May 2012 - ACES Magic Club

May 2012
VO RTE X
Magic Club of PJs Trick Shop
Schedule
Tue. May 15th
3rd Annual Contest
Tue June 19th
Workshop T.B.A.
Tue. July 17th
Lecture T.B.A.
Tue. Aug. 21st
Workshop / Elections
Tue Sept. 18th
Show / Lecture
T.B.A.
Tue Oct. 16th
T.B.A.
T.B.A.
Meetings Info
All dates and events
are subject to
change.
Workshops
PJs Trick Shop is going to be offering bonus hands on workshop coming
soon. These workshops will be more of a hands on approach. We are
looking to start the first workshop sometime late May. The first one will be a
beginners class on balloon animals. We are also interested in hands on
magic as well as performance. Just a few of our teachers will be Bill Cook,
Dan Neilson, and Andrew Michals. If you know of anyone who is just
starting or just needs a little more of a one on one teaching experience
please contact Brian for more information.
Meetings are
normally held on the
3rd Tuesday monthly.
Dues
$80.00 / Year +
Benefits
Workshops
Anyone interested in
teaching a table at
the next workshop
meeting please ask
us how to get your
own table.
Elections
August 21st is our election day for Aces. This year the positions of
President, Vice President, and Secretary are up for election. If you are
interested in running for any of these position or wonder what these
positions duties are please contact Brian at PJs Trick Shop for more
information.
ACEs Member Focus:
Here are a few pictures from our
new location last month. A special
thank you to Jon Armstrong for
last months lecture.
This month’s spotlight is on one of our newest members: Mary
macaroni (a.k.a. Karen Burris). Karen, a Wisconsin native was not
interested in magic at all until she was 24 years old! As a Vocal and
Instrumental Music major B.S. graduate from the University of
Wisconsin she was working for Carnival Cruise lines as a
singer/dancer. One of the on-board performers was an illusionist.
When he divorced his assistant he asked Karen help him out. At
age 31 she moved to Chicago and met the talented variety
performers that worked in the city all the time. Through a series of
introductions, Karen met someone who actually ordered props for
her and got her started performing at children’s shows. It was then
that Karen truly became interested in magic. Although Karen’s
favorite kind of magic to watch is Comedy Stage Magic and Illusions
(her all time favorite trick is the Sub trunk!), she best likes to perform
Children’s Magic. “I love their reactions and their comments. I love
the challenge of keeping them engaged and interested” she says.
She also loves playing the role of ‘Assistant’, “I love being a box
jumper. I love being part of a team on stage, I love being a showgirl,
I love doing the work of jumping in boxes and manipulating the
props. “ Karen says that her biggest influence in magic has been
Danny Orleans. “He found me on a tradeshow floor and I have
worked with him for many years. I have learned a lot from him about
magic, performing and the business. He is always encouraging me
to keep learning and growing.
Karen Burris loves being Mary Macaroni!
Mary
Macaroni
has
entertained
audiences on Carnival cruise ships,
amusement parks, Navy Pier special
events, Chicago Bulls games, and
countless birthday parties and family
events throughout Chicagoland.
Her
shows incorporate balloon art, face
painting, magic, music and games.
Karen also has many characters and
costumes available to suit the theme of
any event a child wishes to have. When
you see Mary (a.k.a. Karen) at the next
ACEs Meeting be sure to give her a
warm welcome.
May 2012
VO RTE X
Chicago’s Premier Magic Club
It’s a Mystery To Me
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President
Bill Cook
VP
Steve Lindstrom
Secretary
Andrew Michals
Barry Sonenthal
Technology is important to all industries. The Internet is expanding at a hyper
speed rate, but there are downs with the magical ups. The Borders book chain is
history. I like books. I have only about 80 in my modest magic library yet I have
only a few DVDS. I noticed something a few months back that I find disturbing.
You wont find any of our DVDS in an open commercial market. Why then have
the producers of these teaching videos include ‘Performance Only’ items on
their programs? If I invest in their product then why am I buying something that is
selectively teaching? Why? The same trick is within its entirety in a book by
another author. You will not find his book on a shelf of a national book chain. I
have a second question. Why are known performers now exclusively selling their
stuff? Are they so NOT busy between gigs that they have the time to answer mail,
package, scale, add appropriate postage, and make the trip to the shippers
(Post Office / UPS / FedEx)? Is it just to see a higher profit? What is the real reason
for independent sales? Knockoffs! If Joe the magician sells his stuff then he sees a
profit before the trick has been exposed in the market and spawned knockoffs.
There is no answer to knockoffs. Technology spawned the concept and its going
to get bigger before it gets smaller.
See you next month.
See Magic Live -- Where do YOU perform?
Pete Kovacevich
Mark Presley
Bill Cook
Dan Neilson
Steve Belliveau
Your Name
- Wednesdays
- Fridays
- Saturdays
- Sundays
- Sundays
- Day
IHOP Buffalo Grove
Barnaby’s Arlington Heights
Paisanos Richmond
Glenview Hackneys
LaVilla in Chicago
Where
Treasurer
Brian Johnson
Support Your Sponsors
Officer At Large
Kevin Kapinos
Rocky Vanders Café & Bar
www.PJsTrickShop.com
PR
For more information on
ACEs Magic Club visit us online
Fred Paul Bailey
www.ACEsMagicClub.com