The first official day of the convention was not filled with too many activities. Part One of the stage competition began in the afternoon with nearly two dozen competitors. The placement of the stage contest in the afternoon is much better than in the mornings. The afternoon lecture was on quick change (outfits) by Valerie. The autograph session and welcome party was in the evening which included a free poster to all attendees that had pictures of all the talent. This was a great way to see everyone at one time in one place. Following the welcome party was a nice performance from local native, Andre Kole that included his Helicopter Cups, Squeezer and his levitation among other original illusions. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from I.B.M. International President, John Pye. We were then treated to a showing of "Desperate Acts of Magic" followed by a Q&A with the directors, Joe Gold and Tammy Caplan.
Time Stamps for this Podcast:
00:00:10 - Teen magicians Eli Portales, Chase Hasty, and Louis Villamonte talk about their experience with the teen sessions and how much they have learned and are learning. And they give us some of the tips passed on from Lance Burton.
00:12:26 - First International Vice President, Shawn Farquhar, talks about his goals and expectations for what he wants to accomplish when he becomes the International President. He also talks about the health of the organization and the importance of contests and attending magic conventions.
00:34:05 - Co-Producer of Monday Night Magic in New York City, Peter Samelson, chats about some of the things going on in the Big Apple and his inspirations in magic.
00:43:09 - Joe Turner shares some of the most insightful information anyone can hear if you are interested in being a successful corporate magician. He also talks about the Magic Castle cruises with the Crystal Ships. You can read more from Joe Turner by reading his blog at http://TurnerMagic.com/blog To paraphrase "The Most Interesting Man in the World", - I don't follow many people's blogs, but when I do, I read this one.
01:07:12 - Local mentalist (and creator of "Wonder Words"), Kenton Knepper, talks about the robust magic community in Phoenix. Many people don't recognize the depth of knowledge and the notoriety of the local talent that Phoenix has to offer.
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