World Magic Seminar (everything but the Roast)

[Guest]

I'd love to hear everyone's opinions of the recent WMS on everything but the roast (there are other threads to do that, please).

Some short notes (and please forgive me for sounding like Larry King here):

Lennart Green should close the close-up shows, it's not fair to the other performers.

Paul Wilson has a sick Spellbound routine. The lectures were all strong. Eric DeCamps' take on the Leipzig Cigars is sweet.

You should never give Harry Lorayne only an hour for a lecture and I'm glad that Harry fought the powers in charge to keep going on (there was nothing else scheduled in that room afterwards). Some people at the lecture who I spoke to never heard of Lorayne and became big fans.

I'd love to see a close-up contest.

Mark Mitton is a very funny and original magician. His salute to adverbs was wonderful.

It seems that 85% of magicians now perform the Tabary routine (or an abbreviated version).

I enjoyed Jason Lattimer's very sparse use of props in his act. And, holy smoke machine, batman.

HR

[Richard Kaufman]

I saw virtually nothing because someone had to man the Genii table in the dealer room, and that would be moi!
I did see the cabaret show at 10 pm one night with Tom Burgoon, Bruce Gold, and Lossander. A terrific and very funny show. Burgoon was a scream as usual, had never seen Bruce Gold before and he was excellent, and Lossander did some very fine magic. The best thing at the convention, in my opinion, was Darren Romeo's brief performance at the Awards show on the final day. What a pro! He had great star presence. When he finally gets his evening show mounted, it should be great.

[Guest]

Richard,

I totally forgot to mention the Cabaret show. The show was the strongest of the pack (but I just came back from Siegfried and Roy, so my mind was still in awe). Lossander's table looks magical and the other two acts were funny. Thanks for pointing them out.

I have to disagree with you about Darren Romeo. I thought that his performance was one of the disapointments of the convention. I'm no music major, but he obviously hit a few bad notes during his singing. The magic was so-so and nothing special. The lightbulb was not even equivablent to 1/20th of Blackstone performing the same piece.

I'm not sure about his success as a magician/singer. His singing is below average on the professional show (Vegas/Broadway) level and his magic would be considered among the weakest of any of the acts in Vegas.

Also, who is his intended audience? People who like magic? People who like showtunes (he has that whole musical theatre major, over-acting voice down pact).

What demographic(s) will go see his show? I don't think that kids want to see someone sing songs they barely know? Most 10 year olds don't want to hear the songs from Jesus Christ Superstar or Cats.

Straight men don't want to see an effemanite magician sing showtunes. Young women? I don't see them at magic shows...they're at Thunder Down Under. Married women? Not sure if the kids or hubbie would want to join them? The only crowd that I can see at his show are older (50+) women, a subset of the Melinda crowd.

I also don't think that he has much sex appeal (unless you're gay or a teeny bopper).

HR

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
I saw virtually nothing because someone had to man the Genii table in the dealer room, and that would be moi!
I did see the cabaret show at 10 pm one night with Tom Burgoon, Bruce Gold, and Lossander. A terrific and very funny show. Burgoon was a scream as usual, had never seen Bruce Gold before and he was excellent, and Lossander did some very fine magic. The best thing at the convention, in my opinion, was Darren Romeo's brief performance at the Awards show on the final day. What a pro! He had great star presence. When he finally gets his evening show mounted, it should be great.

[Pete Biro]

The stage shows were very good altho the International Contest was a little weak.

The Teen Challenge show was one of the best we have had in years... only trouble it was at 9 am and fewer than we wanted showed up ... many were at Lorayne's do.

Richard said the Cabaret was great... it was.

Shawn Farquarer was GREAT on close up.

The auction raised good money and was well run.

Oscar Munoz was terrific with his lecture.

Tabary was booked, yet 3 pro's all did his rope routine on their shows. Duh...

So, I did a take off gag version mc-ing the teen show. Saying, "since no on on this show is doing it...."

Hobson was great as MC

Darren Romeo is the next star in Vegas... and a really nice guy.

Lance and McBride with Eugene Burger did great stuff for the teen agers... the Teen Lunch was great until Penn showed up.

The opening night party was great, good food, good music and unusual entertainment (not magic, but acrobatic duo).

dealer room was great, they did excellent business, and there were many tables set up for folks to sit, chat and do impromptu stuff.

Lots of interesting people from Japan, France, Italy and S. America...

Aldo Colombini was also great MCing the opening show.

Mark Mitton destroyed me with his comedy act.

Once contest act, Versini, did NOT do magic, but one of the best, most artistic SHADOGRAPHY acts I have ever seen.

Lorenzo Clark, on contest, shaved his head and wore a toupee for a gag where a vacuum cleaner succked off hair. You had to be there.

Dr. Albo came for a day and Losander blew him away with his floating table... Doc was holding the cloth and couldn't make it.

Al Cohen was the honoree, and having him around doing gags, etc. in dealer room was great. He is one great and funny man.

Cesareo and David (Le Grand David) were all over greeting and chatting...

Cups and Balls... HOLY COW there must have been 10 new designs on sale from Buma's %900 engraved silver ones to Joe Porper's collector sets, to mine, to Gazzo's new size and more.

Kalin and Jinger closed a show with their top flite illusions, but his billiard ball manipulations took the show. Did the Selbit Sawing as built by Alan Wakeling... a strong one.

Had never seen Torkova... he is great, Puck... OK, Golfinger too kewl was great as always.

Bravo Nakoya... from Japan... what a riot. He did takeoff of S&R changing girl assistant to a Tiger (she climbed in to a cheap cage, he covered it and she just got into a cheezy tiger costume... it was hilarious. He did a lot of funny stuff.

Lennert is from another planet! :genii:

[Pete Biro]

Jason Byrne and Denny Haney did fine acts on the Awards show...

Magic Castle Awards went to:

Cesareo - Lifetime Achievement
Sid Fleischman - Literary
Alan Shaxon - Performing fellowship (great guy)
Harry Lorayne - (I forget)

People's Choice $5,000 and Gold Lion Head was won by Korean performer Lee Eun-Gyeol and the Siegfried & Roy SARMOTI award and $5,000 went to Jason Lattimer. Both manipulative acts.

Keiko Muto, Japan, female did OK with mainips and fan productions, nothing special. Versini did Shadowgraphy--great!

Derrke Selinger, Manipulation was very good, Lorenzo Clardk did his comedy vacuum cleaner act (hose up sleeve to vanish silks) but his other material didn't kill... same with John Shyrock & Co. I have seen the latter two do much better.

There was other stuff... but I didn't keep notes and can't report on all of it as I was running around trying to take pictures, and help with the organizational side.

I had a great time and almost all that I talked to did likewise.

There was a Juggling act (local guy) that was OK, almost stole his show (juggler's usually do) but he had more "drops" than necessary and this hurt him.

:D :D :D

[Richard Kaufman]

I strongly disagree with Harley about Darren Romeo. There was nothing, zero, zippo, effeminate about his performance, and I didn't hear any wrong notes. He's a fine magician and singer, and from my point of view he most definitely was the most professional act at the convention, with, I repeat, charisma and star quality. I think your remarks about him are, quite frankly, rude. You would think he was mincing around the stage like Liberace from your comments, and nothing could be further from the truth.

[Pete Biro]

Right Richard. I spent time talking with Darren and he is working on a bigger, better production show... there is NO RUSH... with the backing (and directors) behind him, along with his enthusiasm, work ethic, talent and the aforementioned charisma... he will rule. :cool: