. in the near future. Mark Fitzgerald is appearing Friday nights at the Hard Rock Cafe here in Orlando.
Bev Bergeron presented an entertaining bit of restaurant magic using just a paper napkin for a prop and he was quickly followed by our in-house Historian Phil Schwartz with Magic Moment No. 29. Not surprisingly, his subject that night was our Ring's namesake, Bevely (Bev) Bergeron, a past President(1996-97) of the IBM Born at the start of the Great Depression in Baytown, Texas, Bev started in magic at the age of 10 and had his first professional gig at the age of 14. We are quite fortunate to have Bev with us as he has one of the most experienced and creative minds in magic. At the age of 17, he started doing tent shows with Willard the Wizard. He later graduated from the University of Texas and went to work for a Houston ad agency. After a military stint, during the Korean War, he pursued his entertainment career. In 1957 he portrayed Rebo, the clown, with Mark Wilson and Noni Darnell in Texas that culminated in the 60's with TV's The Magic Land of Alakazam. In addition to Magic, Bev is a prolific writer, an example of which can be found in a monthly article in the Linking Ring. He has done numerous TV shows, portrayed Ronald McDonald and for 16 years he was at Disney' Diamond Horseshoe Revue as a star, writer and director. His other accomplishments are too numerous to enumerate but we are indeed fortunate to have him in our midst.
Chris Dunn emceed our members performance program starting off with George Bernard doing a two-card transposition in plexiglas. Richard Hewitt and Wayne Dowling entertained with a card selection effect. Charlie Pfrogner put down a 12 card spread and also guessed correctly the selected card. Joe Zimmer was excited and enthusiastic in demonstrating Tenyo's 4-D surprise, and Dan Stapleton got twelv big laughs when he listed "Twelve Reasons Why You Know You Hired The Wrong Clown For Your Kid's Birthday Party. Kerry Pierce ended the evening with Patrick Paige's Diary Booklet with Cards.
A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
2011-04 Dennis' Deliberations
The calendar showed that we are in the spring season but the snow storms continue. I am referring to real snow and not the classic messy magic effect! I am writing this on March 29th and we are due for 3 inches of snow tonight! It is not really bad. They plow and sand the roads and are prepared. Wes Iseli a local fulltime professional seldom loses shows due to weather. If they do cancel, they reschedule.
David Seebach, the Milwaukee area illusionist and Midwest magic legend, just gave details in the March MUM about the Owen’s Chinese Tea for a Potentate illusion. The column was at the prompting of another Milwaukee legend , our own Dan Stapleton. Of course, in the early 70s Dan left the Milwaukee area to move here to warm and sunny Central Florida and create a career as a theme park and cruise ship entertainer.
Seebach is an old friend and on his tours to Florida he would stop in and visit my illusion warehouse and costume factory and store. The theme of his MUM story was about his love affair with brightly decorated and exotic looking Oriental Props and how he acquired a rare and difficult-to-perform illusion. In typical Seebach style, he themed the illusion with costumes and sets, added music and performance elements and made it an intriguing stage illusion. It was one of those illusions that “was created for the paint job”. In other words, the effect was not that strong but the visual eye-candy made fun to watch. I have a couple of those in my big show, the Color Changing Plumes, my large blooming flower trellis and my rose-petal snowstorm.
When I was a kid, I also loved brightly colored props with strange designs and especially Chinese words painted on them. I think we all did! I also bought lots of magic because of the paint job.
One day, while I was a college student, I was painting a big mirror box and I copied some Chinese Letters (不要在巷子里小便) I saw on a street sign in a Chinese newspaper that I had picked up where my mother worked. She worked as an assistant manager at the Chinese Restaurant in Bowie, Maryland. I was so proud of my artwork and the lettering on my Magic trick, so I showed a Polaroid photo to Mr. Chin, the owner of The Golden Pagoda Restaurant. When Mr. Chin saw the box in the photo he started laughing! Chinese people are very reserved and rarely laugh like he did.
He said in a thick accent as he pointed to my artwork, "Do you know what that says?" I said that I didn't but that I just liked the Chinese letters and that I had found them in one of his Chinese newspapers. Still laughing he said, "This says, 'Do not pee in the alley’! "
That is what I got for not knowing what I was copying!
A year or so later, Mr. Chin had expanded his restaurant to a chain and he hired me to be his event and advertising coordinator. I did several Chinese New Year celebrations for him and I did all his print and radio commercials. I also learned to read some Mandarin characters and speak enough Chinese to get along. I still have a soft spot in my magic thinking for Chinese magic and design.
Locally in Harrisonburg, President Eddie Tobey did a spectacular job on his magic radio debut. Eddie joined Hobart at 7:45 in the morning in the WQPO “Q101” studio and did some magic.
I have been helping Eddie with ideas for magic-on-the-radio. Many of you know that I work for VerStandig Broadcasting which owns Q101 as well as WSVA and “Bob Rocks”. Carson, the morning man at 105 “Bob Rocks” is a magician and visited Ring 320.
Eddie did a trick I gave him and since it is appropriate for this year (2011) I will share it with you. It requires a build up! This is 2011, the year before the Mayan calendar ends and the year that all things come into convergence. The convergence number is 111. Remember that number. Almost everyone is in the convergence! This is the only year in a hundred that has 1/1/11 and 1/11/11 as well as 11/1/11 and 11/11/11! Here is how you can check to see if you are in the cosmic convergence: Take the last two years of the year you were born in. For example if you were born in 1948 take the “48” and add it to the age you will be on the birthday that you have in this year. If you have already had your birthday, use the age you are now. If you are going to have a birthday this year, then use the age you will be. Again, add the two numbers in the year you were born and your age. Hum “111” ! You are a part of the convergence!
In my last year in college in Maryland, I needed a female assistant for my magic gigs and there was a tall thin student who always dressed covered up like a Victorian and she always acted like she was really stuck up. I would smile at her and most of the time she would wryly smile, raise one eyebrow like Max Maven and look away. She was not in any of my classes. Sometimes I would walk with her from the parking lot in the mornings or see her in the student union at lunch time. She was friendly but distant and fearful.
All the guys thought she was hot but would not approach her. One female student said, “Yea, you should have seen how she was in High School! She’s changed”
She used to come to school made up like a model with false eyelashes and would always wear clothes that covered her up. I remember her walking to class with a tight long gray maxi-coat and always a neck scarf and black stiletto heels (out of fashion at that time in the early 70s) with one foot paced in front of the other and walking in a straight line. Her hips would sway and turn every guy’s head. Her face looked very much like Bernadette Peters.
I could tell that she had been to a finishing school because she walked and stood with perfect posture and her fashion and makeup were professional.
I was in desperate need for help with my magic show so I went over to her in the student union where she was sitting alone. Her maxi coat went almost to her ankles and she was wearing high heel black boots as she sat on the couch. I walked over and said, “Pat, you look and walk like you would make a great magic assistant with me. I have some shows coming up. Do you want some work?” She got a real sour look on her face and spit back, “Oh go away!”
Instead of accepting her answer, I plopped down next to her on the brown leather couch and took her hand, squeezed it and puffed up my chest and got about 6 inches from her face and said, “I need your help, Pat!”. Her eyes darted wildly from side to side and she pulled back and some sort of look of terror filled her face and her pupils fully dilated and she took a deep breath, her eyes rolled up and she moaned, “YES!”.
Her father was an Air Force Colonel based at Andrews Air Force Base and her mother was a tall stately woman who looked a lot like Grace Kelly. I went over to her house and insisted that I talk to her mother who was very supportive of Patty helping me.
While Patty was upstairs getting into the show costume (borrowed from Chuck and Shirley Windley, illusionists who lived near us), her Mom brought out pictures and explained how Patty had been fat, clumsy and teased in School with no interest in how she looked. Her parents spent a fortune getting her top-notch training and direction in all aspects of female beauty.
Patty came down the stairs with a bathrobe covering the show costume underneath. The costume was a bit like an Esther Williams swimsuit with some rhinestones and bead work and fringe. Her Mom and I stood in the living room as she slipped off the bathrobe. Patty again had a real sour look on her face. “This is ridiculous!” She protested. Mom chimed in, “Now Patty, be kind, listen to him and don’t be embarrassed.” We were pinning her on the sides and got to her middle and it was solid like a sheet of steel. I thought, “she has on a girdle!” It was to firm extra skin from the weight loss. She had a birthmark on the side of her bust just at the line where the costume top ended. So I did the old trick of cutting up a band aid and sticking it on her. In my makeup costume kit, I always carried Band-Aids and other things needed for helping someone look good on stage. If you see Preparation H in my makeup kit, realize that a dab on the face removes crow’s feet and tightens the skin! It is a professional model’s trick.
Her Mother was thrilled, “Oh Patty, you look so good!” She continued to be sour and said, “Please don’t make me do this”.
She blurted out to me, “You may as well know that I used to be a fat slob and now I am all strapped together.” That comment sort of put me in a tough psychological spot. Women often do that with statements. If I said, “Well, you look good now!” she could say something like, “All you care about is my body”. If I said, “I think we can work around it”, she could say, “See, you think I am a slob too!”. If I say, “This is about a job and if you can function in it”, she would get mad at that. Nothing I could say is going to not get me in trouble. So I did what I thought would be the least area of verbal exposure. I just ignored her comment and said, “You have to sit crossed legged in this Doll house illusion so I needed to see your range of movement”. She shot back at me, “You are like all men, and you ignore what any woman says!” So I repeated what worked in the student union. I took her hand, squeezed it and puffed up my chest and got about 6 inches from her face and said, “I need your help, Pat!”. Same response: Her eyes darted wildly from side to side and she pulled back and some sort of look of terror filled her face and her pupils fully dilated and she took a deep breath, her eyes rolled up and she moaned, “YES!”. She fit the illusion fine.
She was a good assistant but a little sour with an effective sneer. It was actually kind of sexy on stage. She would get an aggravated look like Pam Thompson only Patty’s was real. I played off of it with a deadpan and double-take and it got laughs. I never could get her to show a joyous smile. Her ballet and dance training helped a lot. She knew how to walk and stand. Her Mother and I used to talk about her psychological problems. They even sent her for psychological treatment.
In 1971 no one had yet identified Bulimia but she would purge after eating. We would stop to eat on the way back from a show and she would empty her stomach. Her parents spent a fortune on dental work to keep her teeth looking normal from the stomach acids that eat away the teeth enamel.
She was one bundle of psychological problems but still a good assistant. Today medicine has a big tool chest of drugs and techniques to help with psychological problems. Still, in show business you have to learn to deal with all types. We do have strange ones!
Dennis Phillips
David Seebach, the Milwaukee area illusionist and Midwest magic legend, just gave details in the March MUM about the Owen’s Chinese Tea for a Potentate illusion. The column was at the prompting of another Milwaukee legend , our own Dan Stapleton. Of course, in the early 70s Dan left the Milwaukee area to move here to warm and sunny Central Florida and create a career as a theme park and cruise ship entertainer.
Seebach is an old friend and on his tours to Florida he would stop in and visit my illusion warehouse and costume factory and store. The theme of his MUM story was about his love affair with brightly decorated and exotic looking Oriental Props and how he acquired a rare and difficult-to-perform illusion. In typical Seebach style, he themed the illusion with costumes and sets, added music and performance elements and made it an intriguing stage illusion. It was one of those illusions that “was created for the paint job”. In other words, the effect was not that strong but the visual eye-candy made fun to watch. I have a couple of those in my big show, the Color Changing Plumes, my large blooming flower trellis and my rose-petal snowstorm.
When I was a kid, I also loved brightly colored props with strange designs and especially Chinese words painted on them. I think we all did! I also bought lots of magic because of the paint job.
One day, while I was a college student, I was painting a big mirror box and I copied some Chinese Letters (不要在巷子里小便) I saw on a street sign in a Chinese newspaper that I had picked up where my mother worked. She worked as an assistant manager at the Chinese Restaurant in Bowie, Maryland. I was so proud of my artwork and the lettering on my Magic trick, so I showed a Polaroid photo to Mr. Chin, the owner of The Golden Pagoda Restaurant. When Mr. Chin saw the box in the photo he started laughing! Chinese people are very reserved and rarely laugh like he did.
He said in a thick accent as he pointed to my artwork, "Do you know what that says?" I said that I didn't but that I just liked the Chinese letters and that I had found them in one of his Chinese newspapers. Still laughing he said, "This says, 'Do not pee in the alley’! "
That is what I got for not knowing what I was copying!
A year or so later, Mr. Chin had expanded his restaurant to a chain and he hired me to be his event and advertising coordinator. I did several Chinese New Year celebrations for him and I did all his print and radio commercials. I also learned to read some Mandarin characters and speak enough Chinese to get along. I still have a soft spot in my magic thinking for Chinese magic and design.
Locally in Harrisonburg, President Eddie Tobey did a spectacular job on his magic radio debut. Eddie joined Hobart at 7:45 in the morning in the WQPO “Q101” studio and did some magic.
I have been helping Eddie with ideas for magic-on-the-radio. Many of you know that I work for VerStandig Broadcasting which owns Q101 as well as WSVA and “Bob Rocks”. Carson, the morning man at 105 “Bob Rocks” is a magician and visited Ring 320.
Eddie did a trick I gave him and since it is appropriate for this year (2011) I will share it with you. It requires a build up! This is 2011, the year before the Mayan calendar ends and the year that all things come into convergence. The convergence number is 111. Remember that number. Almost everyone is in the convergence! This is the only year in a hundred that has 1/1/11 and 1/11/11 as well as 11/1/11 and 11/11/11! Here is how you can check to see if you are in the cosmic convergence: Take the last two years of the year you were born in. For example if you were born in 1948 take the “48” and add it to the age you will be on the birthday that you have in this year. If you have already had your birthday, use the age you are now. If you are going to have a birthday this year, then use the age you will be. Again, add the two numbers in the year you were born and your age. Hum “111” ! You are a part of the convergence!
In my last year in college in Maryland, I needed a female assistant for my magic gigs and there was a tall thin student who always dressed covered up like a Victorian and she always acted like she was really stuck up. I would smile at her and most of the time she would wryly smile, raise one eyebrow like Max Maven and look away. She was not in any of my classes. Sometimes I would walk with her from the parking lot in the mornings or see her in the student union at lunch time. She was friendly but distant and fearful.
All the guys thought she was hot but would not approach her. One female student said, “Yea, you should have seen how she was in High School! She’s changed”
She used to come to school made up like a model with false eyelashes and would always wear clothes that covered her up. I remember her walking to class with a tight long gray maxi-coat and always a neck scarf and black stiletto heels (out of fashion at that time in the early 70s) with one foot paced in front of the other and walking in a straight line. Her hips would sway and turn every guy’s head. Her face looked very much like Bernadette Peters.
I could tell that she had been to a finishing school because she walked and stood with perfect posture and her fashion and makeup were professional.
I was in desperate need for help with my magic show so I went over to her in the student union where she was sitting alone. Her maxi coat went almost to her ankles and she was wearing high heel black boots as she sat on the couch. I walked over and said, “Pat, you look and walk like you would make a great magic assistant with me. I have some shows coming up. Do you want some work?” She got a real sour look on her face and spit back, “Oh go away!”
Instead of accepting her answer, I plopped down next to her on the brown leather couch and took her hand, squeezed it and puffed up my chest and got about 6 inches from her face and said, “I need your help, Pat!”. Her eyes darted wildly from side to side and she pulled back and some sort of look of terror filled her face and her pupils fully dilated and she took a deep breath, her eyes rolled up and she moaned, “YES!”.
Her father was an Air Force Colonel based at Andrews Air Force Base and her mother was a tall stately woman who looked a lot like Grace Kelly. I went over to her house and insisted that I talk to her mother who was very supportive of Patty helping me.
While Patty was upstairs getting into the show costume (borrowed from Chuck and Shirley Windley, illusionists who lived near us), her Mom brought out pictures and explained how Patty had been fat, clumsy and teased in School with no interest in how she looked. Her parents spent a fortune getting her top-notch training and direction in all aspects of female beauty.
Patty came down the stairs with a bathrobe covering the show costume underneath. The costume was a bit like an Esther Williams swimsuit with some rhinestones and bead work and fringe. Her Mom and I stood in the living room as she slipped off the bathrobe. Patty again had a real sour look on her face. “This is ridiculous!” She protested. Mom chimed in, “Now Patty, be kind, listen to him and don’t be embarrassed.” We were pinning her on the sides and got to her middle and it was solid like a sheet of steel. I thought, “she has on a girdle!” It was to firm extra skin from the weight loss. She had a birthmark on the side of her bust just at the line where the costume top ended. So I did the old trick of cutting up a band aid and sticking it on her. In my makeup costume kit, I always carried Band-Aids and other things needed for helping someone look good on stage. If you see Preparation H in my makeup kit, realize that a dab on the face removes crow’s feet and tightens the skin! It is a professional model’s trick.
Her Mother was thrilled, “Oh Patty, you look so good!” She continued to be sour and said, “Please don’t make me do this”.
She blurted out to me, “You may as well know that I used to be a fat slob and now I am all strapped together.” That comment sort of put me in a tough psychological spot. Women often do that with statements. If I said, “Well, you look good now!” she could say something like, “All you care about is my body”. If I said, “I think we can work around it”, she could say, “See, you think I am a slob too!”. If I say, “This is about a job and if you can function in it”, she would get mad at that. Nothing I could say is going to not get me in trouble. So I did what I thought would be the least area of verbal exposure. I just ignored her comment and said, “You have to sit crossed legged in this Doll house illusion so I needed to see your range of movement”. She shot back at me, “You are like all men, and you ignore what any woman says!” So I repeated what worked in the student union. I took her hand, squeezed it and puffed up my chest and got about 6 inches from her face and said, “I need your help, Pat!”. Same response: Her eyes darted wildly from side to side and she pulled back and some sort of look of terror filled her face and her pupils fully dilated and she took a deep breath, her eyes rolled up and she moaned, “YES!”. She fit the illusion fine.
She was a good assistant but a little sour with an effective sneer. It was actually kind of sexy on stage. She would get an aggravated look like Pam Thompson only Patty’s was real. I played off of it with a deadpan and double-take and it got laughs. I never could get her to show a joyous smile. Her ballet and dance training helped a lot. She knew how to walk and stand. Her Mother and I used to talk about her psychological problems. They even sent her for psychological treatment.
In 1971 no one had yet identified Bulimia but she would purge after eating. We would stop to eat on the way back from a show and she would empty her stomach. Her parents spent a fortune on dental work to keep her teeth looking normal from the stomach acids that eat away the teeth enamel.
She was one bundle of psychological problems but still a good assistant. Today medicine has a big tool chest of drugs and techniques to help with psychological problems. Still, in show business you have to learn to deal with all types. We do have strange ones!
Dennis Phillips
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
2011-03 Famulus Newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 03/16/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Pot Luck
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 03/16/2011 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting Performance Theme - Pot Luck
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
*************************************************************
Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – artthomas31@Earthlink.net
Sheldon Brook- Acting Secretary – mrbrook33@yahoo.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
*************************************************************
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.
2011-03 From the Editor
Last months meeting was quite shocking, what with a large number of Broken Wand announcements, and the news of Art Thomas' resignation from the club. Art will be sorely missed, I think many people do not realize how much he did for the club. It was especially hard to lose him just before the Flea Market, which has always been one of the events that had his stamp on it. And while the rest of the crew did a great job this year again, Art's absence was felt.
There are a couple of videos in this months edition, both very worthwhile watching.
Thanks to our regular contributors Dennis and Sheldon, without them this would be an empty newsletter. Come on members, how about some input? It could be reviews of (new) magic effects, reviews of a TV program or reminiscences from times gone by. Go on, hit the keyboard and email your submission to famulus@illlusioneer.com.
Your editor
There are a couple of videos in this months edition, both very worthwhile watching.
Thanks to our regular contributors Dennis and Sheldon, without them this would be an empty newsletter. Come on members, how about some input? It could be reviews of (new) magic effects, reviews of a TV program or reminiscences from times gone by. Go on, hit the keyboard and email your submission to famulus@illlusioneer.com.
Your editor
2011-03 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on February 16th with 27 members and guests in attendance. He sadly announced that in the past month there were Broken Wand Ceremonies for Pavel, Terry Seabrooke and Tim Conover all of whom had either lectured or appeared in our area. He next reported that Art Thomas, our Ring Treasurer had submitted his letter of resignation which was read by Bev Bergeron. Art did many fine things for the Ring and his absence will be deeply felt. Craig went on to say that any member wishing to replace Art should contact him (Craig) for consideration.
He further announced that we had two lectures scheduled May, Tony Clark and Danny Garcia. We were encouraged to participate in the Make a Wish Foundation's Walk for Wishes which will be held in late March.
Our Annual Flea Market and Auction will be held on Feb 21st with Joe Zimmer and Phil Schwartz handling the Auction. Twenty-four (24) tables have been reserved for the Flea Market.
It was announced that John Calvert would be lecturing at Abbott's Convention in Colon, Michigan on August 5th and several of our members will be attending.
Phil Schwartz was up next with his Magic History Moment #28. The subject was Carl De-voy Williams whom Phil held in high esteem. Born in 1922 and still active today, Williams, raised in Pasadena, California, had an interest in puppets and magic. He spent much of his leisure time watching the lathe workings of Floyd Thayer, a nearby neighbor.
Educated, after a stint in the Navy, at Cal Tech he joined Lockheed as an electrical engineer. After a long professional career, he retired in 1988 and began making magic. He is a skilled craftsman and is known for many creations, including Wands of the Masters, the Houdini Wand, and cages for Lance Burton.
Following a short break, six of our members performed, starting with Chuck Smith, who with the aid of an audience volunteer, predicted the outcome of a random number calculation. Doug Kalcik followed with 2 well performed card effects. Chuck Pfrogner demonstrated an intriguing coin transport. Dan Stapleton, with the assistance of three volunteers and IHOP place settings entertained the group with a seemingly impossible exchange of utensils. Richard Hewitt closed the show with finding a selected card by an audience volunteer.
A fine time was had by all.
He further announced that we had two lectures scheduled May, Tony Clark and Danny Garcia. We were encouraged to participate in the Make a Wish Foundation's Walk for Wishes which will be held in late March.
Our Annual Flea Market and Auction will be held on Feb 21st with Joe Zimmer and Phil Schwartz handling the Auction. Twenty-four (24) tables have been reserved for the Flea Market.
It was announced that John Calvert would be lecturing at Abbott's Convention in Colon, Michigan on August 5th and several of our members will be attending.
Phil Schwartz was up next with his Magic History Moment #28. The subject was Carl De-voy Williams whom Phil held in high esteem. Born in 1922 and still active today, Williams, raised in Pasadena, California, had an interest in puppets and magic. He spent much of his leisure time watching the lathe workings of Floyd Thayer, a nearby neighbor.
Educated, after a stint in the Navy, at Cal Tech he joined Lockheed as an electrical engineer. After a long professional career, he retired in 1988 and began making magic. He is a skilled craftsman and is known for many creations, including Wands of the Masters, the Houdini Wand, and cages for Lance Burton.
Following a short break, six of our members performed, starting with Chuck Smith, who with the aid of an audience volunteer, predicted the outcome of a random number calculation. Doug Kalcik followed with 2 well performed card effects. Chuck Pfrogner demonstrated an intriguing coin transport. Dan Stapleton, with the assistance of three volunteers and IHOP place settings entertained the group with a seemingly impossible exchange of utensils. Richard Hewitt closed the show with finding a selected card by an audience volunteer.
A fine time was had by all.
2011-03 magician creates a storm of protests
Based on Dennis' comments about YouTube magic, this posting is perhaps very timely. If you have not yet seen the Chinese fish trick, then be sure to view the video, it is dynamite. Unfortunately no subtitles for the Chinese language soundtrack, but not needed! Babede-babede-ba!
2011-03 Dennis' Deliberations
There are good reasons why I stay away from using the term magician, especially in any public school shows that I book.
You should hear the nightmare stories that I hear about totally incompetent performers as well as people who book shows and are horrible.
I was at the Hookah Lounge and was using my closing line:
If you liked the show, remember my name is “Dennis Phillips” if you didn’t like the show my name is “Criss Angel”! It gets a laugh… One guy called me over and said, “Whatever happened to that guy who used to vanish the Statue of Liberty? I saw him on TV when I was real young.”
I said, “You mean David Copperfield”. He said, “I think that was his name…Uh I heard somewhere that he is in jail for raping a girl or some famous model. No, he tried to kill his wife!”
It is tough for any “magician” to be seen in a positive light. We are seen by the public as freaks and kinks.
The old Duck and Chicken “Changing Heads” trick is back. Fu Manchu did it, David Copperfield did it 20 years ago on one of his network specials.
Penn and Teller had a magic special on English TV in January and it was called “Fool Me”. The invited magicians from all over to come and “fool them”. One magician did the Duck and Chicken Trick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0RRSgfBJpw&feature=player_embedded
Penn and Teller acted like they had never seen this effect before. The look of delight on their faces was an indication of how much they appreciated good performance. It wasn't so much the TRICK that amazed them (P&T could do it blindfolded), but from their perspective (and ours) the Ali Cook's gestures were cool. People in the "know" enjoyed the performer as much as the trick! The magician who virtually wrote the book on COOL was Larry Wilson. As the cliché saying goes, "I'd watch that guy eating lunch." ... This short bio tells it all:
Larry Wilson doesn't take magic seriously. But that's no surprise to anyone who's seen him starring in his psychedelic extravaganza, "Wonderland," at Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Reno. The debate over whether Larry Wilson is a comedian or magician leaves him unconcerned. Audiences are laughing so hard they don't even seem to realize that the astounding and freaky visuals taking place all around them are actually magic. "I don't want to fool you," Larry Wilson candidly admits, "I just want to blow your mind a little." His latest creation, "Wonderland," does that in full measure. His high-energy performance combined with a gift for lightning-fast ad-libs makes it all the more impossible to determine what's really planned and what's simply a spontaneous happening. And that's what "Wonderland" is all about. As Larry Wilson explains, "It's not a place; it's a state of mind."
How did Larry Wilson, this self-professed refugee from the Summer of Love wind up producing his own theatrical spectacles? Larry is the first to admit it's been an unusual career. He began his performing career at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a private club for magicians. He was somewhat apprehensive about presenting his mix of comedy and magic because of the Castle's reputation as a reserved and dignified forum for magicians. Fortunately, his satirical advertising pitch for the "Famous Magicians School" was an immediate success and even the most diehard magicians were delighted with his spoofing of the art.
In no time at all Larry Wilson found himself in places like Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe performing with the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr., Ann-Margret, and The Pointer Sisters. This, in turn, Ied to a long string of television appearances with his zany assistants, the Flying Cavettis, and it was an appearance with this stage troupe which garnered Larry Wilson his first Emmy nomination as a performer.
Larry Wilson is also quite in demand as a technical consultant for magic and special effects.in movies and T.V. He's taught sleight of hand to a host of famous actors including Patrick Dempsey, Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton and Brooke Shields. He was hand-chosen to create the now famous comedy-magic sequence that Leslie Nielsen performed in the classic comedy hit "Airplane!" Larry Wilson has displayed his sleight of hand skills on "Hard Copy," as a crooked casino dealer on ABC's "Line of Fire" and on the A&E special, "Stealth Technology," where he demonstrated how the military uses many of the same principles of illusion in modern warfare.
"Eventually Larry Wilson realized that if I broke away from the preconceived ideas of magic and did something that was true to what I am it would be something really unique," Larry says. "So I did a little inventory on myself and decided that the things I have such great fondness for all came from the 60's-the music, the clothes, the lifestyle. All at once, it seemed so clear, the perfect theatrical framework to combine these fantastic cultural influences was just ready and waiting for me-"Alice in Wonderland." It's the trippiest, most surreal, otherworldly tale. And everybody knows all about it. Or, at least, they think they do." That was the jumping off point for "Wonderland." His long history with Harrah's casinos made it a natural choice to launch this ambitious project and the response has been phenomenal right from the opening night performance.
Years and years of working in gambling cities also allowed Larry Wilson plenty of time to hone his card-playing skills and he is well known on the poker tournament circuit. "I got to play with some of the top Hold 'Em players in the world, and, fortunately, some of them took pity on me and were kind enough to point out everything I was doing wrong. Gradually my game began to improve enough until I started winning small tournaments. I may be the only guy whose job actually coincides neatly with his love of playing poker."
Larry Wilson is very pleased about the public's acceptance of his peculiar mix of magic, comedy and theatricality. "Nowadays audiences crave a more intense theatrical experience. When they go out to see a show, they want to be immersed in something, they want to feel something." That's why "Wonderland" has been received so enthusiastically by audiences of such a broad spectrum. "Magic isn't about the tricks; it's supposed to be about going on a little trip to an alternative reality." Does that make Larry Wilson the next Houdini? "Oh, no," he's quick to say. "That stuff with the handcuffs I leave to the pros... like Paris Hilton."
Now that is a superb quote that all magicians should take to heart, and more -- put into action! : "Magic isn't about the tricks; it's supposed to be about going on a little trip to an alternative reality." How many performers can you say actually fulfill THAT requirement? When you stop looking at the props (the half-naked babes excepted) and find yourself riveted by the magician, then you know you're watching good magic! Do we watch Channing Pollock's act, or do we watch the complete package that includes his ever bodily nuance and suave facial expression? Another point (this could be turned into and essay!) -- when we see a magician, say, an illusionist, do a "standard" routine and think, "That man has turned it into a masterpiece that only HE can do!" -- then, and only then, do we have CLASSIC MAGIC presented in all its glory. Richiardi's Broom Suspension is a case in point, and I'm sure you can think of other examples. (The Blackstone Floating Lightbulb? I dunno: It always seemed to me that a bulb with the screw-end at the TOP screams "hanging" from something but the overall effect is amazing and poetic, especially sending it out over the audience)
One of the true sad things is that YouTube videos are watchable again and again and again. The magically naive can do exactly that, including "freeze frames", and then jump in there with some semi-revealing feedback on the aspects that don't look quite right." Magic seen only once, LIVE, doesn't have that problem. THAT'S WHY -- if I did any magic that relied on being seen only ONCE for best effect (an effect that FOOLS) I sure as heck wouldn't want it to be put on YouTube.
You should hear the nightmare stories that I hear about totally incompetent performers as well as people who book shows and are horrible.
I was at the Hookah Lounge and was using my closing line:
If you liked the show, remember my name is “Dennis Phillips” if you didn’t like the show my name is “Criss Angel”! It gets a laugh… One guy called me over and said, “Whatever happened to that guy who used to vanish the Statue of Liberty? I saw him on TV when I was real young.”
I said, “You mean David Copperfield”. He said, “I think that was his name…Uh I heard somewhere that he is in jail for raping a girl or some famous model. No, he tried to kill his wife!”
It is tough for any “magician” to be seen in a positive light. We are seen by the public as freaks and kinks.
The old Duck and Chicken “Changing Heads” trick is back. Fu Manchu did it, David Copperfield did it 20 years ago on one of his network specials.
Penn and Teller had a magic special on English TV in January and it was called “Fool Me”. The invited magicians from all over to come and “fool them”. One magician did the Duck and Chicken Trick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0RRSgfBJpw&feature=player_embedded
Penn and Teller acted like they had never seen this effect before. The look of delight on their faces was an indication of how much they appreciated good performance. It wasn't so much the TRICK that amazed them (P&T could do it blindfolded), but from their perspective (and ours) the Ali Cook's gestures were cool. People in the "know" enjoyed the performer as much as the trick! The magician who virtually wrote the book on COOL was Larry Wilson. As the cliché saying goes, "I'd watch that guy eating lunch." ... This short bio tells it all:
Larry Wilson doesn't take magic seriously. But that's no surprise to anyone who's seen him starring in his psychedelic extravaganza, "Wonderland," at Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Reno. The debate over whether Larry Wilson is a comedian or magician leaves him unconcerned. Audiences are laughing so hard they don't even seem to realize that the astounding and freaky visuals taking place all around them are actually magic. "I don't want to fool you," Larry Wilson candidly admits, "I just want to blow your mind a little." His latest creation, "Wonderland," does that in full measure. His high-energy performance combined with a gift for lightning-fast ad-libs makes it all the more impossible to determine what's really planned and what's simply a spontaneous happening. And that's what "Wonderland" is all about. As Larry Wilson explains, "It's not a place; it's a state of mind."
How did Larry Wilson, this self-professed refugee from the Summer of Love wind up producing his own theatrical spectacles? Larry is the first to admit it's been an unusual career. He began his performing career at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a private club for magicians. He was somewhat apprehensive about presenting his mix of comedy and magic because of the Castle's reputation as a reserved and dignified forum for magicians. Fortunately, his satirical advertising pitch for the "Famous Magicians School" was an immediate success and even the most diehard magicians were delighted with his spoofing of the art.
In no time at all Larry Wilson found himself in places like Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe performing with the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr., Ann-Margret, and The Pointer Sisters. This, in turn, Ied to a long string of television appearances with his zany assistants, the Flying Cavettis, and it was an appearance with this stage troupe which garnered Larry Wilson his first Emmy nomination as a performer.
Larry Wilson is also quite in demand as a technical consultant for magic and special effects.in movies and T.V. He's taught sleight of hand to a host of famous actors including Patrick Dempsey, Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton and Brooke Shields. He was hand-chosen to create the now famous comedy-magic sequence that Leslie Nielsen performed in the classic comedy hit "Airplane!" Larry Wilson has displayed his sleight of hand skills on "Hard Copy," as a crooked casino dealer on ABC's "Line of Fire" and on the A&E special, "Stealth Technology," where he demonstrated how the military uses many of the same principles of illusion in modern warfare.
"Eventually Larry Wilson realized that if I broke away from the preconceived ideas of magic and did something that was true to what I am it would be something really unique," Larry says. "So I did a little inventory on myself and decided that the things I have such great fondness for all came from the 60's-the music, the clothes, the lifestyle. All at once, it seemed so clear, the perfect theatrical framework to combine these fantastic cultural influences was just ready and waiting for me-"Alice in Wonderland." It's the trippiest, most surreal, otherworldly tale. And everybody knows all about it. Or, at least, they think they do." That was the jumping off point for "Wonderland." His long history with Harrah's casinos made it a natural choice to launch this ambitious project and the response has been phenomenal right from the opening night performance.
Years and years of working in gambling cities also allowed Larry Wilson plenty of time to hone his card-playing skills and he is well known on the poker tournament circuit. "I got to play with some of the top Hold 'Em players in the world, and, fortunately, some of them took pity on me and were kind enough to point out everything I was doing wrong. Gradually my game began to improve enough until I started winning small tournaments. I may be the only guy whose job actually coincides neatly with his love of playing poker."
Larry Wilson is very pleased about the public's acceptance of his peculiar mix of magic, comedy and theatricality. "Nowadays audiences crave a more intense theatrical experience. When they go out to see a show, they want to be immersed in something, they want to feel something." That's why "Wonderland" has been received so enthusiastically by audiences of such a broad spectrum. "Magic isn't about the tricks; it's supposed to be about going on a little trip to an alternative reality." Does that make Larry Wilson the next Houdini? "Oh, no," he's quick to say. "That stuff with the handcuffs I leave to the pros... like Paris Hilton."
Now that is a superb quote that all magicians should take to heart, and more -- put into action! : "Magic isn't about the tricks; it's supposed to be about going on a little trip to an alternative reality." How many performers can you say actually fulfill THAT requirement? When you stop looking at the props (the half-naked babes excepted) and find yourself riveted by the magician, then you know you're watching good magic! Do we watch Channing Pollock's act, or do we watch the complete package that includes his ever bodily nuance and suave facial expression? Another point (this could be turned into and essay!) -- when we see a magician, say, an illusionist, do a "standard" routine and think, "That man has turned it into a masterpiece that only HE can do!" -- then, and only then, do we have CLASSIC MAGIC presented in all its glory. Richiardi's Broom Suspension is a case in point, and I'm sure you can think of other examples. (The Blackstone Floating Lightbulb? I dunno: It always seemed to me that a bulb with the screw-end at the TOP screams "hanging" from something but the overall effect is amazing and poetic, especially sending it out over the audience)
One of the true sad things is that YouTube videos are watchable again and again and again. The magically naive can do exactly that, including "freeze frames", and then jump in there with some semi-revealing feedback on the aspects that don't look quite right." Magic seen only once, LIVE, doesn't have that problem. THAT'S WHY -- if I did any magic that relied on being seen only ONCE for best effect (an effect that FOOLS) I sure as heck wouldn't want it to be put on YouTube.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)