Posts
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 01/20/2010 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting theme: New Magic
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 – srjart@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.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
2010-01 From the Editor
So before we know it another year has come and gone. Old Father Time has changed into the Baby Time, and for many we reset the clocks and counters and start again. Of course this is also the time for New year's Resolutions, have you kept to yours?
In addition to all the problems at home, we are reminded that things could be a lot worse by the disaster in Haiti. I am sure I speak for the Ring in saying that our thoughts are with the unfortunate souls in that country.
So with new hope for a new year I wish all Ring 170 members, their families and friends all the best for 2010.
Your editor
Stefan
In addition to all the problems at home, we are reminded that things could be a lot worse by the disaster in Haiti. I am sure I speak for the Ring in saying that our thoughts are with the unfortunate souls in that country.
So with new hope for a new year I wish all Ring 170 members, their families and friends all the best for 2010.
Your editor
Stefan
2010-01 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
President Craig Fennessy called the meeting to order on December 16th, 2009 and introduced the Ring's officers to the 31 members and guests in attendance.
The first order of business was the nomination and election of Officers for calendar year 2010. The results were President: Craig Fennessey, Vice-President: Chris Dunn, Director at Large: James Songster, Treasurer: Art Thomas, Secretary: Sheldon Brook, Sergeant-at-Arms: Joe Vecciarelli. Following the election Jackie Manna presided over a Christmas Gift Exchange and Holiday Party.
James Songster emceed the meeting that followed and offered a Christmas Trivia Quiz. Unknown to the membership until that time, Santa Claus, appearing at two major theme parks in the area and soon to make his presence known around the world on Christmas Eve was a member of our Ring.
Magic Ian continued the holiday merriment by demonstrating a variation of his excellent rope handling and then finished by performing Howie Schwartzman's Card Across. Past Ring President Carl Fowler was up next with his version of “The Locked Deck”. Mike Martin finished the performance segment of the December meeting with a Change Bag Routine and finally pulling a “Hat out of the Rabbit”.
Dan Stapleton made available to the membership a large carton of VHS tapes that past Ring Secretary, Dennis Phillips, had collected over the years. Dennis relocated to the Harrisonburg, Virginia area last summer and is missed.
The Ring looks forward to 2010 with lectures and events already in the planning stage.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!! Sheldon Brook
2010-01 Augmented Reality Magic Trick
This is actually a commercial, but if you ignore the product, quite interestiing
http://www.always.com/
Joe Vecciarelli
It's Unbelievable Magic
Bunnies In Peril
Joe Vecciarelli
It's Unbelievable Magic
Bunnies In Peril
2010-01 Dennis' Deliberations
For all things fade away, become the stuff of legend, and are soon buried in oblivion…So what is left worth living for? This alone: justice in thought, goodness in action, speech that cannot deceive, and a disposition glad of whatever comes… Meditations IV. 33- Marcus Aurelius
I believe that in most people, age brings a certain amount of stoicism. The mature person sees that there are more years behind them than in front of them. For most people this leads to retrospection and a future focus on doing those things that will have permanence. Of course, compared to John Calvert and the late John Booth we all are young whipper-snappers. As we face a new year we can look back on our magical friends who we lost last year and think about how they will be remembered in the future.
I have never gone through a cardiac by-pass operation but I know a lot of guys that have had it done in their 40s and early 50s. Many seemed to collapse into a fog of mania with irrational behavior. They get a new Corvette. They ditch the wife they have had for 25 years. Usually the wife doesn’t understand what is happening. Perhaps the guys believe that by going back to their behaviors when they were in their 20s they will not have to face their morality.
I have known two individuals that decided that they wanted to start the career in magic that they always wanted to do. The first guy, Barry, did not buy a Corvette, he bought $50,000 worth of illusions! Recil Bordner was thrilled and George Kimery pleased as punch. Barry then dumped his wife. She was shattered. I do not think it was her crow’s feet, she was still a nice looking woman. The real reason was that Barry wanted a hot younger chick that could dance. Moreover, he wanted a new woman that did not remember previous mundane 20 years of his failure at a magic career. Barry had an average career as a chemical salesman. Of course, writing orders for chemicals is a totally different skill from marketing a magic show. Unable to totally leave the income from sales, he set out a goal to phase into full time. The results were a disaster. If you intend to be a full-time pro, it requires 25 hours a day and your full attention. His sales job suffered, commissions fell and eventually he was terminated. Now he had alimony payments, child support payments, two households and a high maintenance younger woman. Marriage number two failed, he was forced to sell his props and eventually Barry ended up giving up his dreams of magic. He was bitter and totally dropped out of the scene. We are now into Year 3 of the Great Recession. I have no idea how long it will last. There is not a lot of margin in financial affairs with home equity declining and job insecurity. Keep a cool head. For most folks that have a relatively secure income, the real joy of magic should be found as a hobby or part time business. When you shift from having fun at magic to the challenge of making a living, all the fun goes away.
In an attempt to not to be all somber, there are focused professional magicians like Greg Frewin. I got a hold on a DVD copy of Greg Frewin’s Canadian Special on CBC last month. Greg, as you know, gave up on the Vegas scene and moved back to Niagara Falls and opened up his own magic dinner theater in that tourist town. On the surface the theater appears successful and the culmination of every magician’s dream. I still would like to see his P and L statement. (Professional magicians, understand that P and L does not stand for Petrie and Lewis)
I liked the TV show! It was a bit different from the typical US special. It had just a touch of “reality TV”. I liked the family bits and scenes. The writing and pacing was perfect for a Holiday Family special. It had everything “kids, baby lions, a loving wife, a hot chocolate trick, danger and an inside look at the Frewin Theater operation and his workshop. He is a competent welder. How can you lose with a helicopter shot of a frozen Niagara Falls as dusk? Of course the effect itself gave no reasoning for doing it beside the Falls but we all know that a magic special needs an obligatory Big Stunt. He had a nice use for a Zimmerman base with the Girl in the Triangle Frame to Doves.
Unlike most other US specials, I really got to feel that I had met and related to Greg through the tube. He successfully mixed “walk around”, “street magic” with just enough of the big box stuff to create the image that he lives a magical life. He had a great finale where his family walks out in the snow at night so he can show them a new Christmas tree. Using a couple of D’Lites he pulls lights out of the air and pops them on the tree only to grab a handful of lights to toss at the tree to completely illuminate it. I have never seen a more rational reason to use a D’Lite.
This special will bolster his career and we all will be seeing a lot more of him. His finale was a surprise. Big Fire spikes through him hanging upside down in a cage in a strait jacket. I did not expect him to use the “Shrouded Transformation” gimmick and the big cat as the resolution to his final big stunt.
For years I have been searching for a replacement for the old “Upside down Coke bottle trick” (the water stays in the bottle even when you shove toothpicks up the opening). That is what the water bottle seems like but the advertisement says they do not use a cap or disc. I suspect that it uses a clear “plug”, but I will let others argue over semantics. He followed it up by breathing on another plastic water bottle and turning it into ice. These were appropriate and powerful bits of street magic.
It is month five for us here in the Shenandoah Valley. I am plugging along as a substitute teacher and doing restaurant magic. I am still hoping that something full time opens up in the education field. At the end of February, I am slated to Emcee and help produce a big fund-raiser show for a young cancer victim, using the members of Ring 320.
Finally, Cindy and I watched Dick Clark last night on New Year’s Eve. Dick Clark was one guy who promoted magic on his variety show productions. He helped to make Franz Harary, Joseph Gabriel, Melinda and produces all three of Rudy Coby’s specials. For those of you old enough to have followed Dick through all these years, we can only say that the guy refuses to die! He is now 80 and still suffering from the effects of his 2004 stroke. This year he spoke clearer and was moving his arms a bit. I will spare you all the plastic surgery, Botox and Pancake makeup lines. The guy never seems to age. Like John Calvert, I believe that he is doing what he loves and that helps to push back the tracks of The Grim Reaper when he comes a calling.
Lets all hope for a better 2010!
From snowy Harrisonburg, Virginia on this New Year Day, the very best to you.
Dennis Phillips
I believe that in most people, age brings a certain amount of stoicism. The mature person sees that there are more years behind them than in front of them. For most people this leads to retrospection and a future focus on doing those things that will have permanence. Of course, compared to John Calvert and the late John Booth we all are young whipper-snappers. As we face a new year we can look back on our magical friends who we lost last year and think about how they will be remembered in the future.
I have never gone through a cardiac by-pass operation but I know a lot of guys that have had it done in their 40s and early 50s. Many seemed to collapse into a fog of mania with irrational behavior. They get a new Corvette. They ditch the wife they have had for 25 years. Usually the wife doesn’t understand what is happening. Perhaps the guys believe that by going back to their behaviors when they were in their 20s they will not have to face their morality.
I have known two individuals that decided that they wanted to start the career in magic that they always wanted to do. The first guy, Barry, did not buy a Corvette, he bought $50,000 worth of illusions! Recil Bordner was thrilled and George Kimery pleased as punch. Barry then dumped his wife. She was shattered. I do not think it was her crow’s feet, she was still a nice looking woman. The real reason was that Barry wanted a hot younger chick that could dance. Moreover, he wanted a new woman that did not remember previous mundane 20 years of his failure at a magic career. Barry had an average career as a chemical salesman. Of course, writing orders for chemicals is a totally different skill from marketing a magic show. Unable to totally leave the income from sales, he set out a goal to phase into full time. The results were a disaster. If you intend to be a full-time pro, it requires 25 hours a day and your full attention. His sales job suffered, commissions fell and eventually he was terminated. Now he had alimony payments, child support payments, two households and a high maintenance younger woman. Marriage number two failed, he was forced to sell his props and eventually Barry ended up giving up his dreams of magic. He was bitter and totally dropped out of the scene. We are now into Year 3 of the Great Recession. I have no idea how long it will last. There is not a lot of margin in financial affairs with home equity declining and job insecurity. Keep a cool head. For most folks that have a relatively secure income, the real joy of magic should be found as a hobby or part time business. When you shift from having fun at magic to the challenge of making a living, all the fun goes away.
In an attempt to not to be all somber, there are focused professional magicians like Greg Frewin. I got a hold on a DVD copy of Greg Frewin’s Canadian Special on CBC last month. Greg, as you know, gave up on the Vegas scene and moved back to Niagara Falls and opened up his own magic dinner theater in that tourist town. On the surface the theater appears successful and the culmination of every magician’s dream. I still would like to see his P and L statement. (Professional magicians, understand that P and L does not stand for Petrie and Lewis)
I liked the TV show! It was a bit different from the typical US special. It had just a touch of “reality TV”. I liked the family bits and scenes. The writing and pacing was perfect for a Holiday Family special. It had everything “kids, baby lions, a loving wife, a hot chocolate trick, danger and an inside look at the Frewin Theater operation and his workshop. He is a competent welder. How can you lose with a helicopter shot of a frozen Niagara Falls as dusk? Of course the effect itself gave no reasoning for doing it beside the Falls but we all know that a magic special needs an obligatory Big Stunt. He had a nice use for a Zimmerman base with the Girl in the Triangle Frame to Doves.
Unlike most other US specials, I really got to feel that I had met and related to Greg through the tube. He successfully mixed “walk around”, “street magic” with just enough of the big box stuff to create the image that he lives a magical life. He had a great finale where his family walks out in the snow at night so he can show them a new Christmas tree. Using a couple of D’Lites he pulls lights out of the air and pops them on the tree only to grab a handful of lights to toss at the tree to completely illuminate it. I have never seen a more rational reason to use a D’Lite.
This special will bolster his career and we all will be seeing a lot more of him. His finale was a surprise. Big Fire spikes through him hanging upside down in a cage in a strait jacket. I did not expect him to use the “Shrouded Transformation” gimmick and the big cat as the resolution to his final big stunt.
For years I have been searching for a replacement for the old “Upside down Coke bottle trick” (the water stays in the bottle even when you shove toothpicks up the opening). That is what the water bottle seems like but the advertisement says they do not use a cap or disc. I suspect that it uses a clear “plug”, but I will let others argue over semantics. He followed it up by breathing on another plastic water bottle and turning it into ice. These were appropriate and powerful bits of street magic.
It is month five for us here in the Shenandoah Valley. I am plugging along as a substitute teacher and doing restaurant magic. I am still hoping that something full time opens up in the education field. At the end of February, I am slated to Emcee and help produce a big fund-raiser show for a young cancer victim, using the members of Ring 320.
Finally, Cindy and I watched Dick Clark last night on New Year’s Eve. Dick Clark was one guy who promoted magic on his variety show productions. He helped to make Franz Harary, Joseph Gabriel, Melinda and produces all three of Rudy Coby’s specials. For those of you old enough to have followed Dick through all these years, we can only say that the guy refuses to die! He is now 80 and still suffering from the effects of his 2004 stroke. This year he spoke clearer and was moving his arms a bit. I will spare you all the plastic surgery, Botox and Pancake makeup lines. The guy never seems to age. Like John Calvert, I believe that he is doing what he loves and that helps to push back the tracks of The Grim Reaper when he comes a calling.
Lets all hope for a better 2010!
From snowy Harrisonburg, Virginia on this New Year Day, the very best to you.
Dennis Phillips
Thursday, December 10, 2009
2009-12 Famulus Newsletter - Ring 170
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 12/16/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting theme: Gift Exchange
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 – srjart@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, 12/16/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting theme: Gift Exchange
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 – srjart@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.
2009-01 from the Editor
Seasons greetings to all my friends at Ring 170. This month the club will enjoy the Annual Gift Exchange, I hope that all of you find a great gift.
After many months working from home I am back on the road again, enjoying the snowy weather in the Windy City until just before Christmas. This means I will be missing the Ring meetings and lunch meetings again. I am just glad that I can contribute to the group by helping publish this newsletter. Of course, I do need your help in doing so, please remeber to send me you articles and suggestions.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a Happy New Year
Your Editor
Stefan
After many months working from home I am back on the road again, enjoying the snowy weather in the Windy City until just before Christmas. This means I will be missing the Ring meetings and lunch meetings again. I am just glad that I can contribute to the group by helping publish this newsletter. Of course, I do need your help in doing so, please remeber to send me you articles and suggestions.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a Happy New Year
Your Editor
Stefan
2009-12 Ring Report
President Craig Fennessy called the meeting to order on November 18th , 2009 and introduced the Ring officers to the 29 members and guests in attendance. He mentioned that the Magic World lost two luminaries with the passing of Carl Balantine and John Booth, both men nonagenarians. Next month the Ring has scheduled both a Christmas Party/Gift exchange and a lecture by Michael Weber. Craig also opened the floor for officer nominations and reminded the membership that elections will also be held next month.
James Songster reported that the Winter Garden Theater Halloween production of “Dr Zombie's Theater of the Unexplained” was well received and a rewarding professional experience. Dan Stapleton also reported that his show “Abracadabra It's Magic” did very well at the same venue. Both James and Dan praised the work of Art Thomas and his technical crew for their input and dedication to the productions. Fred Moore, on hiatus from his tour with Mickey's Magic Show, spoke briefly on his experience with that group.
Bev Bergeron enlightened those attending with another of his teach-ins by demonstrating various techniques in spoon bending and a coffee spoon illusion effect. He concluded by showing his method of performing a Torn and Restored Playing Card.
Master Sebastian Midtvaage volunteered to emcee the membership performances and started off with Chuck Smith doing an amusing variation of the Invisible Deck He was followed by Will Wortman performing A Magic Square Demonstration. Ravelli showed us his table hopping technique by mixing up a sample of his Rope Magic, a Coin Sleight and a fork illusion. Charlie Progner entertained us with a story of how alchemists could change lead to gold with Buddha Paper Magic. Dan Stapleton demonstrated an interesting card effect using his Half an' Half Cards. Sebastian ended the performances by showing his skills at coin and card handling.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #18 by describing his experiences at the 11th Conference on Magic History which took place in the Los Angeles area on November 5,6,7. This is a biannual event attended by invitation only. Phil has been an avid collector for years and was very happy to be in attendance. He explained that although he is not a fan of the restoration of many antique pieces in his collection; there are instances where he feels its necessary to have it done and illustrated his point by showing a billiard ball display that he had restored. The meeting closed shortly thereafter.
A fine time was had by all!
Sheldon Brook, Acting Recording Secretary, E-mail: mrbrook33@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook
James Songster reported that the Winter Garden Theater Halloween production of “Dr Zombie's Theater of the Unexplained” was well received and a rewarding professional experience. Dan Stapleton also reported that his show “Abracadabra It's Magic” did very well at the same venue. Both James and Dan praised the work of Art Thomas and his technical crew for their input and dedication to the productions. Fred Moore, on hiatus from his tour with Mickey's Magic Show, spoke briefly on his experience with that group.
Bev Bergeron enlightened those attending with another of his teach-ins by demonstrating various techniques in spoon bending and a coffee spoon illusion effect. He concluded by showing his method of performing a Torn and Restored Playing Card.
Master Sebastian Midtvaage volunteered to emcee the membership performances and started off with Chuck Smith doing an amusing variation of the Invisible Deck He was followed by Will Wortman performing A Magic Square Demonstration. Ravelli showed us his table hopping technique by mixing up a sample of his Rope Magic, a Coin Sleight and a fork illusion. Charlie Progner entertained us with a story of how alchemists could change lead to gold with Buddha Paper Magic. Dan Stapleton demonstrated an interesting card effect using his Half an' Half Cards. Sebastian ended the performances by showing his skills at coin and card handling.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic History Moment #18 by describing his experiences at the 11th Conference on Magic History which took place in the Los Angeles area on November 5,6,7. This is a biannual event attended by invitation only. Phil has been an avid collector for years and was very happy to be in attendance. He explained that although he is not a fan of the restoration of many antique pieces in his collection; there are instances where he feels its necessary to have it done and illustrated his point by showing a billiard ball display that he had restored. The meeting closed shortly thereafter.
A fine time was had by all!
Sheldon Brook, Acting Recording Secretary, E-mail: mrbrook33@yahoo.com
Sheldon Brook
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
2009-12 Dennis' Deliberations
"mandatum erat hominem punire: non eum castigare usque ad mortuum"
(Your orders were to punish this man, not to scourge him to death.)
Did you ever get so angry at someone or some group that you want to beat the tar out of them?
Try booking agents. The vast majority of them are lower than whale feces. There are a few that are humans-a very few.
There are many jokes about booking “agents” such as: Did you hear about the booking agent that had a heart transplant? He died. The heart rejected him!
It did not take me long as a young man to learn the difference between a “booking agent” and a “personal agent”. The booking agent works for his own benefit. In other words they may very well be a blood-sucking leech trying to hire you for as cheap as they can get you and charging the client many times what you are actually being paid.
The personal agent is more of a partner. He (or she) makes money by taking a percentage of your show fees. It is in the best interest of the personal agent to keep you working. The booking agent just wants someone who will work cheap. They work for themselves and not for the talent.
I would hate to tell you how many “agents” years ago agreed to handle me if:
1) I bought a $250 photo package to meet their specifications
2) Paid for a set-up charge for printing brochures. Out of the goodness of their hearts they would pay for all the printing. I think the set-up fee was $600. Business cards were mandatory and extra!
3) Paid for a month “phone number fee” This was so that you had your own telephone number. Mind you, it was not a separate line but an “extension” (a secretary with a list). I think that was $50 a month.
4) Paid for the “records and booking journal”. You had to buy their calendar and their loose-leaf notebook with special NCR forms so your agent-fee forms matched their records.
5) You also needed a name tag with their logo so you could attend the “mixers” and “showcases” for the talent buyers. Yes, and pay for the drinks, the hotel room for the booking agent, a girl-escort to keep him company, etc. They had these “showcases” every 90 days and they were $200 each not counting travel and the hotel room.
There were other assorted fees.
The killer was that they would list your name for FREE on their talent list but “you need the back-up materials” to really get the most bookings.
The sole benefit of the FREE listing meant was that I got a few dozen phone calls and letters from the agency saying that people had requested me but they legally could not book me without paying the other fees!
I even got a call from a “Magician” who said he was taking my gigs because I would not register. He said that he wanted to throw gigs my way. It was obvious from 60 seconds of talk that the guy on the phone was not a magician but a salesman and knew NOTHING about magic. I found it out by using some absurd phrases that he never reacted to, such as, “I really need to do that. My “thumb tip illusion” is taking up half of my garage and I need to get it out on the road.” The guy answered, “Yes! You can’t let it sit; you have to get it on the road!”
The easiest scam in the world is to play on someone’s ego coupled with their dreams and fears to manipulate them and rip them off. Talent and modeling agencies have been doing it for years. Often some ballroom dance studios and acting schools do the same thing. In a grander way, politicians use the trick: “You should be making big money and living the jet-set life! The problem is those people from the other political party are stealing your money and destroying the country. “There will be no country left for you to get rich in if the other political party wins!” (Substitute Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal. They all lie and manipulate you)
Harry Wise passed on. I was sorry to hear that. I knew Harry for almost 40 years. I met him originally through Phil Morris in Charlotte who hired him to do several Ghost Show tours in Canada. Phil later told me that it takes a special talent to be scary and whip up the crowd into a frenzy. He said that Harry was a bit too funny to really freak out a crowd. Since most of the shows in Canada played a Friday and a Saturday, the second nights were a disaster. Nobody was afraid of Harry. The trouble makers brought their friends back to heckle.
.
Harry concluded a tour and ended up in Charlotte with about as much money as he started with. I think he was looking for local TV work and Phil Morris called my house and my wife Cindy told Phil that I was working that evening directing a live show. The show was a classic movie with a host doing live cut-ins. My job as the director was to time everything and run the control room and crew. Phil sent Harry over to the station about 7:30 in the evening and the receptionist buzzed me in the control room and when I heard “Phil Morris” I approved him being brought up to the control room.
Harry may have had a lot of experience in front of the camera but he had no idea what went on in a control room. I had on my headset and was barking orders to the video-tape room, the telecine projection room, the floor crew, the audio man, the technical director-switcher, the camera guys, the video operator…while Harry was depressingly telling me his life story in one long monologue. I was trying to listen to him and run the show.
This never came out in the newspaper obituary but he told me then that his wife had divorced him and he had a daughter and his ex-wife got custody. Harry’s name was etched in my mind when I moved to Orlando and it was Clarence Godwin of the old Fun Way/Paramount magic shop that again put me in contact with Harry.
Harry was living in his mother’s house in Sanford. He had grown his hair long and had a former Club Juana stripper as his assistant/girl friend.
He did show up at the Sanford Civic Center when I played my illusion show there in July of 1985. A year or so later he was selling off some of his props and I think he gave me as much as I bought. My Abbott’s Frame of Life and Death was Harry. He had been storing it in the shed in back of his house and it was covered with dirt-daubers. I had to rebuild the roller shades and do some repainting but it has served me well and I still use it. I think somewhere in the 90s Harry wisely decided to build his legacy and he got his story and heroics in print. I am not exactly sure how much was legend, myth or actual fact. It really doesn’t matter. Harry was a survivor and a journeyman entertainer for a great many years and a unique character and he deserves every bit of eternal fame that he gets. Thomas Aquinas, the great Scholastic theologian from the 1200s is remembered for the extensive and brilliant theology books that he left but he died an empty man saying, “Everything that I have written is straw”. I think that is sad. Somewhere there has to be a balance between a Burling Hull and an Aquinas. Maybe Harry found it.
I had a few thoughts about growing old as a magician:
Ten Thoughts on the Way to the Stage...
The great thing about an aging magician is that he doesn't lose all the other ages he's been. The saddest thing about being an aging magician is believing that he can re-create those ages.
The time to begin most magic acts is ten years ago.
The older a magician gets, the more he tells it like it used to be.
The greatest magic lesson we should learn: "Time wounds all heels." - Dorothy Parker
You don't stop being amazed by magic because you grew old. You grow old because you stop being amazed by magic.
You know you're getting old when you stoop to pick up spilled cards and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.
At twenty we worry about getting repeat bookings; at forty we worry about our reputations; at sixty we discover people haven't worried about us in years.
There are magicians who intend to go on forever; or die trying.
Inside every old magician is a young whippersnapper who wonders what the hell happened.
When a magician is young and accomplished, everyone asks "How does he do it?" When he is old they ask “Why does he do it?”
From chilly Harrisonburg, VA in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley the very best and joyous Holiday season to you and yours.
Dennis Phillips
(Your orders were to punish this man, not to scourge him to death.)
Did you ever get so angry at someone or some group that you want to beat the tar out of them?
Try booking agents. The vast majority of them are lower than whale feces. There are a few that are humans-a very few.
There are many jokes about booking “agents” such as: Did you hear about the booking agent that had a heart transplant? He died. The heart rejected him!
It did not take me long as a young man to learn the difference between a “booking agent” and a “personal agent”. The booking agent works for his own benefit. In other words they may very well be a blood-sucking leech trying to hire you for as cheap as they can get you and charging the client many times what you are actually being paid.
The personal agent is more of a partner. He (or she) makes money by taking a percentage of your show fees. It is in the best interest of the personal agent to keep you working. The booking agent just wants someone who will work cheap. They work for themselves and not for the talent.
I would hate to tell you how many “agents” years ago agreed to handle me if:
1) I bought a $250 photo package to meet their specifications
2) Paid for a set-up charge for printing brochures. Out of the goodness of their hearts they would pay for all the printing. I think the set-up fee was $600. Business cards were mandatory and extra!
3) Paid for a month “phone number fee” This was so that you had your own telephone number. Mind you, it was not a separate line but an “extension” (a secretary with a list). I think that was $50 a month.
4) Paid for the “records and booking journal”. You had to buy their calendar and their loose-leaf notebook with special NCR forms so your agent-fee forms matched their records.
5) You also needed a name tag with their logo so you could attend the “mixers” and “showcases” for the talent buyers. Yes, and pay for the drinks, the hotel room for the booking agent, a girl-escort to keep him company, etc. They had these “showcases” every 90 days and they were $200 each not counting travel and the hotel room.
There were other assorted fees.
The killer was that they would list your name for FREE on their talent list but “you need the back-up materials” to really get the most bookings.
The sole benefit of the FREE listing meant was that I got a few dozen phone calls and letters from the agency saying that people had requested me but they legally could not book me without paying the other fees!
I even got a call from a “Magician” who said he was taking my gigs because I would not register. He said that he wanted to throw gigs my way. It was obvious from 60 seconds of talk that the guy on the phone was not a magician but a salesman and knew NOTHING about magic. I found it out by using some absurd phrases that he never reacted to, such as, “I really need to do that. My “thumb tip illusion” is taking up half of my garage and I need to get it out on the road.” The guy answered, “Yes! You can’t let it sit; you have to get it on the road!”
The easiest scam in the world is to play on someone’s ego coupled with their dreams and fears to manipulate them and rip them off. Talent and modeling agencies have been doing it for years. Often some ballroom dance studios and acting schools do the same thing. In a grander way, politicians use the trick: “You should be making big money and living the jet-set life! The problem is those people from the other political party are stealing your money and destroying the country. “There will be no country left for you to get rich in if the other political party wins!” (Substitute Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal. They all lie and manipulate you)
Harry Wise passed on. I was sorry to hear that. I knew Harry for almost 40 years. I met him originally through Phil Morris in Charlotte who hired him to do several Ghost Show tours in Canada. Phil later told me that it takes a special talent to be scary and whip up the crowd into a frenzy. He said that Harry was a bit too funny to really freak out a crowd. Since most of the shows in Canada played a Friday and a Saturday, the second nights were a disaster. Nobody was afraid of Harry. The trouble makers brought their friends back to heckle.
.
Harry concluded a tour and ended up in Charlotte with about as much money as he started with. I think he was looking for local TV work and Phil Morris called my house and my wife Cindy told Phil that I was working that evening directing a live show. The show was a classic movie with a host doing live cut-ins. My job as the director was to time everything and run the control room and crew. Phil sent Harry over to the station about 7:30 in the evening and the receptionist buzzed me in the control room and when I heard “Phil Morris” I approved him being brought up to the control room.
Harry may have had a lot of experience in front of the camera but he had no idea what went on in a control room. I had on my headset and was barking orders to the video-tape room, the telecine projection room, the floor crew, the audio man, the technical director-switcher, the camera guys, the video operator…while Harry was depressingly telling me his life story in one long monologue. I was trying to listen to him and run the show.
This never came out in the newspaper obituary but he told me then that his wife had divorced him and he had a daughter and his ex-wife got custody. Harry’s name was etched in my mind when I moved to Orlando and it was Clarence Godwin of the old Fun Way/Paramount magic shop that again put me in contact with Harry.
Harry was living in his mother’s house in Sanford. He had grown his hair long and had a former Club Juana stripper as his assistant/girl friend.
He did show up at the Sanford Civic Center when I played my illusion show there in July of 1985. A year or so later he was selling off some of his props and I think he gave me as much as I bought. My Abbott’s Frame of Life and Death was Harry. He had been storing it in the shed in back of his house and it was covered with dirt-daubers. I had to rebuild the roller shades and do some repainting but it has served me well and I still use it. I think somewhere in the 90s Harry wisely decided to build his legacy and he got his story and heroics in print. I am not exactly sure how much was legend, myth or actual fact. It really doesn’t matter. Harry was a survivor and a journeyman entertainer for a great many years and a unique character and he deserves every bit of eternal fame that he gets. Thomas Aquinas, the great Scholastic theologian from the 1200s is remembered for the extensive and brilliant theology books that he left but he died an empty man saying, “Everything that I have written is straw”. I think that is sad. Somewhere there has to be a balance between a Burling Hull and an Aquinas. Maybe Harry found it.
I had a few thoughts about growing old as a magician:
Ten Thoughts on the Way to the Stage...
The great thing about an aging magician is that he doesn't lose all the other ages he's been. The saddest thing about being an aging magician is believing that he can re-create those ages.
The time to begin most magic acts is ten years ago.
The older a magician gets, the more he tells it like it used to be.
The greatest magic lesson we should learn: "Time wounds all heels." - Dorothy Parker
You don't stop being amazed by magic because you grew old. You grow old because you stop being amazed by magic.
You know you're getting old when you stoop to pick up spilled cards and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.
At twenty we worry about getting repeat bookings; at forty we worry about our reputations; at sixty we discover people haven't worried about us in years.
There are magicians who intend to go on forever; or die trying.
Inside every old magician is a young whippersnapper who wonders what the hell happened.
When a magician is young and accomplished, everyone asks "How does he do it?" When he is old they ask “Why does he do it?”
From chilly Harrisonburg, VA in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley the very best and joyous Holiday season to you and yours.
Dennis Phillips
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
2009-11 Famulus newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 11/18/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting theme: Christmas Magic
I-HOP Kirkman Road
5203 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida 32819
Please join us for dinner beforehand
Lunch meetings in the McDonald’s at 7344 Sand Lake Road, Orlando. It’s two blocks WEST of the intersection of Interstate 4 and Sand Lake Road. We meet every Tuesday at noon upstairs.
Website: http://www.ring170.com/
F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
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Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – srjart@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.
2009-11 From the Editor
Happy belated Halloween to everyone. This was for many of us indeed a magical night, as a number of our members performed in Winter Garden. Pictures of the evening are shown below. One more meeting and then, I expect, we are into the annual Christmas Gift exchange. How time flies, it seems as if the last one just took place yesterday.
We continue to be blessed with excellent performers at the Monday night Wizardz, keep on coming and bring your friends, especially your non-magician freinds. They will have a splendid time. (N.B. No show this coming Monday 11/9)
Thanks to Craig for the photographs and our dear friend Dennis for his continuing Deliberations.
We continue to be blessed with excellent performers at the Monday night Wizardz, keep on coming and bring your friends, especially your non-magician freinds. They will have a splendid time. (N.B. No show this coming Monday 11/9)
Thanks to Craig for the photographs and our dear friend Dennis for his continuing Deliberations.
2009-11 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
President Craig Fennessy called the Ring to order on October 21, 2009 and introduced the Ring Officers to the 23 members and guests in attendance. He announced that at the November meeting nominations for Officers will be accepted for the election which will take place at the December meeting. Dedicated members of the Ring were encouraged to indicate their interest. On December 8th there will be a lecture by Michael Weber also to take place at the IHOP.
The members in attendance announced that the Daytona Magic Convention was coming up November 6th thru 8th but prior to that Dan Stapleton will perform 4 performances at the Winter Garden Theater on Halloween Eve and Halloween. Following Dan's show on Halloween, James Songster, Joe Vecciarelli, and Dave Koenig will do a Halloween Zombie Spectacular to round out the Day's festivies.
Kerry Pierce promoted the Annual Leesburg Magic Ring celebration. Our Ring is always invited to participate.
Other members performing this month were Dave Koenig as Professor Slim King in Daytona Beach.
Wallace Murphy will be at the Hard Rock Cafe and Jackie Manna will be busy at numerous venues throughout the area.
Phil Schwartz presented Magic Moment #17 featuring magic illusions that would be very popular during any Halloween Season. He lectured and showed apparatus examples including the Thayer wrist chopper which was introduced in 1941. He mentioned Kar-Mi-Magicians Sword Penetrations of the 1950's, Bill and Jerry Larson's-Wheel of Torture introduced in 1947. There were other examples of illusions designed as guillotines ( Lester Lake), Abbott finger choppers and the very impressive Candle Through the Arm available through Tannen.. He closed his Lecture by performing from 1928 the Demon of Doom Illusion by Thayer. A reluctant volunteer, Jackie Manna, was placed in stocks and to those of the audience who could watch metal spikes were hammered through her wrists and through her neck. What a finale!
After the break, Mark Fitzgerald emceed the members performances. Dan Stapleton started off performing Bob Hummer's Flatware Foolery effect. Will Wortman did a ”Not So Impromptu Hitman” (Merrill and Klan) followed by Kerry Pierce with 'the locked up deck'. Mike Martin and Mark Fitzgerald did a humorous card routine. The evenings entertainment ended with guest Rick Neiswonger performing a very entertaining variation of the “Professor's Nightmare”.
A fine time was had by all.
Sheldon Brook
2009-11 Pictures From Halloween Night
On Halloween, our members, Dan Stapleton, Dave Koenig, James Songster and Joe Vecciarelli performed in the Winter Garden Theatre. Dan with a magic show, James, Dave and Joe in a horror show. The pictures were taken by Craig during the evening.
2009-11 Dennis' Deliberations
am no longer a Ring orphan! I made the short 25 minute drive from Harrisonburg down I-81 to the Fishersville, a small town just east of Staunton, Virginia to the monthly meeting of Ring #320. The ring meets the last Monday of the month in the Switzer building at the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. I average attendance is about 15 people so the ring is about half the size of the Orlando group. I lucked out. This month was “Flea Market” night so most everyone brought stuff they wanted to sell or trade. A dealer from Roanoke also was there. It was a solid two and a half hours of getting to meet people and trading magic stories. Every ring has its characters! It is amazing how similar the personalities of magicians are. Most of the regularly working magicians were from the Charlottesville area which has a bigger population. I saw a cute novelty item that I had never seen before and I believe that it is being made by the Roanoke dealer. It is a magic wand that works like a wilting flower! He held the wand up next to his shoulder and while he was talking the wand “tapped” him on the shoulder. He said, “Who tapped me on the shoulder?” He did it again. I am sure you can see what a screamer this one would be for kids! http://www.youtube.com/watch?
I have been digging out my illusions from their crates so I could work on the Christmas shows. I made a Thin-Type Sawing-a-woman-in-half illusion to fit my dear wife Cindy 35 years ago She can still fit in it ! The problem is that getting in and out of the box now takes her about 10 minutes!
Last week, I was trying to put her inside the box to test out the repaired foot gimmick and she was moaning and wincing in pain every time she moved her neck or leg or knee or twisted her body in the box. Suddenly she looked up at me and said, “I wish I could go back to the days when life was only JUST a pain-in-the-ass!”
What a great line! I have to work it into the adult act!
I also dug out my Abbott’s “Ghost Walks” Illusion for my Halloween show in Court Square here in town. I get a lot out of the stunt. I do not know many performers that do!
Basically, you are chained to a large upright board with holes in it by a long continuous chain. The board has a skeleton painted on it. You visibly are able to escape the chains. http://www.abbottmagic.com/
I hesitate to call it a trick. Like the Strait Jacket, it is more of a stunt. It really does not play well if you do it completely behind a curtain. You really have to do it somewhat like you do a strait jacket with appropriate music, in full view and with a faux struggle.
I have had mine for years. I bought it about 25 years ago when Recil Bordner had a special going on. It uses #2 machine chains. The challenge is to make it interesting when you perform it. One tip is to paint or affix numbers and arrows by the holes in the back so your assistant easily knows the path of the chain.
I have a big “turntable” The board is mounted on the top. It has a motor in it that turns about 1 RPM. (W W Granger) You see me struggle and then I go out of sight as it does its 4 turns around to the back and then rotates back around and I emerge with part of the chains free. Each time it turns I am a little freer of the chains. It tends to add a little more mystery to the action. I will be doing it this Halloween for mostly college students.
Cindy selected this song as the new background track http://www.youtube.com/watch?
At the points of excitement in the song I am making the major releases from the chains.
It tends to match the action very well and the soft ending is where I stumble away and slip exhausted on one knee.
I always ended the bit with the old James Brown shtick of falling on one knee and having an assistant throw a robe/cape over my back.
Lord, what a classic bit from him!
Then you catch your breath bolt up, throw out your chest and throw off the robe! You are really playing with the audience’s emotions.
The track starts again with the instrumental portion of the Coldplay song which makes a great applause cue.
I hope you can use this idea.
Marco Tempest was at “Magic Live!” Stan Allen’s get together in Las Vegas and presented his latest techno-magic marvel, “The Augmented Reality Magic Trick”.
It is enchanting. Grab a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk1xjbA-ISE
It is sort of a “Sam the Bellhop meets Star Trek”…
Is it really coming to the day when we will all have to have a top-of-the-line Mac, a video-cam and $10,000 worth of software to do walk-around card tricks in a restaurant?
Perhaps through volume the prices will fall and you will be able to get all the gear as a package from Hank Lee for $79.95. I can see a 12 year old kid wanting it for Christmas. Jeez! I was happy with Stratospheres. The Augmented Reality version will have those plastic balls changing colors, shapes and blasting off into orbit!
There will be no more scream and yelling, “Turn it around”! All birthday shows will be a 3 camera shoot from all sides? I guess I must just be getting too old.
Canada’s Larry Thornton helped me clarify some of the ideas that follow.
Is this what we face for the future of magic?
The year is 2525:
Two guys (1 and 2) questioning the "magic" on the stage
1) Why is he manipulating all of those decorated pieces of cardboard?
2) They're called playing cards.
1) Playing... what?
2) Playing cards. People played games with them. They gambled with them, and that, more often than not, destroyed lives. But you're watching 'fantasy magic' from a bygone era. We haven't had factory-made, three-ply, air-cushion-finish Bicycles, Aviators, or Bee decks since 2040....
1) What? Played games and gambled with Bicycles, Aviators and Bees? -- What the HECK are you talking about...?
2) *Sigh* You just don't know your magic history, do you?
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1) That's a fun act, but where did he get all those shiny disks of metal? And that odd-looking bucket?
2) Ah, you're beyond hope. That dude's doing The Miser's Dream, a classic of ancient magic where you pluck money out of the air and toss it into champagne --
1) What? There hasn't been physical "money" since the first Mars colony was established. I read in a history book when they used to use that stuff.
2) Have it your way. The guy is presenting a classic illusion of desire: The ability of a magician to pluck large sums of physical cash out of thin air...
1) Yeah, right. When I want large sums of 'cash' as you call it, all I have to do is plug into the Cloud and Google it. It's only digitized information, after all--
3) Hey buddy, shut up! I'm trying to watch the show!
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1) Now there's an act you don't see very often. Talk about doing things the hard way!
2) He's called an illusionist. The Zig Zag and the Substitution Trunk haven't been seen for a very long time. Ten thousand hack magicians overworked them and killed those effects for at least a hundred and fifty years --
1) And now they're a novelty again, right? But the "novelty" is not what he's doing, but how he's doing it!
2) It's a mechanical kind of magic. Not seen since the Alien Invasion of 2180. The unique thing about it, is that there are no electronics, no photonics, no time warps or three-dimensional holograms --
1) Hah! And as the dealers used to say in ancient history, “no threads, no magnets, no trap doors, no mirrors, and your fingers don't leave your hands at any time during the performance!” (laughs).
2) Yeah, we all know the illusions of the past were made obsolete by holography, teleportation, quantum invisibility, and I.M.J. [Internet Mind Jack) so this guy is just giving us a magic tour down memory lane. Just play along with it and pretend you don't know what the heck is going on!
1) Okay. But right about now, I'd rather be out camping on the moons of Saturn with my kids.
2) What? You had kids!? Do the P.C.P. know this? [Population Control Police]
3) That does it!! In about two nanoseconds I'm going to Telethink the theater's Android ushers and have you thrown out of here!
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I remember the time when it took hours of physical practice to do magic instead of the latest download of prepackaged software.
Learning to play an instrument, faro a deck, juggle balls, dance -- you name it -- involves an initial resistance of a very stubborn brain (what is it - some kind of evolutionary defense mechanism NOT to master new skills??), but then persistent repetition coupled with dogged determination, and the brain eventually "breaks down" and readily absorbs the new skill, which can then be a relatively easy task -- for a lifetime.
I read this once: Some famous classical pianist (forget who) had just done a long and complex recital. A voice in the audience was heard: "Man I'd spend my entire life just to be able to play like piano like that!" To which the pianist responded, "I already have."
One more: A pianist was heard to say, "If I don't practice for a day, I know it! If I don't practice for two days, my agent knows it. And if I don't practice for three days, my audience knows it."
Two magicians are watching a fantastic sleight of hand artist. The magician is effortless ripping through the most complex pieces of Vernon, Marlo, Elmsley and so on. ... After about forty minutes of this, one magician leans over to the other and whispers, "Man, it's hot in here. That guy is great! I'm sweating like a pig. Can't you feel the heat?"
"No," says the second magician calmly, "I just do birthday parties."
Most of you know that I am a professional educator and I spent 22 years as a college professor. The education business has expended an enormous amount of effort in trying to determine how people learn. Much of the progress was made in understanding the process of learning during World War Two when we had to take untrained farm boys and quickly teach them war technology. Out of that effort Benjamin Bloom developed a taxonomy to understand the education process.
If you look at the Psychomotor Domain, I hope it will give you encouragement if you ever try to learn a physical skill such as sleight of hand! It will show that it takes times and goes in stages. http://www.businessballs.com/
Much of this seems like “Common Sense”. Seventy years ago the humorist Will Rogers said the problem with common sense is that "it ain't so common." Well, it is much less common today than it was then.
I will keep you posted from here in the Shenandoah Valley.
Dennis Phillips
Saturday, October 17, 2009
2009-10 Famulus newsletter
Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring
Next general meeting Wednesday, 10/21/2009 at 7:30 PM SHARP
Meeting theme: Halloween Magic
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 – srjart@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.
2009-10 From the Editor
Halloween is almost upon us, so hopefully our professional and semi-pro members are finding their calendars filling up with gigs. As I write this posting, the weather has turned a little cooler, although it still seems pretty warm for the time of year.
Doc Eason in town, with a show/lecture last week at the Mgaical Arts & Design studio. Wizardz has been going well with varied shows every week, of course Doc this week, but well worth driving to Kissimmee for any of their performers. Congratulations to Eric and Kim for putting this on every Monday.
Your editor
Stefan
Doc Eason in town, with a show/lecture last week at the Mgaical Arts & Design studio. Wizardz has been going well with varied shows every week, of course Doc this week, but well worth driving to Kissimmee for any of their performers. Congratulations to Eric and Kim for putting this on every Monday.
Your editor
Stefan
2009-10 Ring Report Ring #170 The Bev Bergeron Ring
President Craig Fennessey called the meeting to order on September 16th , 2009, and introduced the Ring officers to the 29 members in attendance. He went on to inform the Ring that our past Ring President MJ Emigh recently undergone a surgical procedure but after a brief recovery period he was back on the performing stage. Some Ring members have been attending the noon get-together on Tuesdays at the McDonalds' Bistro on Sand Lake Road. The general membership is invited if they are available during that time.
Dan Stapleton,, James Songster and Joe Vecciarelli will be performing at the Winter Garden Theater over the Halloween weekend – tickets are available now for purchase. Bev Bergeron returned from an appearance in Houston and now is looking forward to lecturing at the Daytona Beach Magic Convection in November. In addition, Bev will also be busy promoting his recently published novel, “The Magic Connection”. Jacki Manna has a performance coming up at the Interlaken Country Club in the area and Dave Koenig also has a mentalism gig scheduled in the near future.
Phil Schwartz was up next with Magic History Chapter #16 and his subject was 'The Card Picker' and he started out demonstrating his 19th Century Card Star and continuing with varying examples of devices utilized to present selected card choices. The group was shown probably the most popular example of playing card pickers, “Joanne Duck manufactured by Warren Hamilton in Tampa , Florida. He went on to show us Gwendolyn by Chicago's Ireland Company. He also had a 1942 version of Abbott's “Hand of Caliph”. Also from Abbott (1948) was Percy Penguin and Red Man ata Boy by Jack Hughes. From the 1970's he shared other card pickers from his collection, Fifi, Yogi Bear, and Bob Klein's Grave Yard Ghost Picker. He closed his presentation with several other pickers including Oscar Rabbit and Homer Hudson's Golden Magic Wand.
Bev Bergeron continued his impromptu magic teach-in with every day items and routines that he has performed throughout his many years as a performer.
After the break, Chris Dunn emceed the performances of seven of our members. Mark Fitzgerald started out with Tom Craven's “Inside, Outside”. Bev Bergeron performed his “3 Frog Monte” with a volunteer from his audience. Dan Stapleton followed with his rendition of Ron Frost's “Book Test”. James Songster demonstrated an entertaining “Stocastisity” for the membership's pleasure. Marty Bristow entertained with “Cards of Nineteen”. J. C. Hiatt and Tim (Lyndell) Scarborough closed out the evening with two comedy routines: J. C. by means of a Cup and Ball and Lyndell with an unforgettable monologue.
A fine time was had by all.
2009-10 Magician rides his bike around the world
If you think riding the stationary bike at the gym is exhausting, imagine riding your bike 28,000 miles through 37 countries in eight years. Tired yet?
Keiichi "Kei" Iwasaki , 36, of Japan began such an adventure when he grew tired of working at his father's air-conditioning company. ''I thought to myself that 'My life will soon be over before I do what I want to do!' so I decided to start this trip," Iwasaki told the London Telegraph.
Iwasaki left his home in Maebashi, Japan in April 2001 with just 160 yen, around $2, in his pocket with the intention of biking through Japan. He enjoyed the trip so much that he caught a ferry to South Korea. He has since been robbed by pirates and arrested in India, nearly died after being attacked by a rabid dog in Tibet, and narrowly escaped marriage in Nepal.
Iwasaki's bikes (he's on his fifth now; two were stolen and two were broken) have been his main form of transportation throughout the journey. He says he does not want to fly because "I wanted to see and feel everything with my own skin. With bicycle, I can always feel the air and atmosphere of the place.''
According to his blog, other than the occasional ferry, the only time he did not ride his bike or walk was when he used a hand rowboat. He first used a rowboat to travel from the source of the Ganges River in India to the sea, a distance of over 800 miles that took him 35 days. Iwasaki decided to also row the Caspian Sea when he was passing by and "I just wondered 'how big Caspian sea is?' so I tried to [cross] using hand rowing boat again, it takes 25 days," he wrote.
He counts his biggest achievement as climbing Mount Everest from sea level without using any transportation, the first Japanese man to do so. Iwasaki is currently in Switzerland waiting to climb Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc.
Iwasaki funds his travels by performing magic tricks on the street. He plans to travel to Africa, through the Americas and finally, back to Japan. He believes the rest of the trip will take him five years, after which he wants to write a book about his adventures.
Photo: Above, via SMNS, Map, via The London Telegraph
2009-10 Winter Garden Theatre spectacular
Don't forget to get your tickets for Dan Stapleton's shows at the Winter Garden theatre. The highlight with be on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) when Dan drives down the street in Winter Garden blindfolded. This will take place at 7 p.m., followed by one of his shows at 8 p.m. There is then a mystery show at 10 p.m. - separate tickets required - which should make a fun evening.
2009-10 Dennis' Deliberations
Here is a fall update from Harrisonburg, Virginia, where I am getting settled into the grove. Wow! The leaves here are turning colors and the hills are ablaze with hues of red, orange and gold. We had to turn on the heat. My house has hydronic heat which is an oil fired boiler and room radiators. I have had an education figuring out how all that works. The heating system is very efficient and low cost compared to forced air heat as you have in Florida.
I spent a couple of warm weekends visiting Civil War Battlefields. The Shenandoah Valley was the breadbasket of the Confederacy and fiercely protected by Stonewall Jackson and his Cavalry commander Turner Ashby. Ashby was shot through the heart in 1862 in battle at Harrisonburg and the historic marker is less than one hundred yards from my house. They have a high school named for him close by. The 1862 campaign was a success for the rebels but Union General Phil Sheridan finally captured the Valley in 1864 and burned much of the infrastructure. The result is that many people here still have their old Gray Uniforms in the closet ready to come out again. There are no Left turns allowed in the county and it is against the law to sell anything but Right Wings at local chicken joints. The other day I casually mentioned to one of the locals about Stonewall Jackson being shot at Chancellorsville. They responded with, “Oh my God! He’s dead???”
So, speaking of history and legacy lets move to magic!
How does ANY lifetime list of effects and routines in magic compare to what I found in the new book about Doug Henning?
From the website about the new book on Doug Henning (http://www.doughenningbook.
I remember Doug well! I remember hanging out with Doug, Dick Oslund and Dennis Loomis at the 1969 Abbott’s Get Together.
The big act on the Saturday Night Show was Ralph Adams. Doug was preppy looking with short hair, buck teeth and always a turtleneck sweater. His was enamored by the work of Guy Jarrett and Andre Kole. He talked about his friend in Chicago, “Jim” who was a genius. (Jim Steinmeyer)
Doug died believing that he could actually levitate telling close friends that he could float. I think his belief had much to do with his religion of Transcendental Meditation.
Larry Thornton and I agree that the one (and only!) thing that bugged us about Doug Henning was his tendency to overstate the importance of a child-like sense of wonder; how the unbounded imagination's ability to enhance and preserve our sense of the magical was somehow superior, even to science. "Never fully grow up! "Henning seemed to be saying, "Keep and nourish that wonderful child within you at all costs!"
In Unweaving the Rainbow, Richard Dawkins addresses the perception that science and art are often taken to be at odds. He wrote this book in response to critics who felt that his two previous books, The Selfish Gene and the Blind Watchmaker, relied far too much on a naturalistic world view. Dawkins felt the need to explain that, as a scientist, he too saw the world as full of wonders and a source of great pleasure; and that his own sense of wonder and enjoyment sprang not from any inexplicable actions of a deity (or any other kind of magic), but rather, the understandable laws of nature. In standard Christian theology, at least since St. Thomas Aquinas, there is an understanding that God is behind the laws of nature.
Perhaps it might have been beneficial to Henning to have met Dawkins or maybe Christian theologian and former scientist, John Pokingham and sat down with him for a conversation on the differences between the wonders of magical deception, and the magic inherent in the true wonders of scientific discovery. The poet John Keat's well-known accusation that Isaac Newton destroyed the beauty of the rainbow by explaining it (a starting point for Unweaving the Rainbow) may have pleased Henning immensely.
Far from being a magician of the skeptical school, Doug's apparent love for fantasy (over reality) may have been the principal driving force that sent him spinning slack-jawed and air-headed down the seductive 'rabbit-hole' of transcendental meditation, with its associated gurus of Eastern mysticism and bliss and finally into the end of his career.
Larry Thornton and I got an idea: Someone should create a (convention) stage act called "The Recession Magic Act" -- and then do about ten minutes of stuff (music only) dressed in obviously tattered tails, while putting on the attitude of a magician of great dignity. You know, a Thomsoni-like persona. Effects could include the Recession Duck Bucket made from a trash pail; an immaculately over acted high-brow Zombie routine with a toilet tank float; card productions with filthy rumpled cards that look as though they'd been through a war; and ... well, it's limited only by a twisted imagination. There must be dozens of gag possibilities. You could have The Miser’s Dream done with pennies. Finally, The Great Government Bailout Bubble where the grand finale is an explosion of phony money. As the act progresses (regresses) the guy's tattered tailcoat begins to slowly disintegrate as he desperately tries to hold it together. The soles on his shoes fall off.
At the end the whole act is held together with duck tape.
Okay, it needs work. But you get the idea. If you got a few of your magician pals together to brainstorm this, I think they could come up with a COMEDY WINNER.
Now you know why I'm not a comedy magician...Those of you that have been in the ring for at least 10 years remember “The Amazing Prozac and Bubbles”, my assistant was –Carl Fowler, former Ring President -dressed in drag. I was a bearded, old, over-the-hill magician who seemed oblivious to the audience and to anything that was happening on stage. Everything went wrong but I held out my arms for applause. Think Carl Ballantine stoned. I retired “The Amazing Prozac” after that one show and the quality of all comedy magic went up a level. Maybe I am a better writer-creator than performer? Bev said it all stunk. I think that was the idea, Bev! The problem is that when you do comedy, if it stinks, it has to stink funny. I will leave that to Kohl and Company.
I will keep you posted from here in the Shenandoah Valley. Halloween is around the corner. You should be booking shows.
Dennis
I keep forgetting that this is the Bible Belt.
Some guy up here saw this photo
and thought that I was a Pentecostal Faith Healer!
You will not believe your eyes!
One of America’s foremost Magical Entertainers will delight
and amaze you with dazzling skill and delightful comedy.
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