SEPTEMBER 2013 Autumn Morning Star Page 36 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: Lisa Close M-U-M Advertising Manager Email: [email protected] Telephone/fax: 317-456-7234 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 - SEPTEMBER 2013 M-U-M SEPTEMBER 2013 MAGAZINE Volume 103 • Number 4 42 COVER STORY PAGE 36 30 S.A.M. NEWS 6 From the Editor’s Desk 8 From the President’s Desk 10 Good Cheer List 11 M-U-M Assembly News 22 National Council Meeting Minutes 68 52 2013 Christopher Awards 69 Our Advertisers THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 27 Paranormal Happenings • by Charles Siebert, MD 28 The High Road • by Mick Ayres 30 Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing 32 On the Shoulders of Giants • by Scott Alexander 36 COVER STORY • by Lindsay Smith 42 Convention Photos 48 Mental Breakdown • by Christian Painter 50 Stage 101 • by Levent 32 54 Ebook Nook: Roger Klause In Concert 58 Building a Show • by Larry Hass 59 Tech Tricks • Bruce Kalver 60 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 68 Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman 69 Inside Straight • by Norman Beck 70 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 70 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak Cover Photo by Don Eastburn 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. SEPTEMBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 5 Magicians who live in the Milwaukee/Waukegan/Chicago area should mark October 19, 2013, on their calendar. This is the date for the Jackie’s Magic Food Drive, which benefits the Warren Township food pantry and the Warren Transitional Students (special needs students). This is the tenth year for the Editor’s Desk event. Both close-up and stage magic will be featured. Perform- Michael Close ers for the show this year include: Mark and Sue Holstein, Bill Cook, Joe Diamond, Trent James, Chezaday, Big Bob Coleman, Trent Rivas, Jimmy Stanislawski, and Jim Stan – Magic Man. In July, I had the pleasure of meeting Autumn Morning Star For more information go to www.jackiesmagic.com. and her husband Brian at the S.A.M. national convention in Presenting close-up magic at magic conventions has always Arlington, Virginia. A few months before that, Lindsay Smith been a thorny problem. For years, the standard solution has had pitched the idea of doing a cover story on Autumn. There been to split the attendees into smaller groups, which means the were several reasons why I agreed with Lindsay that an article on close-up performers repeat their act many times. This was taken Autumn would make an interesting read: she is a busy, working to its extreme at the second MAGIC Live convention. The manner pro whose name is probably unfamiliar to most compeers; she in which the close-up was presented was exquisite, with bar, res- has a wide range of interests and talents; and she has found a taurant, trade show, and formal close-up settings constructed way to utilize her talents to bring the story of her culture to the just for the event, but the performers worked from 4:30 in the general public. You’ll find Autumn’s story, written by Lindsay, afternoon until 1 a.m. starting on page 36. One thing you learn when you work magic conventions as a On page 42, you’ll find part one of our photographic coverage close-up performer is that you have to play big if you want the of the Arlington convention. (Part two will appear next month.) spectators to appreciate what you are doing. Although this tends I was very pleased that many of the regular M-U-M colum- to turn close-magic into parlor magic, it still retains many of the nists were at this convention: Christian Painter, Levent, Steve essential aspects of close-up magic. Marshall, Bruce Kalver, Tom Ewing, Dean George Schindler, However, I have noticed a huge change in “contest” close-up and Denny Haney. (Technically, Denny doesn’t write for the magic, a change that certainly has its roots in Johnny Ace Palmer’s magazine, but his repertoire has been chronicled by Scott contest act more than two decades ago. The aspect of Johnny’s Alexander, who also showed up for a day.) If you attended the act that has taken hold is the production of a large, unexpected convention and saw the lectures and performances by Christian, item as the finale of the act. (In Johnny’s act it was two doves.) Levent, Marshall, Kalver, and Haney, you can appreciate how Although the final production item has changed over the years, fortunate our organization is to have magicians of this caliber the method (which involves performing behind a draped table) donating their time, energy, and knowledge to this magazine. In has not. This production gets a big reaction from magicians, and particular, Denny Haney gave a condensed version of his Egg people win contests because of it. Bag seminar (featured in the January and February “On the The other change in convention close-up is that acts are now Shoulders of Giants” columns), and Levent covered his rules of being done silently, to music. While this certainly eliminates the stage magic, which he has been discussing all year in his “Stage language barrier for competitors, it also eliminates one of the 101” column. It was great to see this material come to life. things that I think makes a great close-up performer: the ability At the convention I met Dr. Charles Siebert, who has been to interact with spectators verbally. named the new chairman of the S.A.M. Paranormal Investigation At the Arlington convention, several competition acts required Committee. Since few compeers (myself included) understand that their draped table be set up behind a curtain. When every- exactly what the role and goals of the PIC are, Charlie suggested thing was set, the performer worked silently to music. In one a bi-monthly column that would discuss these issues: I agreed. case, the act seemed to be designed solely for the video camera. You’ll find the first installment of “Paranormal Happenings” on The result, to me, appears to be “stage magic done at a table,” page 27. rather than close-up magic. My old friend Max Maven dropped me a note to offer a clari- Whether this change is good or bad is not for me to judge. But fication to something that appeared in last month’s issue: “I’ve it’s interesting, and it might be something you’d like to discuss at been enjoying the Scott Alexander/Denny Haney series. But, I your assembly meetings. must offer a correction to Scott’s intro to the August column. He writes, ‘The club date, as I imagine, gets its name from the heyday of the various nightclubs and cabarets of the ‘50s and ‘60s.’ That is incorrect. Scott goes on to cite Denny’s ‘wider defi- nition’ of the term. But, in fact, Denny’s definition is the accurate one. The term ‘club date’ goes back over a century. In magic literature, I’ve found it in a 1909 Sphinx, but it is likely a bit older than that. It has nothing to do with the ‘club’ in ‘nightclub,’ and everything to do with social organizations (Lions, Rotary, etc.) that sometimes book entertainment to augment their meetings and events. Thus, a ‘club date’ is usually a one-time booking, as opposed to a run at a nightclub, on a cruise ship, or any other continuous entertainment venue.” Thanks, Max. 6 M-U-M Magazine - SEPTEMBER 2013 feel let down and lonely. The hotel or casino that has hosted the magicians has shifted their attention to the next group of conven- tioneers. They aren’t concerned about your needs anymore. This isn’t true at the Castle. Their concern is always the President’s Desk magi who are there. The magicians are treated specially and the laypeople who have figured out a way to visit are the outsiders. Dal Sanders I have always loved wandering from room to room at the Castle. I love inspecting the posters and art on the walls. I love wandering the back passageways and exploring the various I am writing this month’s column from Los Angeles, Califor- rooms, be they public, private, or secret (yes, there are secret nia and the eightieth annual P.C.A.M.