I.B.M RING #250 FT. COLLINS, CO Vol. 20, Number 4 April 1999MONEY MAGIC
Let the competition begin! Thursday, April 15th (tax day!!) at 7:30 pm, our annual money magic contest promises to be a valuable and enriching experience for all involved. Any kind of money magic is acceptable, so if you can't classic palm a Kennedy Half to save yourself, don't be discouraged. Just break out those bills, treasury bonds, checkbooks or credit cards, anything involving money, and dazzle the judges. This is always one of the most enjoyable meetings of the year so come on out and have some fun. A teach-in of "The Bill in Lemon" is planned for after the contest. Rm. 210, Colorado State Office Bldg., 3842 S. Mason St. Immediately preceding the regularly scheduled monthly meeting (6:30 pm) the Presto-Digitators will hold an open business meeting to allow all members an opportunity for input. It is this kind of personal input from our membership that is needed for the continued quality of this organization. Please come and see what makes your club tick. This meeting will be held at the same location (3842 S. Mason St.),
Magic StuffYou should soon be receiving your Magic in the Rockies - 1999 , Convention Registration information. I will let that letter suffice for current MITR info except to remind you that you can always find the most recent updates at the Presto-Digitators website (http://www.byrini.com/presto). Thanks to the efforts of V.P. Bob Blea a report on the survey results is now available. Unfortunately, it is so jammed packed with interesting information that we can't afford the printing costs to include it in our mass mailing. It is, however available upon request and Bob will have a big stack of them at the next meeting. Thanks to all who responded. There have been some recent additions to our club video library. Bob Cassiday - "Mental Miracles"; Rune Klan - "Three Pieces of Silver"; Richard Kaufman - "Basic Card Techniques"; and Dai Vernon - "Revelations" (this is a 17 volume "session" with the Professor). Feel free to contact Ed Hurtubis, at (970) 223-8767 (hurtubis@gateway.net) about checking out videos from the library. Speaking of the club library, we are trying to build a magic book library to make a resource of basic magic reference books available to club members. Tim Pendergast has volunteered to manage this library and has also donated several of his own books to the cause. If anybody is willing to donate books to the Presto-Digitators book library please contact Tim at (970) 225-0708 (email - Penderwiz@aol.com).
Upcoming EventsWednesday, May 5th, is the date for the next planning mtg. As always, any and all members are welcome to join us for discussion of upcoming club events. We meet at CooperSmith's Brewpub (5 Old Town Square, Ft. Collins,CO.) at 6:00 pm. Also scheduled for May 5th, at 7:30 pm, Danish magician Rune Klan will be presenting his lecture, "Three Pieces of Silver", hosted by the Mile High Magician's Society. Klan is a highly acclaimed coin magician who, by all accounts, has something special to offer. If you can make it down to Denver (Metro Manor, 1523 Quitman St.), I think you won't be disappointed. For details contact Stuart Hayner at (303)575-1282 (email - icp@denver.net). Our regular May meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 20th (usual time & place). The theme will be Mental Magic. Come see how to climb into someone's mind. The "One Ahead" principle will be the topic of the teach-in portion of the mtg. Danny Archer will be presenting his lecture to the club on June 17th. Danny does some good stuff! You'll definitely want to mark your calendar for this one. The annual "President's Picnic" is scheduled for Saturday, July 10th at 1:00 pm at the Pendergast Presidential Residence. Details to follow.
March 1999 Ring ReportThe March meeting of the Fort Collins Presto-Digitators roared in like a lion. Our theme of "rope" magic attracted an eclectic and large turnout of magicians, all with rope in hand. Roped into attending were: Larry Davis, Byron Ferguson, Tim Pendergast & Family, Alan Bryner, Bob Blea, Joe Vogler, Jack Shirey, Ed "Mr. Magic" Hurtubis, Lew "The Great Loudini" Wymisner, Stan Skrabut, Vince Knight, Mike Kuyper, Jerome Mason, and Bill "Dr. Wonderful" Futrell.
Before demonstrating his best Boy Scout's overhand clove hitch, President Tim Pendergast opened the meeting with announcements and discussions of upcoming events ably assisted by Lew Wymisner. The most exciting topic of discussion was the addition of yet ANOTHER headliner for the upcoming 1999 Magic in the Rockies convention, scheduled for September 10, 11, and 12. Max Maven's confirmed attendance created a stir amongst club members. Mr. Maven's appearance is highly anticipated in addition to the performers already lined up: Tommy Wonder, Vito Lupo, Simon Aronson, Howard Hale, Eric Mead, Doc Eason, and Roei Zaltsman. Other announcements included the upcoming "Magic in the Mountains," Rob Allen's Leadville, Colorado convention, July 30, 31, August 1, 2. Also the Summer Food Fest in Loveland and the Summer Children's Series at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center where members of the Presto-Digitators will be performing, and a performance and teach-in by Mr. Magic at the Centennial Museum in Greeley.
Following business, Dr. Wonderful provided the club with an entertaining, educating, and engaging teach-in on rope magic. Bill began by demonstrating a number of effects using ropes. Bill performs magic professionally for mathematicians and educators at a wide number of conventions, and it was illuminating to watch him work.
To open, Dr. Wonderful zipped and unzipped a zipper circle to produce linked circles- a clever application of the Mobius strip for magicians. Next, the Doctor demonstrated advances in mad-science by placing three rings and a rope into a can. Using instruments from the latest Roger Corman horror film, Dr. Wonderful proceeded to use these devices to grope menacingly in the can until a threaded ring on rope was produced. In rapid-fire succession, Bill continued by wrapping his finger and then penetrating it with the rope.
After performing a great set, Dr. Wonderful graciously provided all members with their own "mini magic" set consisting of ropes, rings, straws and instructions. Then, with grace and skill, he set upon teaching the non-ambidextrous opposable thumbs crew how to do a series of tricks. Dr. Wonderful taught each attendee how to remove a ring from a rope by carefully looping and "tying" it on to a rope stretched between two hands. The same effect was then performed first looping the rope through the ring almost half a dozen times. Bill also offered a unique material for performing some simple rubber band tricks--hair scrunchies. Using the scrunchies turned a trick that most were familiar with into something new. Then, as if the numerous hair scrunchies flying about the room weren't unique enough, Dr. Wonderful used straws to perform a rope trick. Crossing the straws over and under and every which way, the straws appeared to magically penetrate and separate.
As a closer, Bill demonstrated a very magical Charles III (Charles MacPhearson) ring and shoestring effect. Everyone's eyes were bugging out as Bill penetrated the shoestring in a variety of ways. Bill assured us that the method was far simpler than some of the sleight of hand routines we're familiar with.
Byron Ferguson stuck to the simple stuff with a rope through neck. His first try almost brought asphyxiation, but a subsequent attempt actually penetrated completely through neck, spine, and all. Lew quickly took Byron outside the meeting room and taught him a nice variation. Byron returned confidently with the rope still draped around his neck. The rope was then tied. As it was tied the rope pulled smoothly through his neck. Thanks to Lew for a quick lesson!
Bob Blea then stepped it up by having two ropes penetrate through his body. His effect was a nice twist. Vince Knight performed a wonderfully impromptu "spirit cabinet" tie, using volunteers to darken his space with a large drape. Spirits then playfully tossed items over the curtain--finally putting a jacket on Vince through the ropes.
Vince followed up with a "cuffs" escape from a highly polished set of chains and a steel loop. Stan Skrabut showed off some strange rings from a hardware store. Stan tied the rings onto the rope in a most magical manner. Larry Davis showed off an item he had purchased at the recent Michael Close lecture. The effect was a very commercial rope and ring routine combining a "Professor's Nightmare" effect with a ring to rope. Everyone was in awe of the routine, which Larry performed extremely well.
Lew Wymisner dazzled the audience with an Al Cohen effect where a rope acted as a hypnotized snake and stood stiff at attention. As Lew snapped his fingers, the rope returned to its flexible self. Lew then performed a trick he often performs in shows--the Linking Ropes. Lew's routine ties into optical illusions and how linking rings "really" work. Finally, everyone had reached the end of their ropes. Some retired to a local pub to string along others with their yarns, while others wound up their ropes, and wended their way home.
Byron Ferguson
I.B.M. RING 250
Information
I.B.M. Ring
250 is the Presto-Digitators of Fort Collins, CO. Meetings are on the third Thursday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Colorado State Office Building, at 3842 South Mason St., Ft Collins, CO. 80525President: Tim Pendergast (970) 225-0708
Presto-Digitators website: http://www.byrini.com/presto/