Chicago Magic Chicago Magicians Society of American Magicians Magic Club




				UPCOMING CONTESTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 2008 S.A.M./I.B.M. CONVENTION CONTESTS Best of luck to everybody who's competing in Louisville, including Christian Painter, who competed at the 2008 Chicago Magic Competition! Navy Pier's Crystal Garden, site of this year's event REPORT ON THE 2008 CHICAGO MAGIC COMPETITION AT NAVY PIER The 5th Annual Chicago Magic Competition on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 was a big hit! Before an audience of more than 100 in the beautiful Crystal Gardens area of Navy Pier, eleven performers with a range of professional experience each performed their best ten minutes in front of our panel of celebrity judges, including world-famous magician Bill Malone and award-winning artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, L. Walter Stearns. Performers included: Clare T. Ashley, Al Bach, Jeffery D. Blake, Luis R. Carreon, Jay Collen, Edd Fairman, Bill Koch, Israel Mandrake, Ross Louis Moreno, Christian Painter, and Scott Sober. The celebrity judges determined the First, Second, and Third place recipients, while the audience determined the People's Choice Award winner. The First Place winner received a $1,000 performing contract with Navy Pier. All winners received handcrafted magic wands from Fortress Wand Works and all performers received commemorative hand-caligraphed certificates. While the votes were being counted, Leopold, the 2007 First Place winner, performed to the delight of the crowd. And then, this year's honorees were announced. First Place: BILL KOCH Second Place: EDD FAIRMAN Third Place: ISRAEL MANDRAKE People's Choice: BILL KOCH Special thanks to Fred Paul Bailey for being my right hand during the competition -- what a relief! Thanks also to Tony Noice, Lisa Alvarado, and Naomi Landman for running ballots. And a big thanks to all the members of SAM3 who supported this event by performing, assisting, or cheering everybody on, including: Gus Harvatt (Tabulator) Darlene Bull (Timer) Jack Skalon Dave Wysock Frank Glab Wes Fowler Lastly, a huge thanks to Dee Yelvington of Navy Pier, who makes this event look buttoned up from start to finish with a level of professionalism that appears disarmingly easy, like the true magician she is. With all your help, the Chicago Magic Competition just keeps getting better each year!