Home News Officers Members Next Meeting Calendar Archive Hire a magician   Chung Ling Soo Award 2007 Professor Miller		Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition

The Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition honors the memory of of Chung Ling Soo, the Marvelous Chinese Conjurer. Chung Ling Soo was the stage name for American magician William Robinson, who, after a distinguished career as an assistant and builder for the stage shows of Harry Kellar and Alexander Herrmann, achieved the highest pinnacle of success as Chung Ling Soo.

Chung Ling Soo never spoke while performing, and frequently maintained his fictitious identity offstage. He appeared in Chinese makeup for press interviews, and spoke fake Chinese through an "interpreter."

Date of Contest. The Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition shall be held annually on a date set by the Board.

Contest Officials. There shall be at least one Contest Official who is a Ring member. This Contest Official shall not be a contestant. It shall be the responsibility of the Contest Official(s) to see that the rules of the Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition are correctly followed. Contest Official(s) shall be appointed by the President at least three months before the date of the competition.

Contestants. Those wishing to attempt the Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition shall be Ring members or guests; in either case, they must be members in good standing of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. There shall be at least three contestants.

Registration. Contestants shall register no later than one week prior to the competition by contacting a Contest Official specifically charged with registration. Contestants shall communicate their technical requirements to the Contest Official according to public written guidelines provided to all potential registrants by the Contest Official(s). There shall be no registration fee.

Order of performance. The order of performance of the contestants shall be determined by chance.

Silence. Contestants in the Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition shall honor the memory of Chung Ling Soo by performing silently, accompanied by music if they choose. Performers may communicate through gesture, movement, or pantomime. Performers shall not speak, use narration (either recorded or spoken by another individual), or communicate through writing during their performance. Any speech or other attempt to use verbal language (narration or writing) during a performance shall disqualify that contestant.

Judging. The Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition shall be viewed by a panel of at least three judges appointed by the Contest Official(s). Contest Official(s) are encouraged to select judges with a background in theater or the visual arts rather than judges who are magicians. Judges will be asked to evaluate several aspects of each performance in order to provide feedback, if requested, to contestants. These aspects include, but are not limited to, appearance, stage craft, stage presence, audience appeal, technical mastery, and the unity of the presentation.

Timer. There will be a timer, a Contest Official who is not a judge. The timer shall be responsible for recording the duration of each performance. Performances exceeding the maximum of ten minutes shall be disqualified from receiving an award, although they may still be evaluated by the judges.

Awards. If there are at least two contestants who have not been disqualified, the judges shall award a first place award. If there are at least three contestants who have not been disqualified, the judges shall award first and second place awards. If there are at least four contestants who have not been disqualified, the judges shall award first, second, and third place awards.

Awards for the Chung Ling Soo Stage Magic Competition shall be recognized by the awarding of a trophy cup for first place (the Chung Ling Soo Award), and medals that can be worn about the neck for first, second, and third place. The exact design of these awards shall be up to the Contest Official(s).

Award recipients shall be recognized in the Ring report to be published in The Linking Ring, and reported in the Ring newsletter and web site. A list of the winners of the awards shall be maintained on the Ring's web site, and shall be published annually in the Ring's newsletter.

Awards shall be funded by a special endowment, the Chung Ling Soo Endowment, rather than from the Ring's General Fund.