Unlike most magicians who started at an early age, I started much later. At the ripe old age of 39, I found myself as the den leader for my youngest son’s Cub Scout den, with no idea what I was doing. The leader manual had many ideas on how to keep boys engaged during meetings, and I stumbled upon the magic effect where a piece of drinking straw moves on its own, just by moving your finger toward it. After doing it for the guys in the den, they asked me to show their parents. When I saw the reactions of the boys and their parents, I was, as they say, “bitten.” That was my first effect.
My favorite effect is one I’ve never done. I was fortunate enough to see Penn and Teller live in Las Vegas, and Teller’s goldfish production is still the most beautiful effect I’ve ever seen. My favorite effect to perform is Henry Evans’ Rising Card. My favorite type of magic is anything that connects with my audience. To me, that connection is infinitely more important than the effect.
I performed mostly at outdoor festivals in Colorado before the pandemic. I also performed behind the bar at the Fort Collins Marriott Hotel weekly for two years. My proudest magic achievement is my 17 years coordinating Magic in the Rockies in Fort Collins. These days I am learning how to do Zoom meetings as President of IBM Ring 250.
October News
October is always our Evening of Odd Show and it was hit minus the lack of food. Joe Diamond introduced us to Flora his doll, who could for-tell the random word selected from a book, it was very creepy. Then Bob LaRue found a prediction in a box from 1939 that was in a Rainforrest Camp. Inside was an artifact. All be darned if the old prediction was the same outcome from the show! Susan Zeller recited a Poem from Midsummer’s Night Dreamwith Linking Rings and did a superb job performing the Card Warp with jumbo cards. Lew Wymisner had some death breath from a compeer inside a jar. The breath could light a light bulb and bent fork tines when the fork was placed inside the jar as well. Next Amy Marshack had a prediction that the helper would either pick Pork Skins, Anchovies, or Gefilte fish. Once again, she was spot on. Chris Manos had nails under a Styrofoam cup and luckily did not pierce his hand when instructed to smash his hand onto the cups. Andrew Hatfield had rope locked onto a rope. When the spectators pulled onto the rope the knot came untied but the lock remained securely on the center of the rope. Marty Jewell, the Queen of puns revived a PI-Rat. Gene Gordon, spelled out a person’s name, with cards, did his version of a burned hand on a Out to Lunch business card and did the Magic Slates. Steve Aldrich and Jasmine had a stamp collection vanish from a book and also pulled out apples and silks from a hatbox. Gregg Tobo delivered a prediction to our Emcee of the night, Mark Strivings. With the use of Flash Paper the smoke alarm went off and the card corner vanished and ended up back at Mark’s house. Todd Robbins pounded a nail into his nasal cavity, sucked the end of a balloon into his nose as well and the end wound its way into his throat. His Uvula almost stopped it.
We also had Matthew Garrett sign in and amazed the group with his Linking Ring and Linking anything and Everything skills! He performed his Impossible Ring Routine, GIR rings, Ninja Plus, Double Tiered Fan, Magic Square, and his Story Deck card trick. It was totally amazing.
Mighty Mini Lecture Series
Seventeen members attended our virtual “Mighty Mini Lecture Series” meeting. Sgt. at Arms, Gene R. Gordon, had a few announcements to make, and then we were on to the mini lectures!
Former President, Matt Brandt, taught some dollar and pencil magic. He taught how to perform the trick and make the gimmick necessary. It was perfect for online performances, and a great effect to have in anyone’s virtual effect arsenal. Up next, Gregg Tobo and Amy Marschak together gave us a quick presentation of Zoom pointers. Their advice included: Don’t try your regular stage show on Zoom. Understand your space and the size of the Zoom window, and figure out appropriate tricks for what is essentially very close up magic. They also discussed camera and sound options and what was good and bad about shows they’d seen. Up next, William Rader did a clever Mentalist act using an envelope prediction, and then a card effect as well. He taught both effects which both utilized some interesting methods mixed together in a unique way. The lecture series was closed by Gene R. Gordon who presented an interesting version of Though Stealer, from Royal Road. He wanted to present card effects for performance in the real world as well as on Zoom, though he suggested you could probably find an entire Zoom show of card magic in the Royal Road book. He also did a version of Coins Through Table with a handling taught to him by Dave Neighbors with some extra touches by Gene and Tommy Walker.
Thank you so much to everyone who attended and presented lectures for our September monthly meeting!
When I started magic about three years ago, because of a tv show I watched called Road Tricks by Adam Trent. The show sparked my interest in magic because of the reactions of the people to the magic. After that I learned that my Dad used to do magic. Then I got my first magic set form a local toy store, so I started learning about magic. When my Dad saw I had enough interest in magic he told me about the Society of American Magicians. Then we went to our first meeting together about 2 years ago.
From what I remember my first magic trick was the spike through coin. Some of my favorite tricks to do now are Cups and Balls, Sponges, Ropes, and Hot Rods. I love close-up and parlor magic. My favorite magicians are Penn and Teller. This summer I was able to participate in Tannen’s Magic Camp online. In Tannen’s they had lectures, workshops, and shows. Some of my favorite magicians from it were Teller, Micheal Carbonaro, David Blane, and David Copperfield.
One of the workshops was about the business in magic, which helped me because I am starting to do kid shows. To better myself as a magician I have a YouTube channel. I practice a routine or trick, then I record and post the videos. This helps me practice performing in front of a camera. On S.A.M Facebook and iTricks Magic News some of my videos have been shown on. I am enjoying being part of the Mile High Magicians’, which includes lots of experienced magicians to help me grow as a magician.
Virtual Summer Picnic
Seventeen members attended our 1stannual Zoom Summer Picnic this year and performed their stuff live. One nice thing about a virtual picnic is there were no bugs!
Colin Toepfer performed an amazing sponge ball, flower bag, and silk routine. Gene R. Gordon showed us his vanishing sugar and straw trick, CNR rope with a little magic saliva to re-attach it all back together. He also did a nice Coins Across that Dave Neighbors taught him. Glenn Proulx showed the gimmick he made to make the Healed and Sealed pop can trick work faster. David Parr took a lit match and shoved it into his fist, with us cringing, he opened his fist and it had vanished and he did not have any burn marks on his flesh! He also performed the Satan’s Shoestring Trick and made a knot vanish off of the shoestring. Bruce and Kitty Spangler had a question about a brass magic prop they have in their collection and are not sure how it works or what it is. They also told us about the history of the You Do Voodoo trick they invented. William Rader did a Mentalist act where he correctly predicted a minimum of 4 out of 5 questions asked of the group and predicted the only card turned over in a deck.
David Johnathan’s lecture was well attended and he loves to create and teach magic! David started off with a very cool card trick where the rubber band wrapped around the outside of the box, vanished and penetrated the box and the selected card found wrapped under the rubber band! Next he showed us Fortuity, Fourtunate, and Sovereign Sandwich and explained his method of creating magic. David’s You Know Uno and basic Premonition were very good tricks as well. Lastly, he wowed us with his latest trick called Snaps. That trick will WOW any audience. Thanks David, for being at our lecture.
This month we had our local group perform patriotic magic. Gene Gordon Zoom Master ran the meeting and started us off with a very nice TNR flag cocktail napkin trick. With the drought in Colorado, Gene conjured up some water then he made a Rainbow appear. James Lopez performed the very first card trick he learned which was a 4 Aces across. Next he Made a prediction which was that the 3D would be selected; it was! Dr. Janine Aronson had Lucky and Unlucky cards from a deck. The spectator always picked a lucky card, the Queen. Member Todd Reis from California did the Endless Banana trick. Todd also did his version of Jim Steinmeyer’s called, 9 Card Problem. (I stepped away from the Zoom meeting so if I left anyone’s tricks out I am sorry).
We also had 23 people join in by Zoom for our John Carey Lecture. John got up extra early for us and has many wonderful tricks and techniques for us to try and perfect. John showed us a nifty way to improve the Hindu Shuffle, a cool false shuffle, coin routines and much more. He performed his Lockdown Act, Broken and Restored Rubber Band, Destiny Card, Yours and Mine Card and Cinematica. John also suggested to use misdirection when you use the Cross Cut Force. Another popular effect with the Zoommers was his dice version of “B-wave”. He did a very nice Copper Silver routine and a Coins Across with three coins. Both were nicely thought out effects. We took a ten-minute break so John could refresh himself. When we resumed, he taught and went through three of the packet effects he was also selling. These effects were great and ones anyone would be able to add to their repertoire. The lecture wrapped up as John talked about his new book “Reflections” and some of his other items for sale. He had a great deal on a bundle of all these plus the book!
He hung around for another 30 to 40 mins talking and answering questions! A real trooper staying up till 5 am (his time). We highly recommend John Carey’s lecture to any club!
Dr. Dave Wintermute, a retired Air Force rocket scientist, didn’t get into magic until real
late in life. In 2003, after he retired and moved back to his initial base – Colorado Springs. He
and his son James saw the restaurant magician Bruce Black (also an Elvis impersonator and
hypnotist). His son James was intrigued by the magic and was invited to the local magic club –
the Pikes Peak Prestidigitators (Society of American Magicians #170). They enjoyed the
meetings, especially the “Teach a Trick” nights where they learned some magic.
James’ interest moved to contact juggling but his dad stayed with magic. Dave got the
Tarbell series and practiced some of the tricks, but he knew he needed a venue that would drive
him to continue and perform.
He found that venue at his local church when he asked the Sunday school teachers if they
wanted to see something unusual, related to their Sunday school lesson. They said OK and he
found tricks that related to the lesson. Each 5 minute Parlor Magic presentation ended with a
candy trick related to the lesson and this helped the class to ask for more magic the following
week.
Every weekly Sunday school class since 2003 has required a new magic presentation to
illustrate the lesson. Since most Sunday school lessons follow the church’s lectionary, they
repeat every three years. Luckily, he kept all his old scripts and grew a big library of past
performances that he can reference as he writes the next new script.
Eric Anderson did a virtual meeting for us this June and he recommended that if we can, to start off our Magic Shows with a PowerPoint to show the audience where we came from and a little bit about our self. It is a great way for the audience to connect with you fast as you start your show. Eric explained how he works and what his pay is for different type of events that he has contracts with. He suggested that we should always make copies of the check we receive because we will need proof for our taxes. Eric’s method for success is T+T+T= More Shows. Target your market, Take-off and Take in money. He recommended magicians to send out letters or email to possible clients and have three different price packages for your shows. Eric offers a 100% guarantee that if you use his system you will bring in more money.
Connie Elstun has held the posts of past Vice-President, Secretary and President. She is a comedy magician and a STEAM entertaining educator. She has dedicated her life as an outreach educator, bringing the performing arts to children when their school budgets cannot afford an on-staff drama teacher. Her rabbits are special individuals and ancestors of the first rabbits she raised as a 4-H project back in the 1960’s!
Connie started magic in her 30’s and truly considers Doc Eason and Jimmy Cellini as her absolute mentors. While president Connie had many moneymaking ideas, including a public close-up magic show, a sold-out stage magic show, and she officially incorporated Dr. Earl Reum’s name into the title of the club. Through conducting a DNA ancestry test she found out that she is 31% Native American from Mexico and her ancestors were members of the Yaqui tribe.
Virtual Monday Night Magic!
June 22nd, 2020
7 p.m. Mountain Time
Tonight we are joined by Peter Samelson for an Ask Me Anything and to session on anything you’re working on! Bring your questions for this amazing magician and follow the Zoom link sent out in email this afternoon! (If you didn’t receive the link, email me at President@milehighmagicians.com and I’ll send it to you right away! Or check out or Facebook page, and follow it from the event there!)
Here are some details about Peter:
Peter Samelson is a man with a long resumé: international performer (Private, Corporate, Theaters, Colleges, the top Cruise Lines,) headliner and producer of New York’s Monday Night Magic, consultant to Movies, Commercials and Broadway, star of 3 critically acclaimed Off-Broadway shows, and respected lecturer and author. The lecture is a one-hour-plus event using multi-media to help explore and explain Peter Samelson’s approach to creating Theatrical Magic. The lecture is based on Peter’s book Theatrical Close Up (long out of print, available today in a digital edition), and his unpublished Theatrical Cabaret, and will slow explain and show some of the magic and visual illusions for the movies Whispers in the Dark and What About Bob, and the Theatrical productions of Winters Tale (BAM and the Old Vic) and Leap of Faith (B’way.)
Monday Night Magic is hosted by the Mile High Magicians, but not an official club function.
You do not need to be a member of the Mile High Magicians, S.A.M or I.B.M. to come hang out with us on Mondays. This is a casual, magical hang out for anyone who loves magic! We ask only that you’re respectful and kind to your fellow magicians.
The Mile High Magicians are not responsible for anything said in this Zoom meeting, and any opinions expressed are entirely those of the magician expressing them and do not represent the club or any of its members.
End of official disclaimer. And if that all sounds all right by you, come have fun with us!
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