The next planning meeting will be Wednesday, November 4th, 6:00pm at Coopersmith's Pub in Ft. Collins. All members are welcome, dinner is optional. October 23rd, at 7:30 PM, the Mile High Magicians Society and residents of Metro Manor will host a performance by members of the Presto-Digitators. Metro Manor is located at 1523 Quitman St., Denver. If any of you are interested in joining the line up of performers please call Geoff Thompson at (307)635-0306. Monday, December 7th, we will be presenting yet another specially scheduled lecture by Michael Close (author of the "Workers" series, and product reviewer for MAGIC magazine).

 

MAGIC IN THE ROCKIES 1998 CONVENTION REVIEW

Dear Lew (Wymisner) and Ed (Hurtubis),

A couple of constructive criticisms about "Magic in the Rockies" 1998, September 11-13, at the Marriott Hotel and Lincoln Center Performance Hall in Fort Collins, Colorado--submitted by Earl Reum:

1. I never had a better time in my life! Thanks!

2. Advanced materials were excellent. Registration materials were clear and understandable (even to me).

3. The Friday morning Junior Showcase was a superb show, wonderfully MC'd by Eric Mead. It was comfortable for the audience. I truly appreciated that there was a separate section for convention attendees which did not prioritize us over the 1,000 students in the audience. I liked that. It was an excellent show. Thanks.

4. Registration was brilliantly organized, efficient, comfortable, great!

5. The opening lecture by (Glen) Falkenstein and Frances (Willard) on Friday afternoon was worth the price of admission...Excellent!

6. The Dealers: Nice variety. Excellent room management and use. Great opportunities for demonstrations, for browsing, for buying -- lusting for magic. I thought that the dealers' experience for convention attendees was simply superb. There was space to chat to confer, to view everything. The times available to participate with the dealers were spaced, and appropriate, and worked especially well. The dealers seemed happy...am so am I!

7. The Friday night spaghetti dinner was magnificent...plenty to eat. Wonderful food. Ease of self-serve, space between and among tables was excellent. This was really great. I especially appreciated the warm, friendly atmosphere of Magic in the Rockies. It was always comfortable seating, viewing, participating, etc.

8. The Friday night Cabaret Show was wonderful for me. Choosing Doc Prendergast for the Lifetime Achievement Award was right and good and will encourage Doc to live another hundred years. Good stuff!

9. The Friday night Bar Magic with Eric Mead and Doc Eason, the Saturday night Bar Magic with Eddie Goldstein and his cast of helpers, and the Saturday night Cabaret Show were fun, exciting, and glowing with quality. Having Bob Sammons and Bob LaRue Kids Lecture on Sunday morning was a stroke of genius. The kids got up and attended. The adult conventioneers would never have made it because of the enormous amount of extended fun the two nights before. The lecture was an example of "excellence in teaching" and I like that. Hands-on. Hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand! Great stuff!

10. The Marcelo Contento Lecture was super. The Aldo Colombini Lecture was a genuine highlight for me, personally. Brilliant! The Michael Weber Lecture was total enjoyment, fun, challenge, great thinking stuff. Superb! The Saturday luncheon was really excellent. I truly like hamburgers and brats and picnic atmosphere and phun, phellowship, phiddling with lettuce. I really liked lunch. (For me, phood is a high priority.)

11. Doc Eason is a Colorado treasure who totally commits to magnificent magic, and fun, and sharing, and appreciation for all that he does. I needed to see him lecture and perform because I need to be annually reminded of the good stuff he does year-round in the Rockies.

12. The Saturday night All-Star Public Show was magnificent, wonderful, exciting, filled with magic and fun and prestidigitation, and I loved it!

13. The Sunday morning Headliner Close-up was especially enjoyable for me. I got to choose which room I could attend. The viewing was excellent. The performers, Michael Weber, Aldo Colombini, and Patrick Page were superb. The hosts in each of the three rooms did a great job of making each headliner comfortable as they rotated performances between each room. It was a magnificent part of the convention.

14. The closing lecture on Sunday by Patrick Page was a personal joy. It was the session where my number came up and I got a front row seat, and I couldn't have been happier. Patrick is one of the GREATS and shares his knowledge and skill and philosophy with flare and understanding. What a wonderful way for me to end the convention.

15. I bought some stuff. I laughed a lot. I got a million times the value of my investment, enriching my life along with the magical joy each member of the Presto-Digitators always contributes. Again, this was a good one! (As each of the four previous have been!) What a privilege for me to have attended, to have personally been there, to have totally participated, to be treated with such decency and acknowledgment. I had a heck of a good time! I am truly sorry that this letter is so negative, but there are certain constructive criticisms that needed to be made. I know that the Presto- Digitators will understand. Thanks for reading this far...Thanks for the wonderful convention!

Earl Reum Critic and Theatrical Agent (Dr. Earl Reum is a long-standing member of the Mile High Magicians in Denver, Colorado. He is also an educator and one tough critic!) Submitted for Ring 250, The Presto-Digitators by Lew Wymisner

 

TVP Thoughts

Another year, another Magic in the Rockies convention! Thanks to everyone who attended (210 registrants), and to everyone who helped make this event possible. Thanks for all your feedback and your letters (Andie & Aldo Colombini, Marcello Contento, Lee Marelli, Dr. Ed Prendergast, Earl Reum, Bob Sammons, and Barry Schor). Please let us know who you would like to see next year, and please hold the tentative dates of September 10, 11, and 12, 1999 at the Ft. Collins Marriot.

IBM Ring 250, the Presto-Digitators, library now has the four volume video set "Magic Ranch starring Don Alan" compliments of Cody Landstrom. Instead of accepting compensation for his superb sound work at the convention, Cody asked that we donate magic videos to the club in his name. Thanks Cody!

Last minute convention activities prevented me from attending the September Psi-Clones meeting. Dr. Ron Dutton and Wayne Perry presented a "Short Course in Graphology". After Magic in the Rockies, Donna & Tim Pendergast and I attended the Denver Mile High Magicians Society annual close-up night featuring: R. Scott Ferris, Gene Gordon, Mitch "Mysto the Magi" Harwood, Bob LaRue, Dave Neighbors, and Robert Wolf.

Brad Montgomery was scheduled to perform; however, he was busy moving his family to the East Coast. I understand that Brad just inked a three month booking, good luck Brad! Lastly, why not consider calling someone that you haven't seen for a while just to say "hello" and to tell them that they have been missed.

Ed Hurtubis 1999

 

Ballot

It's that time of year again. Time to present you with a slate of officers for 1999. If you have any input on this subject (good, bad or indifferent) please contact one of the current officers and let us have it! Here's the line up.

Pres Tim Pendergast
Vice Pres Bob Blea
Secretariat Byron Ferguson
Treasury Guy Bob Reed
Newsetter Leditor Geoff Thompson
Sgt. with Arms Perry Ragouzis

In addition we have a proposed change to the bylaws for your consideration. Currently the constitution of IBM ring 250 states in article #5A., "...The President shall be a co-signatory with the Treasurer on any expenditure of Ring funds.", and in article #5D., "The Treasurer shall be responsible, as co-signatory with the President, for the expenditure of all Ring funds." It is proposed that article #5A. be changed to state, "...The President shall be a signatory on any expenditure of Ring funds."; that article #5B. be amended to state, "...The Vice President shall be a signatory on any expenditure of Ring funds."; and that article #5D. be changed to state, "...The Treasurer shall be primarily responsible, as a signatory, for all expenditures of Ring funds." In simpler terms, this would make the writing of checks more convenient since its sometimes difficult to get co-signatures in a timely manner.