My Own View
IBM Convention - San Diego July 3 - 6, 2002
A private report of the convention by Bev Bergeron
It was a surprisingly good convention. Several problems did not develop as I anticipated. Shows were all good.Now for the downside: The Town & Country Hotel/Motel was not a good hotel for a magic convention. The property covered over four large city blocks. Yes, it had great convention facilities, super cool weather (great!) and the pool areas were pleasantly covered with beautiful flowers, however, a magic convention works best with a tall hotel. A magic attendee likes to come down an elevator turn to his right and enter the dealers room - turn to his left and the bar greets him with tables of friends talking magic. Well, that is what I like to see. I realize that the magic convention has evolved into a close-up session for the family magician and is no longer for the professional.
My wife, Alouise, and I arrived on Saturday, June 29 with the expectation of lecturing to the local San Diego Ring on Sunday. The lecture was in Jack White's private magic/train museum. The private museum is something to see. All props and paper were properly displayed. Many items brought back memories of other times and shows. The lecture was a long two hours and it was mentioned that Sunday afternoon was the wrong time to hold a magic lecture - I agreed. Monday night had a party held at Terry Lunceford's home. With the help of a few members from the local Ring, there was plenty of Mexican bar-B-Q and drinks. A well-received vent and much close-up magic rounded out the evening.
By the afternoon of Tuesday, July 2 the crowd started to arrive and much rumbling was heard about where their rooms were located in regards to the convention building. The rush was on to change rooms. Dealers opened at 6:00 PM and the big surprise was the room was full of well-stocked magic. There was the fear that because of the SAM holding its conclave on the same dates as the IBM, the dealers' room would suffer and also the attendance. The registration was over 1,400 a new mark for the IBM. Unconfirmed word had the SAM doing about 1,200, which is good news for magic. With both these numbers running high, it means that magic is still doing OK.
TOPMany magi attended the Kick-Off Party held at 8:00 PM. Wednesday, July 3 was the opening day. The stage contest began with over 20 contestants. Some very innovative ideas popped up every so often. Art Thomas and his wife Sue Jacoberger did the tech work to keep all the acts moving, while Jerry and Donna Schnepp coordinated the contest. While the contest was on, the lectures began. I feel this is wrong. I was not the only voice that proclaimed that there were too many lectures. The lecturers were given too little time to present their ideas - the audiences were herded from one room to another.
The lectures were: Danny Archer, Steve Dacri, David Stone, Tom Jones & Rachel Wild, John Carney, Kevin & Chindy Spencer, Aldo Colombini, Davey Marlin-Jones, Richard Huges, Gaeton Bloom, Alan Shaxon, Gay Blackstone and two special "lectures":
Carl Ballantine being interviewed by Steve Dacri in a lecture entitled, "Ballantine and Dacri - Comedy and Magic" (which drew the largest crowd of the convention), and Robert Fitch appearing three times with "The Big Three Event" talking about theatre in magic.
The problem with lectures today at conventions is that too many acts and dealers makes deals to appear as a lecture as part of their pay. With the high price of everything today, it is a solution for the convention committees, but a problem for the registrants. All the lectures were well received, with a special one on balloon sculpturing pulling one of the larger crowds.
The first day had not only the stage contest preliminary, four lectures, a dealers' show, museum opening, spouse gathering, youth welcoming, Board meeting, but a trolley ride to the theatre which was downtown. The Stars of Magic show was in a well-equipped theatre and good for magic. The acts were: Steve Bargatze, MC (love this man); James Dimmare (opening act and flawless with his cane, dove, etc. production - Standing O); Danny Cole then Todd Charles, both good acts, but following Dimmare was too much. After an intermission Chuck Jones brought out some big illusions. For some reason, the audience did not give him the acknowledgement his act deserved. The trolley ride back was nice in some ways - the delays waiting for the second trolley to come by was not as bad as it sounds.
TOPDay 2 - Thursday, July 4 - The day opened with the preliminary Close-up Contest. Lectures and many meetings overlapped each other until 2:30PM when The Big Three Event took place each day for the next three days with the audience split-up. On close-up were: Steve Bargatze (this man was worked to death - his talent helped him through it.), Aldo Colombini, Steve Dacri, Lupe, Alan Shaxon, and David Stone. Robert "Bob" Fitch spoke about magic as theatre, which is much needed for magicians. I, Bev Bergeron, did a "one-man show?." I'll review my own act at the end of his report. I feel I'm the only one qualified to do this - I had to watch all three of my shows.
Once again some overlapping of events and meetings, then the trolley ride to the theatre. The second Stars of Magic Show had Aldo Colmbini, MC (well received); Jay Scott Berry opened but was lost in his attempts; Aldo used his dialect to get laughs and brought out his wife to do the sham mind-reading act made famous by Jimmy Muri in the 1940s. Gaeton Bloom from France had the audience every second he was on stage. His comedy and misdirection is hard to match. His closing with the production of playing cards while wearing boxing gloves was a killer (yet the easiest thing he did).
After intermission we were treated to a return of a great old act Omar Pasha. The son of the man who created this comedy black-art act was a hit and following in Steve Bargatze steps - fell off the stage while talking his bow. Steve cracked a rib - hopefully Omar made out a lot better. Gaeton and Omar both stopped the show.
Day 3 - Friday, July 5 - Spouse tour, Annual Meeting, lectures, close-up finals, dealers, etc started the morning; the afternoon repeated The Big Three. Board Meeting, Women's Forum, Youth Workshop, etc.; had the members rushing to the trolley for the evening show. Show was the Gold Medal Stage show with six finalist contestants from the earlier contest. All were very good acts, except for the over use of the Flip Stick move by most of the contestants.
The winner was a girl from Japan who in the eyes of most of the audience should not have won first place nevertheless also won the Gold Medal, which is not awarded every year. The audience voted by ballot and cheering for a young man who should have won first place. Sorry for not having the names, but we had to turn in the ballots when voting. M.C. for the evening was Rich Bloch with help from Davey Marlin-Jones. As I've written before, if there were an award for improvement, Rich would take it. In the last five years he has taken giant steps with his stage work.
TOPRick Thomas & Company closed the second half while the judges counted the votes. Thomas brought part of his Vegas show and everyone soon realize why he is one of the top workers in the City. His movements are funny, but he holds the audience with his smiles.
Day 4 - Saturday, July 6 - Ring 2100 Gathering, Merlin Breakfast, Promotion for Kansas City (next year's location), lectures and The Big Three was the venue for the day before the big banquet with the installing of the officers, etc. The show for the banquet was the best that I can remember since it has been reinstated as a convention event. Gala Show had a surprise M.C., Milt Larsen. Milt was the best we have ever seen him. His work in Vegas opening for the Amazing Johnathan has greatly improved his stage presents .
Joaquin Ayala & Tanya opened with his big illusions and fire. He has grown so big in physical statue and performance since we first shared a dressing room twenty years ago in Acapulco. Carl Ballantine is the king when it comes to working an audience. He is a lesson in that department. Every time he would leave the stage he would return to bigger cheers - he played with the audience's reactions and ended with a much deserved standing O.
Milt introduced a surprise guest who had just flown in from Vegas. Darren Romeo brought the audience to their feet with his singing "The Music of the Night" from the musical "Phantom of the Opera. Norm Nielsen closed with a few flaws, but quickly put it all together with his act and a standing O, then he returned for his floating piano and did it again with another big O.Good closing for the convention - another standing O. That was three that night.
The evening did not stop there. At the hotel there was an Afterglow Party, where close-up workers strolled for an award - a magic Olympics. The set-up of the two hotel bars was slower then the magic performers. But the drinks were flowing. It ended on a fun high note.
TOPINSIDE THE BIG THREE CABARET
This is an inside report of what an act has to go through to get his show on the road at a convention. The basic idea behind this "one-man show" was to get several of my nutty friends to help with the Magic Shtick (I have now coined that word). With Karrel now deceased along with several others who have worked as Bananas and Jay Marshall in New York, that left Abb Dickson as my second banana. Abb was a savior. Several others filled in and first timers, they were brilliant. Jack White from the San Diego Ring #76 volunteered his Ring and support in finding props and personnel to help put the show together. Sherry Luft worked as girl assistant and girl banana. Don Soul (using Larry Frankel's drums) acted as a sound-effect drummer in the "pit." Each show had different volunteers who came in to work the bits. The stage was very good for the show except that the platform was only about eighteen inches off the floor. For that type of room one needs nothing less then three feet off the floor. I like four and five even better. Rock groups get it - why can't magic shows?
Art Thomas and Sue Jacoberger from Orlando Ring 170 were the stage managers running lights, sound and stage. Some of the staging was from the Orlando Ring's stage equipment (our Ring got no credits in the program). The Ring has been gathering stage equipment for over thirty years and now has a complete portable stage except for the platforms. Art and Sue had the tech finished for the show in a matter of minutes during rehearsal. The volunteers were walked through the routines each day, so that we had a mini-revue happening. The first day (Thursday) had about 200 in the room. Each day a different person introduced the event. With the stage set with most of the props I walked out and did about five minutes of story telling jokes. Gags out of my carpetbag, Spot Card, Broken Yarn, Kids up for Wands & balloons, Broom Suspension - a sham illusion, the broom rises not the girl (was doing other things the first day, but at suggestion of Terry Lunceford changed the order of the show - it worked), Bring a guest performer from the audience for rope trick - First day used Steve Hart (Bit has me hit in mouth and I spit out over a hundred "teeth" while drummer hits rim-shots.), Egg Bag with adults - produce glass of booze at end, Guest artist asked to float someone (me) - (I'm put under a sheet on top of a table and "float" upwards about three feet.), Abb Dickson up from audience to work Find the Piece of Cake, Cigarette/pantomime Act, Guzzler's Gin and finished with making up as Rebo the Clown while telling stories then doing clown bits until balloon floats Rebo about the stage - balloon burst and Rebo collapses.
TOPThe first day was hell. With over two hundred in the room the reaction was like working to a wake. Many came to me and said they don't know how I could do all I did with such an audience. The next day got a polite standing ovation. The last day was more my group and got a real standing ovation. The first day I had as guest performers with me I had Steve Hart as my rope & teeth man. Second day Terry Luneford - third day was Steve Burton. Hart also acted as the Swami who "floated" me on first and third days. Terry Lunceford was the Swami on the second day. All three days I had Sherry Luft from San Diego for my assistant and "Broom Suspension" girl. The broom came up not the girl. Richard Staub, Jr. also spent all three days with us doing all the stage assistants bits. Rick Bammam, Jr. helped as an assistant for two days with his sister teaching the cast how to tie a turban with a bath towel. Sunny Johnson's daughter, Kristen helped out a couple of days with girl assistant duties. Bob Ingalls of San Diego ran down tables and other props that were needed. Abb Dickson not only worked the great hilarious "Card/Cake" routine of Karrel Fox's, but also took over backstage direction and off stage announcements.
Alouise helped with the goldfish, drinks, and wardrobe and moving all the props over from the room to the convention center miles away - well it felt like a mile. We could not leave anything of value in the stage room - all props & wardrobe (three coats & Rebo suit - they weighed a ton) had to be packed in and out every day. I was not the only one who got a cold audience. Steve Bargatze told me that every day while working close-up he was placed in two rooms with only a hand full of people who seemed to be elsewhere.
For all the people who helped me, I would like to give you a big THANK YOU!!! I could not have pulled off the "one-man show" without your participation. Bev
TOP
Here's Bev's Previous Column
CREATING MAGIC
How does one create new ideas in magic? This question has been put to me many times in my life. In all probability, thousands of studies have been performed by major learning institutes on this same subject (not creating magic, but the general creative process) and I doubt that a conclusive answer has been derived.As a young magician running with his peers in Houston, Texas back in the middle 1940s, we use to go to our favored “magic store” for new ideas. That store then was Woolworth – 5 & Dime. Sad to say that there is no longer a Woolworth store in the U.S.A. I doubt that there are any 5 & dime stores anywhere. The five and dime stood for five cents and ten cents – I’m a dreamer. I guess that one could subitute a Kmart or Wal-Mart store in its place today. But there was something about Woolworth that made one’s creative juices jump that these new super size stores just do not have.
Walking the aisles of the Woolworth revealed new inexpensive toys, kitchen devices, women’s apparel, notions and pitchmen, some with your latest horoscope told to you by a mystic mind reader. Following a mentor in magic like Senator Crandall through a store might get you a strange look from the clerks who were everywhere in those days. The Senator loved to check out the counter with the newly arrived falsies design to improve the shape of a young woman's body. These falsies were made of a new form of rubber that was far superior to the kind that was used in the making of the old rubber bath sponge. We used the old rubber sponge to cut out balls to be employed in what was sweeping the magic world, sponge ball manipulations. The Senator would get raised eyebrows when he would pick-up a falsie and feel the texture of the rubber. Part of the creative learning. Each aisle that one walked down brought new items into view. Our little minds would wonder what could we use that for. How could that item be incorporated into a magic routine? If we did hit a winner, it became common knowledge among our peers and the store would quickly sell out of the item.
TOPVolumes of books could be written on the creative process. The walking of the aisles of a variety store was just one of them. Learning from others is also a key factor. We’ve all heard over and over not to copy from your peers. But that does not mean not to admire, emulate (careful how you interpret this word) and learn from others. If you see a presentation of a magic routine of an old classic that impresses you and hopefully an audience, there are ways of using that staging to your advantage and not copy the original. Study that made that presentation different from others you had seen. Why did the audience react? Remember that timing and pacing are two important elements to making a good routine, act and/or show. Try to dissect what you had seen. Talk to others about what made them like what they saw. Somewhere you will hit a solution. It might even be right. Keep working something will develop.
Recently I worked the World Clown Association convention in Orlando. I was asked to entertain over 500 attendees one night on a platform with passable lighting and good sound. Two standing ovations in one hour and I was flying. Afterward I was talking to former R.B. and B. & B. Circus clown, Jackie LeClaire, about great clowns from the past. We both singled-out Otto Griebling as being the king of them all. I turned to Jackie and said; I don’t know if you noticed when I did the Six Card Repeat routine that it was inspired by Otto’s opening juggling routine with Ringling. For the young readers, Otto would enter one of the circus rings with four pie pans fifteen minutes before the show would begin. With full working lights for the incoming audience searching for their seats, workers making the final preparation on the rigging and general chaos, Otto would get the two opposite sides of the audience playing against each other while juggling the four pie plates. First he would juggle for oneside and then listen for the reaction. No matter what the applause was, he would make a face and turn to the other side to continue his juggling. Once again he would stop and listen for the applause. His pitting the audience against one another would continue until he was signaled that the show was ready to start. With that he would bring the routine to a finish, which would bring a giant reaction from the entire arena.
This is what I attempted to do with the Six Card Repeat Routine. After counting the six cards and throwing away three then counting out six again, no matter what the reaction of the audience was, I would turn to another group hoping for a better response as I repeated the trick over and over. For the past thirty-five years this routine has served me well. I didn’t steal Otto’s juggling routine, I adapted a pacing style to a card routine by Tommy Tucker that for years had been repeated with the same dull patter into a new routine. Think over the steps that it takes to create something on your own. Work on it. Let it become a part of you. Then no one can take it from you. Bev Bergeron www.BevBergeron.com
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