Upcoming Meetings

Meetings held at the Villa Maria Education Center, 161 Skymeadow Drive,
Stamford, CT 06903

Check back often for changes and updates. More special events are being planned!

September 13, 2008: 10 - 12 noon. Open House. Public is invited. SYM members will perform. Refreshments served. Coaches will each speak.

October 11, 2008: 10am - Close-Up session & magic workshops. 11:10 am - "Women in Magic," magic lecture presented by magicians Margaret Steele & Jessica Bonvissuto. Margaret Steele will be performing two of her signature effects. This WOMEN IN MAGIC, The Masters of "Ms" Direction" lecture will include this wonderful performance by Margaret, as well as a short movie excerpt from "Women in Boxes". In addition, we will host a short workshop for both boys and girls in "magical intuition". Click here to see the bios of Margaret Steele & Jessica Bonvissuto.

November 8, 2008: 10am - Close-Up session & magic workshops. 11am - Close-up and Stage rehearsal for Holiday Party Show.

December 6, 2008: 11 - 2. Holiday Party with Close-Up and Stage Performances. Doors open at 10:30. 11 am starts close-up magic. Buffet lunch is at 12 noon. Stage show is at 1:00 pm. SYM groups, kids and their leaders, from CT, Philly, NYC, and Boston invited.

January 3, 2009: 9:30am - 12 noon. MAGIC AUCTION! Set-up is at 9am. 9:30 begins previews. The Magic Auction begins at 10:00 and goes through 12 noon. Sell the magic you are no longer using. Bring money for some amazing bargains. This auction is for SYM #42 families only.

February 7, 2009: 9:30 - 12 noon. James, Simon Lovell, a professional magician and lecturer will conduct his Showmanship lecture for our SYM Assembly.

March 7 2009: 9am - 12 noon. Close-up and Stage rehearsal for the May 16 show.

April 4, 2009: 9am - 12 noon. Close-up and Stage rehearsal for the May 16 show. Dress rehearsal. Come fully dressed in stage attire. Photos will be taken.

May 16, 2009: Spring magic show. Be amazed! Be entertained! Close-up magic right before your eyes! Stage illusions! 10:00 am, close-up starts. Refreshments at 10:40. 11:10 am is the stage show. Held at the Villa Maria Education Center in Stamford, CT. Ticket sale info to be announced. 2008-2009 marks the 21rst year anniversary for The Bill Andrews SYM Assembly #42 of The Society of Young Magicians!

     Based in the New York City area, Margaret Steele's performances as both a magician and musician have taken her to Europe, Japan, Australia and South America, as well as throughout the U.S. and Canada. Her magic has been featured on television in Grand Illusion, The Story of Magic (Discovery Channel Canada), Today in New York (WNBC) and The Magic Mystery School. (CBC). She has designed and performed magical family programs for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the U.S. Army Band at West Point and has been featured at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and regularly performs at international festivals, corporate events and aboard cruise ships. When at home in New Jersey, she is a top childen's entertainer in the New York City area.
     Margaret is also a writer of music and magic stage programs. Woodwind Wizardry debuted at the Harlem School of the Arts and is currently on the Arts-in-Education rosters of both the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Her earlier show, Young Wolfgang, was presented Off-Broadway at NYC's Vineyard Theatre. Her orchestral family concert, Enchanted Mother Goose (to the music of Ravel) made its debut with the New Sussex Symphony and was most recently presented at the Rhinebeck Center for Performing Arts, alongside her orchestral Christmas show, The Magical Holiday Elves. Her newest orchestral program, Spells and Enchantments, (a Halloween program) debuted October 2000 with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. She is currently developing her one-woman play, Adelaide, Queen of Magic, about the life and magic of Vaudeville star, Adelaide Herrmann.
     In addition to pursuing magic professionally, Margaret, a graduate of The Juilliard School, has played oboe with (among many others) the American Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra of New York and American Ballet Theatre. She has played on Broadway in the orchestras of ten different musicals.

Jessica Bonvissuto's career in magic began at the Magical Arts Centre in Hastings on Hudson, New York, as a student of the late Pino Gareri, Master Magician. Jessica became Pino's assistant and partner, and for ten years they performed elegant and romantic themes in magic for private and corporate events, as well as stage work. Additionally, Jessica and Pino's "Magic of Romance"opened for Jeff McBride, appeared at Monday Night Magic and at the Society of American Magician's Salute to Magic at the Tribeca Theater in New York.

Pino and Jessica also traveled the country studying with such notable magicians as Eugene Berger, Jeff McBride, The Pendragons, David Copperfield and many more. They also performed at the Phoenix Gathering with Alain Nu, and achieved a certification in Copperfield's Project Magic. Jessica served as manager of the Magical Arts Center Theater, Store and School for magicians, coordinating hundreds of events for both corporate and private clients.
She served as manager for the team of Pino and Jessica, detailing booking, travel, and shows.

Before joining the Magical Arts Center, Jessica was a professional mime and owner of Mime Time Entertainment Ltd. which she founded in 1980. Jessica began her mime career as a student of Marcel Marceau, Moni Yakim, Rene Houtrides, and Tony Montanero. As a student of the art of pantomime for ten years, she was invited to become a member of the Richard Morse Mime Theater in New York.

Jessica's other theatrical experience included work as a professional theatrical dresser for such people as Lola Falana, Edie Adams and more.

In addition to teaching magic at schools and theaters, Jessica has also taught the art of mime for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Lincoln Center Student Program, and Herbert Berghoff Studio.

Mime Time Entertainment Systems produced hundreds of corporate events for such clients as Avon, General Foods, Pepsi, American Express, IBM, KPMG, and countless private events in the tri-state area.

Her solo performances included shows for such celebrities as Stephen Baldwin, Joe Morris of the NY Giants, and Lee Radzwell. Past clients also included promotions for 20th Century Fox, John Sahag and Richard Simmons. Her skills include mime, magic, music, puppetry, juggling, balloon art, face painting, and fortune telling. Her shows are known for their customized, unique style.

Three greatest accomplishments are her three beautiful children, Brian, a trombonist on Broadway at the show "Chicago", Leah Marie, a graduate of Stella Adler Studios at NYU, who is an accomplished director and graduate of the Lincoln Center Director's Program, and Matthew who is still in college pursuing a business career.