303-521-5120 official@milehighmagicians.com
Join Now
Mile High Magicians Denver Colorado Est. 1941

Greetings fellow MHMS Members,

For as long as I can remember, fall has remained my favorite time of year. Perhaps it’s because I was born in November, making fall the very first season I experienced. Regardless of the reason, I can’t help but cherish every aspect of autumn – the vibrant colors, the joy of holidays, the delightful changes. Each year, it feels like I’m reliving it for the first time. In recent years, I’ve focused on living positively in the present moment, and it makes perfect sense to celebrate the beautiful transitions in both the seasons and life itself. When discussing happiness, gratitude often emerges as a key factor. Like many people, we tend not to spend enough time acknowledging what we’re grateful for, but we should.

Thus, I’m profoundly grateful to be a part of such an incredible club. Every member is invaluable, and I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you. Without your support, MHMS would not thrive as it does. Additionally, I’m thankful for the opportunity to have served on the board each year I did. We, the board, consistently worked our hardest to bring you the meetings and lectures you deserve.

Once again, my heartfelt gratitude goes out to each and every one of you.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

Ps. Remember, if have any shows or events you would like the members to know about, please email us and we will put this on the Website and in the Newsletter.

An Evening of Odd!

Our fearless leader, Mark Strivings, emceed our annual Evening of Odd. Karen Wake outdid herself with the ghoulish food and drink.

Jeff and Karen Wake dressed as the Addams Family, and Uncle Fester (Jeff) made a light bulb light up in his mouth!

Dr. Morticia Frankenstein (Marty Jewell) amazed us with her tossed-out eye, which she could use to see through a jumbo deck of cards and name your chosen one.

Mark Strivings performed a Larry Becker act about Lucrezia Borgia and her poison ring.

Louis Peacock had a silver tube where a red heart appeared and changed into a purple then black heart, and finally into a beautiful silk fountain.

Glenn Proulx showed us his Sefalaljia Box where a bell rang, a block of wood fell off a rope, a puff ball floated into a goblet, and the spirits drank some milk out of a glass.

Bruce Spangler showed us a video of Harry Anderson performing Bruce’s “You Do Voodoo” routine, which Bruce invented and sold.

Chad Wonder mixed up staple guns and his volunteer correctly picked the staple guns that were void of staples, so he wouldn’t hurt himself or his helper.

Jason Fye lost a card in the deck and only had 3 minutes to find it before a fake explosion went off. We all survived!

Gene Gordon had an empty candy bag that filled up with Halloween Candy!

Rich Nakata performed a Cut and Restored Rope trick where he cut and tied six knots into the rope and then restored it!

It was a bitterly cold night in Denver, and 29 members showed up to see Jonathan Levit perform and lecture while he was in town. We gave him 3 random numbers, and the total mysteriously appeared on a mini chalkboard! Three spectators selected 3 random cards, and he divined all of them mentally. A couple of cards ended up inside a completely empty card box! The trick was called Just In Case. Jonathan’s card at any number really fooled us. He performed different methods of his Stranger Routine, which was amazing! He also performed a nice jumbo dice and card trick where the prediction was off to the edge of the stage, and the random cards and dice matched, but the backs were different and so was the dice color.

Greetings fellow MHMS Members,

Many thanks to Glenn for orchestrating a wonderfully enjoyable parlor show and tell event! The turnout was fantastic, and everyone had a blast.

Looking ahead to the next few months, we have some exciting events lined up. First on the agenda is our annual October meeting, featuring “The Evening of Odd” hosted by our very own Mark Strivings and Karen Wake. Get ready for a spooktacular time!

Then, just a couple of days before Halloween, mark your calendars for a lecture by Jonathan Levitt on the 29th. Stay tuned for the location, which will be announced in our upcoming lecture announcements.

Remember, if have any shows or events you would like the members to know about, please email us and we will put this on the Website and in the Newsletter.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

We had a brief business meeting before our Parlor Magic Teach-In. The following individuals were discussed and approved for next year’s Mile High Magicians’ Society Executive Board, with no contested seats it was agreed to bypass the time and effort of a formal election and elect them with a motion that passed unanimously. Your 2024 Officers will be:

The meeting then kicked off with Jeff and Karen Wake showcasing two wooden boxes capable of making a shot glass vanish and reappear in the opposite box.

Dr. Ralph MacIntosh had five envelopes that might contain money. Five volunteers could either keep or trade them. Some envelopes had $1, one had $5, and the magician ended up with $100!

Gerald Robinson shuffled a deck of cards and had three selected. Ultimately, one card was picked from those three. The trick was based on Annemann’s modified Yogi Book Test and it was truly remarkable.

Gene Gordon performed a trick where a card was selected, signed, and lost in the deck. At the shout of “BANG,” a single card flew out of the deck. Gene caught it, revealing it to be the signed card from the audience, complete with a burnt-edge hole!

Chad Wonder involved three spectators who placed their cell phone in a red bag inside a blue box, a blue bag inside a green box and a green bag inside a red box. The helpers then stood on stage and opened their box that now contained a matching color bag and their cell phone.

Keir Mathur presented his Pirates of the Caribbean routine. An empty bottle was tossed into the ocean without a message inside. However, when the bottle was later found, it contained a silk with correct audience predictions, based on three random questions.

AJ Perea offered a lesson on thermodynamics, showing us the Bounce-no-bounce trick to explain kinetic and potential energy. He then prepared a cup of black tea using cold water and set it aside. A spectator randomly selected the 2 of Hearts, tore it, and threw it in the trash. Though the card never returned to the deck, it was later found in the cup of tea, attached to the tea bag string tag.

Lastly, Glenn Proulx demonstrated an antique Telemental Box that contained four wooden blocks with numbers. These could be inserted into another box and both boxes were locked. Using his “X-ray vision,” Glenn was able to discern which numbers were inserted and in what order.

 

We’re seeking enthusiastic individuals who want to take an active role in the MHMS’s future. Serving as an officer is a fantastic way to make a meaningful impact. You MAY nominate yourself or others with their consent.

Here are the fantastic benefits:

Key Dates:

Qualification Requirements:

Please email me if you are interested or would like to nominate someone for a position on the board serving your fellow members.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

Greetings fellow MHMS Members,

The Knights of Columbus has allowed us to use their facility at no charge and in return we want to give back with a thank you show. This is to show our appreciation for the Knights and their families. This show will take place on our regular July meeting date (Thursday, July 13 @ 7pm), you and your family are all welcome to attend.
Performers will be:  Steve Davis, Chad Wonder, John Walker, Gerald Robinson, Glenn Proulx, Gene Gordon and Dan Rodriguez…What a great line up!

Last month we had a lecture by Marcos Waldemar and WOW! He had some killer effects and well thought out routining. If you missed the lecture, then you missed out. We only have a few lectures lined up for the year you definitely don’t want to miss.

Remember, if have any shows or events you would like the members to know about, please email us and we will put this on the Website and in the Newsletter.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

This month, we had two fantastic nights. The first was our regular meeting themed as a lecture “How to Routine Your Magic” presented by Jeff Jenson. The second one was a great lecture given by Marcos Waldemar.

Our Thursday meeting started off with Jeff Jenson sharing how he turned his TNR toilet paper act into a well-structured routine. He emphasized the importance of selecting music that complements the flow and beats of your performance.

During Shawn Preston’s act, he realized that his music was a few seconds off from matching the timing of his performance. To quickly fix the issue, he simply rolled up both sleeves, and that solved the problem. Sometimes, the solution can be that simple. If you’re considering adding music to your act, start with walk-on and walk-off music, and then build upon it.

Joe Givan and Carole Massie emphasized the significance of engaging and connecting with the audience during your show. They explained that paying attention to the audience’s reactions, such as their “oohs” and “ahs,” can provide valuable feedback on which tricks worked well and how your patter was received. They also stressed the importance of maintaining eye contact and scripting your performance.

Tara Headberg recommended always facing your audience, standing at a 45-degree angle towards them, ensuring that both the audience and any helpers can see and hear you clearly. The key thing to remember is to always be prepared to recover when something goes wrong, as it’s a possibility that should be anticipated.

For trade shows, it’s important to highlight the key points for the company you’re representing. If the music suddenly stops, have a patter trick ready to keep the momentum going. Additionally, when using instrumental music, keep the volume low. Your music should enhance the magic without overpowering it. Always allow time for applause, greet your audience at the beginning, and express gratitude for attending your show. It’s crucial to practice and time your act and consider using video or audio equipment to help you improve your skills.

Marcos Waldemar’s featured an opening performance where he delighted us with a variety of fun magic tricks. One of the highlights was a card trick called “Card at Any Number,” where he amazed us by accurately guessing a chosen card’s position in the deck. He also demonstrated “The Tree and The Better Half,” a clever trick involving torn cards that were later matched perfectly. Marcos explained his usage of the Penelope Principle in one of his tricks and showcased his skillful handling of the Erdnase Color Change. Additionally, he astounded us with a trick using business cards and amazed our senses with a candy wrapper that smelled like the flavor we named. Finally, he showcased his unique pet fly, which miraculously located a spectator’s chosen card. ~ Glenn Proulx, secretary

Greetings fellow MHMS Members,

Half way through the year and we have had some fantastic meetings with great feedback! Last months meeting was as always a treat to learn some closeup magic. My hats off to Gene Gordon for organizing a fun time for all that attended.

We also had a special lecture by Chad Long brought in by member Shawn Preston. Funny, witty and awesome material. Then a few days later we had Penn & Teller Fool Us winner David Parr come in a give a lecture for the club, then 2 shows at The Theater of Dreams. David was very informative and had some really great material to share.

Want to get on stage? We’re looking for members to volunteer their time for our next meeting which is also a show here at the Knights of Columbus to thank their members for the gracious use of their space. Please email me if you’re interested.

The board has been hard at work to bring in amazing lectures to Denver and working on making each meeting fun and engaging! Keep your eye on this news letter and you will see whats happening next!

If you have any shows or events you would like the members to know about, please email us and we will put this on the Website and in the Newsletter. See you at the next meeting!

We are off and running towards a spectacular year.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

Thursday May 11, 2023 Magic Teach In Night.  21 attendees including the teachers. Rainy Night. Four tables, Four Teachers:  Matthew Brant, James Lopez, Gene Gordon and Nate Reeves. Students rotated to the teachers’ tables.

Matthew Brant did the basic two in the hand, one in the pocket sponge ball trick. He likes to say, you would think there are two balls in my hand but these are magic/special balls etc. and then shows the three in the hand.  Then he did the matchbook trick, it looks more impressive if you burn the whole book and only one match is left un-burnt. Great stuff!

James Lopez taught coins. He had us shake our hands, then stopping them to look at your hands in a relaxed position. Then he taught a retention pass that you could use in a coins-across routine. Your hands need to look relaxed and as natural as possible while palming a coin.

Nate Reeves did that fun rubber band magic!  We learned the Jumping rubber band, the Torn and Restored Rubber band and Crazy Sam’s Handcuffs.  We used a #16 band.  Two different colors of rubber bands can make the visual much better for the Crazy Sam’s Handcuffs.

Gene Gordon taught card tricks complete with “lecture notes”! He showed “Prediction Caught” where the prediction card gets the mate sandwiched between two cards that end up being the mates to the prediction card also.  The effect called ‘Numbers” does the same thing of bringing the 4 matching cards together, but in a totally different way which is just as amazing. Then he started out with what looked like “Triumph” but ended with a straight flush at the end.  He calls this “Straight Flush Slop” and it is his own personal handling.

Chad Long performed Al Dente his chewed and restored spaghetti, Priority Mail and Spineless book test. We were in awe! He knitted a silk in seconds and showed us a cool new handling of Bounce No Bounce. Chad’s Now Look Here card trick and Scratch was also a fun trick.

David Parr performed the 21-cent trick, showed us a cool way to use a Svengali deck for ACAAN. He taught us his Fast and Loose string trick and ended up performing his Hand of Fate poker hand trick

Greetings fellow MHMS Members! We started off April with a lecture by Guy Bavli. His lecture was extremely interesting and informative mentalism. I’m sure all in attendance learned something new! The board is working hard to bring top notch lectures to Denver and we’re excited to see you at David Parr a week after this months meeting.

Last months regular gathering was an absolute treat to witness! Brad Montgomery did a fantastic job putting together a fun filled and fooling night. I can only hope that we will continue have a MHMS Fool Us night every year! As usual, Karen Wake did not disappoint with her clever Fool Us sushi… Nope, fooled us with her clever ways.

If you have any shows or events you would like the members to know about, please email us and we will put this on the Website and in the Newsletter. See you at the next meeting!

We are off and running towards a spectacular year.

Jeff Jenson
President, MHMS | email me | Call me (303) 378-1112

We’re working hard to make events and meeting amazing and we’d appreciate your feedback by answering this 2-minute “survey.”