Ring Report
May 18, 2008

The May meeting featured the second annual Max Malini Parlor Magic Contest. Contestants had up to ten minutes to perform parlor magic before a panel of judges. Audience members were given the opportunity to vote for People's Choice.

The warm-up act was Dr. Wilson's Flea Circus. Dr. Wilson's tiny performers exhibited acrobatic skills and worked the trapeze and high wire. Finally, a daredevil flea was shot from a cannon. Stan Davis performed a linking ring routine with a message on making friends. Stan then told a story from his childhood of a card game at a family gathering. He won spectacularly, realizing years later that the grownups had stacked the deck. Alan Drew had a card selected, but when he drew it from his pocket it was blank; the image of the card had transferred to his handkerchief. Alan changed two five dollar bills into a ten and a twenty while a volunteer held them, before changing five dollar bills into hundred dollar bills. Phil Smith bent a spoon with the power of his mind, then made a coin appear and disappear before causing it to change into a giant coin. Phil followed with a sponge ball routine with two audience volunteers.

Former professional wrestler Gary Jewell ripped a deck of cards in half, then used his martial arts skills to find a statue of the Buddha hidden under one of three cups by an audience volunteer. Finally, he had a volunteer sign a quarter, then he slapped it right through the side of a sealed can of soda! Danny Baker began a rope trick, but the rope had a few tricks of its own as it snaked up his sleeves and through his body in a frenzy. An audience volunteer helped untangle him before he attempted a safer card trick. The volunteer selected a card, showed it, and returned it to the deck. Danny attempted to reveal the card a dozen different ways, each a failure, before turning to his Insurance Policy.

Brother Don Paul broke off several lengths of thread from a spool, then caused then to join together to make one long thread. He then performed a masterful version of Homing Card by Fred Kaps. He showed five red spot cards. One of the cards turned into a black court card, which he placed aside. The black card reappeared and was cast aside several times, until one red card was left, then it too changed.

Professor Miller performed his version of the Hindoo Sands silently to music. He showed an ornate brass bowl which he filled with water. He took handfuls of three different colors of sand and stirred them into the water, then removed sand of each color separate and dry. Wes Booth opened with coin and rope magic, then moved on to manipulating cards in a ribbon spread. He performed a series of card manipulations, including color changes, productions and vanishes, before producing a block of ice from under his hat.

The judges awarded First Place to Brother Don Paul, Second Place to Professor Miller, and Third Place to Wes Booth. Wes Booth won the People's Choice Award based on the votes of audience members. Full details of the business meeting and photos are available on the Ring's web site (www.ibmring362.org).