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News from the World of Magic>
Have no fear - The Wunderground Newsletter is here
October 2, 2009
Hello, I’m Paul. Welcome to another exciting edition of Wunderground News, your monthly mayhem of magical magazine merriment - with all the news that magicians use! Of course regular folks can use it too; they just don’t get any of the jokes. (And magicians remember your oath – never tell anyone that the jokes here really aren’t even funny.)
In This Issue
Halloween Magic.
Handy Hint - Add Some Magic to Your Treats
Spooky Magic. - Add Some Macabre to Your Magic
Haunted Detroit Tours. - Discover the Spooky Side of Detroit
Trick or Treat Trail in Clawson. - We Need Volunteers
Classes.
Kids Magic Classes. - Sign Up Now
Adult Workshop. - Bring a Jacket
Contact Juggling with Flec S. Mindscape. - No Jacket Required
Media.
Guest Blogging. - A New Column by Yours Truly
Vote 4 the Best Results. - Not Good News
Andrew Makar Joins the Examiner - The Detroit Magic Scene
Events. - October was Made for Magic
Performances.
David Copperfield.
Mad, Magic, and Mental Show starring Nathan Kranzo and Keith Fields.
Lectures.
Sleight of Hand Legend: John Carney Lecture!
Michael Ammar
Devin Knight Lecture.
Meetings.
Ann Arbor Magic Club Flea Market
Midland Juggling Club's Annual Juggling Festival
The 13th Annual Motor City Convention.
Halloween Magic
Handy Hint
Here’s a handy hint from your helpful host at Wunderground Magic. Rather than just handing out treats this Halloween, why not produce the candy by magic? A Dove Pan, Change Bag, Temple Screen, or the new Fold Flat Production Box would make a great candy production device. Leave the kids talking about your house as they make their way down the street.
Spooky Magic
Want something spooky for your show this Halloween? How about the Haunted Key, Spirit Slates, Haunted Hank, Mummy Mystery, or a Finger Guillotine?
On stage, consider Skeleton in Closet (a Strat-O-Sphere with a skeleton or ghost), Disecto (a wrist chopper), Visible Sawing in Half, or the ever popular Sword through Neck.
In books we have Pleasant Nightmares, Spirit Theater, or Spook Show in Your Parlor (still only $1)
We have DVDs too. Docc Hilford has Monster Mentalism, Steve Fearson brings back the ghost of a gambler in Legend, and Heavy Creatures will teach you the real secrets of special effects make-up with Methods of the Macabre.
Haunted Detroit Tours
Our good friends Keith Stickley and Chuck Stroud will once again take you on an incredible 3 hour ghost-hunting paranormal adventure through the haunted underbelly of Detroit. This is unlike any haunted tour you’ve been on before. There are no special effects jumping out at you nor people dressed up on monster costumes; rather, this is a guided tour of historical haunted sites in the metro Detroit area. Your $30 admission covers round trip transportation, entrance to haunted locations, and the use of high-tech ghost hunting tools. For tickets and reservations call (248) 246-0607 or visit www.haunteddetroittours.com
Trick or Treat Trail in Clawson
Join us for the Trick or Treat Trail in Clawson Park Oct 25, 6 - 8 pm. Help! We need people to hand out treats and perform for our costumed audience.
Classes
Kids Magic Classes
Kids love magic! Every Saturday morning at 10AM they have a chance to learn to perform with master magician Dave Foydel and his somewhat shaky sidekick, Paul. Each week Dave will explore an exciting new facet of magic, while Paul will clean the cases, dust the shelves, and serve coffee. Dave will start with a magic show demonstrating the effects that we will learn that day, teach the sleights, and then show you how to perform them for your friends and family. Paul, on the other hand, you don’t want to let anywhere near your friends and family.
Adult Workshop
This month we’re especially excited to have Arthur Ottney as a special guest instructor for our adult magic workshop. Arthur will be teaching Advanced Close-Up Technique. This workshop focuses on three fundamental areas of close-up sleight-of-hand magic: Sleeving, Lapping, and Coin sleights. It’s not just about tricks. It’s about useful methods and techniques.
Arthur has been part of the Detroit magic community for over 30 years. Since 1975, he was fortunate to apprentice with local greats including Milt Kort and Clare Cummings where he learned the basics and foundations of great magic. Starting as a demonstrator for Mike Foydel at Romig Magic in 1986, Arthur worked and collaborated with exceptional talents for many years including Michael Mode, David Wirth, Dave Foydel, and Gordy Russ. Though he left the scene for many years to live in Europe and earn a couple graduate degrees, he never lost the love and appreciation for the art of magic. He’s now back at it enjoying the camaraderie, community and opportunity to learn, share and teach.
Michael Mode has this to say about Arthur: "I've known Arthur for over 20 years - since we were teenagers hanging out and working at Romig Magic Shop in Ferndale, Michigan. He's always impressed me with his creativity, skills and ability to take a magic effect and simplify both the method and presentation. I was lucky to have Arthur as one of my teachers when I was first starting in magic and I still seek his advice and expertise when developing material today. Don't miss his signature "'Depends' Coin Vanish", an amazing close-up technique that is sure to fool."
This exceptional adult magic workshop will be held Tuesday, October 6, from 6:30 until 8 PM. The cost for this special workshop will slightly more than the regular workshops, $30, which includes all necessary props. To participate in the practice session, it's recommended that you wear a button down shirt and bring a sport/suit coat.
Contact Juggling with Flec S. Mindscape
Contact juggling is a slower, more relaxing, more controlled juggling form than “toss juggling.” You may recognize it as “that thing David Bowie did in Labyrinth with the crystal balls.” Flec is a master of contact juggling and will teach techniques including the butterfly, palm spinning, passes, and isolations. Classes run from 5 until 7 PM, but students are encouraged to attend any portion of the class that fits their schedules. The cost is $40 for the first lesson, which includes a practice ball, and $20 for each subsequent lesson. Classes are held every Wednesday in the dungeons of Wunderground Magic now through October 23.
Media
Guest Blogging
Apparently because they had too many readers and were looking for ways to get rid of them, Metromode magazine? has asked me to be a featured guest blogger for the week of Halloween. The topic is the always scary “Southeast Michigan region and its economic future.”
At first I thought that would be easy. I could turn in a blank page representing “None!” as the economic future. But the editor didn’t go for that. So, I was thinking of doing the whole thing in verse in the style of Edgar Allan Poe. All I’ve come up with so far is “Quoth the Mayor, ‘Nevermore.’” Maybe if I keep reading the quaint and curious volumes we have lying around here, I’ll come up with something profound. If only these rappers would quit rapping, rapping gently in the hall outside my office door…
Vote 4 the Best Results
It’s a sad day in Clawson. We didn’t even place in the “Vote 4 the Best” contest. Thank you for all of your support. We’ll get them next year!
Andrew Makar Joins the Examiner
Andrew recently started writing for the Examiner which is that tabloid “newspaper” you find in supermarket checkout lanes with headlines like “Elvis’ Three Headed Baby Found on Mars.” (Oops, sorry, my editor just told me that’s actually the Inquirer.) The Examiner is a national web-based newspaper/ezine about regional events across the country. Andrew writes the Detroit Magic Examiner column in the Examiner's Hobbies and Games section.
The main goal is to promote magic in the Detroit area. He’s looking to collect stories, links, ideas, etc from various magicians, magic shops, and lecture circuit presenters. Please pass the word that he’s looking for press release or newsletter style content so he can promote events and the performer further. He’s also interested in doing in depth interviews with local Detroit professionals and hobbyists.
There is a lot we can do to collectively promote magic in Detroit, and we wanted to reach out to you to get the word out!
Detroit Magic Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-18583-Detroit-Magic-Examiner
Events
Performances
David Copperfield
Oct 9 & 10
Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit
We found tickets with no service fees at Hockeytown Authentics in Troy (1845 E. Big Beaver Road)
Mad, Magic, and Mental Show starring Nathan Kranzo and Keith Fields
Saturday, October 17
Wealthy Theater, 1130 Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids.
3 PM Family Show and 8 PM Evening Show.
Tickets: $10.00 each.
See web site www.madmagicandmental.com for full details.
Contact: Sarah Harfield (586-556-5579)at sarah@harfield.biz.
A brand new show, and we have some surprises planned – If you are in the area, or know anyone who is, try and pop in and join us... come for a drink afterwards and tell us what you thought.
Lectures
Sleight of Hand Legend: John Carney Lecture!
October 08, 2009 7:30 PM
Clawson, Michigan City Hall, 425 N Main St., Clawson, MI 48017
(2 blocks north of 14 Mile Road on west side of street)
(248) 435-4500
ADMISSION: $25.00 (this is not an IBM Ring 22 lecture)
Carney is known as one of the top sleight of hand magicians in the world with smart, unique, and often hilarious presentations. The Magic Castle has awarded Carney more awards than anyone in their history, the only performer to win in every category. . His books, Carneycopia and The Book of Secrets, are considered by many to be modern magic classics.
John now offers a brand new program, available in a few select cities. His two hour lecture includes stage and close-up magic using cards, coins, cigars and a variety of everyday objects. Each routine is a lesson in itself, containing the insights and ingenuities that have made John one of the premier teachers of magic today. Topics include presentation, routining, misdirection and creativity.
Michael Ammar
October 15th @ 7:30pm
Wunderground West, 6262 Middlebelt Rd, Garden City, MI 48135
Mark your calendars now and plan on attending. Although he tours around the world, he doesn't come our way very often. It's been about 6 years since he was in Michigan last. In fact, when he announced his mid-west tour back in May he was going to skip Michigan, but with a little help from John Luka he will be stopping here. So don't miss out on meeting one of the true masters of magic. Michael will also be holding an optional workshop for 6-12 people only so contact Tim for details (734) 422-2322
Devin Knight Lecture
Oct 26
Devin Knight is taking his unique brand of magic on the road in his first and long awaited lecture tour. Featuring over an hour and a half of his original ideas. A mixture of both comedy magic, stage effects and mind-boggling mentalism. Devin was Al Mann's protege and will also teach some of Al's little known mentalism effects with Devin's improvements on them.
Meetings
Ann Arbor Magic Club Flea Market
Sunday October 25, 2009
Van Buren Eagles Club, 9961 Beck Rd., Belleville, MI, Exit 190 off of 1-94
Admission $5.00
To reserve a table call Marvin Mathena at 734-482-9523
You can find a map to the Flea Market at: www.aamagic.org
Midland Juggling Club's Annual Juggling Festival
Friday November 6, 2009 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday November 7, 2009 10:00am - 10:00pm
Midland Salvation Army, 330 Waldo avenue, Midland MI
Workshops - Raffles - Games
Back by popular demand: Showtime staring you!
Bring your fun & stupid human tricks!
Juggling, performances, games and tricks,
Musical instruments, clogging shoes.
Hey, if you can't amaze us, amuse yourself!
Vendors Welcome.
Contact Julie Wright
989-835-8237
jewlsiyq@chartermi.net
We hope to see you there!
Donations will be accepted for the Salvation Army!
Please help spread the word!
www.midlandjugglignclub.com
The 13th Annual Motor City Convention
Weekend of November 13-15, 2009.
Ramada Inn Of Taylor, Michigan.
Featuring: Joshua Jay, David Neighbors, Oscar Munoz, and Helder Guimarães.
Special guest appearance by Paul Nielsen and Wunderground Magic, Inc.
There will also be some other surprises.
More convention information: http://www.johnlukamagic.com/
Take care,
Paul
P.S. Call Wunderground Magic to make your next event magical. Hurry, magicians are disappearing quickly!
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Clawson, MI 48017
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