This is Larry Mahan and I wanted to touch base with you all as your new president. I hope and pray I can live up to all your expectations this year. Personally I lean toward kids and family magic. I promote variety in magic so you may see some focus on using puppets, balloons, or other arts in your show. I consider myself a magician, but enjoy the influence of the other arts in what I do. I do very little close-up magic but enjoy those who do, so hopefully we can have a balanced spectrum in our meetings this year.
ABOUT ME
I have been doing magic and clowning for about 40 - 45 years. I started in Seattle and did mostly birthday parties when I was young. In 1972 I joined the army and came to Colorado. I supplemented my income while in the service doing shows for birthday parties, business promotions, and company picnics. I was a member of this club (Pikes Peak Prestidigitators) at its conception and was a member for a number of years, but fell away as things changed in my life. I now have been attending again for the last couple of years and plan to keep coming and hopefully build relationships with all of you. Throughout my adult life I have had several careers but always had as my base the calling of magic, clowning, and balloons. I perform and sell magic and props under the business name SONshine Entertainment. I also lecture and sell at conventions. While I have performed Gospel magic for 35 years, about eleven years ago I became a Children's Pastor. During those eleven years I have not had much time to perform professionally, but I have kept up the performing skills by doing shows at the church and doing several tours to churches in California and The Northwest. I am now moving back into the professional market (while still working with the church.) I also, in recent years, have put a lot of effort into performing as Santa Claus and for the last two seasons have been the Santa at malls. Outside of the Christmas season I perform as Houlihan the Animal Man. I perform lots of kinds of magic but always have a leaning toward animals. I perform with birds, sugar gliders, and rabbits and I use Spring Animals a lot. I have authored several books on balloons, magic, and spring animals. I recently performed for a child's birthday party and after the show the mother told me I had performed for her birthday when she was young as well as her mother. It warmed my heart to think I had touched the lives of three generations.
ENOUGH ABOUT ME
My vision for Pikes Peak Prestidigitators in 2010 can be summed up with the word professionalism. I'm not thinking that it has not been there before, but it is something we can all grow in. Following is a dictionary definition of the word. From dictionary.com: pro.fes.sion.al.ism - Origin: 1855-60; professional + -ism-
- professional character, spirit, or methods.
- the standing, practice, or methods of a professional, as distinguished from an amateur.
Notice that nowhere in the definition does it mention money. Professionalism has little to do with whether you do magic as a profession. It has everything to do with your attitude about what you do. Do you try to do your best when you perform? Do you try to attain the highest level of quality. Are you concerned about your clients and how you appear to them? Those are all questions that pertain to the level of your professionalism. My hope with the PPP is to promote the growth of professionalism is the art of magic. Whatever your level is in the art, you should strive to attain the highest level of professionalism you can.
Well, here is wishing you and your families a great 2010. I hope to see you all at the meetings and anywhere else we may meet. God bless you. Until next time.
Sincerely,
Larry Mahan
President
Pikes Peak Prestidigitators
Magical Assembly 170
Society of American Magicians |
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6:00 PM SYM (under 16)
7:15 PM SAM (over 15)
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Newsletter entry deadline
Friday, April 2, 2010 |
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