Just curious if anyone knows who has made it to the IBM gold medal show in Reno Nevada? Thanks a lot, Rob

The Gold was indeed awarded in the Stage Contest tonight!

The Winner was a Young Gentleman by the name of Arthur Trace.

He won $1500 Cash + $3000 Cash for winning the Gold!!!

Not bad for a Night's work, eh?

=Frank=

Can someone list the Close up 6 Gold Cups finalists and the results too. Thank you. Pattrick

Do you know who the rest of the finalists were too?

I would also like to know who the other finalist were in stage magic as well if anyone knows. I would also be curious to see what type of routines they were doing? Did you sense more dove acts or manip acts or were their more unique and creative acts coming around? Thanks in advance.

I did see some of the videos of the Stage competition prelim on the web site of the IBM but would like to know both adult and junior results

Your very own Big Daddy Cool was in the finals!
Arthur Trace took 1st & the Gold Medal
Dan Sperry Took 2nd

In Close up no Gold Cups awarded.
1st place was Evan
2nd Place was my bud Jason Michaels

The junior contest results were:

Stage
1st-Farrah Siegel
2nd-Michael Platt

I saw the videos and congrats Michael. Are any of you competing at SAM in Boston?

Kyle

Hey John,

I've been looking on here to stay updated on the contests. Congrats to you and Jason...

Jeff

Hey Matt congratulations on placing. How many youths were in the competition? How may adults. Would love a complete breakdown if anyone knows who and what all competitios did.

Does anyone know who won the closeup competitions?

Glad to see my boys from Nashville did so well . Congrats Jason and BDC. I had the pleasure of working with both of them at the Twin Cities Convention the week before. I got to see the acts then . I was very impressed.

Hey Big Daddy,

Congratulations to you and Jason! I really enjoyed seeing you guys at the Twin CIty Convention and the Winter Carnival. Keep up the good work!

Scott Compton

Thanks guys!
There are several stories yet to be told. Some I'll leave to others, and the rest I'll tell when and if the time is right...

BDC

Wow, it seems like the crew I spent the last part of June with in Tennessee and Virginia are all on this thread.

Scott is actually posting!

Spending the time with you all was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the next time.

Will we all get together again at SEAM? (Should we call a bail bondsman now? Or wait and see what Big Daddy can arrange?)

Bob
Magic By Sander

Bob,
I'm trying at the last minute to get booked for SEAM. It occurred to me they they might want a 2005 Gold Medal finalist on the show! Spread the word to anyone you know that I would love to come perform! And since I took 1st place in Close-up at SEAM 2004, well...

BDC

Howdy everyone,

Winner of the Close Up was actually Ivan Amodei not Evan as reported earlier in the thread. Ivan did a pool themed act to great reaction in my close up room. Second place went to Jason Michaels who did a cups and balls routine with an old English flair.

Arthur Trace, who won the Gold Medal was excellent and did an original billard ball act that will surely take him around the globe. I had the fun of sitting with Jonathan Pendragon and Ali Bongo who were two of the judges. Dan Sperry did a great job as well and if not for a few techincal problems ...

I have to say that the peliminary judging of the stage contest was odd in my humble opinion. There were several great acts that did not make the final six while others in the six should not have been there ... just my opinion. The same could be said of the close up but this is more subjective since they performed in multiple rooms with different performances and reactions in each.

The Gold Medal show list (in order of appearance):

Farrah Siegel (Jr Contestant)
Kelvin Chun
Big Dady Cool
P.J. from Tawain
Arthur Trace
Dan Sperry


It should also be noted that the cash prize for winning the Gold Medal is $3000 and that Arthur won an additonal $1000 not $1500 as mentioned above ... if he did ... that's real magic!

These awards as posted on the IBM site:

1. Outstanding Stage performance by a Youth Member age 10 through 17, and a $500 (U.S. currency) Savings Bond prize.

2. Outstanding Stage performance by an Adult Member age 18 years or greater, and a $1,000 (U.S. currency) cash prize.

3. The Gold Medal International Award of Excellence in Stage Performance, and a $3,000 (U.S. currency) cash prize (winner must have entered the Stage Contest in either Category 1 or Category 2.)

4. Outstanding Close-up performance by a Youth Member age 10 through 17, and a $500 (U.S. currency) Savings Bond prize.

5. Outstanding Close-up performance by an Adult Member age 18 years or greater, and a $500 (U.S. currency) cash prize.

6. The Gold Cups International Award of Excellence in Close-up Performance, and a $1,500 (U.S. currency) cash prize (winner must have entered the Close-up Contest in either Category 4 or Category 5.)

7. The Karrell Fox Comedy Award (winner must have entered the Stage Contest in either Category 1 or Category 2.)

Cheers,

Shawn Farquhar
IBM Stage and Close Champion (only one to win both!)
all around nice guy too

The illinois boys are representing lol. Mad Props to Dan and Art.

Danny Crook
Former Illinoian

Hey Bob!

It was great seeing you when you were here. SEAM is something that I am considering, but aren't you going to be at Kidabra as well? That is right in my back yard.

Scott Compton