Our trip to Houdini's

Last week Tomas and I traveled to Manitowoc, Wisconsin for the annual Houdini Club of Wisconsin convention. Both Tomas and I lectured and performed on stage and close-up. I was fairly nervous, being my first convention booking, but Tomas was truly a pro.

My friends at Street of Cards were on hand to document the convention via web and video. They already posted video of Tomas' close-up set.



My lecture was the first event upon arrival on Friday. Having only lectured two other times before (and even then, in front of friendly hometown crowds), I was apprehensive on how it would be received. After all, the main items in my lecture are classics: things like the egg bag, cups and balls, and linking rings.

Fortunately, folks liked the blend of trick/explanation and theory that I offered. Kenn at SOC wrote this on their forum:

Classics are classics for a reason.

Ask John Sturk. His afternoon lecture featured three classics that John has made his own. He shared the routines and thinking that have made his brand of street performing a favorite all over the Midwest. No e-llusionist kid here. Sturk shared a style and philosophy that harkens more to Cellini and Gazzo and less to some other media phenoms.

Clean, crisp magic coupled with enthusiastic audience participation are the hallmarks of Sturk's performance. I hate him. He will always be younger.

That last part is tongue-in-cheek. Kenn is actually a good friend.

Friday and Saturday culminated in public evening shows. Tomas killed, as usual, with the Cigarette-Eating Act on Friday night. I was on Saturday's show. Tomas told me he was sitting near Marshall Brodien (of TV Magic Cards fame and Wizzo of The Bozo Show), who kept murmuring very positive comments during my act. I was flattered.

Then, after the evening show on Saturday, was the Houdini's Got Talent contest. Any conventioneer could participate with any kind of act, be it magic, ventriloquism, or anything else. I got up to play a little Duke Ellington on the piano, and took home the trophy. More flattery.

All in all, it was a lot of fun. I got to meet several of FUN Inc.'s customers, most of whom I usually talk to by phone. I also hope I inspired a few of the attendees to use one of my ideas, or adapt it to their own program.