In 1974, Ian Stuz saw his first lecture by George Sands, and it inspired him to create some rope effects on his own. He started lecturing that year and along his magical career, he was influenced by some very talented inspirations: Walter Gibson, Ed Mishel, a quirky fellow named Bob Reinhardt, George Post, and Jeff McBride. Jeff was fourteen when he and Ian first met. Together, they started an SAM assembly in Middletown, N.Y. Meetings were held in the back of Ian's magic shop and lasted until the wee hours of the morning, usually with Jeff, his buddy Abe, and Ian doing techniques and developing effects. Jeff and Ian traveled to the New York conventions together as Jeff built up his reputation and Ian made his lecture and product connections. Within 3 years, Ian had developed several new effects. His first, coin balloonacy, won 4 stars in Genii and swept the industry. Picked up by Tannens, and George Schindler, it put him on the map. Michael Ammar got his inspiration for his "ring in balloon" after seeing Ian's lecture at one of the national conventions. Soon, rising stars of magic like McBride, Copperfield, and Lance Burton were all using Ian's highly rated gimmicks and gadgets.
For the record, Ian opened his shop without knowing much magic; he learned from ordering and demos. Since he was a dealer selling magic to Tannens, Ian was given back-room privileges to the stock room, where the big names "hung out" showing off the new moves and asking advice. Ian was learning from the masters. But, he routinely would find a really new method to do an effect because he wasn't clouded by older, stale techniques. This made his magic non-derivative and, therefore, new and original. This served him well; his quirky moves were welcome to manipulators, close-up pros, and beginners.
Ian's theatrical background helped him to be at home performing, even though he had never done stage shows before. He always volunteered to do stand-in spots at conventions, and saw no difference between theater, demonstrating, and doing shows.
The lecture Ian is doing this month at TBMC is a compilation of original effects, quirky moves with everyday apparatus, and his own inventions. He was commissioned to write some booklets for D. Robbins, and has added some special touches to the classic gimmicked deck of cards you all have in the bottom of your magic boxes. Ian took the rubber square trick and made a book out of it; same with the steel ball and tube, stripper deck, and svengali deck; you will also find some online, unpublished books and routines at this lecture.
Get ready to have fun, and be ready to learn some rope effects, silk, coins, gimmick use, some platform blocking, and some darned clever easy magic. It all begins at 7:35 p.m. at the Largo Cultural Center, June 8th.
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