New Members Perform at the November Meeting

Vice President Louis Meyer opened the meeting and welcomed the guests. New members in the past year put on the November program. All were great performers with amazing skills and many new techniques were demonstrated. The 35 members in attendance enjoyed the show.

Jeff Sobel started off with displaying his new adult version of the coloring book (gag), then did a bit of “knotty” work – a short rope routine. After hypnotizing the rope (and the audience) to follow his directions, he showed the practical side of rope magic before performing a linking ring routine with only 1 ring and a rope.

Terry Moran did a paper toss to choose volunteers and then added their imaginary pocket change to match a reveal on the papers held by the volunteers. Terry then did an infamous mentalist experiment "reading the mind of the unborn child" using a women form the audience. The unborn child, after a bit of by play, named the selected card.

Danny Selnick explained how a deck of cards and the calendar are parallel. He had a spectator select a card from the deck and then ask the spectator for any date in his life that was memorable. When turning the pages in his Day Timer to the memorable date, there was the selected card.

Donna Audi showed an empty bottle and magically filled it. She then poured the contents into cups held by three spectators. This was followed by catching imaginary balls thrown by the audience into a paper bag.

Mike Taggert couldn’t be with us tonight because he was with his father in the hospital. However he was able to demonstrate his magical mental skills over the phone, by naming a card selected by an audience member.

New Members Join IBM Ring 50 at November Meeting

Donna Jean Audi of Alexandria VA, was voted into the Ring. She performs as ‘Sparkplug’ the clown. Magic has always interested her and she wants to make a profession of it. The following have applied for membership in IBM Ring 50 and have membership applications pending with IBM. Upon completion of the HQ IBM membership, and when these magicians attend the next meeting, the members will vote on their acceptance into Ring 50. Peter Zawadzki of Bethesda MD, also known as ‘Zulu Papa’, has been a Yogi Magic Mart student in Baltimore and was inspired by Jeff McBride. Shrive Paul Beck, Arlington VA, has been a student of magic through books and is looking forward to gaining knowledge, advice, and experience through membership in the Ring. To join Ring 50, an applicant must be interested in magic and be (or become) a member of the I.B.M. and Membership applications may be obtained from the IBM web site: http://www.magician.org/. Ring 50 Membership applications may be obtained from the Ring 50 web site: Click here

~ ~ Bob Patterson

Eric Henning Appears on FOX 5 TV

Ring 50 Past President Eric Henning appeared on the FOX 5 TV Morning News on Tuesday, October 30. During two "Creepy Cribs" segments, he did some close-up magic with host Holly Morris. The video segments are up on the Fox Web site, and you can see them on your browser by clicking here. During one segment, Henning promoted Ring 50 and our Web site.

Jamy Ian Swiss Lectures at Ring 50

Jamy Ian Swiss is a gifted sleight-of-hand artist who possesses "a finely tuned sense of the absurd," says the Washington Post. He has appeared along the way in performances from Hollywood's Magic Castle to Caesar's Palace on the Las Vegas Strip to the Ginza District of downtown Tokyo. His greatest passion, though, is sleight-of-hand magic, and there are few practitioners who can match his skill and enthusiasm. With a bravado that reflects his early days performing in biker bars, Jamy blends contemporary comedy with bravura technical mastery to create a truly unique show that appeals to almost any audience. Jamy is a busy and highly regarded writer, Jamy contributes a monthly book review column to Genii, the Conjuror's Magazine; he is the author of 11 books and monographs of magic for magicians.

His three and a half hour lecture for IBM Ring 50 was based on “why” I do things the way I do. He stressed using creativity and that novel wins over the good from the AMATEUR MAGICIAN'S perspective, and that this is why novelty wins magic contests, and why magic contest winners -- like FISM Grand Prix closeup winners -- are consistently terrible. The layman, on the other hand, has a MUCH better idea of what is good, when compared with an amateur magician. He says the great performer demonstrates very little skill and goes for the effect. Jamy says, “sleight of hand is only a small part of the secret – the real secrets have to do with psychology and a carefully constructed, almost theatrical production, with many players, most of whose roles are invisible to the victim.”

Jamy's lecture was packed with practical material from his own working repertoire – filled with real-life information about performance of magic – all delivered in Jamy's powerful, potent and unprecedented style! Including: THE KISS OF THE BIG APPLE - According to Scotty York, long-time confidant of the great Fred Kaps, "This is the final word on the Kaps method for the Card in Matchbox." WISHFUL THINKING - The ultimate Card in Matchbook routine, elements of which have been endorsed and even adopted by Michael Ammar. THE ANIMATED RING - The easiest yet most powerful effect that's been and featured in Jon LeClair's “The Art of Invisible Thread.” His lecture was more than just tricks. It's was a carefully constructed performance, a session with an expert teacher, a riveting motivational experience. This lecture was not merely magic lessons – this lecture was life lessons!

New Members Join IBM Ring 50

The National Capital Ring 50 we voted in two new members at the October meeting. Todd Eisenstadt, Bethesda MD, Todd is a college professor and has performed at charity shows and birthday gigs. Todd is a member of KIDABRA. Michael Wolfson, Alexandria VA. Mike is a Management Analyst with the US Dept of State. He has always loved magic and has performed presentations at the US Dept of State and for friends in the US Army and Peru.

The following have applied for membership in IBM Ring 50 and have membership applications pending with IBM. Upon completion of the HQ IBM membership, and when these magicians attend the next meeting, the members will vote on their acceptance into Ring 50. Donna Jean Audi, Alexandria VA, performs as ‘Sparkplug’ the clown. Magic has always interested her and she wants to make a profession of it. Donna has received her membership into IBM and will be eligible to be voted upon at the next meeting she attends. Shrive Paul Beck, Arlington VA, has been a student of magic through books and is looking forward to gaining knowledge, advice, and experience through membership in the Ring. Peter A. Zawadzki (Zulu Papa), Bethesda MD, has been a Yogi Magic Mart student in Baltimore and was inspired by Jeff McBride.

~ ~ Bob Patterson

Meeting Schedule 2008-2009

2008
August 6…………Brad Ross Lecture
September 3…...Barry Mitchell Lecture
October 1..………History of Magic, Mini Lectures by Members
November 5…….Chris Capehart Lecture
December 3……..Duane Laflin Lecture

2009
January 7………..Children’s Magic
February 4 ……..Magic Teach-in
March 4………..…TBA
April 1 …………....Auction Night, Nominations for Officers
April 17 & 18……Magi-Whirl 2009, Washington DC, Ring 50
May 6……………...Dan Lacey Contest, Election of Officers
June 3……………..Winton Carroll Contest “Most Humorous Magician”
July ………………..No Ring 50 Meeting in July
July 1-4, 2009…… 81st IBM Convention, Nashville, Tennessee

(Subject to Change.)

Steve Hart Gives ‘Hart Attack’ Lecture to Ring 50

There were 65 attendees at Steve Hart's lecture on September 5th. Steve started talking and immediately hooked the audience with ways to inspire by thinking about magic. Then he showed a few items he had modified and others he had invented outright and he got everyone thinking so much they started taking notes. His magic lecture titled, "Hart Attacks" has been a favorite among many magical events and is not only educational but also fun and entertaining.

His lecture was not just card and coin tricks. The “Hart Attacks” lecture was a collection of close-up and standup magic with a comical slant. Included were effects such as the Jardine/Ellis ring routine, Jumbo Comedy Card routine, Poorman’s Bottle Vanish, Headless Rubber Chicken, Thumb tip Blendo routine, warm and fuzzy Sponge Ball routine, and more. He demonstrated how, for a few pennies, to make a vanishing bottle from everyday materials. Steve revealed the secrets to several of the effects he created.

In his younger days he performed straight stand up magic. But the audience seemed to enjoy his some of his comedy routines more. This led him to become a comedy magician. Steve says while you are performing, “listen to your audience to determine your persona.” Steve says, “Magic is very effective if performed with the element of surprise.” People will be impressed and remember when you do magic in their hands.

IBM National Capital Ring 50 Gets New Members

At the September 5th meeting two new members were voted into IBM Ring 50. The new members are: Danny Selnick from Alexandria VA. Danny attended the School of Magic Arts in Bogotá Colombia. Jeff Dionise from Manassas VA. Jeff was a semi-pro performing in nightclubs in the 80s. Todd Eisenstadt has received his membership from IBM and will be voted upon for membership in Ring 50 at the next meeting. Others with pending IBM and Ring 50 memberships are: Michael Wolfson, Donna Audi, and Teresito Malicse.

Wednesday November 7th – New members Perform

The November meeting will include performances by our new members that have joined Ring 50 since September 2006.

Magi-Whirl 2008 – March 28 & 29, 2008

Magi-Whirl 2008 is moving right along with contracts completed for Kenrick ‘ICE’ McDonald, Aldo & Rachel Colombini, Eric Jones, Richard Kaufman, Noland Montgomery, and Rich Bloch as lectures and/or performers. We will have 10 dealers and so far we have a confirmation from Wild Colombini Magic – Aldo & Rachel Colombini, Sorcery with Class – Scott Correll, Guaranteed Magic – Bob Little, E-mmaculate Deceptions - Eric Jones, and Magic Goods – Pravin Ponnuri to participate as a dealers. More updates to follow on our website: http://www.magi-whirl.org/

~ ~ Bob Patterson