Ring 50 Elects New Officers

Dwight Redmanwas installed as the new president of Ring 50 at our June meeting. Dwight credits his role as a father for his interest in magic. He began coaching his sonEric when he was 5, and then was bitten by the magical bug himself. Eric is now 21, a recent college graduate and a top-notch magician.

TVP Jim Flanigan, left, congratulates Dwight Redman as he takes over as Ring 50 leader.

Others installed were Mike Taggert as vice president, Bob Fay continuing as secretary, Bob Patterson returning as treasurer and Geoff Weber staying on as sergeant-at-arms. New directors were Don Freedman, the retiring ring president, and Glenn Gary and James Munton, both former presidents.

IBM Territorial Vice President Jim Flanigan performed a Points of Light candlelight installation ceremony. The evening's program featured acts by the new officers and directors. Using a large sketch pad filled with 125 numbers, Dwight correctly predicted - well almost - a random number chosen by an audience member. A spectator was asked to select a card from one of two decks, one with blue backs, the other with red. The chosen card, an ace of clubs, appeared in the deck held by participant. The same card also was in sealed envelope in Dwight's pocket.

Don provided us with his version of the Deal or No Deal show. He handed out a series of double sealed envelopes to a group of volunteers offering a chance to win a dinner for two at a popular restaurant but he managed to elude any big payoff. One helper did opt out of the selection process and took home a dime instead of a loser's card.

Mike Taggert, who was the emcee of the evening's amazing show, delivered a terrific comedy mentalism act using the colorful face of a genie to reveal a spectator's card with the whole audience's help. He then performed a beautiful lotus bowl water production while pretending to be a bell ringing, chanting guru dressed in a cap and robe. He concluded his segment with a rising card effect using cards selected by two audience members.

The entertainment also included an eye-popping card routine by Bob Fay in which he showed how four jokers from a blue-backed deck could blush. All four jokers' backs turned to red and then the whole deck blushed red.

Geoff began with a fiery pantomime silk routine ending with the production of a black and white streamer. He plucked a red light out of thin air in a D'Lite-ful demonstration of magical manipulation. And he did a slick dancing silk effect.

New officers of Ring 50 pose for official photo after a candlelight installation ceremony. From left to right: Bob Patterson, Bob Fay, Jim Flanigan, Dwight Redman, Mike Taggert, Geoff Weber, Don Freedman and Glenn Gary.

Bob Patterson delivered some old favorites that included the Professor's Nightmare ropes and a colorful 20th Century Silks routine using a P& L change bag. He vanished the silk with a Tommy Windsor popcorn box. He also did a Spelling Bee routine showing a board with seven random letters that turned into the message "Ring 50" when after the letter cards were shuffled by an audience member. He finished by changing three silver CD's into different colors before changing them back to silver.