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APRIL 2013 BILL BREWE Page 36 APRIL 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 3 MAGIC - UNITY - MIGHT Editor Michael Close Editor Emeritus David Goodsell Associate Editor W.S. Duncan Proofreader & Copy Editor Lindsay Smith Art Director Lisa Close Publisher Society of American Magicians, 6838 N. Alpine Dr. Parker, CO 80134 Copyright © 2012 Subscription is through membership in the Society and annual dues of $65, of which $40 is for 12 issues of M-U-M. All inquiries concerning membership, change of address, and missing or replacement issues should be addressed to: Manon Rodriguez, National Administrator P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80134 [email protected] Skype: manonadmin Phone: 303-362-0575 Fax: 303-362-0424 Send assembly reports to: [email protected] For advertising information, reservations, and placement contact: Mona S. Morrison, M-U-M Advertising Manager 645 Darien Court, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 Email: [email protected] Telephone/fax: (847) 519-9201 Editorial contributions and correspondence concerning all content and advertising should be addressed to the editor: Michael Close - Email: [email protected] Phone: 317-456-7234 Submissions for the magazine will only be accepted by email or fax. VISIT THE S.A.M. WEB SITE www.magicsam.com To access “Members Only” pages: Enter your Name and Membership number exactly as it appears on your membership card. 4 M-U-M Magazine - APRIL 2013 M-U-M APRIL 2013 MAGAZINE Volume 102 • Number 11 COVER STORY PAGE 36 10 68 S.A.M. NEWS 6 From the Editor’s Desk 8 From the President’s Desk 10 Newsworthy 11 M-U-M Assembly News 25 Broken Wands 24 New Members & Reinstatements 34 69 Our Advertisers THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 26 The Focus on Funny • by Norm Barnhart 28 Ebook Nook: Simon Says by Simon Lovell 32 The High Road • by Mick Ayres 34 Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing 36 COVER STORY 42 Stage 101 • by Levent 45 Tech Tricks • by Bruce Kalver 46 Illusions of Grandeur • by David Seebach 48 On the Shoulders of Giants • by Scott Alexander 52 I Left My Cards at Home • by Steve Marshall 42 54 Building a Show • by Larry Hass 56 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 65 Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman 66 Remembering Bob Steiner 68 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 68 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak 69 Inside Straight • by Norman Beck 70 Confessions of a Paid Amateur • by Rod Danilewicz M-U-M (ISSN 00475300 USPS 323580) is published monthly for $40 per year by The Society of American Magicians, 6838 N. Alpine Dr., Parker, CO 80134 . Periodical postage paid at Parker, CO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to M-U-M, c/o Manon Rodriguez, P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80134. APRIL 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 5 email address is [email protected]. Thanks, Rod. Have safe travels. Editor’s Desk A couple of months ago, First VP Dal Sanders brought to my attention a fellow named Norm Barnhart as a possible columnist. Michael Close Norm has been a full-time entertainer for thirty years. In the 1980s and ‘90s he did school tours in all fifty states, performing If you’re lucky, at some point in your magical development three or four shows a day and logging over a thousand miles of you will have encountered a mentor – someone who offers driving per week. He has worked Cub Scout banquets and county you guidance, support, encouragement, training, and a helping fairs, and he continues to do a lot of corporate shows. hand when the path gets murky. For many of the magicians He also has experience as a writer. He wrote for LaughMaker’s in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bill Brewe was such a mentor. Bill left a magazine for nine years and was LaughMaker of the Year in successful career as an attorney in the City of Cincinnati Law 1998. He had a parade in The Linking Ring and has written Department to concentrate on manufacturing custom equipment feature stories for several magazines. for professional magicians. A few years later, he opened a Norm is also a published author of children’s books with four magic shop that became the focal point for young magicians books to his credit: Amazing Magic Tricks (Beginner’s Level, who belonged to the Cincinnati Counts of Conjuring. Many Apprentice Level, Expert Level, and Master Level) published by of the magicians Bill mentored ended up performing magic Capstone and available on Amazon.com. Four more books are in professionally. the works. Bill Brewe died in November of last year, leaving behind a Norm’s column, “Focus on Funny,” will discuss creativity and living legacy of men and women whose lives were impacted by comedy as it applies to family magic shows. In addition to ideas his mentoring. This month’s cover story features a tribute to Bill, and tricks from Norm, there will be interviews with some of assembled by Dale Scott. As you’ll read, the world of magic is a today’s top performers. This month’s column covers situational better place for Bill Brewe having been in it. comedy. Welcome Norm. It’s nice to have you on the team. Bill had a lifelong interest in silk magic; he produced some Jerry Schnepp, who was a past president of the International beautiful custom-made silk products. He also gave a lecture on Brotherhood of Magicians and an old pal, died March 4, 2013. silk magic. Thanks to Dale Scott, those lecture notes are now During the time I served as music director for the I.B.M. available to S.A.M. members free of charge on the S.A.M. website. conventions, I would run into Jerry a couple of times a year. The If you have an interest in this subject, be sure to download the year Jerry was installed as I.B.M. president, Voronin was one of notes and take a look. the featured acts of the convention's stage shows; his deadpan In the February 2013 “Broken Wands” section of M-U-M, it expression and trademark bit of tossing of some confetti as he was mentioned that a longer tribute to PNP Bob Steiner would exited the stage got big laughs from the convention attendees. At appear at a later date. You’ll find that tribute on page 66. I didn’t the beginning of the Saturday night show, Jerry was installed as know Bob, but I appreciated his steadfast efforts to debunk president, with his wife and two sons alongside him. Jerry gave psychics and mediums. (Notice that I didn’t say phony psychics a little speech and then exited stage right. As his family followed and mediums; that would have been redundant.) Bob was him off, youngest son Chris tossed a handful of confetti over his one-of-a-kind, and he will be missed. shoulder. It was one of the funniest unexpected callbacks I’ve This month we say so long to Rod Danilewicz, author of the ever seen at a magic convention. Aloha, Jerry. “Confessions of a Paid Amateur” column. Rod, whose day job It wasn’t planned, but last month’s issue of M-U-M featured is as a funeral director, has contributed sixty columns to the photos of the whole Close family. If you’d like to play a little magazine, columns that featured commentary and practical game of Where’s Waldo, you might try to spot the photo of me advice. Rod began his tenure when John Moehring was editor of that does not appear on the editor’s column page. M-U-M, and he was one of the few regular contributors who were You’ll find my review of a three-DVD video set in the “grandfathered” in when I took over. He has been an editor’s “Informed Opinion” section. I rarely watch magic DVDs, and delight, sending in clean copy like clockwork. when I do, I never watch them from beginning to end. Usually, In an email to me, Rod wrote, “The last five years have been I’m searching for a specific bit of information. But, for purposes a terrific ride. Every word was a labor of love whether it ended of reviewing them, I watched these three DVDs front to back – up in print or on the cutting room floor. Most part-timers get into more than six hours of material. And I discovered something that magic for the ego trip. For me, the gift of being able to sneak I had forgotten: I can process information orders of magnitude off a couple of times a month to be surrounded by people who faster when I read than when I watch. It’s the difference between were laughing instead of crying gave me some sense of a world a cable modem and a carrier pigeon. So here’s my point: Lots that was normal. I have you and John to thank for giving me a of folks (me included) have encouraged magicians to learn to venue for giving something back to magic and for putting me read and we’ve offered reasons to do so. Here’s one I hadn’t on a first-name basis with magicians who shouldn’t even know thought of: Over the course of your life, think of the time you’ll I exist.” You might want to drop Rod a note to say thanks. His save. 6 M-U-M Magazine - APRIL 2013 You can help to reverse this trend. It’s easy. All you have to do is contact our advertisers about the products that interest you and mention their ad in M-U-M.