Convention Dates:
September 14-15, 2012
Convention Location:
Crowne Plaza Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, NJ
Convention Committee:
- General Chairman – Mike Miller
- Registrar – John Beinhaur
- Publicity – Beth Sheligo
- Site Selection – Beth Sheligo and John Beinhaur
- Talent – Marc DeSouza and Mike Miller
- Contest – Arlen Solomon
- Dealers – Scott Correll
- Webmaster – Marc Lederman
Award Winners:
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Pierre Fontaine President’s Award and Junior Stage
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Adult Close-Up
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Stage Manipulation
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Originality
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The Acts:
| David Stone ‘s aptitude for art in general showed through at a very early age (for example, drawing, sculpture, make-up) and following that was illusion. It was during his philosophy studies that his passion for magic materialised. At the same time, he was offered the chance to host a magician’s column on Radio France Picardie. After he had finished his studies, he took the plunge and became a professional magician. His frenzy of travelling gave him the chance to perform on the five continents, and whilst he was there, to meet various personalities. Today, his peers make no mistake when they praise his work, and invite him to perform at the most prestigious lectures all over the world. |
| Wayne Alan is a world-class illusionist and the only American to win the prestigious Gold Medal for Grande Illusion at FISM, the World Championships of Magic in 1982. He has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Wayne has performed on national TV on Entertainment Tonight, MTV, Inside Edition, Good Morning America, ABC, NBC and CBS Network News programs. He’s also appeared with Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, Maury Povich and Kathie Lee Gifford of The Today Show. He has acted as a consultant for David Copperfield. Mr. Alan has had the honor of performing thirteen times at the White House. |
| Robert Baxt was born at a very young age in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he wanted to be a comedian, but turned to magic because when he told jokes, his parents they always asked him if he could disappear. He got his training while still a kid at Flosso’s original magic shop in NYC when the legendary Al Flosso put him to work one summer. He graduated law school, but has never practiced; instead making his full time living as a comedy magician. He has a FISM trophy for Comedy and the 1st Prize in the Gold Medal Competition at the national IBM convention for his comedy manipulation act. He has written comedy material for many other major magicians including David Copperfield. He now lives in Hollywood, CA where he performs regularly at the Magic Castle and does studio warm-up for TV sitcoms. |
| Bill Boaz is a 17 year-old champion magician who has won numerous awards in stage magic and close-up magic for his unique act. Bill has been performing since the early age of five. By the time he was ten, he was entertaining professionally at birthday parties and other small events. At fourteen, he had won numerous awards and scholarships, bringing him to Canada to learn from the world’s best. Bill holds the record for the most awards won at one M.A.E.S. convention, earning prizes in both close-up and stage magic. |
| Jonathan Burns began his magic career at age 12. In 2000 he began college at Millersville University, where his act began to break away from traditional magician’s tricks, and he began to experiment with other skills including juggling, stand-up comedy, contortionism, and sideshow stunts. After graduation he decided to begin his career as a full-time performer. Since then his talents have taken him to stages across the United States and to festivals in Canada, China, and New Zealand. He spends most of the year touring Colleges & Universities, and his summers are spent performing at festivals and events around the globe. |
| Andrew Goldenhersh ranks among today’s elite masters of magic, drawing thunderous acclaim around the globe. His skill and style have mesmerized audiences from Hollywood to the Far East, and all points in between. A perennial honoree at the legendary Magic Castle, Andrew has received accolades from the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts. Having been voted the Academy’s “Parlour Magician of the Year” in 2009 & 2010, Andrew is the only magician to have been nominated for both Close-up Magician of the Year and Parlour Magician of the Year for twelve years in a row. |
| John Hromada is just’a good ol’ boy, never meanin’ no harm… Johnny has been seen at Elmo’s Rib Shack, The Roadkill Diner, Pappy’s Place, Jethro’s 8th Birthday, and the Possum Hollow Municipal court. (All charges dropped!) People from all over have enjoyed his antics, and you might, too! (Or not, but he gets paid either way.) |
| Nathan Kepner and Morgan Tsu-Raun perform as The Crescent Circus, based out of New Orleans. Combining magic and a variety of circus arts, the duo began performing together at Penn State University in 2010. Since, they have had the opportunity to perform across the globe in cities including Las Vegas, London and Prague honing their craft not only on stage but as street performers as well. In 2004, at the age of 16, Nathan was the winner of the MAES Award of Excellence. |
| Jason Palter has motivated executives, launched products, and entertained at corporate and private events for over 20 years. Jason’s uniquely comedic performing and presenting style has been called “Refined Zaniness”, and earned him Canada’s prestigious 2007 “Entertainer of the Year”, by the Canadian Event Industry Awards. Many of his Paltergeist Unlimited magic trick inventions have been top-sellers, and he is also one of the 3 partners in the Tenyo Elite project — creating and selling a line of licensed high-end renditions of Tenyo’s original magic tricks. |
| Fairly new to the magic community, Melissa Russo is a 15 year old teen sensation who is raising eyebrows (all) throughout the East Coast. After making her Stars of Tomorrow debut in 2009, nothing seems to stop her. She’s not only one of the best teenage magicians on the East Coast, but she’s also an award winning balloon artist. Melissa is looking forward to performing at M.A.E.S. this year with one of her newest acts. |
| Peter Samelson insists that he doesn’t do magic; he only helps people to see it. He is an illusionist/entertainer/philosopher, blending simplicity and sophistication as he provokes thought and inspires wonder. Christened “the soft-spoken conceptualist of sorcery” by the New York Times, Peter has distinguished himself not only as a magician, but as an artist. He performs and designs for television, film and theater, creating magic for Sam Mendes’ productions (at BAM and The Old Vic) of Cherry Orchard and Winters Tale. Mostly recently he designed for Leap of Faith at the St. James theater on B’way. Peter also created and starred in three critically acclaimed one-man Off-Broadway shows; The Magician, PaperWork, and Radnevsky’s Real Magic, and appeared on the Today Show, CNN’s Sonya Live! and the PBS Special, The Art of Magic. |
| Fred and Heather Walker have been performing magic for over 30 years. Their performances have taken them on many adventures. On the high sea’s the duo served as resident magicians on the Caribe I. From coast to coast the Walker’s have performed corporate events from Anaheim California (Dale Carnegie International Convention) to New York, New York (Made the CEO of JFK Airport appear). Many seasons of theme park shows include performances for Hershey, Six Flags, and Knoebel’s. College tours have put the Magicwalker’s on stages for many schools in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Association of Campus Activities. The Magicwalkers Illusion Show is a full stage extravaganza. |
| Spontaneous and unpredictable, Asi Wind ‘s performances are a roller-coaster for the mind. No surprise, then, that a committee of his peers recently presented him with the International Merlin Award for “Most Innovate Show” – an award previously given to David Copperfield, Criss Angel, and Penn & Teller. Asi is frequently asked to invent and design ideas for other magicians worldwide. Asi Wind was born and raised in Tel Aviv, where he was voted “Best Magician in Israel.” He currently resides in New York City, and spends most of his year performing across the globe. |