CHICAGO CLOSE-UP MAGIC COMPETITION 2005


Finalists (from left): A.J. Sacco, Alba (3rd Place), Steve Kellogg (2nd Place), Frank "The Great Frankini" Glab (1st Place), Mike Harvatt, Terrence Francisco. (M.C./Project Chair Neil Tobin on right.)

CONTEST MAKES MAGIC HISTORY
AT CHICAGO'S NAVY PIER
(Reprinted from the December 2005 issue of M-U-M)

Chicago has established a worldwide reputation for pizza, the blues, sketch comedy, and all-beef hotdogs. But what many didn’t realize until recently is that Chicago has long been at the epicenter of something more secretive: Close-Up Magic.

On July 14, this fact became far more public as magicians from all over the Chicago area descended on Navy Pier to compete in the Chicago Close-Up Magic Competition 2005 for a chance at the title and a $1000 performance contract.

The branch of magic called Close-Up Magic is a particularly Chicago-style art form. It may also be the most difficult form of magical performance. Unlike large-scale illusion shows, there are no big boxes or assistants for the performer to hide behind; the magic is performed just inches from the eyes of the audience, using objects the performers can borrow from audience members or carry in their pockets or briefcases. This is pared down, in-your-face, big-city magic. No wonder many of its most influential performers have been from Chicago: Matt Schulien was the first to bring Close-Up Magic into taverns in the 1920s (his family’s Southside tavern, now called O’Donovan’s, still features Close-Up to this day). Bert Allerton brought Close-Up to high society by becoming resident magician of the Pump Room in the ‘40s and ‘50s. A decade later, Don Alan pioneered its performance on television through his landmark Chicago TV series, Don Alan’s Magic Ranch. And today, with the help of the Chicago Close-Up Competition, Close-Up Magic is becoming a more visible part of Chicago’s entertainment landscape.

The competition itself could also be characterized as Chicago-style. Unlike most magic competitions, which take place in private conventions and are usually focused on magicians rating other magicians’ technical skills, the Chicago Close-Up Magic Competition is designed to share the excitement of Close-Up Magic with “real people” — the public. Presented by Navy Pier and the Chicago Assembly #3 of the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.), the free event featured 10-minute sets by each of the 13 preliminary participants, from which six finalists were chosen. After another round of performances by the finalists, the judges deliberated while the previous year’s First Place winner, Danny Orleans (www.orleansmagic.com), reprised his award-winning set to the audience’s delight. When the judges returned, three of the finalists were singled out as this year’s winners.

The First Place title and the performance contract with Navy Pier valued at $1000 — as well as a magic wand specially crafted for the occasion from South American cocobolo wood encircled by two sterling silver bands — were awarded to “The Great Frankini” aka Frank Glab (www.thegreatfrankini.com). Frankini has performed numerous corporate and private shows, and has been an instructor of magic at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

The Second Place title and custom-made magic wand of Brazilian Bloodwood, went to Steve Kellogg (www.kelloggmagic.com). Kellogg has won close-up magic contests hosted by the Houdini Club of Wisconsin three years in a row, and has appeared nationally in the Fox television series, 30 Seconds to Fame.

The Third Place title and custom-made magic wand of African Purpleheart went to Alba (www.magicalba.com). Alba studied at the prestigious Fu Manchu School of Magic in South America, and has performed over 100 shows at Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle.

Also recognized as finalists were A.J. Sacco, Mike Harvatt, and Terrence Francisco. Together with the performers from the preliminary round — who included Benjamin Barnes, David Shareef, Ron Fitzgerald, Adam Flowers, John Trzesniak, Rob Thompson, and Jeffery Blake — they constitute some of the finest magicians in the Chicago area.

In the uniquely public spirit of this competition, its judges included dignitaries whose credentials often reached beyond the magic performance world. They included: Sheri Piecuch, Director of Entertainment for Navy Pier and formerly with the U.S. Olympics Committee and the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events; Jan Rose, performing mentalist who has been featured at numerous corporate functions and on the cover of magicians’ publication The Linking Ring; and Lee Levin, veteran television director currently working with ABC affiliate WLS-TV. Judging criteria emphasized such overall entertainment attributes as Presentation, Cohesiveness, and Originality.

Unbeknownst to many residents, Chicago has an active magical underground that includes over half a dozen magic clubs. The club hosting this competition is the city’s oldest: the S.A.M. Chicago Assembly #3 (www.magicalchicago.com), founded in 1917 with a charter signed by then-National President, Harry Houdini. Its members account for but a small portion of the hundreds of students of the magical arts in Chicago — some of who are quietly successful performing at tradeshows, conventions, private parties and corporate events all around the world.

According to Neil Tobin, organizer and M.C. of the event and President of the S.A.M. Chicago Assembly #3, the Chicago Close-Up Magic Competition 2005 could not have taken place without the enthusiastic involvement of Sheri Piecuch and Paul Lopez at Navy Pier; Bob Syrup and Wesley Fowler of the S.A.M. Chicago Assembly #3, and the many accomplished performers who contributed to this year's competition. All three of the presentation wands were designed and handcrafted by Brian K. Humphrey of Fortress Wand Works (www.FortressWands.com).

Any predictions from Tobin’s crystal ball for next year’s competition? “It will be even better,” he promises. “I’d bet my wand on it.”

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