We will be meeting this Friday, January 20, 2012. Bring a trick to share.

We will be meeting Friday, December 16, 2011. The theme for the month is “Anything Goes!” Hey, we wouldn’t want to restrict your creativity. See you tomorrow!

We will be meeting this Friday, November 18, 2011. The theme will be inspiration. Perform a trick you were inspired to invent/learn, or say a few words about someone in magic who inspires you. We will also wrap up important club business lingering from the spring.

ASSEMBLY #12 ANNUAL AUCTION
Friday, October 21, 2011, 7:30 p.m. at
Eagle Magic, 11995 County Road 11, Burnsville

FEE:

• Assembly 12 members who have paid their local dues for 2011–2012 may participate for FREE!
  (Haven’t paid your dues? You can do so at the door.)
• There is a $5 fee for any non-Assembly 12 member (buyer or seller).

BUYERS:

• Fee allows you to bid on any auction items
• Bring cash or checks

SELLERS:

• Fee allows you to sell any auction items.
• Each seller will have a limited time. Please bundle smaller items and be prepared with a minimum bid for each item (if desired).
• Sellers will pay Assembly 12 a commission of 10% of the selling price.
• All accounts are settled at the END of the auction.
• Sellers will be paid with cash and/or check.

Instead of our regular October meeting, we will host a magic auction. All magicians are welcome. There will be flat fee of a $5 to bid and/or sell. This will be waived for Assembly 12 members who have paid their local dues for 2011–2012. (Haven’t paid your dues? You can do so at the door.) In the interest of time, we ask that sellers bundle smaller items as the opening bid will be $5. This event will support the Assembly with a 10% commission on all sales.

Our Nov. meeting will take place on the 19th @ Eagle Magic.  We will have a lecure by Steve Daly.  He lives and works in Las Vegas and has just signed a deal to do his comedy hypnosis show at the Riviera.  He has relatives in Iowa and is orgainizing “abraCorndabra” a magic convention in Altoona on May 20–21.  Featured acts will include Jade, Tom Burgoon, and The Great Tomsoni.  Tom O’lenick brought him to our attention.

Donn French

Donn D. French age 80, of Bloomington, formerly of St. Louis Park. Survived by children, David French, Carrie (Larry) Haslerud, and John (Debra) French; grandchildren, Chet and Alysa Haslerud and Ava French; significant other, Rita Lee; sister, Joan (Bill) Robinson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Preceded in death by wife, Mary. Donn was a member of S.A.M., I.B.M., Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and the Minnetonka Men’s Chorus.

From Brian Alexander:

I just wanted to let you all know that the date for the annual magicians banquet is now set for Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. If anyone would like more information, or be placed on the Evite invitation list, please contact me at nancyandbrian1@gmail.com.

Thanks and I hope to see you there.

Jerry Martin performing Blok-Kord

We began the September meeting by noting the obvious — that we’re meeting in a new place — and thanking Larry and Jennifer Kahlow for Eagle Magic’s hospitality. We also welcomed guests and new members Brent, Marc, Charlie, and Todd.

Next we had convention reports. Mike Arazi and Dave Taylor reported on the Houdini Convention in Wisconsin with headliner George Saterial from Boston. The convention was held at a beautiful hotel. Unfortunately, attendance was low this year. Mike brought some extra commemorative t-shirts produced by Tim Taylor which he offered to sell after the meeting to anyone who was interested.

Adam Moore reported on the I.B.M. convention held at the impressive Opryland Hotel in Nashville. The Thursday evening show directed by and featuring Jorge Blass with David & Dania, Yuji Yamamoto, Kyle Eschen, Latimer, and An Ha Lim was excellent. Other favorite events included Losander’s lecture and David & Dania’s quick-change workshop.

Jerry Martin attended MAGIC Live in Las Vegas. He particularly liked the one-hour, one-man-show Expert at the Card Table starring British magician Guy Hollingsworth which brought the Erdnase story to life. The show, produced by Neil Patrick Harris, had excellent story and stagecraft, and Guy’s character was suave and smooth. Jerry really liked it when a gentleman in the front row, who turned out to be Teller, was asked to pick a card and it happened to be the three of clubs. (Years ago in a book by Penn & Teller, they asked magicians to use the three of clubs as an international force card.)

Closer to home, Mike talked about visiting with British pickpocket Lee Thopmson from the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. (Kooza was in town this summer.) He began developing a pickpocket act when, during his magic show, a volunteer’s watch came off as Lee was leading him to the stage. The volunteer didn’t realize it, so Lee took that opportunity to magically produce it at the end of the routine. This elicited such a positive reaction from the audience, that he began working in earnest to deliberately make pickpocket effects part of his show.

Next month, instead of the regular October meeting, our Assembly will host a magic auction. All magicians are welcome. This will be the great spot to turn old tricks into cash … so you can snap up the great deals on new ones all while supporting your local S.A.M. Assembly 12! There will be flat fee of a $5 to bid and/or sell. This will be waived for Assembly 12 members who have paid their local dues for 2009–2010. (Haven’t paid your dues? You can do so at the door or mail your check to Secretary/Treasurer Dave Taylor.) In the interest of time, we ask that sellers bundle smaller items as the opening bid will be $5. Each seller will have 10 minutes to show his or her items. This event will support the Assembly with a 10% commission on all sales.

To celebrate our new meeting location, the theme for this month’s performances was “tricks purchased from Eagle Magic.” Dave started with “Everyone’s a Critic.” Jerry followed with “Blok-Kord” which Doris sold to him. Darnay was next with a Ball & Vase routine and shared his experience purchasing his first Ball & Vase from Colin Pence. Dwight Exe assisted Jim Zurales with “Devistation” using a borrowed deck that (maybe) had been purchased from Eagle. Larry made an announcement that he is interested in acquiring Eagle Magic Shop memorabilia. He then performed and shared stories about the “Miracle Ball.” Donn French shared his take on the theme by demonstrating props he bought that he couldn’t get to work. Kenny Shank showed and talked about the book Counts, Cuts, Moves and Subtlities that he bought from Eagle when he got back into magic. Adam performed a color changing silk routine with silks he purchased on his first visit to Eagle. Dwight wrapped things up with a jumping rubber band routine.

Dwight Exe and Jennifer Kahlow

Elections were held for Assembly 12 officers. The current officers — Adam Moore, President; Steven Peer, Vice President; Dave Taylor, Secretary/Treasurer — were voted in for a second term. The National Council ballot was subsequently reviewed, and Tom O’Lenick was selected as a delegate to the National Council Meeting.

Bruce Jensen is doing well according to Larry and Jennifer Kahlow who had just come from visiting him. Dave reported on his recent trip to Des Moines, IA for Magic Maynia where he saw Fielding West, Justin Alan, and Steve Daly. Larry attended Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago where Minneapolis-based Tad Ware gave a presentation on Nicola showing never-before-seen photos of the sinking ship that was carrying Nicola’s show.

Jack Nordin gave a mini-lecture on magic tables focusing on P&L flanges, casters, and dragons. Aaron Timmerman performed Extreme Burn by Richard Sanders while telling how he ended up doing this trick in a Vegas casino. Donn French was on next with his trained fleas. Darnay then shared an impromptu card prediction with a borrowed deck that he uses in social situations. Adam performed Art Emerson’s Color Monte which reminded Larry of the time Art sat next to him at a convention, poured a glass of what turned out to be Vodka from a Mr. Clean bottle, and offered it to Larry. Dave performed Card Warp. Dwight Exe threaded Jennifer’s ring on a rubber band and caused it to move uphill. Tom wrapped things up by showing the program from the Tenth Annual Conference on Magic History (held in Los Angeles in November 2007) on Dr. Hooker’s “Impossibilities and Rising Cards.”