The 2007 MAES was held at the Radisson Hotel in Trevose, PA , August 23rd – 25th. The convention got underway on Thursday with a silk lecture by Pete White, followed by a lecture on stand-up magic by Dan Garrett. Both were well attended and well received. The evening entertainment “Special Event” was an hour with the “French Connection” – Richard Saunders & Alain Choquette. Hilarity reigned, and everyone left smiling, including the performers. The evening concluded with our annual auction with auctioneer Marc DeSouza swinging the gavel.
The first order of business on Friday morning, was the Close-Up Contest. The first performer, Ezra Dutch Feldman, performed a routine with a card that kept vanishing from the deck and appearing in his pocket. Next up was Cory Bragar, with a cleverly themed act based around her “day’ job as an attorney. Noland Montgomery followed with the cups and balls, and Samson Fowler performed a very nice 4 Ace effect to music. Alley Shelly was the next entrant, with a very clever stewardess character routine built around the theme of travel. Karl Eason performed a card effect whereby an audience member can declare the deck position of their selected card. Matt Schick performed a clever card routine about finding a chosen card with the assistance of a map. Michael St. James was next with a 4 Ace effect employing a military theme, then George Gee baffled the audience with a deck that changed back and forth from blank to printed, blue backs to red, with the finale of two cards changing places. Forrest Chapman performed a silent manipulation act utilizing pens, multiplying coins and bills, concluding with a shoe production. Harrison Lampert was next with a sponge ball routine themed around Chinese take-out, and Shawn Gollatz closed the competition with an act featuring coin manipulation, followed by a card that is first scorched then restored.
The Dealers’ Show was next, followed by a Lecture/Workshop by Goldfinger and Dove. The close-up show ensued, opened by surprise guest Jeff McBride performing card productions. MC duties were handled by Ice McDonald, and the amazing talent of Richie B, Dan Garrett, Joan Du Kore, Bob Little, George Saterial and Richard Sanders provided a memorable experience. Just prior to the start of the The William H. Endlich Memorial Show, President Arlen Solomon presented Secretary/Treasurer Joe Curcillo with an engraved plaque, honoring his years of service to the MAES.
The show was emceed by Dan Garrett, and featured performances by Bill and Nadine Dixon, Lovell Buchannan, Bruce Kalver. Bruce Kalver lectured to conclude the evening. The after-hours events included a visit from professional magician and Philadelphia Eagles long snapper, John Dorenbos.
Saturday was a big day for our contestants. The stage competition got underway at 9:00 a.m., with first contestant, William Ragsdale, performing an act featuring silks and flowers. Andy Huang followed with an act aptly named “Indoor Lighting,” featuring productions of lamps and color changing light bulbs. Karl Eason was next, performing a theme act based on cooking, with his assistant from the audience, Eric DeSouza, deftly balancing one dozen eggs in his 3 ½ year-old arms. Michael St. James was next, with an act based on mixing Margaritas, which led to Forrest Chapman performing a surreal manipulation act with a hat, cards, his finger, thimbles and billiard balls. Zoe Reiches was next, with a character piece about a girl preparing for a date, and Harrison Lampert followed with compact disc productions, silk know work, and the production and vanish of a dove. Peter Waluk performed a new-age themed act featuring silks, single card productions and billiard ball manipulations. Almar was next with a bizarre card trick involving bondage. George Gee and Johanna returned us to reality with an act featuring ropes, billiard balls, cards and confetti. Michael Mathies produced cards, cigarettes, doves and billiard balls, and Samson Fowler performed deck fans and card productions. Jason Andrews performing the classics of stage magic: zombie, billiard balls, torn and restored card, and a flawless dove vanish into tails. Robert Sode was next with silks to doves, cigarette productions, and a dove from balloon. Reed Spool concluded the competition with a character act sweetly themed by candy.
The afternoon was jam packed with lectures by George Saterial and Richard Sanders and the annual business meeting, where our new officers were elected.
Everyone enjoyed a well deserved dinner break. We reconvened for the awards ceremony, where the results of the contests were announced:
Prior to the gala show, Joe Curcillo presented Alain Choquette with an honorary Green Card.
The show featured George Saterial, Howard Mincone and Joan Du Kore, closing with Goldfinger and Dove. In what was an M.A.E.S. first, George Gee, in conspiracy with emcee Alain Choquette, engineered an on-stage proposal to his girlfriend, Joanna Ellam. Happily for all concerned, she said, “Yes!”