Author Archive: Steve Rogers

Picnic a Great Success!

Sunday July 14 The NEMCA Summer Picnic celebrated the season. We had a great flea market and auction organized by Robert Olson. We ate baby back ribs (Thanks Steve Lerner!), hamburgers, hot dogs and lots of drinks in the green of Doc Rogers and Rosemie Leyre’s garden. Finally we enjoyed an outstanding magic show presented Ryan Lally, Rich Gilbert, Dan Sclare, John Bach, Joe Patire and fresh from wInning 2nd place at Tannen’s SYM member Reagan O’neill. Thanks to all 24 NEMCA members and their families who attended and contributed to our success. Please plan on joining us in 2021.

Tom Blacke passes away

Tom Blacke escape artist, magician and NEMCA member from Rhode Island died of an apparent heart attack on Thursday April 25 2019.

The funeral is Wednesday 11 AM at NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Avenue, Cranston followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary’s Church, Cranston at 12 p.m.  VISITING HOURS are Tuesday 5-8 p.m.  For Tom’s obituary and directions follow link  https://www.nardolillofh.com/notices/Thomas-CarrierakaThomasBlacke

NEMCA Spring 2019 Meeting: April 14

Date: Sunday April 14,  1-4PM
Location: The Magic Barn, Ashland, MA.  See below for directions.

Noted magic historian, dealer and publisher as well as NEMCA Past President David Haversat, will discuss and show some of his latest discoveries.  We will also present a segment from an A&E program on collecting provided by Rich Gilbert.  The video includes highlights of the 1998 Yankee Gathering held at the Hawthorn Hotel in Salem MA.  Please join us for these special events. 

Prior to the lecture, the club will hold a brief business meeting to discuss Yankee Gathering.  The meeting will finish with a Member Show and Tell — please bring an old or new item to share with the club. 

Light refreshments will be provided.  

Please join us if you can at Stone’s Public House at 11:30 for lunch. (directions are below) under the Meetings tab.

Meeting Location: The Magic Barn see directions below

The Magic Barn is a hidden gem located in Ashland, Massachusetts. Naturally enough, this magic location is not easily found on GPS.  Here’s how to easily find the Magic Barn, which is located behind Stone’s Public House Restaurant in Ashland, MA.  

Proceed to Stone’s, which is located at 179 Main St, Ashland, MA 01721.  across the parking lot from the Magic Barn. Stone’s Restaurant is pictured below:

Meetings

NEMCA Spring Meeting March 29 2020

Sunday, March 29th,  1-4 PM

The Magic Barn, Ashland, MA.  See below for directions.

Chris Wasshuber, publisher of new and out of print books in e-book format and videos on the subjects of magic and mentalism at Lybrary.com, will present his lecture “The Hunt for Erdnase” based on his research into the identity of S.W. Erdnase the author of “The Expert at the Card Table” the 1902 classic on card cheating and card magic.  Chris will offer copies of his book “The Hunt for Erdnase – and the path to Gallaway” for purchase.

Chris founded his company Lybrary.com 21 years ago in Cambridge MA and has previously been a dealer at the Yankee Gathering. He is an entertaining and knowledgeable speaker. Please join us for this special event.

Prior to the lecture, the club will hold a brief business meeting to discuss Yankee Gathering preparations.   The meeting will finish with a Member Show and Tell — please bring an old or new item to share with the club. 

Light refreshments will be provided.

 

NEMCA thanks Peter Lentros for his generosity in making the Magic Barn available for NEMCA meetings.

Meetings

NEMCA Fall Meeting: Trav S. D. on Magic’s Place In Vaudeville

Date: Sunday, October 13th, 2019. 1- 4 PM
Location: The Magic Barn, Ashland, MA.  See below for directions

Writer/performer Trav S.D. is best known as the author of the book No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous and the blog Travalanche (travsd.wordpress.com), where he has written profiles of thousands of vintage show biz performers, including 150 magicians and other illusionists, such as second sight acts and quick change artists. He has written for the New York Times, American Theatre, the Village Voice, Reason, and Time Out NY. He has also spoken at organizations such as the Museum of Modern Art, The New York Public Library, Columbia University, New York and the Chautauqua Institute. He produced and directed the first ever revival of the Marx Brothers first Broadway show “I’ll Say She Is” in 2014.  

Trav will be joining us to give a talk specifically tailored for our club.  His talk: “Magic’s Place in Vaudeville” will present a look at magicians and other illusionists in American vaudeville, with a perspective on how they fit into the big picture within that long-departed branch of show business, artistically, professionally, technically, and even socially. 

Be sure not to miss this meeting!

The meeting starts at the Barn at 1 pm.  See www.nemca.com Meetings for detailed directions. Join us before the meeting for brunch at 11 at Stones Public House, 179 Main Street, Ashland., MA. (parking lot in rear of restaurant next to the lot for the Magic Barn)

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