The June meeting began with Magi-Whirl Chairman Michael Taggert (left) presenting a HUGE check to Kevin Curry of Bishop Ireton High School for their portion of the proceeds from the Magi-Whirl Gala Public Show. We are very grateful to BIHS for their gracious partnership with us.
TVP Jim Flanigan (above, second from left) installed the new officers(from right): President Louis Meyer (not pictured), VP Arnold Fuoco, Secretary Eric Henning, Treasurer Bob Patterson, Sergeant-at-Arms Tom Paxton, Board Members Dwight Redman, Don Freedman and Michael Taggert. Congrats to all!
Next up was Ring 50’s annual contest for the Winton Carroll Comedy Magician Award. Jim Flanigan and Laurie Curry appeared as a pair of clowns named "Flim" and "Flam." They pulled a small white rabbit and a six-foot-long rabbit from their comic hats. They also produced two long strands of silk from their head ware as well as a 10-foot-long straw. They concluded their segment with a funny jumbo card effect using a sliding card frame.
An old lady took the stage, was chased behind the backdrop and emerged – as Reggie Rice! Reggie (above, center) followed with a comedy card trick with volunteers, during which the selection and a borrowed ring vanished. Reggie produced some quarters, which were put into a gumball machine to find the ring and the card. The machine jammed, and Reggie got more laughs from the struggle with the machine.
Bob Carnathan (left) did two card tricks which got progressively more difficult, with some hilarious byplay with his audience helpers.Turley the Magician (below, left) began with an appearing wand, growing bow tie, and corsage to sunflower. He then invited a young man to assist me with the sword through the neck illusion mixed with gags and one liner comedy.
Dick Christian closed with comedy mental magic, in which he was “unable” to divine a selected card, but the entire audience received the card’s identity “telepathically” and yelled out the card on cue to the amazement of the chooser.
In the end, the audience voted for – Turley, who now has the custody of the Jester’s Staff and the title of “DC Comedy Magician of the Year 2009.” Congratulations, Hugh!
Ring 50 does not meet in July due to the IBM Convention, so we’ll see you in August for a special double lecture on the “Anatomy of a Show.”
