April is a time to reflect on one's fortunes over the previous year and to contemplate how much of that fortune you're about to hand over to the IRS. It is also the time for our annual Money Magic Competition. The competition angle here is always kept low key and the tie-in to money can range from actual knuckle busting with coin and currency to adding a banking theme to your Hippity Hop Rabbit routine. What ever! Previous winners of this competition are not allowed to compete or heckle but are welcome to perform something to entertain the masses while the jury is in deliberation. We hope to have the Mulcahys as our judges again this year and as in years past the grand prize will be a shiny Susan B. Anthony
Come and show your stuff (or be an audience) at one of the funnest meetings of the year. Thursday, April 16, 7:30pm, at the usual place; room 21 0 of the Colorado State Office Bldg., 3842 S. Mason St. Ft. Collins. We will also be putting together a MITR mailing earlier that evening (6:00pm) so if you'd like to come help us stuff it, please join us.
The club video library is three tapes richer with the acquisition of Doc Eason's newest 3 volume set, "Doc Eason's Bar Magic".Cool stuff! Club members, in good standing, are always welcome to check out tapes from our library.Just speak with our librarian, Ed Hurtubis.
Petrick & Mia are touring the area during the month of May.They will be performing a public show in Cheyenne, WY. at 6:30pm on Wednesday, May 6 at the Wyoming Hereford Ranch.Petrick has said that if enough interest is shown by magicians, he would also provide a lecture later that same evening. Please call Sloane Hales at (307)635-4255 or (307)638-3283 for more info and to make reservations.
The 1998 Mile High Magicians' Public Show will be presented at the Boulder Theater on 14th St. (one block north of the Boulder Mall).Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 17.The show starts at 2:00pm and the $10 tickets are available directly from the Boulder Theater [ph. (303)786-7030]. For more info call Sam Kent at (303)442-3646.
Planning for Magic in the Rockies '98 is in high gear and picking up speed.If names like Falkenstein & Willard, Aldo Colombini, Bob Solari, and Michael Weber whet your appetite for the best convention in the Rockies, then stay tuned for the M.I.T.R spring flyer.Coming soon to a mailbox near you.
The next planning meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 6:00pm at Coopersmith's Pub in Ft. Collins. All members are invited to attend as fresh input is always welcomed.Dinner is optional.
Our next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 21. For this meeting we have booked Susan Frontczak, a professional storyteller. In a continuing effort to approach our craft from a variety of perspectives, we hope to gain some insight from Ms. Frontczak in using the art of storytelling to enhance the entertainment value of our performances.
In June we will be presenting "Stripper Magic". . . . I think I'll just let your minds race until next month's newsletter.
The March 1998 meeting began with a brief discussion of the "Magic in the Rockies" 1998 convention, presented for the fifth year by the Presto-Digitators and scheduled for September 11, 12, and 13. There was some mention of another magic convention to be held in July in Leadville, Colorado, being advertised in The Linking Ring. Some members expressed concern that this other convention, "Rocky Mountain Magic," would be confused with "Magic in the Rockies." Since the marketing for the Leadville convention appears to be a national effort, it is doubtful the regional audience we attract will confuse the issue. Also, Leadville is a considerable distance (and twice the altitude) from the Denver-Fort Collins area. The March meeting featured a lecture by the irrepressible Simon Lovell. Mr. Lovell's lecture attracted a crowd of 25 people, which is a great turnout for our club. Included in the evening's attendees were Stuart Hayner, Dave Neighbors, and Danny Archer from Denver. Also in attendance was compeer Barry Fernelius. It was great to see Barry at the meeting and in good health. He is recovering from a "mild" heart attack. The first half of Mr. Lovell's lecture contained effects which were surprisingly relatively easy to do, preceded by some sage "real time" advice about performing and entertaining. The second half incorporated some deft finger-flinging which was a pleasure to watch, albeit not too easily mastered. Mr. Lovell interspersed his wit and one-liners throughout his performance, although he admitted he had "cleaned up" his act to honor a promise to Danny Archer, who accompanied Simon from Denver to Fort Collins. The availability of talented lecturers like Simon Lovell is a direct result of Danny Archer moving from Philadelphia to the Denver-metro area several years ago. Danny has access to most of the prominent lecturers in magic, today, and our club has benefited immensely from this valuable resource. At the conclusion of his lecture, Mr. Lovell provided materials in the form of lecture notes and videos which were all reasonably priced. After the meeting adjourned, a good number of those in attendance, together with Simon and Danny, traveled downtown to Coopersmith's Pub to sample some food and ale while continuing to talk magic.
Lew Wymisner
Ed Hurtubis
Mimi and I just returned from the Desert Magic Seminar XXI in Las Vegas. As some of you might know, Joe Stevens is doing very well considering he had a quadruple bypass about eight weeks ago! Colorado attendees included: Danny Archer, Max & Salli Hapner, Frank Klein, Shawn Popp, Dan Rodriguez, Tara Casanova, Bob Sammons, and Merritt Sammons. Bill (Dr. Wonderful) Futrell represented Wyoming. Merritt Sammons was invited to open the "leading Women in Magic" show at the Topicana featuring: Jade, Becky Blaney, Pam Thompson, Lisa Menna, and Julianna Chen. Merrit, assisted by Pam Thompson, performed the routine that she performed last year for "Kids Performing for Kids" at Lincoln Junior High School for Magic in the Rockies. Merritt's debut at the Tropicana was f lawless and wonderful. Later Merritt received congratulations from many attendees including Jeff McBride, Penn & Teller, Lance Burton, and her Dad. During the Seminar Awards Stage show, Siegfried & Roy made two presentations: the Gold Lion's Head award plus $5000 to the "People's Choice" winner in the World Challenge Stage Competition show to Netcheporenko from Russia; and the SARMOTI award plus $5000 for new, refreshing, and entertaining talent to The Flicking Fingers from Germany. My personal favorites were: Daniel Cros, who remembered MITR in Estes Park ; Paul Daniels, "there are no bad tricks, only bad performers"; Harry Riser , the Malini Egg bag lecture; Guy Hollingworth's MacDonald's Aces routine; and Karrell Fox's last teach-in session showcasing several headliners (Karrell passed away in his room at the Seminar).
I.B.M. Ring 250 is the Presto-Digitators of Fort Collins, CO. Meetings are on the third Thursday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Colorado State Office Building, at 3842 South Mason St., Ft. Collins, CO. 80525 President: Byron Ferguson (303) 277-0323 Vice-President: Tim Pendergast (970) 225-0708 Treasurer: Bob Reed (303) 651-3196 Sergeant-at-Arms: Monte Haines (970) 224-0446 Newsletter Editor: Geoff THompson (307) 635-0306 Secretary: Lew Wymisner (970) 484-7014