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| Vol. 4, #9 – September 2013 |
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Message from the NEW President Labor Day Weekend 2013 — what a weekend! Great performers, great friends and I had the experience of a life time. I got to see the pure joy of wanting to perform come from my nine year old son. On Friday night my son arrived and we walked into an empty Malachite room for his first time. For the last two years my son has performed regularly on a hard atrium floor of a hospital, lecture halls, and elementary buildings. Not too fancy. He walked in, looked around the room, and was almost speechless, quietly asking if he would be performing on that stage. I said, “yes”. His hands went in the air and a loud, “YEAH” came out. What a gift for me to see his excitement and experience what ‘Magic’ can do. *
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The rest of the story only gets better as I
got to place the winning medals around the
neck of the Junior Close-up performer, and
my friend, Steffen Banta, and one of the
Junior Stage winners, my son, James.
To the TAOM: I owe you a great deal of
thanks for this wonderful night.
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So let’s start here for the 2014 convention. Taking Austin’s lead, and the wonderful experience my son had there a few years ago, we will bring back ‘Magic Camp’ during the convention. Saturday and Sunday will have a full days’ worth of events for 7-12 year olds wishing to attend. Let’s bring our kids back to the TAOM and get them EXCITED!
With the Magic Camp we can let them have age-appropriate events while adults attend the lectures, and then get together for the evening Stage shows at one of the most unusual stages in Fort Worth. Magic Camp will be offered separately from a plain 7-12 year old registration, but includes everything the normal registration has plus the activities, visits from the performers, and magic tricks they get to take home.
In the following months, there will be frequent mail-outs to registrants with updates on events as well as updates in Magic Across Texas. You can expect New Magic, New Performers, and Renewed Friendships. You might even have a Boot Kickin’ time.
For now, I will leave with thanks to Mark Jensen, Reade, Geoff, Larry, the entire Dallas and Fort Worth registration teams, the stage crews and everyone I got to work with during the 2013 convention.
Bill Irwin
2014 TAOM President |
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The Business of TAOM 2013 President Mark Jensen and Secretary/Treasurer Mary Cay Gold organized and conducted efficient business meetings for the Board on Friday and the general membership on Sunday of the convention. You’ll be pleased to know that, in addition to Bill Irwin being officially elected President for 2014, Trixie Bond was elected Vice President and will head the 2015 convention in Austin. Bob Emery was elected Chairman of the Trophy and Awards Committee. Bruce Chadwick will head a committee to identify the official TAOM logo. Mark Jensen and his committee will explore the possibility of contracting with one company to handle online registration for all conventions, thereby saving each club significant costs.
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The Contests of TAOM 2013 Every magician over 30 better watch out! Youth are taking over the world! And….it’s a good thing! Young talent is vibrant and creative in the magic world. The Dallas 2013 TAOM contest bears this out very well. No trophies were awarded in Senior Stage, Club, or Comedy. Winners pictured here are Kayla Drescher for Senior Close-up, Steffen Banta for Junior Close-up, and Chase Hasty and (front) James Irwin who tied for Junior Stage.The contest awards ceremony was exceptionally meaningful and poignant. To quote Geoff Grimes in the Fort Worth Magicians Club newsletter, “It was little eight-year-old James Irwin who just about brought the auditorium to its feet as, in the uninhibited, unbridled expression of just sheer joy, he jumped straight up out of his seat, his little fists outstretched in victory, and ran up onto the stage to receive his trophy from his own father, Bill Irwin, who had just the day before been elected as the President of TAOM 2014. That, my friends, was the unprecedented and never-to-be-repeated experience in the world of magic…..(It) was nothing short of a declaration of the strength and vitality of the art of magical entertainment as the torch was passed to the next generation. No TAOM, no SAM, no IBM convention will ever witness that truly unique bridge from one generation of magic, literally into the hands of the next — not like that!” |
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The Fun of TAOM 2013 *
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Dallas had promised “one-of-a-kind” events and they delivered in a big way! Tom Mullica and Johnny Thompson outdid themselves with one-liners and gags during an on-stage interview. Their wonderful reminiscences are fodder for magical history books.
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Chip Romero shared a large part of his vast collection of Doug Henning props and illusions.
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The carnival midway was full of fun and excitement that drew enthusiastic crowds & casual entertainers.
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 Shorter hours for the dealers’ room to be open didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the lookers and buyers of a plethora of standard and new magic wares.
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And of course…. Stage shows, and close-up shows, and
lectures galore! An outstanding lineup garnered nothing but
positive comments and rave reviews. Scott Wells did an outstanding job as roving reporter.
Here’s how he describes his convention podcasts: “During the course of the T.A.O.M. Convention in Dallas, Texas, there were daily updates of candid conversations, interviews, chats and photos from the dealers’ room floor and back stage with performers, convention organizers and registrants, young and old alike. All these were posted on The Magic Word and available for free.
“ For those not knowledgeable about podcasts, consider them as “archived radio shows” that are accessible any time on your computer or hand held device (i.e. iPhones, Androids, tablets, etc.). You can download these audio files as MP3 files or through iTunes or you can listen online at your computer.
“If you missed the convention and would like to know what went on, then be sure to listen to these podcasts. If you attended the convention, then you will enjoy re-living some of the moments that made this convention great. You will also hear some “behind the scenes” stuff that you may have missed. It’s hard to make it to see and hear everything, but this podcast supplements the experience.
“Hear great chats with Johnny Thompson, Tom Mullica, Chip Romero, Pressley Guitar, and so many, many more.
Keep up to date with what’s going on with each new podcast at http://TheMagicWordPodcast.com/ and be sure find out when updates are coming by “Liking” us on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/TheMagicWordPodcast”
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The Presentations of TAOM 2013 **
Society of American Magicians National President Dal Sanders bestowed a Presidential Citation on TAOM President Mark Jensen.
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 TAOM President Mark Jensen presented Tom Mullica with a framed poster that proclaims, “TAOM proudly presents TOM MULLICA – one of the greatest variety acts of our time. The King of Comedy Magic – No one ate cigarettes like Tom! Red’s legacy lives on through Tom. Tom and Duke – together for the final time.” Chip Romero helped Duke “get into da act”.
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 The TAOM Board of Directors recognized Past President Don Stiefel during the award ceremonies at the Sunday night how. The beautiful glass award reads “Our deepest thanks to Past President Don Stiefel for your selfless contributions of time, talent, and funds to the Texas Association of Magicians. September 2013.
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International Brotherhood of Magicians President Bill Evans received a presidential citation from Society of American Magicians National President Dal Sanders.
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  President Mark Jensen’s
“surprise” was fabulous!
The event honored
Marshall Brodien, the man who made “TV Magic Cards” famous. Guests were treated to a number of clips of his performances, including a broom suspension with Bill Cosby as the assistant (Bill looked like a teenager).
Order of Willard honorees for 35 years’ membership: Dan Warden, Richard H. Smith, Randy Keck, and Clarence Pertl. Order of Willard honorees for 25 years’ membership: Ashley Adams, Craig MacPherson, Frank Seltzer, Dal Sanders, and Diamond Jim Tyler. |
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I.A.T.S.E. Hall at 3030 North Freeway (I-45)
Call Dick Olson at 281-579-6141 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting  281-579-6141 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 281-579-6141 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 281-579-6141 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting or
Doug Kornegay at 713-290-9982 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 713-290-9982 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 713-290-9982 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 713-290-9982 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
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THE WAR WIZARD –
A TALE OF MAGIC AND THE CIVIL WAR – starring Max Howard and Diane Bray. This celebrated show is coming to the Beardsley Arena Theatre on the Austin College campus in Sherman, Texas, on October 4 & 5. To reserve tickets now, contact Dr. Lawrence Hass at lhass@austincollege.edu and let him know how many tickets you need.
 The Magic of Bill Blagg Live is coming to the Paramount Theatre in Austin on Sunday, October 20th at 2:00 p.m. See one of the most entertaining magic and illusion shows on the market today! Bill’s latest show is filled with NEW mind-blowing illusions, audience participation, comedy and, of course, Bill’s trademark off-the-cuff personality that creates an experience unlike any other!
 Roy Zaltsman – Lectures
Saturday October 26 – Ft. Worth
Sunday October 27 – Dallas
Tuesday October 29 – Houston
 David Gabbay – Lectures
Sunday November 17 – Ft. Worth
Tuesday November 19 – Houston
Wednesday November 20 – San Antonio
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 Austin’s new performance venue gives all performers a stage and audience to try out new material. Spider House Ballroom at 2908 Fruth Street offers a variety show at 9 p.m. on the first and third Sundays where any performer is given six minutes of stage time to do ANYTHING they’d like!
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San Antonio’s Josephine Theatre presents AllStars of Magic on October 26 with shows at 3:00 and 7:30 featuring Doug Gorman, Paul Mims, Dwayne Stanton, and Tim St. John. Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets.
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Magic at the Houston Improv
Magical entertainers Ted Schwank and Carter Blackburn take you on a high-energy adventure of magic, illusion, and comedy. Details at www.improvhouston.com
Family Magic in McKinney
Second Saturday Family Magic Shows at Main Street Magic and Fun Company, 2111 North Tennessee. Call 972-542-5010 for reservations; tickets are $10 eachy; seating is limited to only 20 patrons.
B Magic Children’s Shows
Saturdays at 5:00 and 6:30 and Sunday at 1:00 and 2:30. 1903 West Pioneer Parkway in Arlington. Call 817-795-0404.
Comedy and Magic for All Ages at the Arlington Improv every Sunday at 2:00. This show is designed to have you in awe no matter your age! With a combination of comedy and magic, the FUN doesn’t stop. Go to www.improve.com for more details or call 817-635-5555.
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The Last Word “The best laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft agley.” according to Robbie Burns. Ain’t it da truth! Last minute exigencies kept Scott and I from Dallas on TAOM weekend. Boo hoo! We did get great reports from Scott Wells and Mary Cay Gold plus some super pictures. You’ll notice that there’s nothing in this newsletter about the fantastic evening shows — you’ll just have to listen to Scott Well’s great podcasts to get the feel.
I’m sad we had to miss it, but we’ve already registered for Fort Worth next year.
Judy Hollingsworth
TAOM Club Coordinator |
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