Feburary 2014

DID YOU KNOW ??             

Are you a member of a Ring or Assembly, then pass this on!  Not everyone knows about MAT — tell them!  What else do you or they not know?

1.      Did you know there was a FACEBOOK page for the TAOM CONVENTION? – Google “TAOM CONVENTION Facebook”  or go to FaceBook and look up TAOM CONVENTION ,  this will be the first place any updates will appear.

2.      What is the convention website?  Don’t wait to register, enter the contests, or line up the hotel room – go to TAOM2014.com and get the information you need

3.      The good thing is you know about Magic Across Texas, and because of that you were smart enough to register and submit your name for the private HOUDINI TOUR.  The following have been chosen in the last drawing,  Gregg Lancaster, Mark Jensen , and Roger Johnson.   CONGRATULATIONS!

Don’t know how to enter?  Didn’t read the last couple MAT issues?  Haven’t gone to the TAOM2014 website?  Haven’t gone to the FaceBook site?  What are you waiting for?  http://www.taom2014.com/

Bill Irwin
2014 TAOM President

You already know that we are hunting down full-time performers who make their livings in front of the same public that might hire you!  Why not learn from those that have a proven track record? 

*  On board we have an Emmy winning performer who had his own magic based television show that earned 6 Emmy’s!

*  We also have an act that has hit the streets for years and become one of the top street performers in the country!

*  Ever seen Showtime, HBO, Nashville Network, Penn and Teller, the Statler Brother’s Show, Good Morning America?? I’m going to stop there because the list goes on and on for this performer!.

*  You should already know that this columnist, reviewer, and one of the hottest tickets on the convention circuit, is coming to TAOM (we just don’t know which of him will show up)!

*  You should also know that we are working with one of the largest Pediatric systems in the US!

*  Want to catch one of the funniest magicians on the stage, who wants to show you how he developed his act, then you will not want to miss this guy?

By the time you read this, I know we will have another announcement and next month I will fill in the blanks, giving you a chance to find out using the other tools.

To get the first postings go to FaceBook, to register for the convention and contests go to the website, and go to www.FortWorthMagiciansClub.org for additional updates.

Bill

NIGHT OF MAGIC
with Jamie Salinas

Saturday, February 22 Jamie Salinas will present a family friendly magic show in the auditorium at Goose Creek Memorial High School, 6001 East Wallisville Road in Baytown,at 6:30 PM. 100% of the  proceeds benefit Goose Creek Memorial High School’s Project Graduation.  All seats are just $5.00.  Children 3 and under are FREE!  Click HERE to purchase tickets.

   JUGGLEFEST XXI
The Texas Juggling Society    celebrates its 21st year with
Jugglefest XXI, a three-day event full of workshops, games, demonstrations, and    shows featuring juggling,
unicycling, and related
circus arts. Everyone is
welcome to come on down to pick up the basics, learn some new tricks, meet some crazy people or just chill out and watch.

Jugglefest 21 is happening on February 21, 22, and 23, 2014, at the Texas School for the Deaf at 1102 South Congress Avenue in Austin.  For more information, go to http://juggling.place.org/jugglefest/schedule.html

HOUSTON ANNUAL BANQUET AND SHOW – February 23

Prepare yourself for an evening of great food, outstanding close-up performers, and a stellar stage show.  Cody Fisher will delight you with his droll wit and magical expertise as Master of Ceremonies while introducing performances by Trixie Bond, Bruce Manners, Johan McElroy, Rick Hebert, and Ted Schwank.  Before dinner, you will thrill to the close-up artistry of Scott Wells, Scott Hollingsworth, Dick Olson, Ben Jackson, Jaden Rhodes, John Star, Orlando Reyna, Chris Williams, Gene Protas, Rick Hebert, The Amazing Juan, and many more.  Call Gene Protas at to make reservations.

Festivities get underway at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 23 at the S.P.J.S.T. Hall, 1435 Beall Street in Houston.

                 ALBERT LUCIO presents

MENTAL MAPPING
A clinical approach to understanding
your personality and your magic

March 8th, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.at
Heroes Night Out,

1150 S. Bell Boulevard, Cedar Park (Austin)

The March 8th magic clinic will be a fun, interactive and educational workshop designed to teach the basics of personality, thinking types and persuasive presentation styles from a clinical point of view. Mental Mapping is a mixture of social and psychological perspectives to help you understand your personality and communication style. Albert Lucio will be working with Megan Humphrey, a licensed counselor, to present the information and devise the curriculum’s activities. We hope you can join us to learn something that can be applied to your magic, personal relationships and work.

SCOTT HOLLINGSWORTH
ON STAGE   

Military heroes, their families, friends and magicians will enjoy a night of food, fun, and magic on April 4th at the Heroes Night Out facility,  1150 S. Bell Boulevard in Cedar Park (Austin).  Several strolling magicians will wander through the crowds before dinner showing their magic.  Master Magician Scott Hollingsworth will take the stage after dessert to present a 45-minute magic show full of interactive family magic.

Members of IBM Ring 60 routinely entertain veterans and their families on the first Friday of each month, and the first Friday in April just happens to fall the night before the Fantastic Austin Magic Auction.

Everyone is welcome and those planning to attend the collector’s meeting are especially invited to the dinner and show.  The fee for this dinner and show will be $10.00.  RSVP’s to attend this event are imperative!   Send an email to Trixie Bond.  For more information on the Collector’s Meeting, check the auction website at www.austinmagicauction.com

FORT WORTH MAGICIAN OF THE YEAR!

Michael Stein was the unanimous choice for Fort Worth “Magician of the Year” as well as being elected president of Fort Worth Magicians’ Club.  The honors were bestowed on Michael at the 2014 TAOM “Boot Kickin’ Extravaganza of Magic” on January 4 at Spring Creek Barbecue in Arlington.  Other new officers included Vice President and Webmaster Bruce Chadwick, Vice President and Editor of the Flashpaper Geoff Grimes, Secretary Cindy Chadwick, Treasurer Susie Schulwitz, Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Rubino, Historian Rick Burcher, Members-at-Large Ash Adams, Michael Dimsdle, and Joshua Ayala, and Trustee Arthur Emerson.

See Phil Kampf as Mordred the Magi at Sherwood Faire

Monday Night Magic, The Humperdink’s Restaurant at Six Flags of Arlington, La Quinta Inn & Suites, 6 North Six Flags Drive in Arlington. All magic aficionados are invited to attend these informal gatherings that meet in the back meeting room each Monday evening. Bring your cards and props and practice your “chops”!

February 24 through March 2 – Doug & Fran Gorman at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

April 4, Austin – Magic Show featuring Scott Hollingsworth, Wounded Warriors Dinner, and Texas Collector’s Meeting.  Friday night before the Austin Magic Auction.  Go to www.austinmagicauction.com  as the time gets closer for details.  Heroes Night Out facility, 1150 Bell Boulevard in Cedar Park (Austin).

April 5, Austin – World Famous Magic Auction.  Go to www.austinmagicauction.com  for more information.

April 7 – Austin Ring 60 meeting and lecture featuring Oscar Munoz.  IHOP at Duval and 183 in Austin..

April 7 – Eric Roumestan (from France) lecture; 7:30 p.m. at the I.A.T.S.E. hall, 3030 North Freeway in Houston.  For details, go to http://www.houstonmagic.com/lectures.html

B Magic Children’s Shows
Saturdays at 5:00 and 6:30 and Sunday at 1:00 and 2:30.  1903 West Pioneer Parkway in Arlington.  Call Arlington Improv every Sunday at 2:00.  This show is designed to have you in awe no matter your age!  With a combination of comedy and magic, the FUN doesn’t stop.  Go to www.improv.com  for more details or call 817-635-5555.

Make plans NOW for the World Famous Austin Magic Auction – April 5, 2014

The 2014 Austin Magic Auction is shaping up to be a fabulous auction.  We have now registered almost 40 sellers.  If you are interested in being a Seller: What are you waiting for?  It’s simple, send an email to Trixie@trixiebond.com     She will email you back a number and the simple instructions and forms.

How it works:

• We limit our sellers to 75 items.  If we can’t sell it, you owe nothing.  If we do sell your item, you get 88% of the final price and Assembly 206 gets 12%.
• All items need to be in good working order and have some type of instructions.
• Last year we had over forty sellers at the auction with almost 300 in attendance at the event.

Just in for the auction

Items for this year’s auction will include a 30 year magic collection coming in from El Paso, estate pieces from a long-time TAOM (Texas Association of Magicians) member and signed celebrity posters items from Las Vegas!   If you are looking for collectibles like Johnny Paul Cups, Gene Anderson’s Picto Transpo with Original Teflon Sheets, you will find it at the Auction on April 5th!  (Pictures will be coming soon.)

For those of you traveling from out of town, please make your hotel reservations soon.  Hotel information is on the website. http://austinmagicauction.com/area-hotels.html

The magic world lost one of the giants of our business on February 12.  The great Aldo Colombini died as the result of a massive stroke he suffered a few days earlier.

Aldo Colombini moved to the United States from Italy in 1993 and took the country by storm! He performed in 52 countries including every European country, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Africa, China and South America for both children and adults. He was a F.I.S.M. prizewinner, one of the most prestigious awards in the world of magic. He performed often on Italian television and appeared on television shows in Portugal, Spain, Japan, Colombia and Sweden. Aldo dazzled audiences of all sizes… from as small as 2 or 3 people with his amazing close-up magic to groups of 1000+ with his entertaining comedy and charismatic and magical stage presence. Aldo performed often at Caesar’s Magical Empire in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and appeared several times a year at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood where he was one of few magicians who performed in all four showrooms. When he was onstage, audiences from all over the world were mesmerized by his wonderful mix of magic, comedy and Italian charm. Aldo was voted by the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood as Parlor Magician of the Year twice, nominated for best Close-up Magician of the Year, Best Stage Performer of the year, Best Bar Magician of the Year and for Best Comedy Act of the Year. In the history of the Magic Castle, he was the only magician to be nominated in all six categories: Comedy, Stage, Close-up, Parlor, Bar, and Lecture. He appeared on TV in “Masters of Illusion”.  And, if all that wasn’t enough, he spoke Italian, English, Spanish and French and performed in all four languages. Besides bewildering audiences large and small, Aldo wrote and published several books on magic and created many magical effects used by magicians all over the world. He also lectured on magic worldwide and was nominated by the Academy of Magical Arts as Lecturer of the Year twice.

The magic community mourns his passing and will miss the joyous magical light of our friend Aldo.

Spring is just around the corner and that always signals the rebirth of the earth and renewed hope for the coming year.  The passing of Also has fueled some introspection about the aging of the magic community as I know it and the hope for the future of magic.

Encouraging  the spark of interest shown by any young magician wanna-be is a duty of everyone who is reading this newsletter.  We MUST foster the growth of our art if it is to survive.  The competition is fierce.  Technology has overcome the “impossible” in so many fields, magic and magicians will become relics of the past if we don’t embrace the advances in our art and accept the fact that “the way we did it in the old days” just doesn’t cut it any more.  Don’t be afraid of the future — it is NOW.  

                                                               Judy Hollingsworth
TAOM Club Coordinator