Newsletters 2002

President: Derrin Berger Vice President: Marc Berger
Treasurer: Joel Zaritsky Secretary: Frank Monaco Scribe: Craig Kunaschk

David Haines puts on a great show at the Mid Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

2009 Newsletters, SAM #35, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Next Meeting
Kozmo!

Tuesday, January 13th, 2008
7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

Greetings fellow S.A.M. #35'ers!

The presents have been unwrapped, 2008 has left us, and it now being only the first day of 2009 I've already broken 4 resolutions. I hope all of you had wonderful holidays and an already happy new year.

Old Business:

To the victor belong the spoils!

And by victor I mean any member that attended. In case you weren't aware, last month's meeting was the flea market, and anyone who was there can surely tell you that it was one of the best ones we've had. Thanks to an unexpected and ridiculously generous donation from a past member (Thank You Hallam Derx!) a collection of almost 30 years (about a dozen full boxes) of magic was up for grabs, the proceeds of which went to the club. Those of us that made it might even say that the unusually low turnout for the meeting was a mixed blessing. It just meant there was more for us to take, and the collections of books and effects were certainly hard to resist. The objective was simply to unload all of the books and props, which meant it was essentially a night of "make me an offer". Joel, Frank, and myself were kept quite busy behind 3 full tables, making deals, and watching some amazing magic get put into the hands of members and guests at amazing prices. A complete set of Tarbell books went for $25 dollars, the entire set of Vernon Chronicles went for $20, and the complete set of Jinx and Mahatmas went for just a little over $100. And that was literally just the tip of the iceberg. It just goes to show that you never know what you might be missing when you skip a meeting. And thanks again to Hal for the donation, the club pocketed a nice bit of cash, and many left with armfuls of books, props, and smiles.

New Business:

Kozmo hits Poughkeepsie!

This month's meeting will feature Kozmo! Kozmo has been making a name for himself and building a reputation with his street magic dvd: "Kozmo - Tales from the Streets: A Guide to Performing Magic on the Streets". As luck would have it, the magic world is getting smaller and smaller. When I did a little research into the lecture I learned that Kozmo was actually a magician I used to hang out with back in my days at Cornell. My how time flies! Our little Derrin is all grown up! Pardon my digression... I have been hearing many good things about his DVD's and his lecture, so make sure your calendar is clear. And again, you just never know what may happen :)

In other news, Frank, Kevin, and myself have begun work on the new website and hope to pick up a little more steam now that the holiday time is dwindling. As always, if anyone would like to volunteer and throw their hat in the ring, we'll surely appreciate the help.

In other other news, I've recently read that NBC is working on a new sitcom centered around Criss Angel. I'm not sure on a lot of the details, but I think I heard he fired all of the writers... twice... and that even though most of the shows will use stooge actors, he swears he can do it with real actors. The show is slated to start at the end of January... No February... No, March...

Giddyup,

Derrin

New Year...........New e-mail Address..........NEWsletter............IT'S All NEW!!!!!

As you probably already figured out, the Newsletter is coming to you via a different e-mail address. As mentioned before, we switched from our old Yahoo address to a new G-mail account. However, the new address is virtually the same as the old one. If you would like to contact me to submit something for the Newsletter, our new e-mail address is Sam35Editor@Gmail.com. Remember, if you have any programs running that block spam or mass e-mails in general, please add our new e-mail address as a known address, so you get this newsletter. Thank you.

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NEXT MEETING: Tuesday January 13, 2009

Event: Kozmo Lecture

Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533

Time: 7:30 PM

Admission Fee: Free to Members in good standing.
$5 for all others

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

Assembly News

Rudy Coby coming back??..........

Rudy Coby is getting back into performing again. Check out his new Website www.rudycoby.net

Local Assembly Dues are due!
Local dues are $25 dollars and should be paid on or before the September meeting.
All local members should also be members in good standing in the National S.A.M.
NOTE: National dues are going up to $65 a year. See MUM magazine to see how you can get membership for the next 3 years for only $50 a year (a $45 savings).

Classifieds

Have something to sell? Looking for something in particular? Send an email to Sam35Editor@Gmail.com to have it including in a magic classifieds section.

Source for Magic News
www.magictimes.com

Up-to-the-minute guide of Magic and Magicians on TV
www.tvmagicguide.com

A Comprehensive magic listing of Live magic shows around the world
www.livemagicguide.com

View Past Newsletters

Next Meeting
JAM!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
7:30 PM

Event: "JAM" Session & Magic Trivia Game

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

Members,

I hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits, and hopefully with not too much pain from shoveling snow. Apparently the groundhog business gave us another 6 weeks of winter, so that's bad. It's strange that it's always sunny enough on groundhog's day for there to even be shadows in the first place. If I were in charge of that whole procedure I might try to coax Punxsutawney Phil a little... find some shady area or carry an umbrella with me. Seriously, if one of us can make the Statue of Liberty disappear it shouldn't be that hard to keep some marmot from seeing a shadow. Anyway....

If you missed last month, the short story is that Kozmo gave an interesting lecture on street magic. While the magic itself may not have been anything we hadn't been exposed to, the road warrior stories and anecdotes about his travels and what it's like to perform real street magic are invaluable. There's no better learning tool than experience, and the opportunity to hear about first experience is always one to take advantage of. Without editorializing too much (but what the heck, you've already read this far), I'm not sure that the underlying message of lecture sits too well with me, and I think it should be taken into consideration with much thought before being put into practice. Numerous times throughout the evening it was mentioned that "you don't have to be that good" and "you only need 1 or 2 tricks to make a lot of money". I understand the point, I'm just not sure I agree those mantras should apply to everyone. There's a line between being a perfectionist and being lazy and I think we all need to find that line for ourselves. Should we tell our younger members that they should stay locked up in their rooms until their pass is invisible? No. But let's not let them think they're getting away with a bad one either. It's also a matter of what we think we're getting out of magic and what we're giving back to it. Can you make a lot of money delivering stock/hack lines for all of your patter? You sure can. But then ask yourself, if everyone takes that liberty what reason would anyone have for hiring any of us? Some other guy can say the same hack lines for half the fee. For us magic doesn't need to be impossible, but sometimes taking the easy route looks just that. I'll end my rant here for now.

On a more upbeat note, Kozmo is the creator of Reel Magic Magazine, a video magazine/dvd subscription service. I watched one and thought it was awesome. It's packed with interviews, effects, and tips, and the guests are a who's who in the world of magic. Not to mention the David Regal trick review section, finally we can actually SEE what the trick is.

And for those who weren't there, Marty won the ultimate cigarette and card manipulation package, complete with gimmicks and books :)

Now on to new business...

We'll be getting back to basics, but with a twist. The plan is a combined jam session/game night (of course, with prizes).

The basics: Let's try what happened back in the good ol' days and just have a real jam session, anything goes. I want to see some mentalism stuff, but hey, bring whatever you want. In the past these sessions have fallen into place almost accidentally. Once one person breaks the ice with a new trick the ball gets rolling. There's no reason we can't take this opportunity to learn from and teach one another.

The twist: The officers and I have tirelessly been writing question after question of magic trivia, and we're hoping all of you can show us what you know. Imagine jeopardy on slush powder, or family fued on flash paper, or dare I say it... Wheel of Fortune Telling Fish (those little plastic things that curl up in your hand). Details on how we're playing will be given out at the meeting, but I'm feeling prize coming on for someone that can stump the room with a history or trivia question about the club :)

See you then!

Giddyup,
-Derrin

PS. Nah... no PS right now, it's all up there.

NEXT MEETING: February 10, 2009

Event: "JAM" Session & Magic Trivia Game

Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533

Time: 7:30 PM

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

View Past Newsletters

Next Meeting

Lecture

Paul Richards from Elmwood Magic

March 10, 2009

7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

President's Words

Members,

Strength in numbers

I recently was part of a bad show. It wasn't a magic show, but a show nonetheless. It was an ensemble and each group member was given ample opportunity to shine and to help others shine. Unfortunately, when it came down to show time, we split. While normally we'd have a "group mind" mentality and try to function as a single unit, instead we had a group of individuals, all struggling for the sake of themselves instead of, for the good of the show.

Why do I bring this up, if it's not part of a magic show? Because, it's another example of something I've always believed in quite strongly. There is nothing better than working with others when it's time for a show, in any and all aspects. Sure, at the end of the day, we're each responsible for our own actions and decisions, but why not get help and input when it's warranted? As magicians, we're in a very unique position. We're often the writer, director, builder, performer, and promoter, but just as often we can't all write, direct, build, perform, and promote, all at the same time. Many of our favorite magicians, employ teams of people to handle all of the things they can't, from creativity to publicity.

Over the years, I've grown into an inner loop of people that I might call the "Derrin's Magic Braintrust" (also my initials, but that's irrelevant). These are people I turn to for brainstorming new ideas, critiquing effects, developing methods, and writing routines. Granted, each of us in this group has proven themselves to be completely capable of working completely on their own, but we'd all agree that we can fill certain roles that would've remained empty if we weren't working together. Many of you have heard the voice on the other end of my cell phone. It's a joke, but it's also quite real. None of that would've worked out if I had just called my friend and told him I didn't want any help. A few months ago, I was given a "magic challenge" to develop a number of new routines never done before. The process for this has been challenging, but fun and successful. I have people I can turn to for help with specific methods, people to help give the routines structure, and people to help give it the extra "kick" that really sells it. I don't have all the answers, and I'm happy that way.

I encourage all of you to find friends near and far, and from all walks of magic, to develop your magic braintrust. We'll all be better for it.

Derrin

This Month's Meeting Info

This month we are very happy to have with us Paul Richards, from Elmwood Magic in Buffalo, NY. Apart from being an excellent magic demonstrator and owner of Elmwood Magic, Paul is also an very accomplished working pro. Paul started as a demonstrator when he was about 13 or 14 years old and worked in the retail magic industry since that age. He is also a working pro that has many countless hours in front of an audience. Although Paul has been a demonstrator for so long, he still thinks of himself as a performing Magician first and really enjoys the creative process involved in coming up with new routines and effects. This creative process helps him to not only keep his own show fresh, but it also enables him to bring the magic community new and interesting effects on a continuous basis.

Paul's lecture will be mostly teaching the skills, lessons, effects and routines he has honed and developed over the years. This will be followed by a short dealer demo, so he can show us some of the clever and interesting products Elmwood Magic has to offer. It will be a great evening of magic, not to be missed. See you there!

NEXT MEETING: March 10, 2009

Event: Lecture: Paul Richards from Elmwood Magic

Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533

Time: 7:30 PM

Upcoming Shows

Event: Haines Magic Inc.
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8pm. Tickets thru Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA.

WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing David's Haines' headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic20Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, tv, radio, newspapers, vip meet/greets, interviews from the cruise ship, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
As you may know, David hasn't performed locally or on land in many years. He'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but we thought perhaps you may want to save the date.

Ticket Master tickets will go on sale beginning of September. Let's support our club member and see you there!

www.HainesMagic.com

Penn & Teller celebrate 35 years together with mini-tour!

Catch the bad boys live on the East Coast as they take their classic bits and combine those with amazing new material on a special-limited tour celebrating their 35 years as a team.

May 21: MGM Grand at Foxwoods: http://www.mgmatfoxwoods.com/pennteller.aspxm or 866 646 0609.
ON SALE NOW

May 22-24: Harrah's Atlantic City: http://www.harrahsresort.com/casinos/harrahs-atlantic-city/casino-entertainment/index.html

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

Assembly News

Local Assembly Dues are due!
Local dues are $25 dollars and should be paid on or before the September meeting.
All local members should also be members in good standing in the National S.A.M.
NOTE: National dues are going up to $65 a year. See MUM magazine to see how you can get membership for the next 3 years for only $50 a year (a $45 savings).

Classifieds

View Past Newsletters

Next Meeting

Lecture
John Bundy

April 14, 2009

7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

President's Words (sorta)

Hello Everyone,
Our President is away this week, so I am just filling in for him at the moment. I want to apologize for the confusion earlier with our
April meeting happenings. However, everything is settled now and we are on for John Bundy giving us a lecture on April 14th at the Milanese at 7:30 PM.

I hope every enjoyed the Paul Richard's lecture last month, I know I did! Paul is a great guy, as well as a very talented dealer/performer. I have known Paul since my college days and he never ceases to amaze and educate me with his magic. Also, Elmwood magic is a great place to order your magic and supplies from, as Paul handles everything himself and always tries to have something new in stock.

I know lectures are fun and we often learn a few things that can help us with our own shows or just add to our repertoire in general, but what other things would you like the club to explore? Do you want to see more "teach and learn" type meetings driven by our members, more lectures, specific lectures, works in progress, etc. Let us know what kind of things you want in the future or would like us to explore and we will see if we can make it happen. You can respond to this e-mail address with your reply. Just a quick note back, is always better then no response at all, so please try to send something. Thank you.

See you all at the John Bundy lecture.............

Frank

This Month's Meeting Info

This month we are very happy to have with us illusionist John Bundy.

The lecture is about the mechanics of producing a large theme park show. Spooktacular is the longest running park show in the United States. 16 years at the same venue. John will explain what goes into this yearly production. From 8 months out until opening night.

The lecture wraps up with a 45 min. video of the finished show.

Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533

Time: 7:30 PM

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

View Past Newsletters

Next Meeting

Lecture

Danny Archer

May 12, 2009

7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

Hello Everyone,

Your President is back, in case you weren't at the meeting or didn't notice a bleary-eyed, jet-lagged, and hungry magician at the front of the room having literally just landed from overseas. I hope you enjoyed John Bundy's lecture. Its nice to see a well-produced show come together.

Magic: the international language I'm debating myself over whether this is good or bad. I went to Paris last month and I don't speak a word of French. During the trip we managed to make it to a magic show which, as you might've imagined, was entirely in French. A lot of the effects were familiar, and we could see the props in the background and plot out the show before it happened (it's funny how magicians have such unique toys, yet we all have them). From what I could tell, it wasn't a bad show. The audience had a great time, and there were very few snags. But here's the kicker: even though I couldn't understand a word these guys were saying, I could still pretty much get a sense of what jokes they were saying along with a lot of their patter. To be honest, I'm not sure what to think of it. On one hand, knowing that "no, the clean one" still translates and gets a laugh kind of makes me sad. Even in the most remote places, our patter and jokes haven't evolved. On the other hand, I managed to follow along with everything that was going on (granted, I knew the effect in advance) and I imagine there were a number of other foreigners in the room and everyone left happy. It just got me thinking, can I develop my own unique patter, jokes and routines in order to differentiate myself, but at the same time also make those routines clear and paint pictures that can be understood by anyone? I don't know, but it's fun to have a challenge.

Join us for the next meeting, we'll be hosting a lecture by Danny Archer. Many of you are probably already familiar with Danny's work as his name and effects have appeared in magazines and conventions all over the world. Here's a snippet of his bio:

Danny Archer's lecture is a true lecture, not a dealer demo, all the effects are fully explained with no need to buy any special props. Danny has lectured and performed in 44 of the 50 States. Worldwide in Canada, Scotland, Wales, England, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Luxemburg, Israel, Italy, Spain and France.

He has performed at conventions like the IBM national convention (Kansas City 2001 & San Diego 2002), the British IBM national convention, Las Vegas Magic Invitational, Hank Lee's Cape Cod Conclave, A1 Convention at the Capital, Iowa State convention, LA State convention, FFFF, Houdini Convention, Rocky Mountain Magic, NYCAN, Sydney Superday of Magic, MINDvention, PCAM, TAOM, the Scottish National convention and twice at the Tannen's Jubilee.

Don't miss it!

This Month's Meeting Info

This month we are very happy to have with us Danny Archer!

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday May 12th, 2009
Event: Lecture: Danny Archer
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Upcoming Shows
Event: An Evening of Magic and Dinner
Location: Keltic House, Fishkill
Date: May 9th
Time: 7pm
Tickets: 896-1110

Event: Mystery & Manipulation (with Andy Weintraub, Derrin Berger, & Chris Chiappini)
Location: Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck
Date: May 22-24
Time: 8pm (Fri./Sat.) 3 PM (Sun)
Tickets: 845-876-3080, www.centerforperformingarts.org

Event: Haines Magic Inc.
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8pm. Tickets thru Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA.

WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing David's Haines' headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic20Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, tv, radio, newspapers, vip meet/greets, interviews from the cruise ship, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
As you may know, David hasn't performed locally or on land in many years. He'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but we thought perhaps you may want to save the date.

Ticket Master tickets will go on sale beginning of September. Let's support our club member and see you there!

www.HainesMagic.com

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

View Past Newsletters

Next Meeting

Round Robin / Works in Progress
starring YOU!

June 9, 2009

7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

President's Words:

I stumbled across a website yesterday that essentially is an advertisement for a new magic DVD. This is nothing new, but I believe the star of the DVD is 14 or 15 (I could be wrong, but 17 at the most). Not to discredit the work, effort, and skill, but seriously? The website was full of teaser videos and artistic pictures of the DVD case. There was fancy editing, awkward angles, and music that could've been scored by John Williams. It raised one of many questions from me. At what point did we collectively decide that as long as you have video equipment and have seen a few episodes of 24 that you could start producing magic videos? I have tons of things to say, and a bunch of things I might be able to share and teach to the magic community but never put together so much as a pamphlet for fear I wouldn't have enough credibility. All this time I thought I needed experience and creativity, and really all I needed was more memory for my laptop. Oh well.

I hope everyone enjoyed Danny Archer's lecture last month. It's nice to see a working pro showing what works for layman, not just what sells to magicians. Hopefully we can bring in more lecturers like Danny in the future. So, if you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to let us know.

See you Tuesday................Derrin.

This Month's Meeting Info
Round Robin / Works in Progress

This month we are having a Round Robin / Works in Progress. Bring the effects you are currently working on or effects you just want to show for the fun of it. Please try to bring something if you can. New or Old, we would love to see it all.......Who knows, you may get some good ideas from the club on how to enhance your effect!!

**** Prizes will be given to those who participate!!! ****

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday June 9, 2009
Event: Lecture: Danny Archer
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Upcoming Shows
Event: Haines Magic Inc.
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8pm. Tickets thru Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA.

WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing David's Haines' headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic20Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, tv, radio, newspapers, vip meet/greets, interviews from the cruise ship, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
As you may know, David hasn't performed locally or on land in many years. He'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but we thought perhaps you may want to save the date.

Ticket Master tickets will go on sale beginning of September. Let's support our club member and see you there!

www.HainesMagic.com

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

View Past Newsletters

Special Announcement
From David Haines

Hi Everyone, Here's a little heads up: WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing my headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY. This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, TV, radio, newspapers, VIP meet/greets, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8:00pm
Tickets through Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA
As you may know, I haven't performed locally or on land in many years. I'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but I thought perhaps you may want to save the date. I'd love to see you there! Dave www.HainesMagic.com

Next Meeting

This month we are welcoming everyone back from "Summer Vacation"

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday September 8th, 2009
Event: New Business Items and Works in Progress
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY

Members,

It's nice to see that the rain has stopped just in time for it to start cooling off. I heard that next year we might actually get a summer. Weather or not (that's right, I said it), my summer wasn't so bad and actually was pretty busy. I've spoken to a few fellow performers and the general consensus is that we're all feeling like the magic biz may start picking up again. This is good, it's just in time for my new bathroom, one more birthday party and I can get the toilet seat (I have had some cold mornings).

Speaking of summer, for those of you who missed the BBQ... too bad. The weather was great and by all accounts everyone had a great time. Here's the quick summary: hamburgers, beer, card tricks, convention, card tricks, beer, goldfish, and me misspelling the word "pasta" on a Jacuzzi. You'll have to piece it together yourself.

This summer has also kept some of us busy working on meeting topics and lectures.. and one big name is already booked, and I've been sending out messages to people left and right. I'm looking forward to hearing back from a few more which may be very, very interesting.

Now for my rant.

"It's more than good, it's good enough"

I love this quote, and hate this quote. It constantly reminds me that I could be working to keep improving my show. But at the same time it serves as a reminder that at some point I have to say, "enough is enough, let's try it." Quality control is another one of my favorite topics to wrestle, but in the interest of time (since I've already chewed Frank's ear off before writing this) I'll keep it short. I heard an ad on the radio on the way into work, and I couldn't help but think there was room for improvement. I wasn't sure if this was an ad that was just thrown together, or something that was worked on for months, but the bottom line was "this is not a good commercial". And who was responsible for this? the station? the client? the copy writer? And maybe they're one and the same. Whenever I see something like this it reminds me why David Copperfield is the best. He oversees as much as possible, and if not him personally, his team. And the level of quality is number one. Just because other people might be involved doesn't mean you're out. And just because you're working alone, doesn't mean you can't ask for help.

"Derrin, we're putting a picture in the paper"
"Great, what picture?"
"Derrin, we have our own sound system"
"Great, tell me about it, can it do a,b, & c"
"Don't worry about a thing, we'll write the bio"
"wait a sec, do you know me? Do you know the image I want to portray?"
"Derrin, I've got a great joke for you"
"it's funny, but it doesn't fit my character"
"Hey, I have some new logos to use"
"well, I have a PR team, I'd like to run it by them"
"Are there any ways to improve your show?"
"Yes, always, and I usually ask X, Y, and Z for their input"

Please, try to ask yourself and answer some questions objectively, and never, ever, feel bad about asking for help. Pride is a terrible thing to waste.

See you in September........... Derrin

This Month's Meeting Info
This month we are welcoming everyone back from "Summer Vacation"

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday September 8th, 2009
Event: New Business Items and Works in Progress
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Please bring something you are working on to the meeting or just something you would like to show the group. Last time we did this, we got some great ideas and had an excellent time all around. We will also bring everyone up to speed on what the club has in the works for the upcoming year.....it promises to be a good one! Your President has sent out more e-mails to various performers, lecturers, etc .....than you can imagine.

Upcoming Shows
Event: Haines Magic Inc.
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8pm. Tickets thru Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA.

WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing David's Haines' headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic20Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, tv, radio, newspapers, vip meet/greets, interviews from the cruise ship, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
As you may know, David hasn't performed locally or on land in many years. He'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but we thought perhaps you may want to save the date.

Ticket Master tickets will go on sale beginning of September. Let's support our club member and see you there!

www.HainesMagic.com

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
www.sam35.com

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David Haines puts on a great show at the Mid Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

Next Meeting

Tuesday October 13, 2009
The FEMA Supergroup Lecture & Workshop

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Compeers,

By now I'm sure you've read the news of the unfortunate passing of one of our dear members, Dr. Lew Neporent. Dr. Lew was a long standing member of S.A.M. and greatly supported the Al Baker Assembly in his many years of service to the club. On a personal note, while I didn't have the chance to spend a lot of one-on-one time with Dr. Lew, I know I'll never forget, not just his many stories of being Cardini's personal physician, but also that he remained very active in the club. When I returned after a few years of college, his was one of the familiar faces I was met with that let me know our club was being taken care of and that our original members were still there to lend a helping hand. He not only attended every meeting he could, but also was always happy to pass on his knowledge to others, whether by helping a young magician, or letting us all in on a piece of history that most of us never knew. Thank you Dr. Lew, we'll miss you.

I'm greatly excited by this month's upcoming lecture/workshop, and not just because I'll be a part of it. As many of you know, for years I've been a counselor at Tannen's Magic Camp and have met many of my dear friends there. This month I'm happy to say that one of them will be joining us and helping present an outstanding lecture and workshop to help get the creative juices flowing. This will be a rare event for a number of reasons. For one, this has typically been a workshop that spans multiple days, and two, David rarely comes out of this underground genius cave :-) We'll basically be taking several years of development and squeezing it into a few hours, it will be intense, interesting, and loads of fun. Do....not.... miss.... it!

This Month's Meeting Info
This month we are welcoming everyone back from "Summer Vacation"

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday October 13, 2009
Event: The FEMA Supergroup Lecture & Workshop
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

Take note and be sure you attend the next meeting for a very special session of:

The FEMA Supergroup Lecture & Workshop
with
David Leopold & Derrin Berger

THIS WILL NOT BE YOUR TYPICAL MEETING!

In a rare public appearance, David Leopold will be joining Derrin as they present a one-time only lecture for S.A.M. Assembly 35. As a full time editor for MTV and with more than 20 years of experience in creative consulting for some of magic's top award winners, David will help us start reaching our full potential by hosting a hands-on lecture and workshop.

Tired of seeing magicians present the same tricks the same way? This lecture will help get us on the right track!
Have an idea in mind, but just don't know how to take the next step? This workshop will give you the push!
Ever see a trick and think, "How did they even come up with that?" You'll find out, and soon do it yourself!

Hitting on topics like collaboration, creativity, suspension of disbelief, and motivation you'll learn techniques that can take your magic to a much higher level and answer the questions, "How can I make this better?" and "What can I do to make sure I'm not just like every other magician?"

The likelihood of this lecture happening again is slim, and the chance of finding it's materials after the meeting is even slimmer. Don't miss it, be prepared to play, and you won't be disappointed.

Please bring something to write with and to write on.....you will want to take notes. There will be a lot of good information.

Upcoming Shows
Event: Haines Magic Inc.
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center
Date: October 17 (Sat.) Time: 8pm. Tickets thru Ticket Master. $28.50 TBA.

WPDH (and a team of sponsor's) is bringing David's Haines' headlining cruise ship show to the Mid-Hudson Civic20Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY.

This will be over the top with a full media blitz including 15 billboards, tv, radio, newspapers, vip meet/greets, interviews from the cruise ship, etc. In addition, an opening act, a concert sound system, concert lighting, scenic backdrops, and sky search lights.
As you may know, David hasn't performed locally or on land in many years. He'll be directly off a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to do this. This is 1 show only and they're expecting a sell out at nearly 3,000 people. This info hasn't hit the public yet but we thought perhaps you may want to save the date.

Ticket Master tickets will go on sale beginning of September. Let's support our club member and see you there!

www.HainesMagic.com

ON SALE 3/14

Get your tickets before they sell out!!!

www.pennandteller.com

____________________________________
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Next Meeting
(note the new date)

Wednesday November 18, 2009
David Acer Lecture

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

President's Words

Members,

I hope fall is treating all of you well. In celebration of not having to take care of my leaves this year, I've decided to delete all of Criss Angel shows from my tivo. Not that one has anything to do with the other, but as long as I'm tired of seeing both, I may as well get rid of them.

I'd like to thank the members that showed up to last month's meeting. I know it was a little different than what we've done in the past and both Dave and I appreciate the willingness to let us present our workshop. I hope, that if nothing else, it allowed you to think a little outside your comfort zones, if even for a short time. If so, we've hit our goal.

This month, we'll be having an off-night meeting as we welcome our lecturer David Acer. Many of you are already familiar with David through his monthly articles in Genii magazine. If you're not already familiar, stop by and see how talented, creative, and funny he is, and with any luck, some of it will rub off on us :)

Speaking of articles, if you haven't already seen this month's Magic, get a copy. Our very own Scott Hitchcock was featured in a 4-page write-up detailing his journey in magic. Be sure to save a copy for an autograph the next time he comes home.

That's all for now, see you soon!

-Derrin

S.A.M. National Information

I recently received a phone call from our Regional VP for NY & NJ, Patrick Colby. Pat was interested in visiting our Assembly and may be at our next meeting. If you would like to contact Pat for any S.A.M. related information, or just introduce yourself and say Hi, you can send him an e-mail at SAMRVPPAT (at) gmail.com.

Also, remember that our S.A.M. National Website is www.MagicSam.com. Our Al Baker Assembly #35 Local Website is www.sam35.com. Thank you once again to Kevin Gough who hosts and graciously keeps our website up to date. Thank you Kevin!

This Month's Meeting Info
Wednesday November 18th, 2009
Event: David Acer Lecture
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

David Acer is a Gemini-award-nominated writer and comedian who has done crazy things on dozens of television shows around the world, like protesting outside a train station dressed as a giant penny while inviting people to lie down on the tracks to see how it feels, and limping to the couch for a talk show interview with a Denver Boot on his leg because, as he put it, he had a few unpaid j-walking tickets. He has appeared on a multitude of international specials (BBC England's The Secret World of Magic, NHK Japans F.I.S.M. 2000, Discovery's Grand Illusions), a plethora of Canadian comedy classics (CBCs Just For Laughs, CTVs Comedy Now, CHCHs Comedy at Club 54), and an array of American prime-time standards (A&Es Comedy on the Road, ABC's Americas Funniest People), not to mention live around the world and 10 times at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. But younger viewers are more likely to recognize him as Doubting Dave from Discovery Kids' Mystery Hunters, which garnered him two Gemini nominations (the Canadian equivalent of the Emmys) for Best Writing in a Children's Non-Fiction Series, and the publication of his new book, Gotcha: 18 Amazing Ways to Freak Out Your Friends. Check out video clips, audio clips and more at www.davidacer.com.

MAGIC NEWS

Carl Ballantine, an inveterate quipmeister whose stand-up comedy persona, an incompetent magician known as the Amazing Ballantine or Ballantine the Great, predated and influenced the antic characters of Steve Martin and others, died on Nov. 3 at his home in Hollywood. He was 92.

Eric DeCamps receiving the Dean's Eternal Spirit Award on September 11th in New York City when he was sworn in as the new Dean of the Society Of American Magicians' Parent Assembly. Also pictured are Tom Klem and Sal Perrotta.

Read more about Magic News......Link Below

http://www.magictimes.com

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Next Meeting
Tuesday December 8, 2009
Annual Flea Market

Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, NY
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

President's Words

Members,

Another month, and another great lecture! November's David Acer lecture was great, and a special thanks to everyone who made it out to the meeting on one of our off nights. Only the beginning folks, only the beginning. We've still got some awesome lectures planned and the new year will bring loads of magic to S.A.M. #35.

Cleaning out and filling up the closets

Over the Thanksgiving break we took on the task of cleaning out a number closet floors, garage shelves, and under the bed boxes for the sole purpose of finding a better place for the ever-so-cherished magic magazine. Personally, I was happy to basically see at least a dozen lying around in every room of my house, but unfortunately all good things must come to an end. So, instead of the easy access, we've opted for the more organized, better protected tupperware bins in the basement. Not only did we consolidate them all, we also took the time to sort each one by date. It's amazing how many I've managed to collect over the years. What's even more amazing is the amount of good stuff that's in each one of those magazines. I can't even think of how many times I've been fooled by a trick, only to find out that it was in the most recent month's M.U.M. or last month's Genii. Of course, over the few hours we spent filing away 20 years of magazines every few minutes there was a break for me to flip through and make a mental note of the ones I wanted to go back to. Those old magazines are great. Which brings me to the topic of this months meeting...

You know it... you love it.... the annual holiday time flea market. Bring some stuff, buy some stuff, you know the drill. And if this year's is even half of what last year's was, I know we'll all walk away happy.

-Derrin

This Month's Meeting Info
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday December 8, 2009
Event: Annual Flea Market
Place: Milanese Restaurant
115 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-9533
Time: 7:30 PM

That's right......It's TIME..... for the Unusual, the Odd, the Priceless and the.....well (insert appropriate adjective here). FLEA MARKET!!! Bring it...Sell it...Buy it...Laugh at it.....What ever you like to do at the Annual Magic Flea Market.

Last year was Amazing, with special thanks to one of our previous members Hallam Derx. He brought more stuff than Ebay has listed....it was incredible. People found books they had been wanting for a long time, effects that were no longer on the market and much more!

So, remember the Flea Market is only as successful as you make. Bring your Magic and Magic related items to sell because without that, there is no Flea Market!

......and if we are lucky, really lucky, Steve Johnson will include a Thumb Tip with every sale......Madness I tell you, utter madness.......come join the fun!!!

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