I.B.M. and S.A.M. Represented at Magi-Fest
Category: News Posted by: I.B.M. Website Editor
As Magi-Fest guests awaited the start of the Saturday session, they were surprised when two important figures in the magic community emerged from behind the curtain.
The presence of Bill Evans, International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and Dal Sanders, Society of American Magicians President, center stage was not announced in the program. The two, both first-time Magi-Fest attendees, thanked organizers Joshua Jay, Andi Gladwin and Dr. Timothy Moore, for the invitation to announce the upcoming joint convention between the oldest and largest magic fraternal organizations. The combined convention will from July 1-5, 2014, in St. Louis, Mo.
Later in the day, Sanders and Evans were spotted in the hotel restaurant catching up on things before the start of the Gala Show, with Juan Tamariz as the headline performer.
“We think alike,” Evans said.
“We share the same brain,” Sanders said.
“The more we cooperate, the better off we'll be,” Evans said of the combined convention, the first since 2008 in Louisville, Ky.
Both said they were able to make the announcement because of Jay, Gladwin and Moore.
“They said the would love to have us come,” Evans said.
“I was president about a month and Josh called me,” Sander said.
“Josh is a class act,” Evans added.
Sanders and Evans marveled at the fact that of the 900 magicians at Magi-Fest, about 100 of them were kids. Both said it is vital to attract the youth to magic and to the S.A.M. And I.B.M.
Trying to get younger people involved is not isolated to only magic organizations. In cities across this country, historical societies, veterans organizations and other service clubs are struggling to attract younger generations to carry on the mission.
When the volunteer board of the Magi-Fest decided to end the convention a couple of years ago, it was, in part, because it just got to be too much for aging board members. Joshua Jay was saddened by the decision and decided to keep it going because the convention meant so much to him.
During one of the sessions, Jay said he attended his first Magi-Fest convention when he was eight years old, and it changed the course of his life. He, Andi Gladwin and Tim Moore worked to keep it going. He also noted there were 55 scholarships awarded to children to attend.
Barrie Richardson and Gene Anderson recognized the large number of youth at the convention, too.
“The demographics of our (I.B.M.) conventions are aged and shifting,” Anderson said. “Something has to change. Is this the right formula? It's different.”
Evans and Sanders would like to see increased participation of the youth, and recognize the importance of bringing in the next generation of talented performers and leaders of the magic organizations.
An interesting side note, Sanders said when he was at Centenary College of Louisiana, Richardson was one of his professors. However, he had no idea Richardson was into magic and mentalism. It was not until Richardson's Theatre of the Mind came out. “I loved him as a teacher.”