Society of American Magicians #94
Magicians from all over the San Francisco Bay Area meet
in Palo Alto, California. We're a local assembly of the international Society
of American Magicians. Our club offers a monthly meeting for magicians -- those
who are trained (or who are training) in the performing art of prestidigitation.
This is an "unofficial" web site for SAM94, but you will find things here about SAM94 and Bay Area Magic that you won't find anywhere else...
A weekly lunch for magicians in or visiting the Bay Area... still going strong!
SAM94 officers last year were: President, Kim Silverman; Vice President, Jonathan Steigman; Secretary, Joe Caffall; and Treasurer, Blaine Garst.
We meet the Second Monday of each month... Our next meeting is:
Monday, 14 July 2008
Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto, CA
Regular meetings are preceeded
by a Learners' Workshop
at 6:30 p.m.
not just for beginners
This month's meeting will be all about: Sponge Balls and other spongey magic. Many magicians have an intense love-hate relationship with the Sponge Balls; we'll explore why, and see some killer sponge routines. Everyone, please bring any sponge-related magic, including lots and lots of sponge balls!
The Learners' Workshop will continue to work on the basic and extended handling of a magical effect.
The Learners' Workshop continues to be successful, and so we want to remind people about it and invite beginners. All skill levels are invited, but people are reminded that this is a participatory workshop: everybody who comes actually tries out and performs the material. There are no passive observers. Each Learners' Workshop is a hands-on, practical training session that offers participants the chance to learn a complete effect, including all the "moves" as well as tips on presentation.
Our regular monthly meetings are held at the First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto, CA
Recent Meetings
In June, Jonathan Steigman led a discussion based on a Tommy Wonder essay about the Zombie Ball. Wonder defended this much-maligned trick, saying it is one of the worst tricks for bad and mediocre magicians. He then went into a deep analysis of the kind of thinking required to make the Zombie work, centered around the question of, Why does it float? What is its personality? Is it lighter than air? Anti-gravity? Quick and flighty? Obstreperous? Playful? Heavy and plodding...?
February started off with a terrific lecture and master class by Eugene Burger. Then at our regular meeting, we had a spirited discussion of presentation, character, and scripting, all in the context of making an effect or a performance magical. Joining in this discussion and contributing a variety of viewpoints were Kim Silverman, Bill Goldman, Jeff Haas, and several others. Performers at the February meeting: Paul Cardoza had John Signa select several cards, then was able to name the cards in John's hand, one at a time. Joe Caffall performed a triple prediction effect using business cards. John Signa used a story of people on a bus, and an old riddle, to present an entertaining card prediction. Stefan Fisher gave a card reading with Lyn Bronner, with the final card being identified by a talking plastic gnome. Kim Silverman showed us a different presentation theme for the effect John had performed earlier. He also performed his Ninja Ring routine with his new patter.
2007's Annual "Pizza and a Show"
In November, we held our Annual Pizza and a Show Night, with
perhaps the biggest turnout ever. Before and during dinner, Jeff Chiou and
Joe Caffall performed strolling table magic, while Nancy Ward made enchanting
balloon sculptures. After salad, pizza, and dessert, the show began.
To start the show, our MC, Jeff Haas, introduced David Hirata. David performed
his "Rope Factory" routine, a series of effects with a length of
rope: two ends - no maybe three or four ends, or maybe no ends - and a middle
or two, as well. He also performed an elegant silent Linking Ring
routine he calls "The Ambiguity of Light." John Bodine began by
spinning a cigarette paper on his finger tip, like a propeller. He swallowed
a length of thread, apparently just for the fun of it, then took us through an
interesting series of definitions stemming from the word “magic.” From
a deck of cards, he had each of three spectators remove and remember a card,
then return it to the deck. John took the four Threes, had one of the spectators
throw the deck, and caught all of the selected cards among the Threes. And
then he pulled the string he had swallowed out of his belly, right through
the skin just above his waist. Jeff Haas performed a cute and funny Sponge
Ball routine with Scott Emo's young daughter Lauren. "Professional
Showoff" Trey Cromwell warmed up with some impossible stretching
and contortions with a broom, then exhibited his Knife Juggling skills. Bill
Goldman closed the show with an act ranging from a balloon that would not
stop squeeking even when it was completely out of air to having a card
thought of by one spectator match one previously selected by another. He
found cards picked by two other members of the audience. Along the way, he
swallowed a huge pill. He had a chosen card appear in a picture that had
been assembled and held by spectator.
Huge thanks to Julie Silverman for organizing the food; to Rosel and
Irv Barowsky, Paul Hastings, Blaine Garst, and John Signa for setting up
the room; to our performers; and to everyone else who helped make this a
great, fun event!
Directions to our regular meeting place the First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto, CA
What happened at some recent meetings:
October's meeting was “Entertainment for Your Next Party Is in the Bag.” Everyone joined in our Brown Bag Magic competition. Participants were randomly divided into teams and given a shopping bag of common, everyday items. Teams were given time to create effects using just the bags' contents, then they performed their creations. If you missed it and you're curious, each bag contained: 4 Styrofoam cups; 6 pompoms, four of one color plus two yellow; four red and two blue rubber bands; 1 needle; 10 feet (approximately) of clear thread; 1 pair of scissors; 1 roll of clear tape; 1 Glue Stick; 12 blank index cards; 6 envelopes; 3 large brass safety pins; 1 mini permanent marker; 3 matchbooks; 1 box of wooden matches; construction paper (two sheets of each of four colors); 2 matching copies of "Metro" or "Wave" tabloid-size papers; 4 plastic doves, 1 inch; 4 plastic wedding rings; 4 matching Hallowe'en rings (skulls, bats, or spiders); 1 deck of playing cards with one duplicate card; 10 feet (approximately) of white twine; 1 yellow foam star; 2 white feathers; 2 lunch bags; 2 zipper-type sandwich bags.
September's meeting was an entertaining lecture by... Fielding West!
Our April meeting featured a terrific lecture by Shoot Ogawa. A highlight throughout the lecture was that he provided alternative methods that could be used for accomplishing mandy of his routines, depending on the skill and experience of the performer. The night after the lecture, Shoot gave an in-depth, hands-on workshop on his famous Ninja Rings. Although we normally don't do a Beginner's Workshop on lecture nights, several people turned up so we did an impromptu one, led ably by Bill Goldman. He taught some coin vanishes from your clothes (or a spectator's clothes, which leads to some interesting possibilities).
Between our February and March meetings we had a special lecture on a special day: Alain Choquette! Last year, at September's meeting, veteran tradeshow performer Bill Goldman delivered an entertaining lecture filled with hilarious bits of business and a number of strong and direct effects, mainly with cards. Goldman also regaled the audience with tales of his tradeshow days, in which he traveled all over the world and worked for presidents, captains of industry, celebrities, and kings. Goldman's lecture was very well received. Thank you to all who attended. The following evening, Bill Goldman met with six very interested and motivated attendees from 7:00 PM until nearly midnight for an intensive hands-on workshop. Bill taught the details and subtleties of several routines, including a coin matrix, several card routines, a fire-assisted torn-and-restored, and a ring-on-rope. This included details of the handling of the props, advice about timing and pacing, and performance scripts. Some of the routines had been briefly shown during the lecture, but the rest was additional material. Thereafter four of the attendees performed their own pieces, and got feedback and discussion from Bill himself and from other participants. Overall the whole workshop was very valuable to all attendees. Everybody left a better magician than when he/she arrived.
See who we've had lecture in the past!
Click here to see what happened some other previous club meetings
Look at some pictures from 2001's banquet
Check out some pictures from our 1998 banquet! (Wow, that's an oldie!)
SAM 94 meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto, CA (at the corner of Homer and Webster). Click here for directions and a map.
Who can attend?
Our meetings are usually open to all magicians (or serious students of magic) -- visiting magicians are encouraged to attend. Except for special events (e.g. lectures) there is no charge to attend our meetings while you decided if you want to join our club -- or if you are a magician visiting the area. When we have guest lectures (we've had Lee Earle, Dan Garrett, Docc Hilford, Guy Hollingworth, Loren Christopher Michaels, and David Roth to name a few) non-members are required to pay to attend.
What are the meetings like?
Some of our past meetings from years ago have been: November was our annual banquet with a few performances by some members; September's theme was Halloween and Haunted Houses; July was a special lecture by Mitch Williams; April's theme was RINGS; the February meeting was a special lecture by Jerry Andrus; and the January 1997 meeting was our annual flea market and auction.
Click here to see some pictures from our meetings.
Or click here to find out about some of our past lectures.
How about a lunch for magicians... every Saturday?
There is also a lunch every Saturday for magicians to just get-together, talk, show, and share -- not affiliated with any club, no membership needed... just be a magician, show up, and pay for your own lunch (not affiliated with SAM 94). We've been doing this weekly lunch for over twelve years!
Yes, it really is still going on every saturday after all these years... Sometimes 2 people show up, sometimes 6 or 8 show up. Here it is... May 2007 and these weekly lunches are still going!
In the PAST there was Glenn's Calendar of Magic! Let's see if he'll get the calendar up and running again...???? Will he? or won't he? I think he won't...