March 2018

If you didn’t come to the Installation and Awards Banquet held last month. All I can say is that you missed a wonderful gathering and a great deal of fun which more than exceeded my expectations for an evening out with friends and compeers.

I want to thank everyone who did such an incredible job making everything come together. Truth be told, you can’t make something of this magnitude happen without a panel of people working behind the scenes to ensure it comes together and goes smoothly.

Special thanks to Bob Holdridge and Jerry Barrilleaux for doing all the behind the scenes work of finding the location and working out all the event details. To Carole and the SYM members who did such a splendid job conducting the raffle. Also to Diego Cervantes, Germar, and Magical Nathaniel for providing the entertainment and to Zappo who provided walk around magic before the show and conducted the swearing in of this year’s slate of officers. Please extend your personal thanks for all those listed who freely gave their time and talents to pull off such a wonderful and memorable celebration.

Our March meeting will feature something new; our first ever “magic book report”. This discussion will be lead by me, your humble president, and will showcase the books that have influenced our magical journey. It should be a great evening of fun and we will have plenty of time for each member to talk about their book and demonstrate their favorite effect so rummage through your treasure trove of books and bring in your copy of “Scarne on Card Tricks”, “Mark Wilson’s Course in Magic”, your dog-eared copy of “Tarbell,” or any other book you enjoy, to this month’s meeting to talk about and share with the group.

Finally, as a friendly reminder, I want to mention that March is the cut off date for our assembly dues. If you have not yet paid for 2018 your dues are due now. Our regular meeting on Wednesday, March 21, is your deadline to pay your annual club dues before you are dropped from our roster and you don’t want that. About half our members have not yet paid so please bring a check to this months meeting or send a check to our Treasurer, Jerry Barrilleaux. Do it today!

See you all at the March meeting.

March 2018

In This Issue

Banquet Report Page 2

Dues are Due Page 3

S.Y.M. Report Page 3

Save the Date for the Eric Stevens Lecture Page 4

Remainder of the year’s meetings themes added

Page 6

Our February meeting was the Annual Awards, Installation Banquet and Show. This year we booked a party room at Fuddrucker’s in Concord for the festivities. Everyone ordered their own food and paid for their own meal. The room was overflowing with about 65 members and guests. A stage was set up at one end of the room which eliminated several seats that were needed as it turns out.

The evening started with installation of the new officers for 2018. Mark Richardson was sworn in as President for a second year. (L-R) Bob Holdridge is Member at Large; Carole Yvonne Kula is Second Vice President; Sheldon Williams is Secretary; and Jerry Barrilleaux continues to serve as our Treasurer. Chris Herren, our new First Vice-President and Michael McGriff our continuing Sergeant-at-Arms were not able to attend the event.

Former President Larry Wright administered the Oath of Office to the 2018 Board. President Mark Richardson took on the duties of Master of Ceremonies for the remainder of the evening.

President Mark announced the Magician of the Year. The award honors one who made an extraordinary contribution to SAM-112. This year the honor went to Ian Baird.

Ian has served as the chair of the nominating committee for the past several years. This is a tough job and requires a man of tact who can be persuasive. Ian is the epitome of those qualities and he was recognized by the Board for his long standing support as a member as well as the work he has contributed to finding leadership.

Next, Jerry Barrilleaux, who coordinates our Society of Young Magicians program presented the award to the outstanding S.Y.M. Member of the Year to Zane. He was genuinely proud to be the winner of this award and he has been an active participant in S.Y.M. events during the past year.

It was finally time to start the show and none other than our own Diego Cervantes kicked off the evening’s entertainment in grand style. Diego is a graduate of Jeff McBride’s School of Magic, and it shows.

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Germar performed his usual outstanding brand of magic presenting a classic linking ring act with the largest rings I have ever seen and also a BEAUTIFUL Coin Ladder, during which he plucked a seemingly endless supply of coins from the air and other places which were dropped in to the coin ladder which played heavenly chimes as the coin cascaded down the rungs of the ladder.

Our headliner, Magical Nathaniel, performed a tour de force of wonderful material. Some of the items in his show he has developed himself and others are classical effects that he has made his own through entertaining patter and performance. Nathaniel graduated not too long ago from University and he is now a full-time working professional magician. It is not hard to see that hours of practice and performance have honed his skills to a very high level.

The evening ended with our traditional raffle. The S.Y.M. Members helped pull tickets and distribute the “loot.” There were many wonderful treasures that went home with luck winners this year. If you missed it this year, make it a point to mark your calendar and attend next year. It is a fun evening.

Annual Dues were Due January 1, 2018

Please send your check for $20, plus $5 more if you have a family member, to Treasurer Jerry Barrilleaux 2724 Richard Avenue Concord, CA 94520REMEMBER: You will be dropped from the roster if your dues are not paid by the March 21 meeting. Many current members have not paid 2018 dues.

By Bob Holdridge

S.Y.M. Report February 26, 2018

It was another full house for the S.Y.M. meeting on February 26. There were 11 members in attendance, and as usual, many adults to support the young members and see and enjoy magic.

Several S.Y.M. members performed magic effects, some being the Trick of the Month magic received at past meetings. Members are always encouraged to practice and perform Trick of the Month magic at future meetings.

Leader Jerry Barrilleaux announced the success of the Assembly 112 Annual Installation and Awards Banquet on February 21 at Fuddruckers restaurant. Jerry thanked the members and families who attended the banquet. Several of the members helped with the raffle and some took home some real treasures obtained by having the winning ticket. Perhaps we will see some of the magic effects at future S.Y.M. meetings that was won during the raffle.

Jerry performed Two Tricks of the Month: Predict-a-Color and Svengali Deck used to force and produce a card. Jerry also performed an effect called Card through Envelope. Bob Holdridge performed a prediction effect called Whiteout.

The meeting ended with the monthly raffle and even more great prizes awarded.

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March 23 - 24 Ryan KaneMarch 30 – 31 Michael Peterson

April 6 - 7 Ron SaylorApril 13 – 14 Bruce GoldApril 20 – 21 Spencer Grey April 27 - 28 Magical Nathaniel May 4 – 5 David Hirata May 11 – 12 Timothy JamesMay 18 – 19 JadeMay 25 – 26 Perry Yan

We have received notification that National dues are going up beginning soon. You are allowed to pay up to three years of dues at one time. If you want to pay the “old rate” it will apply to all three years if you pay before the dues increase goes into effect.

For members who elect to receive their information electronically, the dues will increase from $45 to $65. For those who receive paper copies the dues will increase from $55 to $79. Thus, electronic members could save $60 by paying dues for three years at the “old rate,” while paper members could save $72.

Contact national in order to pay three years dues ahead or simply fill out the appropriate box on your dues notice from National .

On June 20, on our regular meeting night, a talented new lecturer will be presenting his latest lecture entitled Perspective. Eric recently presented a lecture to the junior members at the Magic Castle to smash reviews. He was part of the regular troop of the Olde Sacramento Magic Festival a couple of years ago, and his lecture there was a high point for those lucky enough to attend. Eric presents material that is within the range of every member, regardless whether they are full-time professionals or just beginning to learn magic.

The location for the lecture is to be determined. We will be inviting members of other clubs to attend. Here is some more information about Eric:

Eric Stevens is a multi-award-winning professional magician based out of Los Angeles, California. From visual card and coin work to stimulating performance theory, his highly-acclaimed lectures combine a classic style with modern thinking and smooth execution, providing an array of magical wonderments that are sure to make even the most skeptical audience member (magician OR layperson) stand up and take notice.

Mark your calendar now and plan to attend this wonderful lecture. SAM-112 members will have free admission for this event. There is a nominal charge for the lecture notes which include not only the approximately six effects taught during the lecture, but also bonus material. Perhaps best of all, you will have a window into the thinking of one of magic’s amazing new young practitioners. This is event is NOT TO BE MISSED!

President Mark Richardson510-701-7207marklrichardson@yahoo.com

First Vice President Chris Herren650-392-4570Herrenphd@yahoo.com

Second Vice President Carole Yvonne Kula925-408-9852

Secretary Sheldon Williams914-882-1786SheldonWilliams1@gmail.com

Treasurer Jerry Barrilleaux925-685-4577magiceaux@gmail.com

Sergeant at Arms Michael McGriff707-280-4225gnatturner@yahoo.com

Member-at-Large Bob Holdridge707-751-3772rhholdridge@sbcglobal.net

Outreach/Membership CommitteeBob HoldridgeChristopher McConaugheyMichael McGriff

Community Service Committee:CaroleYvonne Kula - (Chair)

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March 2018

DIRECTIONS TO VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS:From Highway 680, turn west on Oak Park Boulevard;when you get to Wendell Lane, turn right; Veterans ofForeign Wars is the second building on the left side ofthe street.ADDRESS: 1919 Wendell Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA

SAM-112 meets the third Wednesday of each month atthe Pleasant Hill VFW Hall.

The Conjurer is published monthly. The current Editor is LarryWright. To submit material for publication please send via email toeditor@sam112.com. Deadline for submission is the Wednesdayafter the Board meeting. (Board meetings are on the first Mondayof each month.)

Meeting Format7:00 Workshop begins. Read Scheduled Meetings to seewhat we will be learning.

8:30 BREAK

8:45 Open performance. Perform anything you are workingon, new things you are just learning or want to learn, orsomething that you want to test in front of an audience.Use this opportunity to dust off something you have hadon the shelf for a while. You may request critique or not.You can get help from other members with anythingmagical. Members are especially encouraged toperform magic they learned in the workshop session atlast month s meeting.

9:30 Meeting adjourned

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Scheduled Meetings through December 2017

   January 17 What I Got for ChristmasFebruary 21 Installation and Awards BanquetMarch 21 My Favorite Magic Book April 18 Tales of the Magic Castle told by a Castle KnightMay 16 Cups and Balls by Michael McGriffJune 20 Special Lecture by Eric StevensJuly 18 Game Show NightAugust 15 Stage CompetitionSeptember 19 Comedy Kids MagicOctober 17 Halloween MagicNovember 21 Close-up CompetitionDecember 19 Holiday Magic