Assembly
141 of the Society of American Magicians
Columbia,
Maryland
Last updated Sept 2008
CABAL GRAM - September 2008
The monthly newsletter of the
COLUMBIA CONJURORS
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS
August 29, 2008
SAM 141, Columbia Conjurors:
1. Our next meeting is Monday,
Sept. 8, 2008, at 8 p.m. at the Faulkner Center. We will be taking care
of some administrative matters and the magic theme will be an open night,
which we actually have not had in several years--that means anything,
as in cards, coins, close-up, stage, parlor, packet, mentalism, mind-reading, sleight,
gimmicks, production, comedy, kids, clown, balloons, juggling, silks,
gags, whatever you want to do. One year, a few people actually
had asked for an open-theme meeting, and we never got around to it,
so here's your chance. Bring anything and perform anything.
2. We will be taking care of the officers for the 2008-2009 meeting year,
so if you want to nominate someone, or if you are interested in holding
an office, please keep that in mind. We are bypasing the usual protocol
because of scheduling, meeting and administrative and lecture and show
and timing reasons, but we will be voting on new officers at the meeting.
3. We will be setting the agenda for the meeting themes for the new
year. This year, we're opening up the theme discussion to the membership
to be more inclusive. We will decide meeting themes for only six meetings:
October, November, January, February, March and May. December is the Tommy
Ivey show, which we are planning to do in 2008. April is the Lindsay
Crawford Originality Contest, which we encourage people to start thinking
about now and to please enter; and June is the kids' show, which we are
planning to do as well in 2009. So please come on Sept. 8 with ideas for
themes for those six meetings.
4. We had a fun Tric-Nic in August, 2008, and it was great to see this
nice summer tradition still alive and continuing. Thanks to everyone for
showing up, thanks to Pravin and his family for the use of their house,
and thanks to those who performed some tricks, and to those who brought
food and drinks! Thanks to Tom for manning the grill for the second year
in a row--that was nice! It was a nice evening, all-around.
5. We will be talking about how the Columbia Conjurors will be manning
the kids' meetings in the 2008-2009 year. Basically we will have a series
of guest lecturers and teachers once a month for the kids on the same
nights as the SAM 141 meetings, to make it easier and smoother for everyone.
We really want to make this work, so please bring ideas for helping out
the kids once a month, and for guiding them to do tricks for the December
and June shows. Thanks to Pravin for taking the reins on this.
6. A BIG REMINDER THAT THE 2008 MAES CONVENTION IS BEING HELD SEPT.
11-13 AT THE HOTEL CARLISLE IN CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA. ALL THE DETAILS
ARE AT THE MAES WEB SITE, WHICH IS http://www.maesonline.org/. AS
OF NOW, I BELIEVE THAT PRAVIN, MATT, TOM, AND WAYNE AND ELLEN MILLER ARE
ATTENDING. RALPH FOWLER USUALLY ATTENDS, AND OFTEN HERB, JIM AND DON ATTEND,
TOO. IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN WEEKEND AND THE TIME AND RESOURCES, PLEASE CONSIDER
ATTENDING, AS IT IS ALWAYS AN EDUCATIONAL, FUN AND ENTERTAINING WEEKEND!
7. Just a note: The Maryland State Fair is this week and also runs during
the Labor Day weekend, and sometimes in years past, Jack Severe had some
very well-crafted magic crafts on display, but, alas, just to let you
know, Jack is not entering this year--just in case you were in the craft
building and were looking!! Jack's beautiful crafts have won some ribbons
in past years!
8. Dave Austin called Wayne and Ellen Miller about the Leisure World 2009
show, and we are on to again produce a Conjurors magic show at Leisure
World in Silver Spring in March, 2009. We need some producers for
the show--preferably at least one co-producer who is a longtime magic
veteran to guide the show and performances. Tom and Matt have volunteered
to be co-producers in some areas, but we would like another longtime magic
vet to be a co-producer. Also, please start thinking about good stage
magic performances that you could perform for the March, 2009, Conjurors
Leisure World show! Thanks to Dave Austin and the Millers for jumpstarting
the production and schedule for the March, 2009. Conjurors Leisure World
show.
That should do it for now. Please plan on coming out for the September
Conjurors meeting---to vote on officers, to discuss meeting themes, to
volunteer for the kids' meetings, and to perform absolutely whatever you
want to perform in terms of magic at the meeting!
--Matt.